Navigating the Holidays as a Bariatric Patient
Dec. 9, 2022 - Weight Loss Surgery in Delaware: Navigating the Holidays as a Bariatric Patient
On today’s Bariatric Friday, Kemal Erkan, Chairman of American Surgery Center, is accompanied by Dr. Isaias Irgau, President of Christiana Institute of Advanced Surgery (CHRIAS). Dr. Irgau specializes in weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, and has for over 20 years. Today’s discussion focuses on how bariatric patients can navigate the holiday season. Thanksgiving until Christmas is a time for celebration, but it is also a time where food is everywhere. This can cause some to struggle with weight management.
It is important to be mentally prepared for the holidays. Erkan and Dr. Irgau feel it is paramount that they prepare their patients with suggestions to navigate this time while being conscious about what they are consuming. Dr. Irgau begins by saying, “ the first and most important thing I believe is to be aware that weight gain could happen during the holidays, so if you prepare yourself with that mindset I think you are already ahead of the game. There are going to be many gatherings where there will be a lot of food.” He provides his first suggestion to avoid overeating. “Avoid going hungry… if you haven’t had any food and you are going suddenly into this party where you are going to be distracted with social mingling, then you may not be aware of how much you might be eating.” Dr. Irgau also suggests the patient take a friend to events, someone who can hold them accountable. If there is a gathering where the guests are bringing dishes to share, then the patient should bring a healthy option as their contribution. This way if it seems there is nothing appropriate to eat, the focus can be on consuming the food the patient brought to the party. Erkan suggests consuming a few egg whites prior to an event. He states that he used this piece of advice recently, and it really helped him control his food consumption for that entire day.
Dr. Irgau points out that often at parties or events there is a central location for food. As a bariatric patient, it would be helpful to intentionally be farther away from that area. The patient will be less inclined to mindlessly pick at the food because the temptation is much lower. Another holiday eating tip is for the patient to selectively fill their plate with healthier options first. As a result, the stomach will be full and will not have room for the less healthy options. For patients who haven’t received the surgery yet, they may not think mindlessly eating during the holidays is a huge deal. However, the team at American Surgery Center encourages patients to begin their healthy lifestyle prior to the surgery, so they can set up a routine for long term maintenance. Dr. Irgau says, “we really encourage family members to be part of the process… support is important.”
Erkan directs attention to Denise, Patrick, and Karen -- patients who have been followed on their bariatric surgery journey. He asks if any one of them is more vulnerable than the others during the holidays. Dr. Irgau explains all of American Surgery Center’s patients are very vulnerable at this time of year.
The pair then go on to discuss exercise during the holiday season. Dr. Irgau mentions increased