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The tradition of making New Year’s Resolutions has been around for thousands of years, but resolutions alone aren’t always enough to make lasting change—especially when it comes to our health! Studies suggest that most people (about 80%) abandon their resolutions by the end of the year, which is why so many of us make the same ones year after year.
At NYBG, we want to help people break the cycle. A long-term, successful health journey requires committed lifestyle changes, so we’re sharing our top tips for losing weight and living well in 2019!
1. Adopt Healthier Habits
Proper diet and exercise are key for a healthy lifestyle, but the way that we approach them is very important. Yo-yo dieting, a cycle which many people fall into—losing and regaining weight as they start and stop their diets—is a symptom of a larger problem with how we view “dieting” as a society.
Most diets are ineffective in the long-term because they just aren’t sustainable. Studies show that extreme fad diets are often detrimental to our health, with those featured on The Biggest Loser being a prime example. Intense food and nutrient restrictions trick the body into believing it is starving: in response, it tries to retain more fat, causing problems when those temporary restrictions are lifted. We suggest that our patients look at dietary changes as a new lifestyle, rather than a “diet,” helping counteract the view of diets as temporary. Combining this positive mindset with healthy, attainable, and sustainable nutritional goals sets patients up for success on their weight-loss journeys.
Likewise, sustainability is critical in establishing any regular exercise routine. Try not to worry about the latest workout fads and instead find something that you personally enjoy. If the treadmill isn’t your thing, you may want to go for a bike ride, check out a dance class, or swim a few laps at a local pool. The goal is to find an activity that gets you moving without feeling like a chore. After all, it’s easier—and more fun—for us to keep up with activities we enjoy!
2. Track Your Progress
Writing every day and keeping track of meals and workouts isn’t just another hobby—it can have a big, positive impact on any health journey! Marking your progress day-by-day will not only help you identify when you did well or struggled, but also the overarching patterns of your eating and exercising over the weeks and months.
Journaling about the day can help as well. Writing is shown to help boost creativity and even improve mood. Plus, it provides us with greater self-awareness about our habits by identifying both the positives and the negatives of our routines. Maybe a morning workout helped your days go smoother, or stress at work made you feel you wanted to eat more—identifying beneficial behaviors and avoiding stressful triggers can help set us on the path to success!
3. Find Your Support System
No matter our reasons for wanting to lose weight and get healthy, success is easier to achieve with the support of others. Family, friends, and loved ones of all ages make amazing exercise and healthy eating “buddies” because they help hold us accountable. It’s harder to skip a run around the park if you know your best friend will be there waiting for you, and cooking up a bariatric-friendly meal with the whole family can help make preparing food a fun adventure!
It’s also important for weight-loss surgery patients to surround themselves with positivity both before and after their procedure. Many people falsely believe that bariatric surgery is “cheating” or that it’s “the easy way out”—but that couldn’t be further from the truth! Weight-loss surgery is simply a tool designed to help patients achieve their health goals, and it takes plenty of hard work to get there. That’s why we recommend patients spend time with people who understand that and will stick by them as they take this incredible journey!
At New York Bariatric Group, we are so passionate about helping people reach their health goals—that’s why we make it our mission to become a support system for each and every one of our patients! We’re available during every step of the journey — from free informational seminars to amazing aftercare from our professional team, we offer everything a patient needs to be their best before, during, and after surgery.
4. Consider Bariatric Surgery
Along with long-term, sustainable weight loss, bariatric surgery has amazing benefits that many people don’t even realize!
These procedures don’t just help patients lose weight and keep it off, they improve and can even resolve many weight-related conditions. In fact, bariatric surgery is recognized by the ASMBS as an official treatment for type 2 diabetes, and studies have shown just how effective it can be. In one study, 80% of patients who already had type 2 diabetes saw their condition resolve, while most of the remaining 20% saw their conditions improve, too.
Diabetes isn’t the only disease that weight-loss surgery helps alleviate. After their procedures, many patients experience improvement or resolution of comorbidities including sleep apnea, COPD, and hypertension, all while their risk decreases for developing hormonal cancers, heart attacks, and strokes.
Many patients also find that they see a boost to their overall quality of life. Before surgery, they may have difficulty with their mobility or performing routine tasks; tying shoes, rising from a seated position, climbing stairs, and playing with children can all be difficult. Thanks to surgery, our patients are able to perform these tasks – and more – with ease. Plus, many patients even experience less joint pain, improved fertility for women, and better moods.
5. No More Resolutions!
We’ve heard from our patients how badly they want to live healthier for themselves and their families — and we’ve seen their amazing successes! That’s why we hold our annual No More Resolutions contest and invite patients to share their stories to help inspire others to take the first step to a healthier new year and a healthier life. Although everyone’s story is different, all of them tell us about how their lives have improved:
“I decided to get the gastric sleeve six months ago and it was the best thing that I ever did.” -Nicole
“I’m a different person. I feel like I’m 20 years old again. My kids are really proud of me and that means the world.” -Andrea
“…I feel like my whole attitude about life has changed. I’m just so much more excited to do anything.” -Caitlyn
“I wish I did it sooner.” -Bob
The best part about saying No More Resolutions is that you don’t need to wait until 2020 to start living healthier; you can start today! With planning, determination, hard work, and help from NYBG, anyone can start losing weight and keep it off long-term. The best part? If you start today, by this time next year, you could have your own incredible success story before our next contest rolls around!
COME TO NYBG.
When it’s time to start a successful weight-loss journey, it’s time to call NYBG! We’re the best practice around and our numbers prove it:
- 13 skilled surgeons who are leaders in bariatrics
- 15,000 successful procedures performed with more every day
- The #1 gastric balloon practice by volume – most balloons placed in the United States
- 24/7 access to online seminars
- 100s of videos for patients explaining procedures, answering common questions, and showcasing previous patients
- Since 2000, we boast 18 years of success!
Our commitment to patient success and excellence has earned us accreditation from the Metabolic Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). This prestigious achievement recognizes only the top bariatric practices. Stop waiting; start achieving better health today.
