Why attend support groups post weight loss surgery

Deciding to have bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) is a big decision – physically, financially and mentally. Weight loss surgery alone isn’t the answer to being able to lose weight and maintain that weight loss for the rest of your life, it requires significant lifestyle changes that need to be continuously worked on.

Following a new healthy diet plan as well as including regular exercise into your daily/weekly routine, is essential in order to lose excess weight as well as to maintain your new healthier weight range. This can prove to be very challenging, as bad eating habits develop over a number of years and can be hard to change.

Following weight loss surgery, we offer support groups for patients as part of our aftercare and to help work towards building a healthy lifestyle long-term…but why should you attend the support groups?

Learn – our support groups cover a different topic at each session, and we also ask what those of you in the group would like to have part of the discussion for the next groups. This allows you to learn more about achieving your goals. For example some of the topics in our previous support groups have included:

• Plastic surgery options post weight loss surgery; featuring guest speaker Dr Darrell Perkins, a plastic surgeon at St George Private Hospital.
• Maintaining motivation after surgery and beyond; our resident psychologist Fiona Tzouramanis lead this discussion, explaining different psychological approaches to the lifestyle change associated with weight loss surgery.
• Correct food choices and diet; this was lead by our resident dietitian Tania Chaanine, providing lots of helpful hints and tips for your future diet.
• Fitness and exercise; with guest speaker Nathan Meola, who underwent weight loss surgery himself and now runs his own personal training business.

Our support group sessions feature medical professionals and a variety of different speakers, giving you the chance to learn from different people each time.

Compare notes – you may find following your weight loss surgery that the people around you just don’t understand the journey that you are on. Attending the support group meetings allows you to meet other people who are in the same situation as you are. You can share stories, ask questions, receive (or give!) helpful advice.

Not taking up too much of your busy schedule – our support groups are held every three months and typically last for an hour and a half. So it’s not going to take up too much of your own valuable time but can be invaluable in your progress.

But most importantly, post weight loss surgery patients who regularly attend support groups are more likely to lose weight as well as maintain this weight loss long term. It is very easy to slip back into old habits, the weight loss you initially experienced has no long-term guarantees without you continually working towards a life long goal of maintaining a healthy weight. Attending regular support groups can inspire and motivate you as well as educate you.

Our next support group meeting is on Wednesday the 29th of November. If you would like to attend our next support group then please call to book your place on 02 9553 1120.