Having weight loss surgery is a huge and brave step to take for your health. These weight-loss surgeries (bariatric surgeries), including gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, are great at alleviating “gut hunger” by restricting the size of the stomach and making individuals feel full more quickly. If anything, they address physical hunger — but not direct starvation of other spirits, such as emotional or the hunger, brain hunger.
What Kinds of Hunger Do We Feel After Bariatric Surgery?
Weight loss procedures, such as gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy, drastically shrink the stomach or bypass part of the digestive system. This is resulting in a lower production of the hunger hormones, which makes it easier to feel satiated after eating (satiety). Satiety is the sensation of fullness following a meal that signals you to cease eating. Satiation, however, refers to during a meal and when to stop eating. Because bariatric surgery significantly improves satiety and satiation, it is an important tool for managing gut hunger. However, surgery doesn’t address other types of hunger, like:
Brain Hunger:
When fullness doesn’t stop the desire to eat, often because of habits, triggers, or environmental cues.
Emotional Hunger:
Feelings such as stress, sadness and boredom can trigger hunger. Even if your body does not actually need it.
For those people who experience a mixture of all three hunger types, surgery is not a viable solution for long-term success.
Why Does Weight Loss Plateau after Weight Loss Surgery?
Post weight loss surgery, people often experience a significant amount of weight loss within the first 18 months. This is also usually when they experience the most weight loss. It is important to note that this is also when bariatric programs tend to reduce the frequency of follow-ups and accountability check-ins with patients. Without the presence of emotional or behavioural support, people often struggle to keep-up or maintain the progress they have made.
Relapse becomes a risk when these hunger types are not addressed in time. Eating behaviours that branch out from external factors such as stress, or habits can reverse the weight loss that was initially experienced. This highlights the necessity of continued care post-surgery.
How Modest Medix Can Help
At Modest Medix, we think that maintaining weight loss is not just about addressing gut hunger effectively. It has to do more with embracing an approach that ensures overall health by prioritising both the body and mind. Our weight loss programs are aimed at empowering individuals by providing support that enables them to see long-term, sustainable success in their weight loss journey.
Our techniques for obesity management include both emotional and behavioural care, and address all aspects and types of hunger, be it gut, brain or emotion related. This includes:
- Emotion Regulation: Helping individuals identify and manage emotional triggers that lead to overeating.
- Cognitive Restructuring: Changing thought patterns around food, hunger, and self-worth.
- Wellness Monitoring: Preventing post-bariatric nutritional deficiencies through tailored supplements, and regular follow-ups.
- Anti-Obesity Medications: Supporting appetite control and managing cravings.
- Medical Nutrional Therapy (MNT)
- Meal Replacements: Providing structured plans for portion control and healthy eating habits.
- Personalized Support: Offering one-on-one counseling, smart goal setting, problem-solving, time management, organization, and accountability.
- Genetic and Metabolic Profiling: Using insights from genetic testing and phenotypic analysis to create personalized lifestyle interventions.
At Modest Medix, wellness is at the heart of our care. We not only help you achieve weight loss but also guide you in maintaining optimal physical and emotional health through every stage of your journey. With our comprehensive, patient-centered approach, you’re not just another patient—you’re a partner in your own wellness journey.
