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Obese? Weight loss surgery – getting the facts and resources

Good morning,

Many people who are obese are looking into weight loss surgery (Bariatric surgery) to help them lose the weight. The challenges they run into, however, can be many….long-term weight loss always requires an eating lifestyle change, and several individuals have actually put the weight back on. For example, here’s a thread about one such instance:

… No matter how someone loses weight, they do have to really work it. Some people are lucky in that they can eat more calories and exercise less while others have to exercise daily and carefully watch what they eat. I find I am someone who needs to exercise every day and I need to carefully watch what I eat.

Although I don’t know a lot about weight loss surgery, from what I’ve heard and seen, I think you were misguided by your doctor in him telling you that you didn’t have to participate in your weight loss (lose despite yourself) and that your stomach wouldn’t stretch out. There is no pill, surgery or device that can make us lose weight without us being an active participant.…MORE….

Choosing to undergo weight loss surgery can be grueling. But there’s lots of research you can do to help you make the decision, including:

Here are some acronyms and glossary words used with Weight Loss Surgery:

Anastamosis – the place where two organs are joined together with staples or stitches. This is done when the surgeon fastens stomach to intestine, and intestine to intestine.

BMI (Body Mass Index) – measurement describing a person’s individual weight condition

BMI Calculator – A free online tool that used to determine an individual’s Body Mass Index.

BP – Blood Pressure

Banding – when a band is placed around the top part of the stomach to make it smaller. You will feel full faster, and learn to reduce the amount of food you can eat. No bypass is performed.

Bariatric Surgery – Generic term for any number of surgical procedures performed to treat morbid obesity, including Gastric Stapling, Morbid Obesity Surgery, Stomach Reduction Surgery, Stomach Stapling Obesity Surgery, and Weight Loss Surgery.

Bariatric – generalized term describing any number of surgical weight-loss procedures.

Body Mass Index ( BMI ) – a formula to measure obesity using both height and weight. Calculate your BMI

Bypass – when part of your stomach and small intestines are “skipped over” so that fewer calories are absorbed. The stomach is also made smaller to restrict the amount of food you can eat.

Colon – large intestine beginning at the end of the small intestine and ending at the rectum

Comorbidity – a possibly fatal side-effect brought about by a disease process. Excess buildup of fatty tissue can cause comorbidities such as diabetes and heart attacks; specific to morbid obesity.

DS – Duodenal Switch

Dilation – process of enlarging a passage or anastomosis

Digestion – the breaking down and absorption of the food you eat.

Dumping Syndrome – side-effect of bariatric procedures in which food is prematurely released from stomach into the small intestine, resulting in nausea and vomiting. Generally associated with sweets, high-calorie liquids etc.

Duodenal Switch – A bariatric surgery in which surgeons 1.) divide a patient’s stomach into a slender vertical pouch and, 2.) re-route the small intestine to effect malabsorption. This is also known as biliopancreatic Diversion.

Duodenum – the upper section of the small intestine, connects to the stomach.

Esophagus – the tube-like structure that takes food to the stomach after you swallow.

GBP – Gastric Bypass Surgery

GBS – Gastric Bypass Surgery

GERD – Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease

GP – General Practitioner

Gastric – a word that pertains to the stomach, such as gastric bypass or gastric juices.

H Pylori ( helicobacter pylori) – a certain type of bacteria that affects the stomach. It weakens the lining of the stomach stomach which may lead to ulcers.

Ileum – 10 feet of small intestine, responsible for absorption

Jejunum – 10 feet of small intestine; the part responsible for digestion

LB – Lap-Band

LapBand Surgery – a bariatric surgery in which surgeons install an inflatable ring around the upper portion of the stomach. Also known as Adjustable Gastric Banding, Adjustable Lap Band Surgery, Gastric Banding, and Laparoscoptic Gastric Banding.

LapBand – an inflatable ring installed around a patient’s stomach; functions to limit the intake of food into the stomach and to control the release of food into the small intestine.

Laparoscopic Obesity Surgery – a minimally invasive bariatric surgery performed using slender instruments and advanced camera systems. It’s also referred to as Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery.

