This is a big question to consider, especially as you experience the drastic changes that follow weight loss surgery. Weight loss helps to improve so many aspects of life. From your health to your social life, there are countless ways that losing weight impact you. Before your surgery, sit down to think about this question. You might not fully appreciate the different ways that losing weight might change your life.

If you’re still just considering weight loss surgery, there are some different questions you might want to ask yourself. How has obesity impacted your life? What do you hope to gain from losing weight?

For many people, better health is a priority after weight loss surgery, and this is one area in which weight loss can have a strong influence. Whether you are slightly overweight or seriously obese, you’ll start experiencing health benefits after just losing 10 percent of your excess body weight. The more weight you lose, the more benefits you’ll start to experience. Once you reach your goal weight, maintaining your accomplishment can deliver a collection of its own benefits.

These health benefits aren’t purely physical, either. Sure, losing weight can decrease your risk of heart attack or stroke, reverse symptoms of type-2 diabetes and help you sleep better, but losing weight can also help you cope with depression and improve your self-esteem.

Losing weight can allow you become more mobile than you might have ever imagined. While you’ll have to ease slowly into physical activity, plenty of people find themselves running in marathons despite once thinking that running a block was out of the question. Weight loss can literally make it possible for you to go off and explore the world, as obesity may have made plane travel difficult for you in the past.

Losing weight can change your life in just about every way imaginable. If you have a goal, then you are capable of achieving it—you just might need a little help to get there. Losing weight can open new career opportunities for you, introduce you to hobbies you never knew you would love and even help you get more enjoyment out of activities you already engage in.

Write down what you would like to gain from losing weight. Tuck this away in a journal or a favorite book and use it to gauge your progress later on. These personal goals can help you look forward when the going gets tough along the way.

Living in South Florida, you have a benefit that many people in the northern states only wish for. Hollywood benefits from temperate weather, which means that even in the dead of the winter the weather isn’t too bad. It is perfectly possible to head outside and go for a walk on a crisp evening in the middle of winter. In fact, the winter is sometimes looked at as the preferred time to exercise outside, as the summer heat can make venturing out difficult without sun protection and water to stay hydrated.

When you take your exercise plans outside your entire workout can undergo some big changes. Instead of spending 30 minutes on a treadmill you may find yourself wishing for more time as you hike through local trails. Forget the stationary bike and call up some friends to enjoy a spirited bike ride around your neighborhood. Aerobic classes can be lots of fun, but so can spending an hour shooting hoops in the backyard with your kids.

Taking your workout outside can boost your mental and physical health in the following ways:

• Improves immune system health: When you are outside you are exposed to the sun, which provides your body with vitamin D. This needed nutrient improves immune system health.
• Get more energy: Vitamin D can also provide you with a much needed energy boost.
• Reduced germ exposure: By skipping the gym you can reduce the amount of germs you are coming into contact with in the locker room and on cardio equipment.
• Stress relief: There is a strong connection between breathing in fresh air and managing stress. Also, outdoor works are fun for groups, and the extra social activity is great for your mental health.

As winter turns to spring, now is the ideal time to switch up your workout routine and get a little bit of fresh air. Spring is known for its cool nights, light breeze and the pleasant sound of birds chirping in the trees overhead. Spring is the season of renewal and rebirth, so there is no better time to rededicate your mind and body to your workout efforts. It is hard to stay motivated to work out when you are standing in front of a long line of treadmills facing small television screens. You may be surprised by the mental boost you experience when you separate yourself from the stagnant environment of the fitness center and take your exercise goals to the street instead.

Where is your favorite outdoor spot in Hollywood to get active? Share your thoughts and experiences in a comment below.

If you are hoping to lose weight, then this is the wrong perspective to have towards walking. When it comes to exercising, walking is a great resource, and it can prove to be a significant form of weight loss help in Hollywood after Lap Band surgery, sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass.

