How to Quit Using Food as an Emotional Support After a Gastric Bypass

Gastric bypass surgery can be a very effective way to lose excessive weight and get on your way to living a healthier and more comfortable life. The surgical procedure involves making changes to the stomach and small intestine to change the way these organs absorb and digest food. It aids in weight loss by restricting the amount of food that your stomach can hold, limiting the amount of calories your body absorbs, adjusting your gut hormones, which help satiation and appetite suppression.

While any type of bariatric surgery has far reaching benefits for the right candidate, if you are an emotional eater, you will certainly have a difficult road post op if you don’t equip yourself with resources and support. Emotional eating is a coping mechanism people use in response to strong feelings. Emotional eaters use food as a source of comfort to escape, numb, or change unwanted feelings.  While emotional eating is a very normal coping mechanism, unchecked emotional eating can be hazardous for bariatric surgery patients, leading to significant physical and psychological barriers after surgery. 

How To Stop Emotional Eating 

Emotional eating is common among bariatric surgery patients. Gastric bypass surgery helps to control portion size, but it does not change the psychological component of emotional eating. If you want to continue your journey to better health and wellness, it’s crucial that you proactively put safeguards in place to help you manage your emotions in a healthy way that won’t threaten the success of your bariatric surgery post op. 

Below are 4 helpful tips for controlling emotional eating after weight loss surgery.

1: Recognize Triggers

Emotional eating is all about triggers. Many experts agree that journaling your feelings is a useful tool in identifying your personal triggers that lead to emotional eating. When you start to feel overcome with emotions, make an entry detailing those feelings. Naming the stress, worry, anxiety, sadness, etc. can create an awareness that will allow you to stop the train of thought that usually leads to unhealthy food choices. Seeking out a therapist to do some cognitive behavioral work, or talk therapy, can also be a powerful tool in helping you manage your stress and emotions in a healthy way.

2: Practice Mind-Body Connection 

The mind-body connection takes practice but can be a powerful tool when applied to controlling emotional eating. The principle behind this practice is that our thoughts and beliefs can impact our bodies, and in turn, our bodies can affect our stress levels. So being mindful when it comes to eating rituals can help transform your perspective when it comes to food. Experts recommend sitting at a table with no distractions (turn off the tv, close the laptop, etc.) and making your meal or snack purposeful by focusing on the sensory elements of the food (taste, smell). 

3: Secure A Support System

Having a support system in place before, during, and after gastric bypass surgery is foundational in your success. You’ve made the decision to take this step toward a healthier lifestyle so you need a tribe to keep you strong and focused. Surrounding yourself with people who will encourage you when you are struggling, hold you accountable to make good choices, and remind you why you started this journey in the first place will make a world of difference in the long game. If you don’t have the support of family or friends, consider joining a support group for bariatric surgery patients to motivate you and keep you on the path to better health. 

4: Find A Stress Outlet

While retraining and redirecting your mind and body to react to emotional eating in a more positive way takes practice over time, it is possible to establish new healthy habits. There are lots of various outlets to relieve stress and what works for you is a highly personalized matter. Sometimes immersing yourself in a new hobby like painting or learning the piano can help manage stress. Other times, opting for holistic alternative therapies like massage or acupuncture can be the right choice. One scientifically proven stress outlet that all experts can agree on is the benefits of regular exercise to reduce stress. If you need accountability, consider joining a gym and participating in group classes or join a local walk or run club. 

BASS Medical Group 

At BASS Medical Group, we are your partner in weight loss surgery. We have the facilities, surgeons, and resources to help guide you through the process of bariatric surgery.