To Cut or Not to Cut

To Cut or Not to Cut

It is in my opinion that far too many people in this country resort to weight loss surgery as a ‘way out’ once they’ve gone too far. It seems like a rather poor replacement for more traditional methods of losing weight, the sole difference being the time & effort involved for effectiveness. Of course, there are cases that absolutely require the assistance of surgery, don’t get me wrong. It’s just the sort of thing that gets a bad wrap from overuse & system manipulation. If it’s something you’ve thought about doing for yourself, here are a few informational tidbits & pros/cons that might help.

A BMI of over 30+ is considered severley obese.

There are two types of surgery: Restrictive & Malabsorptive. Restrictive surgery involves making the stomach smaller thereby limiting the amount of food that can be held, which causes you to feel full faster. Malabsorptive surgery involves making the small intestine shorter which limits the amount of food that is completely digested. Increasingly, both procedures are being performed in conjunction.

There are certain procedures that must be addressed before being approved to go ahead with the surgery. Since most people cannot afford to pay for the surgery on their own, they will have to go through their insurance company in order to obtain assistance. It would be up to you to contact your insurance company to find out if weight loss surgery is covered & then provide all the necessary documentation. This can be arduous as some insurance companies require you not only to obtain written consent from a doctor that indicates a medical necessity but also documentation of attempts at less invasive forms of weight loss (i.e. diet monitoring, exercise attempts etc). You would most likely also have to undergo a psychological evaluation pre-surgery.

Recovery time and psychological reaction are things to think about as well; your life will be drastically affected. Surgery is never something to be taken lightly & aside from possible complications, you could be restricted from your normal everyday activities for 6 weeks (sometimes more, sometimes less depending on various factors such as the type of surgery & your personal reaction or any complications to the surgery). Fortunately, there are many support groups available for post-surgery.

Pros

Rapid weight loss for up to 24 months
Improvement of health conditions caused by obesity

Cons

Side effects (vomiting, nausea, weakness, increased sweating, faintness, dizziness, bloating, increased gas, gallstones and diarrhea)
Nutritional deficiencies
Complications to the surgery (abdominal hernias, infections, breakdown of the staple line, stretched stomach outlets, bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, marginal ulcers, pulmonary problems, spleen injury – may have to be removed completely)
Necessary avoidance of pregnancy - temporarily (women of childbearing age – the rapid weight loss & nutritional deficiencies can harm the fetus)
Lifestyle changes (not only the obvious diet & exercise modifications but also vitamin supplementation & regular periodic checkups for nutritional and digestive problems/issues)
A lack of the long-term effects on nutrition & the body.
Hopefully the above information helped you become just a little more educated on the topic & will assist in helping you make your decision. However, this is obviously an issue to be discussed in depth with your doctor & researched thoroughly to ensure it is something that’s going to be right for you.

This article comes from Melissa, one of my partners, who is an AFAA certified Personal Trainer. Her before and after pictures are a true inspiration of her dedication to what ever she puts her mind to. She has transformed her body and can do the same for you. Melissa is available for in-person Personal Training sessions as well as creating an eight week virtual (email) personal training program to help you meet your individual needs as you work your way to that "Perfect You". She could just be the one person that can truly inspire you to reach your goals. She is always available to answer your questions. Your heatlh is all you have in your later years - take a stand TODAY and make it your priority. Time waits for no one.

Good luck!
Melissa Gentile COO/CTO Executive Vice President Training, Customer Service and Product Development.