When you make the decision to get weight loss surgery, Salt Lake City can become a large network of support, especially if you work on transitioning your existing social network into a reliable weight loss support system. A little help from your friends, family members and co-workers can go a long way in helping you manage stress as you lose weight.
Don’t wait until after your weight loss operation to start building your support network. While your bariatric surgeon will equip you with the tools you need to make the right decisions and lose weight, stress can become overwhelming without a good support network. Though the changes you’ll need to make are achievable, they will be much easier to reach with a little help.
Your co-workers, family members and closest friends can all become valuable members of your weight loss support team, but assembling these personal resources into a support network takes time. By starting to figure out who your most reliable support system members will be before weight loss surgery, you’ll make it all the easier to find help when you need it after your operation.
Here are a few tips to help you build your weight loss support network:
- Seek advice from your bariatric surgeon. Your weight loss surgeon understands what mental and physical changes you are likely to encounter and can help you prepare for those changes. As your bariatric surgeon, he will provide you with information about lifestyle and dietary changes, education tips and health counseling. His insight and guidance will be valuable as you continue building your support network.
- Friends and family are pivotal parts of your weight loss support army. During times of emotional distress, turn to those closest to you and share your thoughts and feelings about weight loss. Family and friends have a way of putting things in perspective if you veer off course on the road to weight loss success. Let your loved ones know exactly how they can support you during this time of transition.
- Get involved in a support group. After experiencing a life-changing event like weight loss surgery, it helps to share your thoughts and feelings with those going through the same mental and physical changes as you. Other members who are further along in their weight loss journeys may be able to offer you diet, exercise and lifestyle tips that your friends and family can’t.
Assembling a solid network of support makes coping with mental and physical changes easier. Start gathering your support network early on—change is coming and it happens fast. It helps to have your troops ready and waiting when this change strikes.