Laparoscopic – the description of a minimally invasive surgical method in which specially trained surgeons use slender instruments and advanced camera systems to perform delicate surgeries inside the abdominal cavity. This results in smaller surgery openings.

Large Intestine (large bowel) – Most fluids are absorbed here. Waste products are also concentrated and passed through the rectum as stool, or bowel movement.

Leak – if the anastomosis does not form a complete seal, fluid can leak from the pouch or intestine into the abdominal cavity. This is one of the risks of bariatric surgery.

MO – Morbid Obesity

Malabsorption – the incomplete uptake of calories and nutrients. It’s a physical process utilized in bariatric surgeries (ie, roux-en-y gastric bypass) and causes high weight loss by limiting the amount of calories taken in by digestive system.

Morbid Obesity Diet – Strict nutritional diet followed by post-operative bariatric surgery patients that often limits patients to less than 800 calories per day. It’s also known as the After Gastric Bypass Surgery Diet.

Morbid Obesity – the potentially fatal physical condition of having excess fatty tissue. Generally the body mass index exceeds 40 or the person is at least 100 pounds overweight.

NSV – Non-Scale Victory

Obesity Surgery Center – a medical facility specializing in bariatric procedures.

PB – Productive Burp

PCP – Primary Care Physician

Pouch – the part of the stomach that is closed off with staples or a band to make it smaller. It is your “new” stomach where the food is now digested in a smaller space. It will hold 1-2 oz after surgery. The most food it should ever hold is about 4 oz ( half a cup).

RNY – Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

Roux enY – A bariatric surgery in which surgeons 1.) divide a patient’s stomach into a smaller pouch and, 2.) re-route the intestine to effect malabsorption. Also known as Gastric Bypass Surgery.

Saline Solution Port – disc-like device implanted beneath the skin of patient’s torso, used to adjust the constriction of the LapBand.

Slime – What comes up before the Productive Burp

Small Intestine (small bowel) – food is mostly digested and absorbed here. Chemicals help break the food down, and some fluid is also absorbed. The small intestine has three sections: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum.

Stomach – an organ that stores food, digests food, and sends it slowly to the small intestine. The stomach also produces certain chemicals that help you absorb certain vitamins.

Strictures – narrowing of anastomosis or section of intestine; often related to scarring or ulcers

Vertical Gastrectomy – A bariatric surgery in which surgeons divide a patient’s stomach into a slender vertical pouch. Also known as Gastroplasty and VBG.

WLS – Weight Loss Surgery

Always do your research first!

Enjoy,

Barbara

ps – here are some bariatric goodies:

Weight loss spot reduction myths – Can you really lose in just one place?

Morning,

Oh, the joys of telling your body, golly gee, you shall lose the 30 pound jumbo tire that’s hiding your belly and ultimate reveal your flat and sexy abs!

Alas, it just doesn’t work like that, you know?

Spot reduction, the banner cry of thousands of infomercials, is a myth.

Let me repeat that.

Spot reduction is a myth.

It does not work.

Your body will lose the weight in the opposite way it put it on. So…if you gained first on your thighs, you’ll lose first on your thighs. You cannot do a bazillion crunches and expect your belly to flatten like a popped Mylar balloon (well okay, you CAN expect that, but you’ll be woefully disappointed).

Here are some great resources regarding spot reduction and dieting and such:

Yes, it truly would be wonderful if, say, you could decree how you will lose weight. But it’s a diet/weight loss myth. It is not true.

This is one reason why many diets can fail – if you go in expecting to lose weight in a certain area, and that doesn’t happen….you might decide, it’s useless, why continue? But that kind of thinking will only lead you further down the road to failure.

Instead of looking for spot-reduction, turn the key in your mind and commit to getting healthy! By doing that, you’ll lose the weight and eventually….the area you want to trim will shrink as well.

It’s up to you.

Enjoy,

Barbara

ps – while strength training doesn’t spot-reduce, it can really help your overall body! Check out:

Worlds falling apart

“This is madness! You must give her sanctuary!”

Ramis was silent a beat too long, as if to give Auriane time to listen to herself. There was no flicker of emotion in that enigmatic face. Then she whispered, “I won’t tear the fair web spun by one far greater than I.”


“You care naught for any of us! Of what use are you!”

