Morbid obesity is a complex problem that involves more than just numbers on a scale. In fact, the external symptoms of morbid obesity and society’s focus on them often distract from many of the more dangerous problems that occur inside your body as a result of obesity. Issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, etcetera are the “silent” symptoms of obesity. Weight loss can help you avoid many of these health dangers and help you add many active, happy years to your life.
In addition to easing the medical symptoms that accompany morbid obesity, weight loss can give you:
- Increased energy
- Improved self esteem
- Reduced need for medications
- Normal clothes shopping
- Increased flexibility
- New endurance for everyday activities
Once you realize all the potential complications you face when you are morbidly obese, you are faced with a very important choice: Lose weight through traditional diet and exercise, or take the leap into weight loss surgery.
The unfortunate reality is that long-term weight loss through diet and exercise is not a practical or achievable solution for you if you are obese, no matter how dedicated you are to a restrictive diet and aggressive exercise plan. In the end, a traditional diet plan could hurt your health and self esteem even more and leave you feeling like a failure when the deck was actually stacked against you from the word, “Go.”
Most dieters who are considered morbidly obese and do manage to lose weight with conventional diet and weight loss methods gain the weight back within five years. This is not true of those who undergo bariatric surgery. In 1998 The American Society for Bariatric Surgery found that up to 60% of bariatric surgery patients were able to maintain their weight loss for more than five years.
If you decide to take the step toward bariatric surgery, remember that it requires as much of a commitment from you as weight loss through diet and exercise would. As part of your commitment, you must be willing to eat substantially smaller portions, follow up with your surgeon on a regular basis, and accept the impact that this may have on your relationships.
The decision to have bariatric surgery is not one to be taken lightly, but for most of those who are considering it there really is no other choice. Of course, deciding to have the surgery and being ready for it are two very different things. So your next step is to find out if you are a ready for bariatric surgery.