That's Fit

More and more I've been hearing from people who have just about given up on losing weight and now are thinking seriously about having "the surgery."

Not so fast.

Gastric bypass is the most popular weight loss surgery in America, but it is a double-edged sword with very sharp edges. While it can reduce some of the risks associated with obesity, it also presents a whole new set of health challenges and is hardly without side effects or complications, including blood clots, leaking, hernia and a fairly high rate of death (1 per 200-300 surgeries). It's not a decision that should be made lightly.

Here at That's Fit we spend a lot of time writing about eating right and exercising. That's because we believe it's the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. And, if you want to lose weight, it's the least invasive and generally the most effective way to go about it. But for some people who are morbidly obese, weight loss surgery is another option. But it's an option that comes with major risks such as blood clots, post-operative leaks at the staple site, hernias, dumping syndrome, and other complications. And weight loss surgery isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card, either. It's not the quick and easy way to weight loss. Sure, the weight likely will fall off rapidly. But people who have this surgery also make permanent changes to their lifestyle -- most notably their eating habits.

WebMD has a quiz to help you determine if you want to consider weight loss surgery. Of course, with all the risks involved, this isn't a decision to enter into lightly. If you're considering weight loss surgery, make an appointment with your general physician. You can have a general physical to determine your fitness for surgery and discuss the pros and cons with a professional. Then, make an appointment with a surgeon who performs the method of weight loss surgery you're considering and, again, talk over the pros and cons. In the end, the decision is up to you so make sure you're well informed.

In those that are overweight (mostly obese) and are considering bariatric surgery to aid in that weight loss, I urge you to consider radical nutrition and exercise options before having your body cut into for rapid weight loss by the knife.

Of course, consult with your doctor for proper guidance, but weight loss surgery should be the last resort unless there exists no safe alternative. What I can say is this: your body is remarkable adept at adapting given a chance. Nutritional changes and exercise are too good adaptations, right?

New research shows that death rates for those that undergo weight loss surgery are higher than among people of the same age who don't have the need to undergo weight loss surgery. Convinced of an alternative way to lose that weight yet?

Despite the leaps and bounds we've made in technology over the last 50 years, the latest in weight loss tools looks more medieval than modern. The Charlie Bite is a metal device that is attached to the lower jaw by cementing it to the teeth. When a user opens their mouth just a little too much, a hinge falls into place and the user must stop and put it back. The idea is that someone who is prone to overeating will chew and eat more slowly. Eating at a slower pace is often recommended for weight loss to give the body time to feel full.

The manufacturers of Charlie Bite claim users lose an average of 1.3 pounds a week and that it's not invasive or unsafe in comparison to weight loss surgery. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Charlie Bite...anyone willing to share?

(Thanks, Diet-Blog!)

Thousands of people underwent weight loss surgery last year, opting for either gastric bypass or other procedures that limit the amount of food their body can take. Many, however, are afraid to go under the knife due to fears about pain, recovery, or side effects. A small study, however, may attract those patients to a new kind of surgery -- cutting the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve runs from the brain into the abdomen and it plays a role in how hungry a person feels. Cutting it where it meets the stomach used to be a common procedure for ulcer patients before the era of acid-reducing drugs. Now surgeons are running a small study to find out if it could aid in weight loss, with interesting results. A year into the 18-month study, 11 patients have lost about 18% of their weight. It's not the dramatic weight loss seen with gastric bypass, but it's weight loss nonetheless. All but one reported reduced hunger.

No one thinks that this is going to be the next big thing in weight loss, but if the studies prove that cutting the vagus nerve does work, it may be an option for those who need a little extra help, but are afraid to undergo major surgery.

Recent research points to the fact that about two-thirds of people seeking weight-loss surgery have suffered from a psychiatric disorder at some point in their lives. This brings up the question -- is thinking about and carrying through with weight-loss surgery indicative of more deeply embedded psychiatric problems?

For some, this is most likely true. Weight loss surgery for many could be a manifestation of some mental illness I suppose. This recent research used questionnaires to assess psychiatric disorders in 288 patients hoping to have weight-loss surgery.

The results? 66% of the surveyed subjects had a lifetime history of at least one psychiatric disorder -- and the most common disorder was a major depressive disorder. Further 38% had been diagnosed with such a disorder just recently. The kicker is that those with currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders centered in on binge eating behavior.