“Your true enemy, Auriane, is the part of you that you fancy is most reasonable – that’s so certain it knows what’s right. You’re disappointing me. How, by the powers, did you lull yourself into thinking the world wouldn’t fall apart?

Didn’t it….before?

Doesn’t it….always?”

Lady of the Light by Donna Gillespie

Such a super book that is!!!

Barbara

ps – see it here:

When your body tells you NO WAY IN HECK!!

Morning,

Well.

Well well.

Well.

I’m due for surgery now in 12 days (that’s the good news!).

The bad news is that my leg problems are increasing daily. I started my beloved circle walk….and after 100 feet, realized…it would be utter insanity to continue it.

So I came back home.

I’m at a crossroads yet again in my life. I want to continue exercising…and at the same time, I know I must give my leg a rest. Thus, perhaps I’ll simply lift weights later on today. But what a personal shock it was for me to realize my current state.

In the interim, I reviewed our dojo’s sword demo, and was able to transcribe all 106 moves. I will bring this paper with me to the hospital; might as well teach myself something while I’m in recovery.

I find myself wanting to be several people at once. I want to run away and hide…yet I want to continue with my karate/self defense until the last possible moment. I want to be by myself so I can drop the confident facade….and at the same time, I want to be in front of my colleagues and conquer all my fear and pain and overcome my current worries. I want to prove to myself that no matter what happens in my life, I will not only survive…but thrive.

12 more days and counting.

And life goes on,

Barbara

ps – Pedometers are great for walking, did you know that?

The fear has disappeared – fighting past your little voice

Morning,

About 1.5 months ago or so, I experienced an amazing array of emotions during one of my Kendo (Japanese swords) classes. It was the first time I had really sparred, and I had been put face to face with utter, blinding fear. You can read about it over at this post.

Well…yesterday I had my beloved kendo practice again, and I was debating about taking it easy (what with surgery scheduled in 12 or 5 days). But hey, knowing me, I threw myself into it with quite a lot of enjoyment…and then it happened.

I realized something most neat!

I have no fear anymore when doing kendo sparring.

True, I’m still quite incompetent in it (although I am learning to block vaguely decently!!). But when I faced off against my opponent, all of that “eeek I’m gonna DIE!” feelings….were simply not in existence.

This experience has shown me that life is never static…what you fear today might be conquered by tomorrow. You should never give into the little voice that bleats, you will fail, you cannot do this, you’re better off not even trying….instead, you should honor your inherent greatness.

It was a very good class indeed. :)

Enjoy,

Barbara

ps – a good award for breaking past fear can be:

Everything happens for a reason even though…

Morning,

I’m a firm believer that everything in life happens for a reason. You might not know at that very moment just why things are occurring, you might not understand it for another week or year or decade or even three decades….but sometime in the future, the light is going to go zingo! in your head, and you’ll realize the true gifts that your otherwise agonizing problems had given you, ‘way back when.

I was reminded of this yesterday when one of my kids was at aikido. You see, there’s a slight issue of self-confidence involved; like me when I was that age, this particular child finds it difficult to be assertive and push back when necessary. So! I asked the sensei to get in her face and let her deal with the situation.

Now, this was very difficult for her to endure. As a matter of fact, she started crying even though she didn’t want to (again like me, she can’t stop such things – it just happens. She’s learning to work thru that). But the sensei gave her some extraordinarily good wisdom about standing up for herself and never letting herself get pushed around. It was a very draining experience…but one that really made my kid happy at the end.

I was witnessing this as it was happening, and I realized…gee, most other parents would say, leave my kid alone, she can’t handle it. But oh, how I wished when I was that age…that someone had taught me self-respect and reliance!! But instead, I was one of the most pathetic kids around back then….and it took me decades to turn into the wondrous person I am today.

Ever since becoming a parent, I made a promise to myself that my children would surpass me in every way, including self-confidence. I never want my kids to be a loser like I was!

And then it hit me with the force of an earthquake as I was standing there. This is one reason why I had the utter hell of school life that I did….it was so I’d have the knowledge to recognize potential problems in my own children…and take steps to resolve them before they got out of control.

32 years ago…that was. 32 years. 3+ decades. Wow. But with this experience of yesterday, I can honestly say….I’d go thru twice the agony again if I knew the benefits my own family would reap from it.

