Healthy living. Eating right, exercising and maintaining your walk on the path of optimum health. It’s not as easy as it sounds for some people. Even for those who have had surgical weight loss (bariatric surgery) as a tool to help catapult them into a healthier lifestyle, healthy living can take a lot of effort. And, Harlingen Medical Center will launch 2017 with a Surgical Weight Loss Support Group to provide former and future surgical weight loss patients with the tools and information they need to succeed.
“Our support groups can be a very powerful resource for our past, and future, surgical weight loss patients,” said Patsy Muniz, Surgical Weight Loss Program Coordinator at Harlingen Medical Center. “Our past, and even our future, patients come in to these meeting and they receive information that will help them develop the tools and nurture the education they already have to live better, healthier lives.”
The Surgical Weight Loss Support Group meetings at Harlingen Medical Center focus on helping patients make lasting adjustments following surgery. The support group provides emotional and behavioral support and education for those trying to make significant lifestyle changes. The support group also provides health and wellness education for those looking to improve the quality of their life and health.
“Because this surgery requires serious changes in behavior and life style, we want to make certain that our patients, past and future, receive the support and guidance that is required to ensure life-long weight maintenance,” said Muniz. “As a support system to our Surgical Weight Loss Information Seminars, the support group offers important education to those considering bariatric surgery. We want our patients to educate themselves first and then make the best decision for themselves and their health.”
From pre-operative education and preparation to post-operative support, the Surgical Weight Loss Program at Harlingen Medical Center will help patients through every step in the process. Even with the financing of surgical weight loss. The award-winning hospital now has financial assistance options for those interested in this surgical procedure.
National bariatric research indicates that meeting and talking with others who have undergone surgical weight loss surgery is very important to the success of weight loss and maintenance. Support groups have proven to be an essential part of the post-surgery process for many patients, and research shows that persons who regularly attend support group meetings have better success with their long-term weight loss.
The Surgical Weight Loss Support Groups at Harlingen Medical Center are moderated by bariatric surgery professionals and they offer education on topics that include:
- Tips on healthy eating
- Emotional issues with weight loss
- Taste testing and fun snack ideas
- Behavioral changes for long-term success
- Establishing an exercise routine
- Importance of strength training
- Exercise progression
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Coping with holiday stress
Harlingen Medical Center will host the first Surgical Weight Loss Support Group of 2017 on Monday, January 30th at 6:00 p.m. at the hospital’s Administration Classroom, located at 5501 S. Expressway 77 in Harlingen. The support group will meeting will feature a cooking demonstration on preparing healthy meal options.
The meeting is open to former Harlingen Medical Center surgical weight loss patients and those considering getting the surgery. Those interested in attending may RSVP at 956-365-1140.
About the Surgical Weight Loss Program at Harlingen Medical Center
The Surgical Weight Loss Program at Harlingen Medical Center is one of the most successful bariatric programs in South Texas. It features three surgical procedures. These include the Adjustable Gastric Banding, the Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve, and the Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass. Each patient is clinically assessed by the program surgeons and then a clinical recommendation is made as to which procedure would best meet the health needs of the patient.
There is a criterion that must be met for a patient to qualify as a surgical weight loss candidate. The criterion is different for each patient and will vary in each case – depending on the health status of the patient and medical insurance coverage.
Choosing Surgical Weight Loss as an avenue to lose weight is not an easy decision. For some it may be the only decision they have available that is poised to propel them in the right direction—health-wise. That is why it is important to be educated on the topic of surgical weight loss. This includes the process pre-surgery, the surgery itself, and post-surgery. And, this is why the Surgical Weight Loss Program at Harlingen Medical Center invites you to participate in its support groups.
To learn more about the Surgical Weight Loss Program at Harlingen Medical Center, log on to www.harlingenmedicalcenter.com and click on the “Surgical Weight Loss Program” link.
Click here to view surgical weight loss flyer.
