Commitment to Long-Term Lifestyle Changes

Howdy brave followers. Today was a most excellent day. I was able to sit down with my boss, Dermot, to hash out the details of my time away. Never in my almost 25 years of service industry experience have I had the good fortune to work for a man as connected to my needs as a professional as Mr. Cowley. We have a great working relationship. I am a Maverick who bucks the system that is set before me; but I have dedicated staff, serious retention rates and the ability to steer my ship towards profit-town. Without this key element of support, there is no way I could even conceive to accomplish what I am about to set forth.

I wanted to share with anyone who reads my blog, the commitment to Long-Term Lifestyle Changes that I signed with my Surgeon, Dr. Thomas Jones (Yes, my surgeon's name is Tom Jones and it is for that reason alone that I choose him).

I agree to make the following long-term lifestyle changes after my bariatric procedure:

Dietary Guidelines

• I will follow the dietary guidelines as indicated in my patient handbook.
• I will choose foods low in sugar and fat and high in protein.
• I commit to eating three meals a day, with protein first at each meal.
• I will eat each meal for at least 20-30 minutes and no more than 30 minutes.
• I will not drink for 30 minutes before meals, with my meals or for 30 minutes after meals.
• I will avoid snacking or grazing between meals.I will take vitamin and mineral supplements as outlined in my patient handbook or as instructed by my bariatric team.

Fluid Intake

• I commit to consuming 48-64 ounces of calorie-free liquids (except milk) every day.
• I will not drink alcohol for the first year after surgery.

Exercise Plan

• My goal will be to exercise an average of 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
• I can break up the exercise into two 15-minute or three 10-minute sessions daily.

Follow-up

• I commit to returning to the Bariatric Surgery Department for follow-up appointments at the scheduled times indicated in my patient handbook. I understand that I am at risk for nutritional deficiency and that lab tests to evaluate my nutritional status should be performed regularly.
• I will follow recommended referrals made by the bariatric team. These referrals may be to a dietician, psychologist or other clinician.
• I understand the benefits of attending a support group and will make an attempt one regularly.

I commit to the follow all of the guidelines outlined by my surgeon and his staff. This includes all instructions and teaching provided to me before and after surgery, as well as in my patient handbook.

This was signed by myself and my surgeon, Dr. Thomas Jones on 14th day of June in the year 2010 (Yes, I do want Dr. Jones to play "It's Not Unusual" when I'm wheeled into the operating room!).