The pandemic has made weight loss and weight management a challenge for all of us, including people who had bariatric surgery. Regardless of the procedure—lap band, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass—it is possible to regain the weight after surgery.

A few weeks ago, Jessica Berger Cruz checked in to let us know that she had just passed her 10-year surgiversary and had maintained most of her 150-pound weight loss since 2011. She kindly offered to speak with us and share her personal tools for long-term weight maintenance:

Jessica, age 24, before gastric bypass bariatric surgery (2011).

Jessica has faced weight challenges since childhood. Once she was an adult and ready to start her life, her size 24 body restricted her confidence to go after everything she wanted in life.

At age 24, she weighed close to 300 pounds and was out of diet and exercise options. “I had my whole life ahead of me and didn’t want to face it being so heavy,” she recalls.

She and Dr. Seun Sowemimo agreed that bariatric gastric bypass would be the optimal surgical weight loss tool to propel her mind and body forward to living a healthy lifestyle.

“I was inspired to have bariatric surgery because I wanted to live life, not just be living.”

Jessica Berger Cruz

Immediately after surgery, Jessica felt the weight loss momentum finally kick in and she quickly lost more than 100 pounds the first year after surgery.

“The program gave me simple tools to live by,” Jessica explains. “To this day, when I need to regroup, I go back to those steps to start losing again.”

Prime Surgicare’s bariatric dietitian explains Jessica’s success strategy

Lori Skurbe, MPH, CDE

Over the past decade since weight loss surgery, Jessica has faced several common milestones that can lead to weight gain and even obesity: marriage, having a baby, career changes, health challenges and the recent pandemic.

“Jessica sets a terrific example of what dedication to basic bariatric lifestyle principles can accomplish,” says Prime Surgicare bariatric dietitian Lori Skurbe, MPH, CDE.

“Eating healthy meals, drinking calorie-free fluids and consistent exercise are the essential keys to long-term weight management success.”

Facing the stress of Covid-19 and weight regain

“During Covid-19, I’ve been at home working and taking care of my eight-year-old, who is still not back in school,” she explains. “It’s been tough to get out and exercise and it’s also been a stressful time on both the work and home front.”

Six years ago, the paralegal was shocked to see her weight had crept up to 180 pounds during a doctor’s appointment. “I knew I had gained weight after having my son, but I didn’t realize how much.”

She immediately returned to her personalized Prime Surgicare post-op bariatric guidelines to get back on track and eliminate bad nutritional habits that had snuck back into her diet.

One of the key assets she turned to was journaling everything she was eating. “Journaling doesn’t have to be a permanent part of your life, but when you veer off course, it can help you see on paper the wrong things you are eating during the course of a day.”

READ: Why Journaling during Weight Loss is Worth the Effort

The extra weight steadily came off and today, she keeps her weight range between 145 and 160 pounds and a 6-8 clothing size.

“Taking off the weight I had gained made my clothing fit right again and I just felt more like myself,” Jessica explains.

Jessica in 2021, successfully maintaining her weight loss for 10 years.

“My mantra is ‘when you look good, you feel good, you do good!’”

Jessica Berger Cruz

Today, she shares her healthy eating habits with her son. A snack in the Cruz family means fruit or a whole grain bar and a treat is a sweet treat offered only occasionally.

Keeping fit with chronic back pain

Jessica’s low back pain restricts some fitness opportunities, so she relies on cardio dance classes, biking with her family and competitive daily step counting with her husband.

“At the height of the pandemic, I was doing laps around the house just to beat my husband’s number at the end of the day,” Jessica says with a smile.

Advice for future bariatric warriors

Jessica is a healthy living role model for her young son.

Jessica offers words of advice a decade after her own experience having gastric bypass weight loss surgery:

• Identify your inspiration for losing weight and never forget it
• Remember that you—and only you–will determine your success
• You don’t have to give up your favorite foods—just eat them less often and in smaller volume
• Follow the guidance of your team of bariatric experts who know the tips and tricks to help you lose weight quickly and safely

Prime Surgicare’s top 5 tips to avoid weight regain

Lori Skurbe spells out the tools she offers bariatric clients to achieve—and sustain—a healthy weight after any surgical weight loss:

1. Enjoy healthy meals comprised of lean protein, non-starchy veggies and a healthy whole carb food, if you still have “room” in your pouch.
2. Drinking 64+ ounces of calorie-free, caffeine-free fluids between meals.
3. Consistent physical activity – at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
4. Eating slowly and paying attention to signs of “fullness.”
5. Take your bariatric multivitamins daily, no matter what.

Are you ready to tell your weight loss success story?

We would love to welcome you to our Prime Surgicare family and partner with you before, during and after your weight loss surgery journey.

To find out if bariatric surgery may be the obesity treatment solution for you, register for Dr. Seun’s next New Patient Seminar. Or, if you’d prefer to have a private consultation first, call us at 732-414-2707 to schedule an appointment. Feel free to ask our team of friendly bariatric specialists to help confirm your insurance coverage for metabolic syndrome treatment (bariatric surgery).