The Benefits to Bariatric Surgery

The information presented in this post is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not replace advice from a medical professional. Please consult a medical professional prior to starting any new diet or exercise program. I am not a medical professional nor a fitness trainer. Every effort is made to ensure the information presented in the following post is accurate and true. Always follow your doctor’s instructions and advice first and foremost. Post may contain affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please read my full terms of use, disclosure policy and privacy policy by clicking on the appropriate links.

Updated 8/15/2019 to provide you with a consistently awesome experience here at Stop Weighting, Start Doing!

Life before bariatric surgery was filled with stress and unhappiness for me. I was unfulfilled, unmotivated and ate away my emotions almost daily. The benefits to bariatric surgery are numerous. My vertical sleeve gastrectomy allowed me to end the repetitive dieting and lose the weight for good. Small changes led to big results. Additionally, my medical health improved. Most of all, the emotional and social benefits also allowed me to better manage my stress, motivated me and helped me find my purpose. The benefits to bariatric surgery extend beyond weight loss and include many health, emotional and social improvements.

I Know Your Secret

I know that some days the stress of the day eats at you, like a starving lion devours its prey. Some days, life is more than you can handle. Your boss yells at you, there isn’t enough money to pay all the bills, your kids brought home more of the math homework you’ve never understood, your dishes haven’t been washed in a week, but let’s not even mention the mound of laundry waiting for you.

Before you know it, as you’re driving home from work, having to face another evening of kids fighting, supper cooking and feeling overwhelmed, and you’re pulling into the yellow arches and ordering a cheeseburger for a few bucks. One burger isn’t going to demolish your diet or budget, right?

The Guilt Attack

And you know you shouldn’t be getting it, yet you do anyway. So you eat it quickly on the way home, and for a moment, as that juicy burger, tangy ketchup and buttery bun hit your mouth, you feel a sense of calm wash over you. Or maybe it’s relief. Maybe it feels like the only thing you have control over at that moment. Or maybe for the first time that day, you don’t feel like bursting into tears.

Then as you finish, a sense of guilt washes over you, and you quickly hide the bag under your seat until you get to a gas station and can discreetly throw it away. You pop a breath mint and pray to God that your kids don’t smell it on you.

End the Repetitive Dieting

However, you don’t have to enter your home after a binge like you just had with your fingers crossed that no one finds out. Life doesn’t have to be this way. You can take control over your body and conquer your emotional eating. After all, how many years in a row did you declare a New Year’s resolution to lose weight for good? If you’re anything like me, you’ll say “Every year for as long as I can remember.”

Therefore, if you’re ready to finally meet that goal, weight loss surgery can be a great option to lose the weight for good. All you need to do is take the first step by talking to your primary care physician or by attending a surgical weight loss seminar. All you will lose is the weight. You’ll also never have to go on a “diet” again, as your new normal will be the lifestyle you live. Your will adjust to your limitations and find new ways to enjoy food. It doesn’t feel like a diet because it’s now a normal part of my lifestyle.

Making Changes

Additionally, It’s hard to make changes, especially after over 30 years of handling your emotions, good and bad, with food. The tools you learn while preparing for surgery can help you end the repetitive dieting and make lasting changes. You will likely meet with a dietitian, who will give you advice on losing weight prior to surgery. After all, the less you weigh, the less risky the surgery can be. Additionally, please take his or her advice to heart and really implement the changes in your life. Start small. Focus on one or two habits for three weeks, and once you have those in stone, work on one or two more.

You will also likely meet with a psychologist for a psychological evaluation prior to surgery. Be open and honest with the doctor. Tell him or her that you struggle with emotional eating, and you’re concerned about not having that crutch after surgery when you can’t eat your comfort foods.

Additionally, find different ways to comfort yourself. Exercise is a great way. Not only can it relieve stress, but it can also help aid in your weight loss. Take time for some self-care activities, like reading, gardening, writing, coloring or doing puzzles. The months leading up to surgery are the time to start implementing changes and developing new life-long habits.  

Weight Loss Benefits to Bariatric Surgery

Additionally, those life-long habits will serve you well if you proceed with bariatric surgery. If you qualify for surgical weight loss and follow your doctor’s advice, below are the success rates for patients with different types of surgeries, according to Dr. Robert B. Lim. However, you should always discuss with your doctor what your best option is for you.

