What Are The Reasons For Weight Gain After Surgery? Ways To Lose Weight

What Causes Weight Gain After Surgery?

Do not panic if your weight increases after surgery. You just need to figure out the exact reason and work on it.

1. Water Retention

Water retention is medically known as postoperative edema. It is one of the major causes of weight gain after surgery .

Edema is the fluid accumulation between the tissues caused by the redistribution of plasma proteins. Post-surgery tissue injury results in massive shifts of fluids in between body compartments, leading to the accumulation of fluid in the interstitial space, i.e., the space between the organs in your body.

2. Stress

Both physical and psychological stress can trigger hormonal imbalance, which can cause weight gain. Stress for prolonged periods burdens the adrenal glands and causes them to secrete more of the cortisol hormone

3. Trauma

Surgical trauma often leads to metabolic, immunological, and endocrine changes.

Trauma is a bodily response to distressing or disturbing events. Post-surgery trauma often disturbs the body’s equilibrium and creates a hormonal imbalance. This leads to the malfunctioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which further stresses the body.

4. Medication

Doctors often prescribe medication for post-surgery recovery. Most of these drugs are supplements to help regain your strength and promote faster healing. They may also prescribe certain medicines that affect your metabolic system and lead to weight gain.

5. Rest

Post-surgery recovery demands ample rest. Low activity and complete rest can slow down the body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR), which may result in weight gain.

6. Comfort Food

Who doesn’t want to indulge in comfort food? Besides, your loved ones may want to pamper you with all your favorite foods after your surgery. However, these comfort foods may make you gain weight.

Dietary Changes To Lose Weight After Surgery

1. Focus On Lean Protein

Protein plays a key role in the recovery process. It helps repair and heal tissue damage, boosts immunity, and maintains a good metabolic rate.

Always focus on including good-quality protein in each meal. To avoid gaining weight, consume lean protein with low-fat content.

Include skinless white meat, lean cuts of beef or pork, eggs, fish, plant proteins like pulses, beans, legumes, and low-fat dairy products in your diet.

Try healthy cooking methods like steaming and add protein to your salads.

2. Eat More Vegetables And Fruits

Vegetables and fruits are loaded with water and fiber that can help prevent excessive weight gain. Women often complain of developing belly fat after undergoing C-section. This was proven by a study conducted on mice. Hence, consuming more soluble fiber can help in this regard.

3. Keep Yourself Hydrated

A study conducted on girls who were overweight found that drinking plenty of water improves your metabolic rate and digestion.

Adequate water intake prevents excess fluid retention by sending a signal to the kidneys to stop conserving water. But if you have any serious kidney issues, please consult your doctor before increasing your water intake.