Gotta love guardian angels sometime.

Enjoy,

Barbara

ps – want some great aikido stuff? Consider:

Tempted by fad diets? Before you spend your money…

Ah, the silver bullet of weight loss – just indulge in a fad diet so extreme it would make an elephant’s toenails fall off…and watch those pounds of flab melt away!

No exercise, no eating changes, nothing different – it’s as though a genie will magically appear to suck out all the fat from your belly and turn you into a hot and svelte sex-god or sex-goddess before you can say “Hey wait! That was my money you just scammed from me!”

It’s human nature – wanting the quick fix can be more tempting than 28 maple frosted Krispy Kreme donuts .

But how many diet fads really work?

Can you count less than one?

It’s common sense really – if you are eating really poorly from the get-go, removing those bazillion calories for a few days will of course result in weight loss (often water weight). But because you never learn how to continue a healthy lifestyle change, the instant you go off your fad diet, the weight comes screaming back.

Thus! The next time the seductive lure of “lose weight by sneezing it off!” rears its sensuous head, consider these extremely useful sources.

It’s the smart consumer who makes the best decisions! Always research things that sound too good to be true…chances are, they’re exactly that.

Enjoy,

Barbara

ps – Want more info about fads?

Happiness is losing two more bathing suit sizes

Well! Today I decided to try swimming once again.

The good news – I’ve lost at least two more sizes! I went from (last year) a size 18 to (3 months ago) a size 12 and now, that just hangs off of me. So I need to visit Sports Authority and check out the size 8s and 10s.

The bad news – my femur exostoses makes swimming really not fun. I can feel the pull of the muscles over that bone lump with every kick I complete. I’m fine with sparring, I’m fine with treadmillizing….but swimming, blah, it’s quite, well, icky.

These things happen, I suppose…after surgery I’m sure that swimming will be part of my physical therapy. Joy joy joy, not.

Surgery happens this month! Yay!

And life continues,

Barbara

ps – Size 8, here we come!

When a child’s failure is the parent’s fault

You know, sometimes I think people should have to pass rigorous exams in order to become a parent.

It’s astonishing to me, absolutely beyond belief, how many parents will allow their darling brats to run wild in life and society…and then, when confronted, defend their kids’ lousy behavior instead of saying, gosh, you’re correct. My kid is a twit. I need to correct his/her behavior, thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Children need boundaries, children need guidance, children need to learn how to effectively participate in today’s society without other individuals feeling the need to contact the pest control regarding them.

If you fail to raise your children right, all you’re doing is sabotaging their future lives and growth. After all, if they go through school thinking they’re God and untouchable, and if you do not allow them to experience consequences for their abominable behavior, all you’re doing is setting them up for the future failure they’ll encounter when they run into someone bigger and meaner than they are.

Don’t you love your kids? If so, why on earth would you allow them to sink to their base emotions?

As a mom of 4 myself, I simply have to shake my head in wonder at how truly incompetent some parents are. I see many parents at karate, and it’s obvious to me that some of the kids rule the household, not the adults. I truly admire the karate senseis’ patience; my gosh, I’d absolutely just plain refuse to teach kids like that. Children aren’t taught basic respect and politeness; if they are incapable of appreciating solid useful knowledge, they have no right to participate and cause stress to the other kids.

So! If you’re a parent, make things right with your children. Guide them and inflict consequences when they step off the path; you’ll be doing them a favor that will last long into their adulthood.

Enjoy,

Barbara

ps – Of course, if parenting is stressful, you can always recover with:

Safe and Smart Internet Weight Loss Edge – coming soon!

Morning,

Well, after several weeks of massively writing exertion, I’m coming quite close to releasing The Safe and Smart Internet Weight Loss Edge book!

This has truly been a labor of love – it’s not enough to write down all of my secrets to my success, but I wanted to go above and beyond…and have gathered almost 900+ categorized weight loss resources to include with the edition.

Wow! What a lot of work this has been! But I’m pretty pleased with the final results. Now all I have to do is design the eBook image, put into place the free dieting/weight loss resources, set up securepay and paypal, announce a pre-launch (you’ll be able to save $20 over the gold price!) and and and….it’s a lot.

