New Year, Your New Shape
Losing weight is one of the most common resolutions people make for the new year. And for many people it may be an achievable goal to shed an unwanted 10-15 pounds. Losing a substantial amount of weight, however, involves more of an effort. Sometimes standard weight loss methods won’t be effective regardless of your motivation. If you’ve tried trendy diets, doctor-recommended diets, fitness classes, and various forms of exercise without success, weight loss surgery may be worth considering.
Improving Your Overall Health
Obesity often contributes to coexisting conditions that can seriously affect your health. People with weight-related conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, and chronic high blood pressure often report steady improvements as more weight is lost. Weight loss can also lower your risk of later developing obesity-related arthritis, digestive difficulties, urinary incontinence, fatty liver disease, and some forms of cancer.
Boosting Your Confidence
Weight loss surgery often provides a confidence boost for patients as energy levels naturally increase as pounds are lost. This renewed confidence often provides an incentive for patients to stick with diet and exercise recommendations. You may find yourself enjoying daily walks and other outdoor activities or exploring new hobbies and activities. Added confidence also improves self-esteem, which can have a positive impact on your personal and professional life.
Improving Quality of Life
Cutting the cycle of up-and-down weight fluctuations or losing weight and keeping it off can have a noticeable impact on your quality of life. Many people who have success with weight loss surgery report less stress and anxiety, improvements with employment situations, better daily mobility, and more productive sleep, although your results may vary.
Setting You Up to Succeed
Various studies on weight loss surgery show that as many as 90 percent of patients who’ve had surgery are able to keep the weight off. Success is typically defined as maintaining 50 percent or more of excess weight loss. As long as you follow your surgeon’s instructions and commit to making long-term lifestyle adjustments, odds are good that you’ll enjoy meaningful results for many years beyond this one.
If you think weight loss surgery may be for you this year, begin with a consultation with a surgeon specializing in such procedures to determine if it’s the right step for your situation. You’ll have an opportunity to discuss your weight loss goals and explore various weight loss surgery options, with common options including gastric band placement and removal of part of the stomach.