One of the reasons this exercise is so beneficial after weight loss surgery is the ease with which you can alter your intensity level while walking. The pace of a walk can easily shift between a casual stroll and a swift stride. The intensity level you choose to walk at will determine how many calories you are burning while working out, but the fact remains that at every speed and intensity level walking can help you get active and stay on your feet—and this is huge during the early stages of your weight loss surgery experience.

How Fast is Your Stride?

Speed isn’t everything. When you are first recovering from weight loss surgery you won’t be able to zip around your home or office the way you might a few months down the road. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be walking on your own all the same. Incorporating walking into your fitness program allows you to name the intensity level that you are ready for.

Here are a few tips for creating a walking program as you are losing weight:

• Start your walk at a moderate pace. Whether you are planning on sticking to a slow pace or are hoping to break into a faster stride, start out slow. This will give your body time to warm up.
• Don’t push yourself farther than you are ready to go. This goes for both distance and speed. The important thing is that you are ready for activity as you attempt it. Only walk the distance and speed you are comfortable with.
• Try out a treadmill for distance first. The benefit of a treadmill is that you can stop when you need to stop without having to turn around and go home. If you attempt to walk six miles and are too tired after three, a treadmill will give you the chance to take a break before trying again. If you are in your neighborhood you might be out of luck or calling for rescue. Treadmills can also help you develop a steady pace.
• Keep good form. When you are walking your head and shoulders should be relaxed and facing forward. Your hips and arms should sway with each step and your feet should hit the ground in a heel-toe motion.

When heading out for a walk, remember the old fable: slow and steady wins the race. Don’t push yourself too far or fast too quick. An injury will only set you back further.

Though many different strategies can help you reduce stress, even a highly-effective technique like progressive muscle relaxation will do little good if you let the stressors in your life run amok. Stress is often triggered by specific events and problems in our lives, and to get it under control, we need to do more than just help ourselves calm down—we need to work to resolve our stressors and move on in a positive, healthy way.

To help yourself manage stress better after bariatric surgery, start by:

Finding Stress Triggers

Whenever you feel stressed out, take a few minutes to think about the cause. Is it the hefty workload you’ve been given at the office? Is it a messy household or a part of your daily routine that just isn’t working? Are there issues in your relationships that need to be resolved? Identifying your triggers can make stress much easier to tackle, and most of them will fall into categories like:

• Change. This includes any stress related to the way our lives are changing, whether related to your weight loss surgery requirements or a new job or home.
• Disease. Any health problems you experience can cause stress, whether long-term or short-term.
• Emotional. These are internal factors like fears and phobias, as well as personality traits like perfectionism. Emotional stressors are very personal to each individual.
• Environmental. Noise, clutter and other factors in our surroundings can be sources of stress.
• Family. These stressors may include financial problems or changing relationships with your loved ones.
• Social. These stressors come from the way you interact with the community around you.
• Work. Deadlines and demanding superiors in your workplace can be significant sources of stress.

To help yourself find a solution, begin tracking your emotional state in a journal and classifying your stressors into one or more of these categories.

Taking Steps Forward

Once you know what’s stressing you out, it’s time to take action. Try to think of a solution to each stressor you face, or at least a way to minimize its impact on your life. We often can’t completely eliminate a source of stress, but we can reduce their hold over us. If distractions at work are making it hard to keep up, try using headphones or earplugs to stay focused. If having to clean up at home every night is draining you of time needed for other responsibilities, see if others in your household can help or consider hiring an occasional cleaning service.

No matter what stressors you face after gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy or LAP-BAND surgery in Hollywood, you can find it and figure out a proactive way to move forward. If you’re having trouble coping with stress after weight loss surgery, ask your bariatric surgeon for guidance.

Whether you’ve had gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy or LAP-BAND surgery in Hollywood, depression is something to stay wary of after bariatric surgery. If you find yourself feeling depressed, it’s important to speak with your weight loss surgeon about how to prevent the problem from impacting your progress and quality of life. Serious depression may make counseling an important step, while the staff of your weight loss clinic may also be able to offer encouragement that helps you see the sunny side.

