Bariatric surgery is usually a final option many adults who struggle with their weight decide upon.  Obese adults and morbidly obese adults generally struggle to lose weight on their own.  There are four main surgical options bariatric patients can choose from depending on their health goals. The four different surgeries are the gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric banding, and the duodenal switch.  These surgeries all significantly impact your life and allow you to alter your life and positively change your health.

Many factors affect a bariatric patient's health, including the physical, emotional, psychological, social, and financial burdens on the patient and their family.  For a successful life after surgery, a well-balanced diet with physical activity must be incorporated for a healthy life.

Many bariatricians and post-surgery bariatric patients recommend attending a support group to help you cope with the many demanding changes in your hectic life that can prevent a successful life after weight loss surgery.  Your journey is not complete unless you have a reliable support system.  Your friends and family often struggle to understand how your mind and body go through significant changes after surgery. Therefore a support group is essential in promoting your best interests. If you're tired of searching for baratric support groups near me, here are a few you can research and go to.

Joining a Bariatric Support Group

Joining a support group brings a significant amount of positivity to your life by offering a way to sustain your health progress. By incorporating suggestions and tips for healthy food options, creating a buddy system for exercising, and sharing personal struggles and triumphs, you advise when you encounter similar obstacles.

After bariatric surgery, your life becomes more hectic and busy, which can distract your mind from its original goals of maintaining a specific food program.  Attending a support group offers a chance to remind yourself of the goals and reasons for starting your weight loss journey and remind yourself of why you made this life-altering decision.

Attending a support group is an excellent reminder of how easy it is to fall off track and, at the same time, comfortable. It can be to fix your mistakes and learn from them.  Attending a support group allows you to refocus your thoughts and actions with other people who are struggling or succeeding in their weight loss journey.

By sharing the same goals and instincts, you can build a strong community and increase your chances of future weight loss success.

Many support groups offer many ways to remain involved with educating you during your bariatric process.  The many ways to increase your education is through food choices, meal planning, vitamin, and fluid guidelines.  These meetings are great for developing strong relationships with other participants.   This shared experience enhances special connections that will increase your commitment to your health program.

Where to Find a Bariatric Support Group

There are numerous support groups that you can find according to many different factors.  There are support groups based on your proximity or schedule.  You can find support groups through your bariatric surgeon, medical center, or health care team.  There are also organizations that you can research that focus on obesity and bariatric surgery.  An example is the Obesity Action Coalition or the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, where you can find copious amounts of information about support groups.

Research indicates that attending a support group improves your weight loss.  Many patients are reserved about participating because of fear of being judged as being uncomfortable or shy, which are valid reasons. Still, your health is an important factor that should be considered.

Benefits of Support Groups

You can learn from other's experiences and try to share the lessons you have learned.  There are tips on preparing meals, maintaining weight, exercise advice, nutrition information, and positive thinking.  Often we are quick to judge and harsh to judge, which is not helpful as you are learning from new experiences after surgery.

Online Support Groups

• Facebook:  online support groups are convenient to stay connected at all times.
• Biggest Loser:  A Facebook group where you can join a weight loss program, including access to the support program.  The program consists of a six-week specific weight loss program, food tracking, meal plans, workouts from trainers, and the support group staff.
• Weight Watchers: https://weightwatchers.com is a support community forum where members talk about meal ideas, point values, maintenance, exercise plans, and motivation.  The mission is to keep weight watcher members motivated.
• Overeaters Anonymous:  This group has found a meeting search feature where you can attend local meetings with like-minded individuals who have had weight loss surgery.

Many of these meetings are held at local hospitals with medical professionals who can answer important nutrition questions.

• Local Community Centers or Hospitals:  You can search your city or town's events calendar to see what type of support groups are offered.

My Support Group Experience

I currently attend monthly support groups at my local hospital, where I had my surgery, which operates through Health Partners and Park Nicollet.  This hospital is extremely supportive of its bariatric support groups.

They offer many different topics that focus on the mental and physical health of the bariatric experience.  I attended both monthly meetings in person, which are currently virtual due to the COVID pandemic.   These meetings help me remain committed to my health plan and remind me of my health goals.  It is incredibly uplifting and rewarding to have a continued supportive network where we can share both mental and physical barriers.

I am also a member of many online support groups.

There are many on Facebook that provides a large amount of incentive to continue on my weight loss journey. The different groups I am a member of are the Bariatric Diet and Gastric Sleeve Support Group and the Bariatric Surgery Support Group.  Both groups allow me to share my experience, strengths and struggles along with bariatric friendly recipes or diet ideas.

All personal stories are welcome.  Anyone considering weight loss surgery or has had weight loss surgery can share their experience with weight loss.  

I have felt welcome in both in-person meetings and online support groups.  I can share my thoughts and experiences with no judgment.  I enjoy the community environment and the positive atmosphere.