Bariatric surgery can be highly effective at reducing weight and preventing heart disease. Following a weight loss procedure, it is important for bariatric surgery patients to maintain and track their weight loss. Tijuana Bariatrics® has some tips that can help.
Below are some good ways to track your weight loss after bariatric surgery. If you would like to learn more about bariatric surgery, we encourage you to contact our surgical weight loss centers serving Tijuana, and Monterrey, Mexico.
Find the Right Scale
Making sure you have an accurate bathroom scale is key to keeping your weight loss goals. Shelling out for a higher-end scale, like this one from Withings, is a great way to ensure accurate readings. It even connects with your phone, to track body composition data such as BMI or bone, water, and muscle mass.
Other options, like the Aria2 scale, can integrate with your Fitbit device. Find what works for you, but make sure it is reviewed favorably and known to be accurate.
Weigh Yourself at the Right Time
Now that you have an accurate scale, make sure that you are weighing yourself at the correct time. We suggest in the morning, after you wake up and before consuming any breakfast or liquids. Stick to a morning weigh-in on the same day every week to monitor your weight. Consistency can reduce uncertainty caused by variables in diet and hydration.
Keep a Food Journal
A food journal can help enormously with weight tracking, and it’s something that Tijuana Bariatric recommends to many patients. You can track your weight, meals, and goals. You can also write down your thoughts and feelings when it comes to weight loss.
Find a nice notebook that inspires you, and commit to writing in it daily. After time, you may start to notice patterns and be able to counteract unhealthy habits with healthy coping strategies.
Use Phone Apps
If you are more digitally inclined, there are numerous apps out there to help guide you. One of the most popular, Baritastic, covers most of the important nutrition markers, including hydration. Another app to consider is Fooducate, which can help prevent overeating.
Keep a Fitness Journal
Journaling your fitness journey is a great way to stay on target for weight loss. You can use the same notebook as your food journal, or find a new notebook. With a fitness journal, you can write about the length of your workout and physical activity, calories burned, and your thoughts and feelings as they come.
Fitness Apps and Devices
There are all sorts of gadgets to help keep track of fitness. A Fitbit will count your steps and monitor heart rate. Many smart watches often include fitness tracking devices, and are great at monitoring your daily physical activity and health statistics.
A simple pedometer like the 3DFitBud is inexpensive and can still give you that extra impetus to exercise, because sometimes just having that step counter can be motivational. Apps like MyFitnessPal, RunKeeper, and Glo are great methods for logging your workouts as well.
Make Exercising Fun with Games
While fitness gadgets can gamify wellness, it shouldn’t be surprising that there are videogames that can promote and track your health progress.
Games like Ring Fit Adventure and Fitness Boxing for the Nintendo Switch, or BOXVR for PS4 and PC VR, will keep track of all your fitness data. This includes calories burned, length of exercise, daily/weekly/monthly averages, and more.
Find Accountability in Numbers
The weight tracking journey does not have to be taken alone. It can be highly beneficial to tackle it together with a friend or support group. This can be done with either online or in person groups.
Follow Instagram accounts with inspirational weight loss tips and quotes, join a weight loss forum like r/loseit. Like-minded individuals are out there waiting to give you the support, accountability, and guidance you need.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you have any questions regarding weight loss surgery, Tijuana Bariatrics can help. Give us a call at (877) 639-1449 or schedule an appointment online.
