How to Measure Your Progress After Weight Loss Surgery

It’s important to document your weight loss journey and take the time to celebrate how far you’ve come.

Congratulations, you’ve just had weight loss surgery! Now it’s time to track your progress.

Checking in on your weight loss journey doesn’t have to be scary. Instead, think of it as a joyful exercise where you can celebrate how far you’ve come and how eager you are to keep going.

How To Measure Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery

Weight loss surgery can lead to numerous health improvements, the most obvious one being weight loss. If you used to dread getting weighed at the doctor’s office or stepping on the bathroom scale after a holiday season of feasting, seeing your weight loss by the numbers might give you a confidence boost.

Luckily, there’s a quick and easy way to calculate your percent weight change. Enter your metrics into the following equation: (Pre-op weight – current weight) / (pre-op weight)  x 100 = % body weight change. If you’re not math-savvy, you can always measure your weight loss the old-fashioned way and find out how many pounds you’ve lost by subtracting your post-op weight from your pre-op weight.

How To Celebrate Success Without A Scale

Still, the scale is not the be-all-end-all when it comes to measuring your progress after bariatric surgery. Health is about more than just a number, and many people prefer ways of measuring success that are more holistic.

For example, instead of weighing yourself to see if you’ve lost weight, you can take stock of how your clothes fit. Do you have more room in the waistband of your jeans? Can you now fit into that dress that’s been in the back of your closet for years? You can also use a tape measure to measure your arms, waist, hips, and thighs. Having lean muscle makes you look slimmer, so even if you don’t see the number moving on the scale, you’ll be able to tell if you’re making progress.

Here are some other ways to celebrate weight loss success that don’t involve crunching the numbers:

• Are you taking fewer medications? After weight loss surgery, many people who previously struggled with type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease experience near or complete remission. Say goodbye to managing dozens of prescriptions in order to keep yourself healthy.
• Can you move more easily? Bariatric surgery also helps relieve weight-related joint pain. You’ll know you’ve lost a significant amount of weight when you no longer have painful pressure on your knees and ankles as you move around. Regular exercise will be easier too!
• Do you have more energy? There’s no better fuel for an active, productive day than a good night’s sleep. If sleep apnea used to keep you up at night, you’ll notice you get much better sleep after weight loss surgery. In turn, you’ll be much more energized during the day.
• Do you feel better about yourself? Due to the obesity stigma, many obese people feel uncomfortable engaging in certain activities in public or suffer from a lack of confidence. Once you are down to a healthy weight, you might experience a boost in self-esteem and feel more empowered to tackle new experiences.

Still not sure if weight loss surgery is for you? Schedule an appointment with the bariatric surgery professionals at Long Island Laparoscopic Doctors today. Our dedicated team will walk you through your weight loss options, recommend treatment plans, and offer more tips for measuring your success after the procedure.