When to Choose Weight Loss Surgery

Obesity runs in my family. It's not an excuse, but it is certainly the truth. I believe that I was pre-destined for obesity, partly due to genetics, and partly due to overindulgence. My mother, sister and I are all obese. Several of my aunts, uncles and cousins are also overweight. So, I am not alone in my plight. I have tried every diet you can name in the 53 years I have lived on this Earth, and not one of them has helped me to keep off any weight that I have lost.

I have finally decided to get serious about my weight problem. By getting serious, I am talking about weight loss surgery. I have not decided what type of surgery I want as of yet, but I am leaning toward the Lap Band, due to its less invasive nature, and easy reversal. I am wary of having my stomach stapled, or having most of it removed. I like that the lap band can be adjusted as needed, and requires minimal hospital stay.

The reasons I have for choosing weight loss surgery are many. The most persuasive to me have been the following:

Health Issues:

I have several health issues that make weight loss surgery a wise choice for me. My BMI, or body mass index, is 58.  This puts me well above the required BMI of 40 in order to qualify for the lap band. I have mild hypertension, sleep apnea, severe osteoarthritis in my hips, knees and hands. Most importantly, I feel that without this surgery, I will die at an early age due to complications from obesity.

Appearance:

I do not care much what others think of me. I still have rather high self-esteem. However, I do wish to improve my appearance mostly for myself, but for my husband and children as well. At 430 pounds, I am not as attractive as I once was. I believe that all people should take pride in how they look, and just do the best they can. For me, that means getting fit, and losing weight.

Activity:

I used to be an active woman. As a young adult, I was an avid ice skater. I loved hiking, fishing, camping and yardwork. All of my most-loved activities are now impossible. I walk with a cane due to my arthritis, which will most likely improve once I lose weight. Also, I would like to be able to join my family in their activities, instead of opting out with a headache, or other non-existent ailment.

As you can see, I have many valid reasons to consider weight loss surgery. I have many years ahead of me if I can lose the weight, and get healthy. Many people scoff at those who choose weight loss surgery, claiming that they are taking the "easy way out." I disagree. Surgery is never easy, and those who undergo this type of surgery must still watch what they eat, and change their eating habits. I know it will not be an easy road, but it is a road I feel I must travel.

When to Choose Weight Loss Surgery

Wrong Weight Loss

The single, most important thing about weight loss is the method. It all starts there. Results can be achieved with a number of different methods, and there is always more than one way to get from A to B, but the method you use to get there often contributes to whether or not you arrive.

Equally, there are some method to lose weight that are shortsighted, unlikely to work, or just plain dangerous.

The most popular, almost "tried and tested" method of weight loss is dieting. The problem with dieting is that it doesn't really work, and where people do manage to succeed with it, they often end up putting the weight back on, plus more, further down the road.

For me, dieting is just counter-intuitive. The key to losing weight is burning calories, not starving yourself of them. To burn calories, you need to have a fully functioning metabolism. If you can burn more calories in a day than you can eat, then you will start to lose weight.

This is where the miconception about dieting comes in. People think "Instead of burning more calories, I will just take fewer in".

Actually, this doesn't make sense. When you take fewer calories on board, your body doesn't have enough fuel to work properly, so it reduces the metabolism to compensate. You are taking less on, but you are also burning less.

There might end up being some weight loss at some point, but as soon as you start eating again, you put the weight back on rapidly.

Moreover, when your body does burn fat to turn it into fuel, it actually uses up protein first. If you are not eating enough to replace those proteins, all that will happen is you lose muscle mass, which does reduce your weight, but the fat will still be there underneath.

Eventually, you might be on of the lucky ones to hit their "target weight" using this method. Hooray! You can eat again! Now you are piling fat back on top of fat. This is not going to have a good outcome.

What is my solution?

It just makes sense to give your body the fuel it needs. I am not saying to go out and eat as much as you want, I am saying eat smart. There are healthy, nutritious foods out there that will give you everything you need, but for only 100-200 calories.

This is going to help keep your body working efficiently, burning calories and fat, but keep your muscle mass, only take on a few hundred calories, and not have to starve yourself in the process.

People who use this method not only find it easy to keep going, they tend to wind up healthier, and as a result they keep the weight off.

I'm not one to believe "My method is the best and everything else is terrible," but I do think it appears more like common sense than dieting. It makes sense to me that if you give your body what it NEEDS, it will function correctly, and will reach its ideal weight naturally.

Wrong Weight Loss