We’re in trouble, Kansas – heavy trouble. That’s “heavy” as in obese. Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and may lead to other life-threatening illnesses, like Type II Diabetes or heart disease. Yet, across our state the number of overweight and obese individuals is rapidly increasing. In the Sunflower State alone, more than 61% of adults are overweight or obese – and the cost to our taxpayers for dealing with obesity-related illnesses adds up to a staggering $195 million per year.

But what is obesity, exactly? Obesity is the condition of being significantly above a healthy weight, as determined by one’s body mass index (BMI). A person with a BMI of at least 25 is considered overweight; and someone who has a BMI of 30 or above is considered obese.

Obesity in Kansas is more than just trouble. It is an epidemic – the most serious threat to public health currently extant. How can we stop it?

The Surgical Option

The fight against obesity can be a struggle. Many people attempt to lose weight by means of trendy diets, Spartan exercise programs, or special pills, shakes and powders. Some sufferers actually lose a lot weight this way, but the vast majority regain it quickly as soon as they discontinue their weight loss program – and many more do serious damage to their health in the process.

Another increasingly popular option is weight loss surgery. Numerous studies have shown that bariatric surgery is an effective means of minimizing or resolving obesity-related health problems for individuals who are severely or morbidly obese. It can also help people who struggle with their weight but have no co-morbidities achieve a healthy BMI and reduce the likelihood that they will develop weight-related health problems in the future.

About Weight Loss Surgery

There is no royal road to instant weight loss. The only way to lose excess weight is to reduce the body’s caloric intake below its daily caloric needs. When this happens, the body begins to draw upon stored energy (fat) to keep functioning. Weight loss surgery is a minimally invasive medical procedure intended to counter a patient’s obesity by limiting the amount of food – and thus calories – that he or she can consume.

Bariatric procedures are performed under general anesthesia, and most (though not all) are performed laparoscopically. The three main types of weight loss surgery are: malabsorptive (during which the patient’s intestinal tract is altered), restrictive (during which the surgeon creates a smaller stomach pouch that limits the amount of food needed for the patient to feel full), and combination (during which the surgeon creates a small stomach pouch and alters the patient’s intestinal tract). Each procedure entails different risks and benefits.

Considering Surgical Weight Loss

Weight loss surgery can be a true lifesaver, if the patient is willing to adopt comprehensive changes in diet and lifestyle along with the surgery as part of a total health-improvement plan. Patients who fail to follow postoperative instructions or who refuse to alter their unhealthy lifestyles will almost certainly regain weight lost over time.

Although it is an effective weapon in Kansas’ arsenal against obesity, weight loss surgery is no magic bullet. Those considering bariatric surgery as an option for the management of obesity should research their options and discuss with their physician the risks and possible outcomes of these procedures before making any decision.

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If weight loss becomes an issue, many seek out diet and exercise changes first. This is of course a great way to start any sort of weight loss routine and should be a part of every person’s desire to live a healthier life. There are a number of options available to those who seem unable to lose weight with diet and exercise changes, or who find sticking to diets to be difficult.

Having a lap band procedure involves altering the form of the internal digestive tract so that food moves through the body in a different manner. Likewise, the procedure alters how the food is digested, at what point, and how much the body will assimilate. The procedure involves blocking off a certain portion of the stomach’s space so that food cannot be consumed too rapidly. It helps to make sure that the patient feels “full” or is satisfied with their meal prior to eating too much, which is what helps to prevent further weight gain. It thus also helps to reduce weight by preventing too many calories from being consumed and digested. This is a way to lower the amount of calories ingested by altering the amount of food that the body is able to comfortably process. The lap band procedure is growing in popularity, is reversible, and is a weight loss surgery option that many plastic surgeons are utilizing to help their patients.

Anyone who is seeking weight loss surgery ought to of course examine what options are available to them and to become very clear on what procedures will most likely benefit them and their goals. There are different methods that plastic surgery has developed to help lower one’s weight and reduce the amount of food consumed at the same time. Asking plenty of questions and fully understanding the procedure of choice is a great way to most fully understand what and how the procedure is performed. This is an important part of the patient’s responsibility to their own health. Also, finding a plastic surgeon that is trusted and that the patient feels comfortable with is a good idea.

Regardless of whether or not the patient decides to undergo weight loss surgery, they must come to terms with the underlying issue related to the initial need of a lap band procedure. If diet and exercise are not a solid part of life prior, then finding a way to incorporate new ways of handling the weight are important. This involves committing to a diet change and a new fitness routine that benefit not only one’s weight loss goals but also one’s overall health. Health is an integrative process and remaining at an optimal weight does not mean that you are healthy nor does it mean that you are not in need of fitness. Fitness and diet are a huge part of this process and regardless of surgery, having a healthy body and maintaining a sustainable lifestyle is important. Weight loss should only be a result of that. With this, understanding the goals related to weight loss in general, and how the lifestyle will be altered, are important considerations to be aware of.

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Have you regained weight you’ve lost? Are you concerned about weight regain? It is possible to regain weight after having weight loss surgery. After you’ve achieved your weight loss, many post-operative patients think they are done and slip back to old habits. Whether you lose weight through weight loss surgery, work with a weight loss coach or do it on your own, you can regain lost weight. A new, healthy lifestyle is the key to lose weight and keep it off.

Here’s the Top 10 reasons how to do it:

10. Don’t exercise.

9. Don’t bother drinking water.

8. Drink soda, fruit juice and alcohol.

7. Grazing throughout your day.

6. Eat mostly carbs in your meal, especially sugary, refined carbs.

5. Don’t take vitamins or take them whenever you remember or is convenient.

4. Protein first? Eat protein after you eat your mostly carb-heavy meals only if there’s room.

3. Don’t bother keeping a food and exercise journal.

2. Believe you don’t need support either by a support group, online support or your own weight loss coach.

And the number 1 way:

1. Thinking you are cured, your surgery will do all the work in maintaining your weight loss, and never have to be concerned about emotional eating or food issues ever again.

Losing weight is a process. We didn’t gain our weight overnight and it won’t come off overnight either. Keep this list and refer to it. You can maximize your weight loss and the rate that you lose. When we make the decision to have surgery and lose weight, we want it NOW.

Rather than focus strictly on the number on the scale, appreciate all the positive changes you’re making. When you reach your desired weight, you will have experienced all sorts of little and big “wins” along the way. Follow the Top 10 and you’ll enjoy all sorts of wins. You’ll be able to zip up jackets, wear jeans you haven’t worn in years, you’ll no longer need a seat belt extender, you’ll have more energy, participate in activities that would have exhausted you beofre, and many more that will be special and unique just to you. Losing weight can be a wonderful adventure and journey with many wins along the way.

The process of losing weight is to change your habits. You need to discard the old habits that made you heavy in the first place and replace them with new, healthy habits. The above Top 10 are the best habits you can incorporate into your life. Habits are learned behaviors. Unhealthy habits caused us to become overweight or obese. You can relearn new, healthy habits that will allow you to lose weight and maintain it. I’ve never maintained any weight that I lost before. How did I do it? I did it by following the Top 10. You can too.

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