Dealing with depression can be difficult, but there are many ways to help yourself overcome the problem. Though strategies that help most can be the hardest to do when you’re depressed, you can ease your depression by:

Seeking Support from Others

When we’re depressed, we usually feel like cutting ourselves off from the outside world, but this will only deepen your depressive state. Simply being around others can be enough to lift your mood, especially family members, close friends and positive people.

Remember that no matter how dejected you feel, the people who care for you want to help. Talk about the things you’re feeling with the people you care about and maintain your involvement in social activities. If you find yourself unable to get the support you need from your social circle, it may be wise to seek professional help or a depression support group.

Focusing on Your Health

Because depression breeds apathy, it can make you become indifferent about your health and habits, but this can take a further toll on your mental health. Exercise regularly, practice relaxation techniques, go outside for sunshine every day and make sure you don’t sleep too much or too little.

You should also continue doing things you enjoy, even if these things have become less appealing than they once were. Devoting yourself to your hobbies can help you reintroduce some enjoyment to your life. Spend time in places you like, express yourself creatively and make time for fun activities.

If you’re coping with serious depression after gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy or LAP-BAND surgery in Hollywood, remember: you don’t have to go through it alone. Speak with your weight loss surgeon for tips on dealing with your emotions during your program.

There are two types of cholesterol that we monitor in our blood: LDL and HDL. HDL cholesterol is good cholesterol. This substance actually encourages blood flow by maintaining the health and integrity of the arteries. LDL cholesterol, on the other hand, is a fatty substance that builds on the artery walls, potentially impeding proper blood flow. If left untreated, this bad cholesterol can cause arteries to grow stiff and narrow, making it even more difficult for blood to flow through efficiently.

For optimal health you want your HDL cholesterol levels to be high while your LDL cholesterol levels remain low. Unfortunately, this isn’t often how it works out. Poor cholesterol levels can increase your risk for heart attack or stroke, and are one of the leading causes of chest pain.

After weight loss surgery it may become easier to manage your cholesterol levels. This is because so many of the lifestyle factors that are encouraged after bariatric surgery are also habits that can improve your cholesterol levels.

Here are the top three healthy habits that can improve your cholesterol levels:

• Lose weight: After weight loss surgery you will have a head start with this healthy step. Even losing just five to 10 percent of your excess weight can significantly reduce LDL cholesterol levels.
• Adopt a healthier diet: There are certain foods that can worsen your cholesterol levels. Foods that are high in saturated fats, such as red meat and dairy products, are especially bad for cholesterol levels. As you reduce your diet, focus on eating healthier foods that will have positive effects on your blood cholesterol levels.
• Get active: Cardiovascular activity is great for your blood flow and can help keep poor cholesterol levels at bay by increasing the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL cholesterol) in the blood.

Losing weight after Lap Band surgery will help to improve your cholesterol levels, but so will adopting the healthy habits that come with your new post-surgery lifestyle. Try finding fun activities that will keep you active every day to keep your cholesterol levels in check.

After sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or LAP-BAND surgery in Hollywood, you may find your energy levels improving as you lose weight, but it helps to know a few ways to ward off fatigue as you follow the steps of your weight loss program. If you’re feeling mentally or physically drained, you can help yourself overcome fatigue by:

• Taking a break. It’s commendable to want to work towards your goals 24/7, but remember that you aren’t the Energizer Bunny. Everyone needs a breather now and then, and regularly giving yourself a few minutes to relax can boost your energy both long-term and in the moment. Taking five to ten minute breaks throughout the day can fight fatigue and improve your productivity in the process.
• Hitting the pavement. Taking a short walk can reinvigorate your body and mind. Though exercising too much is a surefire way to wear yourself out, studies show that a brisk 10-minute walk can improve your energy levels for two hours. For bonus points, take your walk outside for the stimulating effects of fresh air and sunshine.
• Hanging out with optimists. Sometimes, other people can be so negative and stressful that it’s fatiguing to simply be around them. Though it isn’t always possible to avoid negative people, it’s important to pay attention to the impact that they have on you. If you find yourself consistently feeling exhausted or stressed after just a few minutes with certain people, it may be best to limit the time you spend with them, or to practice a few simple relaxation techniques to cope with their influence. Of course, spending time with highly positive people can have the opposite effect, so try to spend more time with friends who see the glass half full.