Some things that it includes are:

  • How to “turn the key” in your mind so weight loss comes naturally (it’s surprisingly simple to do)
  • What weight loss is really about (it’s not just what you eat!)
  • What’s really going on when diets fail (it’s not the diet itself)
  • How to choose to succeed at weight loss (it’s easier than you think!)
  • How to find the one true reason to lose weight (that speaks to your heart)
  • How you’re probably already exercising (even if you hate it!)
  • How to view yourself as number one (critical for weight loss)
  • How to believe in yourself (key to losing weight)
  • How to customize your “me filter” (and not get scammed by weight loss promises ever again)
  • How to crave getting up and moving (easier than you think!)
  • How to come to peace with yourself about your current situation (no more self-pity!)
  • How to honor your past dieting mistakes and gain strength from them (making this time the last time)
  • How to find tailored online support (so you have weight loss buddies)
  • Where to find weight loss empathy (sharing the struggle makes it that much easier)
  • Why you don’t *need* weight loss scales (getting rid of them will actually help your weight loss)
  • How to forbid scales to rule your emotions (another reason to get rid of them)
  • What to expect when losing weight (more than you’d think!)
  • Why every “diet” known to man fails (it’s really simple when you think about it)
  • Why weight loss plateaus aren’t the end of hope (they happen for a reason)
  • Why “starving yourself” is guaranteed to fail (and make you unhealthy as well)
  • The one thing better than a final goal (do this and see your attitude improve dramatically)
  • How to detect weight loss scams (and use only legit sources instead)
  • How to kick your weight loss desire into overdrive (and experience success faster)
  • How to uncover the one true desire that works for you (and gets you on the weight loss journey faster)
  • Where to discover valuable weight loss support (to keep you motivated)
  • How to deal with diet sabotagers (and stay the path)
  • How to find detailed information about any diet you want (you can do much more than just search for the name!)
  • How to uncover targeted diet forums (and see ahead of time if that diet is for you)
  • Where to find the best free diet journals (and learn from other’s successes)
  • What to do when diet support goes byebye (and ensure your weight loss continues)
  • How to communicate effectively with your spouse regarding weight loss (and remove any negative feelings)
  • How to take ownership of your own emotions (and take control of your dieting success)
  • How to give yourself permission to rebound from dieting failure (and become even stronger)
  • Where to uncover free books on self-esteem (which gives you tools to create successful weight loss in the future)
  • How to take advantage of “clever helpers” (and boost your dieting benefits)
  • How to discover the perfect “sexy wear” for you (and give yourself a super reward at your weight loss success!)
  • How to craft the perfect lifestyle for yourself (and get rid of dieting failures)
  • How to shun dieting scams (and save all that money)
  • Where to find the real truth about informercial products (thus keeping you from making big mistakes)
  • How to turn Google into your own personal dieting instructor (you’ll be shocked at the ways you can search!)
  • Where to find the most up-to-date dieting blogs (you can even get postings automatically sent to you!)
  • How to get all dieting and weight loss tips forum postings gathered in one place (making staying current a snap)
  • How to know yourself best (and not be swayed by false dieting promises)
  • Where to find the true nutrition facts (no diet pills required!)
  • How to calculate exactly how many calories you need to eat to lose weight (forget about padding)
  • Why you should never have a dieting timeline when starting (this tip is guaranteed to help keep you on the wagon)
  • How to internalize your own weight loss success (and then make it so!)
  • Why throwing out food can boost your success (and not just because you don’t eat it!)
  • How to set up free weight loss accounts (and keep track of your progress)
  • How to choose the RIGHT lifestyle change for yourself (and watch the pounds melt away)
  • How to make “eating well” a normal way of living (no sacrifice is needed)
  • What to write in your diet forum introductions (and see the weight loss support pour in)
  • What to do when you’re about to fall of the diet wagon (and keep yourself abreast!)
  • How to strength train without going to the gym (you can do this anywhere!)
  • Why you’re never too old (and why you’ll be succeeding this diet time)
  • How to witness your own personal magic (and stay the path)
  • MORE!

Like I said, wow. :)

Enjoy,

Barbara

ps – Want some great diet help? Consider:

Enjoy,

Barbara