Okay...I've Gone Through Weight Loss Surgery, Now What Do I Do?!
“As the number of people with obesity rises, so does the incidence of weight stigma and discrimination. For whatever reason, it is socially acceptable to have negative attitudes toward overweight and obese people in our society,” Joanne Moff writes in this guide to life after bariatric surgery.
From her experience as a physician assistant to bariatric surgeon Dr. Rita Anderson at Kettering Medical Center, Joanne saw a need for an easy-to-understand yet comprehensive guide for bariatric surgery patients. She divides her book into chapters on specific issues related to the recovery process and development of a new lifestyle.
Chapters cover a wide spectrum of subjects including fluids and drinking habits, protein and eating habits, vitamins and other nutrients, exercise, emotions, and recipes. She discusses the stigma of obesity in our society, as well as sex, pregnancy, and children.
“Remember, big people come from big parents and big families…Now that you’ve had weight loss surgery and you’re becoming healthier, help the rest of your family become healthier…Succeed together,” Moff candidly coaches her readers.
Moff received her training at Kettering College of Medical Arts in Kettering, Ohio. She calls this book a labor of love and states that it is based on “Early recognition of the need for bariatric patients to have support following their surgery.” Moff researched medical publications and patient histories, and recorded her ever-broadening knowledge and search to improve patient success rates. She designed the book as a specific day-to-day guide to the required lifestyle changes. The book explains the reasoning behind the instructions patients receive.
The author discusses possible complications, like bad breath: “This is an easy one to fix… One thing you can do to help prevent bad breath is make sure you are taking your antacid…Another problem could be that you’re not getting enough protein.”
Discussing pregnancy, she writes, “Pregnancy after bariatric surgery is safe; in fact, it is considered safer than pregnancy while still obese!”
Her recipes will even appeal to those haven’t been through surgery. Each recipe lists all the appropriate nutritional information. She offers a variety of dishes including Chicken Sautéed with Apples, Roasted Fennel and Red Onion Salmon, Vegetable Chili with Polenta, and Pumpkin Fluff Dip.
This an important book for bariatric patients and their caregivers. Although its market is small and specific, it serves its purpose well. The cover design is plain but explicit. Inside, the writing is clear and concise, but narrow margins make the book visually unappealing, especially on pages with no break in the text.
Although there are no illustrations, charts and clearly marked subtitles make the book easy to follow. The bibliography lists books, articles, and Web sites on general and specific topics.
For those who have had bariatric surgery, this book is practical guide to long-term success.
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