• Lap Banding—Weight loss after two year ranges from 50 to 60 percent of your excess weight. A person who is 120 pounds overweight can expect to lose 60 to 72 pounds in the first two years.
• Gastric balloon—Weight loss at six months is about 25 to 33 percent of your excess weight.
• Gastric bypass—Weight loss in the first year is about 70 to 75 percent of your excess weight. For someone 120 pounds overweight, an average of 85 to 90 pounds can be expected.
• Gastric sleeve—Weight loss in the first two years is about 60 to 65 percent of your excess weight. If your 120 pounds overweight, it’s about a loss of 72 to 78 pounds.

Medical Benefits to Bariatric Surgery

When you lose this much weight, you improve your health so much. Also, you can lose your co-morbidities. According to a Harvard Medical School special health report titled “Lose Weight and Keep It Off,” losing weight lowers your diabetes risk. The report also states that even a small weight loss of five to seven percent reduces your risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent. Losing weight also reduces your risk of developing heart disease, certain cancers, GERD and sleep apnea, according to the report.

For me personally, prior to my weight loss surgery, I was on medications for prediabetes, and I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), high blood pressure, sleep apnea and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. At about seven months out from surgery, I lost 101 pounds. I also no longer take medication for my prediabetes, my PCOS symptoms have minimized, my blood pressure is normal, my liver enzymes have returned to a normal range, and I no longer snore. While everybody is different and there is no guarantee that you will have similar results, there are thousands of people who have lost weight and improved their comorbidities. You can be one of them. The benefits to bariatric surgery extend beyond weight loss and include many medical benefits.

A Brand New Life

Can you imagine what losing that type of weight means for your life? Can you also imagine all the types of activities you will now be able to do? It’s true that weight loss surgery isn’t for everyone, but I have seen so many people, including myself, say that it is the best decision they have ever made. Just to have a life again is incredible. Here are some things you can look forward to after losing weight:

• Fitting comfortably in auditorium seats
• Finding cute clothes that actually fit well
• Not being afraid to sit in a chair in fear of it breaking
• Being able to use a regular seat belt on a plane
• Not having your world revolve around food
• Having more energy
• Running after your kids
• Running 5ks and obstacle races
• Liking who you see in the mirror
• Decreasing your medications (and saving money too!)
• Being able to do all the things you were afraid of before
• Sky diving
• Zip lining
• Horseback riding
• Having confidence again
• Having better sex with your husband
• Loving yourself again
• Being able to watch your kids grow up

The Time is Now

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. You are handed a second opportunity at life once you decide to get surgery. Quite literally, your weight is killing you, not only mentally and emotionally, but physically too. Therefore, isn’t it time that you did something about it? You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t already considering surgery. Let me give you the gentle push forward to take the next step in speaking with your doctor.

Make this year be the year you keep your resolution to lose weight. It’s time also to end the fad diets and make permanent lifestyle changes through weight loss surgery. Your co-morbidities could also go away completely. Following a doctor’s plan for weight loss is a healthy, proven way to get your life back. You will feel so much better in every way possible. Take the first step. You are worth it, and you won’t regret it.

The Benefits are Worth the Risk

If bariatric surgery is something you’ve been contemplating, but you’re scared, don’t be. The benefits are so worth the risk. The benefits to bariatric surgery extend well beyond weight loss and include many health and emotional benefits, in addition to social improvements. You’ll finally be able to end the yo-yo dieting by making small, lasting changes. The medical benefits alone are worth the work of bariatric surgery. The emotional and social improvements also helped me find my purpose and joy in in life. Therefore, the benefits to bariatric surgery are life changing. I’ll be here to help you every step of the way, but you have to take that first step. Come join me on the loser’s bench, and let’s finally transform our lives together!

If this article gave you some great ideas to incorporate into your life, just imagine what other amazing strategies I have for you! Share this post on social media by clicking one of the sharing buttons, and don’t forget to join my email list! You’ll be the first to get updates, access to my new products and lots of tips, inspiration and motivation to help in your bariatric surgery journey. Just for joining, I’ll send you a free weight loss coloring chart, as well as some other pretty awesome goodies to keep you motivated. Join today!

In Summary

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