Can’t stop eating after weight loss surgery? 3 ways to quit diet control

For patients whose obesity index is off the charts, it is difficult to lose weight by diet or exercise alone. At this time, surgery is recommended for weight loss. However, surgery can only inhibit gastrointestinal absorption, so that patients no longer eat so much. If they do not develop self-control over their diet, it may affect the weight loss effect. Therefore, some hospitals have begun to set up weight control groups for postoperative patients. The psychologists of the weight loss team provide "3 Tips for Self-Control of Diet" to help patients overcome the addiction to eating.

Weight loss surgery can inhibit gastrointestinal absorption, so that patients no longer eat as much, but if they do not develop self-control over their diet, it may affect the weight loss effect. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

Shen Shuzhen, a clinical psychologist at the International Bariatric and Diabetes Surgery Center of E-Da Hospital, said that the vast majority of cases of extreme obesity are caused by improper eating habits. Surgeries such as gastric bypass, gastric reduction, and gastric band folding are all aimed at reducing the storage capacity of food. However, some patients may regard "eating" as a stress relief mode or a way to gain pleasure. Without the correct alternative method and strengthening of self-control, they may still eat non-stop after surgery.

Since there are many patients with this problem, E-Da recently plans to set up a "Slim Circle" weight control group for patients who undergo weight loss surgery. Psychologist Shen Shuzhen said that in addition to nutritionists helping patients calculate calories, the psychological treatment part is to strengthen patients' self-control ability over diet. She provided the following 3 common situations and provided feasible training methods:

1. The mouth just wants to eat: If you eat whenever you want like before, you will go back to the old path of obesity. It is recommended to find other things for your mouth to do, such as singing, talking to someone, or drinking more water. You can hold the water in your mouth for a long time and then swallow it slowly.

2. Only take what you can eat: Many obese people used to be "scavengers", and were used to clearing away all the food they saw on the table, or they believed that "it would be a waste if you didn't finish it", so limiting the amount of food you take is also a way to control your diet, allowing you to be aware of how much you eat.

3. Savor food instead of swallowing it: Many obese people used to eat a lot and fast, as if they would be satisfied just by swallowing the food. Through sharing in a group, patients can be trained to chew and savor food slowly, gain a sense of satisfaction from it and change their eating habits.

Psychologist Shen Shuzhen said that foreign studies have shown that 20% to 30% of patients who undergo weight loss surgery have their weight loss results compromised due to poor eating habits after surgery. This shows that in addition to surgery, it is also necessary to establish correct eating concepts and habits in order to achieve the desired weight loss effect.