A complete physical recovery from weight loss surgery can take time, and it is only one factor in determining a patient's long-term success. The procedures offered at Kettering Medical Center and Kettering Medical Center-Sycamore make it possible for patients to overcome obesity, greatly reduce weight, and vastly improve their health—but the full benefits are possible only when one is diligent about post-surgery diet and lifestyle requirements.

Weight loss surgery entails substantial changes in your eating habits, both out of necessity and in order to maximize the impact of your surgery. We can provide diet counseling to help you adapt to your newly enhanced digestive system. We offer fitness and lifestyle consultation to make healthy activities a part of your overall strategy. The psychological ramifications of such a dramatic life change can also be significant, and our personal counselors and peer support groups can provide excellent encouragement.



Even a minimally invasive surgery such as laparoscopic Roux-en-Y is considered a major medical procedure, and your body will require time to recover. In addition, the result of your surgery is a dramatic restructuring of your digestive system involving surgical alteration of several internal organs. A full recovery and improved health are always expected, but the healing process can take time. Here's what you can anticipate following weight loss surgery at Kettering and KMC-Sycamore.

To some extent, a person's diet after weight loss surgery is self-regulating. Many surgeries cause the body to react to certain foods by causing discomfort, nausea, or diarrhea. With a little care and planning, however, patients can enjoy a wide variety of their favorite foods while enhancing the weight loss process.

Our licensed dieticians specialize in developing effective diet plans for weight loss surgery patients. Your individual requirements and restrictions will be unique, but in most cases you can expect the following:

•	Hydration is essential following surgery.  It is important to drink a minimum of 64 oz per day.
•	It is important to sip the fluids often.  If you feel pain, fullness or nausea, stop drinking.  Wait a few minutes before trying to drink again.
•	Your first few meals after surgery will consist of clear liquids.
•	Most patients eat foods that are soft and easy to digest for the first 3 months after surgery.  This may vary patient to patient and by surgeon instruction.
•	In many cases, your new “stomach” will be a pouch that will hold 2-3 oz of food or liquid.  This will cause you to feel full much faster and it means you can not eat a large amount of food at once.
•	The size of your meals is very important. You should eat 3 meals per day, with each meal limited to 1/2 cup total food for the meal.  You also will need 2 small protein snacks each day to be sure you are getting enough protein (50-60 grams per day).  Your body needs protein for healing and to prevent protein malnutrition.
•	As you add new food to your diet, you will want to introduce only one new food item at a time to see if you can tolerate that food.
•	Each person who has this surgery has a different experience.  Please pay close attention to your body’s cues.  This will help you determine how quickly you can add new food s and which food s you can tolerate.
•	By one year after surgery, you will be eating 3 meals per day.  Each meal should include no more than 1 cup of food total.
•	Remember that you should never over eat.  This can stretch out your stomach pouch.  It also can cause you to gain some or most of your weight back.

These are just a few dietary guidelines that you will need to follow in order for the surgery to be successful. You will be educated throughout the pre- and post-surgical program educational element.



Your physical recovery is only one aspect of adjusting to a new and better way of life after weight loss surgery. Even in the best possible scenario, you will probably experience dramatic changes that affect most or all aspects of your everyday life. Although these changes are likely to be overwhelmingly positive, they can still be intimidating, confusing, and difficult to handle. That's why you don't have to face those changes alone.

Weight Loss surgery at Kettering and KMC-Sycamore maintains a number of support groups and we encourage unlimited participation. The groups consist primarily of patients who have undergone weight loss surgery, but medical professionals and people considering weight loss surgery are also welcome. The groups focus on open and honest discussion, and on rare occasions when suggestions and answers run short, most participants find that simply knowing others who have shared their experiences is greatly comforting.




Losing weight is a central factor in the transition to a healthier, more satisfying life, but it is far from the only consideration. While surgery and diet are likely to make shedding pounds a routine occurrence, exercise is what helps patients achieve better fitness levels and lasting good health.

Our team includes highly qualified exercise physiologists with experience helping patients at all stages of post-surgery life. Your personal consultant can design an exercise program exactly tailored to your schedule, home and work environment, interests, preferences, and fitness goals. Whether you're eager to hit the gym or never cared much for working out, our experts can help you stay motivated, dedicated, and on the path to lifelong health.




At Weight Loss surgery at Kettering and KMC-Sycamore we don't believe a successful surgery is the end of the story. We perform bariatric procedures to help patients achieve their goals of lower body weight, better health, and a more satisfying lifestyle. To that end we require a series of follow-up appointments to verify that your enhanced digestive system is working properly – and your weight loss is progressing properly.

We request that all patients schedule initial consultations with our diet, exercise, and lifestyle counselors within 6 to 10 weeks after surgery. Patients are also strongly encouraged to attend support group meetings as soon and often as they like. Strictly medical appointments are expected at regular intervals following surgery, and semi-annual checkups are strongly suggested for the next 2-5 years.