Bariatric surgery is gaining momentum, but it is still underutilized. The Toronto Sun features Mike Jovanovich, who lost 100lbs after undergoing bariatric surgery.
With obesity rates on the rise, and the realization that diets just don’t work for a lot of very heavy people, bariatric surgery (the proper name for weight-loss surgery) is seen as a last resort in the fight to control weight’s calamitous consequences: Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, fatty liver disease, some forms of cancer, fertility problems, and degenerative arthritis.
Surgery has a weight-loss success rate of up to 85%, says Dr. Klein. (Compare that to the dismal two percent success rates for diets.) But surgery alone is not the solution… “It’s part of a comprehensive program and you need to look at it as part of a long-term process. Surgery will help someone to eat less, but it will not force them to eat less.”
I thought about doing bariatric surgery but opted for Structure House and lost 125lbs that way. I disagree about the inability to lose weight without surgery. But to lose weight, I didn’t have a diet plan – I underwent a lifestyle change which has enabled me to maintain a stable weight after losing 120lbs. Bariatric surgery is certainly helpful for losing weight and curbing diseases associated with obesity, but a lifestyle change is imperative even after surgery for long-lasting success.
Congrats on the lifestyle changes you’ve made and for keeping the weight off. There are no easy fixes. You’re an inspiration!
Many thanks!