This type of weight loss program may be right for you if you are chronically 100 pounds over your ideal weight and also have at least one obesity-related disease.
Obesity is a lifelong disease and is best treated by a Center that can provide you with many different treatment options plus long-term follow-up treatment. Visit Centers you are considering to see if the facility is clean and the staff friendly and knowledgeable. Check pricing. Use the Internet to research the Center's outcomes.
Also know what you are shopping for: surgery, or no surgery? You want to choose a Center that offers this option if you know or suspect you will consider surgery at some point in your weight loss program. There are several types of surgery aimed at helping patients eat less food by creating a smaller stomach.
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery involves separating the stomach into one small part and a larger part. The small part of the stomach functions as a food pouch and conducts food directly into the small intestine. The larger part of the stomach is then bypassed and not used to process food. This procedure can be done with a large incision or laproscopically to reduce pain and recovery time. A laparoscope is a viewing tube the surgeon inserts through a band-aid size hole to see what they are doing. Other instruments are inserted through the same hole or other holes. The surgeon uses these instruments and the viewing tube to perform the surgery and see what he is doing.
Another type of surgery is called lacroscopic adjustable gastric band surgery. An adjustable band is placed around the patient's stomach to form the small food pouch.
Other tips on how to choose a bariatric weight loss center include:
Avoid Centers or programs that do not offer follow-up treatment.
Ensure the Center is conveniently located to your home.
Ensure the Center offers exercise physiologist to develop an exercise program.
Do not choose a Center if they try to give you a "hard sell" for surgery. Walk away.
If you do choose surgery, make sure your Center or hospital can treat any complications that may develop.
Be prepared for the emotional ups and downs of weight loss. You may feel deprived because you cannot eat all the food you like in the amounts you would like. Going out to eat, to the local food festival, or to parties may not feel like fun while you are adjusting to changes in your eating habits.
Seek professional counseling if you find yourself becoming unusually depressed or angry from your change in eating habits.
Motivation and exercise are key elements of successful weight loss, whether through surgery or a concentrated program. Be sure you are able to make the necessary commitment.