It’s normal to feel worn down by your responsibilities sometimes, especially when adjusting to your new life after sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or LAP-BAND surgery. What other strategies have helped you stay energized during your weight loss program? Tell us in the comments!

Exercise and sleep can have an especially potent impact on one another. Though these habits are essential in-and-of themselves, research shows us that following the right exercise schedule can be a big help in sleeping well each night, and sleeping well each night can be a big help in following your exercise schedule.

How Exercise Helps You Sleep

In 2010, researchers at Northwestern University studied a group of sedentary individuals who reported both difficulty falling asleep and difficulty functioning during the day. Some participants were instructed to exercise several times a week, while others engaged in mentally-stimulating activities that did not require physical exertion. Those in the exercise group told researchers that their sleep quality had improved from “poor” to “good” and said they were more energetic, less depressed and less sleepy during the day.

Studies like these show how exercise can make it easier to sleep better, but paying attention to when you exercise can help you take advantage of exercise’s sleep-inducing effects. Our body temperature fluctuates throughout the day and reaches its lowest point around dawn to signal that it’s time to start winding down. Because exercise increases your body temperature, exercising at night or in the late evening can actually interfere with sleep. Instead, it’s best to exercise in the late afternoon or early evening—this will allow your body temperature to begin falling naturally as you prepare for sleep. Morning exercise can help too, as activity and exposure to natural light in the morning will reinforce your body’s sleep-wake cycle.

How Sleep Helps You Exercise

Sleep’s influence on exercise is simple to understand. Without the energy provided by a good night’s rest, you may be too sluggish to work out, but sleeping well can revitalize you and make you feel like getting active. Starting to sleep better will improve your drive to exercise, and following through on your workouts will improve your ability to sleep better, creating a cycle that can be highly beneficial to your physical and mental health.

Sleep and exercise both provide much-needed weight loss help after bariatric surgery in Hollywood, but it’s hard to have one without the other. If you’re struggling to meet your sleep needs or exercise requirements, ask your weight loss surgeon for help.

It may not be realistic for your friends and family members to get sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or LAP-BAND surgery in Hollywood, but you may still be able to make a positive influence on their habits, provided they are willing to change. While it’s important to not push too hard in your attempts to change your loved ones, helping them develop a healthier lifestyle will make it possible for you all to work towards healthy goals together.

When Helping Hurts

Some well-meaning attempts to get your friends and family members to be healthier may actually end up doing more harm than good. It’s important to remember that motivation must come from within—you’ve found your own reasons to lose weight, and your loved ones must find theirs as well. No matter how sound your logic, constant preaching, nagging and persuading will not help unless your audience is receptive.

Instead, you need to help your loved ones see for themselves that it’s important to change their ways, which you can do by:

• Setting a great example. Those you spend time with will be able to see clear improvements in your energy levels and appearance as you lose weight. As your loved ones notice how dramatically weight loss is affecting your lifestyle, you can become a powerful illustration of how much healthy habits can help. Keep your ears open to what others have to say and use your own experiences to offer suggestions and solutions, then let them decide how to use the information.
• Making healthy living fun. Your loved ones may harbor longstanding aversions to things like healthy eating and exercise, but perhaps you just need to show them how enjoyable these things can be. Involve them in cooking and eating healthy meals to show them how to find flavor and fun in nutritious food. Spend time on active hobbies, demonstrating that burning calories does not always have to be a chore. Remember that highlighting the good aspects of change will always be more persuasive than harping on the negative realities of staying the same.

After sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass or LAP-BAND surgery, you may be eager to share your new habits with the people you care about, but remember not to be too pushy or you may negatively affect your relationships. How have you influenced your loves ones to be healthier after bariatric surgery? Tell us in the comments!

For Heather, gastric bypass surgery has been a life-changing journey, one that has helped her find new confidence and freedom from conditions like diabetes and sleep apnea. In the Q&A below, Heather shares her story and some valuable advice for anyone considering weight loss surgery.

What health problems health problems improved with your weight loss?

I had high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, needed 5 shots of insulin a day and still the numbers were out of control. I had sleep apnea, needed oxygen with 100 ft. of hose to get around and had constant joint pain even after bilateral knee replacement.

I was always short of breath, unable to walk even to the mailbox and had issues with bathing and hygiene. I had swollen legs and ankles so I was unable to wear my shoes quite often, and unable to have a scan or MRI at a hospital as I exceeded the weight limit of the machine. Having to get weighed in the basement laundry room on the scale they use to weigh the dirty linens—that feeling is worse than you could imagine. Never having any energy and the list goes on… I was a failure to me and everyone.

What is your biggest accomplishment since having surgery?

I have no need for more insulin or oxygen and am able to tie my own shoes and wear socks. I don’t worry about weight limit any longer—I can even go on a roller coaster now at Disney. Every part of my body is smaller—I have lost over 85 inches from around my body! I had to have my jewelry taken in twice already, my shoe size has changed by a whole size, I have no more leg and ankle swelling, no more seat belt extension needed, no more fear that a chair might not hold me. I feel like a new person and I don’t feel as if all eyes are upon me when I am out in public. I am now accepted by the general population. I like being ordinary for a change. I love NOT being different any longer.

What have you done to make your surgery a lifestyle and not another diet or a quick fix?

I was well-read on the gastric bypass before the surgery and read 12 books on the subject. I knew it would be life-changing and at the point I was at, my options were limited if I wanted to live a long life. I was newly married and the thought of dying before my time and leaving my husband behind was too overwhelming to even think about. I wanted to live for the first time in my life. My excess weight was killing me and this was my last chance to take control of my life.

I follow all that I was taught to do to achieve positive results and I have been and will continue to be proactive with my goal of getting healthy and looking my best. Exercise is now a daily pleasure. This weight did not happen overnight. I have struggled with obesity my entire life and I do not expect it to disappear overnight either. This is a complete life change and the old way of life for me is in my past. The new me is determined to succeed with this venture and I expect in time my success will inspire others to not give up. Anything is possible if you have the determination to go all the way. Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.

What is your advice to someone looking into weight loss surgery?

Read as much as you can before you decide. There is no turning back. You owe it to yourself to make the decision that will change anyone’s life for the better. The feeling of accomplishment only gets better with every pound you lose. As soon as you decide to have the surgery, whatever method you choose, start your new way of eating that very day to give yourself a head start. I did and it made a huge difference. I was prepared and I know that the head start gave me the boost I needed.

There is no turning back for me. Why not attend Marisa’s blenderology support group before you decide to see what to expect? Also attend the support group with Sharon and you will see living proof from Sharon and other members that this method works and it will change your life as you know it. Stay tuned to see my progression. I will get there with time and support and my new way of thinking. Anything is possible if you want it bad enough.

How has losing weight affected your life?

I thought I was happy before but now I know the difference. I was missing the feeling of being proud of myself as no matter how good things may have been, I was still obese and felt like a failure to myself and anyone who even looked at me. This journey has only begun for me. I still have a long way to go and the next 100 pounds will be a challenge but I have no doubts that I will achieve all my goals. Better late than never!

Do you have any kind words for Dr. Bass and the GCB staff?

Dr. Bass and all the staff are now considered my new family. Everyone is so understanding and encouraging that it makes me want to be a model patient for all of them. I am proud to say that I am a success story for gastric bypass and it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. Everyone is the office knows I will be successful at this, and with all that confidence how can I fail?

I know if I need a pep talk, you’re all only a phone call away.