Questions about Bariatric Surgery and Calorie Restriction

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  • lpdjones
    lpdjones Posts: 8 Member
    CarboUnload wrote: »
    The question is, what is the difference between having the surgery to restrict calories...and just restricting calories?

    What is the benefit of the surgery if you're able to restrict and supplement without it?

    Hi, I think everyone who has ever considered WLS has asked this same question before making their decision. I can give you my answer. I had RNY on Dec 14, 2015.

    The medical world is coming to recognize that at some point excess weight turns from a health concern to a disease. A person actually loses the ability to change their weight in the long term through diet and exercise because our bodies are so adaptable. A person's rest metabolism is not a clockwork that just runs at a given rate. It is variable, with some functions shutting down to keep the overall system functioning. And the metabolic process actually changes for some. The point at which this happens for an individual varies based on both heredity and environment... In spite of behavior. This is why a person can have terrific success on a medical diet, be thin for years, put back on a few pounds, then things spiral out of control and bammo! All the weight is back plus some. The real tell is that if that person returns to the medically supervised plan... They don't lose weight, or lose significantly less than they did the first time. In this case their problem has advanced to the disease stage.

    WLS is an opportunity to reset the metabolism with medical supervision, nutritional counseling, support groups, psych counseling, etc. This is a serious big deal, and not to be entered into lightly. Please, if you elect to go the traditional diet and exercise route, do it with medical supervision. If you have any doubts, go the traditional route. These surgeries are a lifelong game changer, but still some people regain. Be certain before you make this change.

    All the best, L.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    annacsophia wrote: »
    peter56765 wrote: »
    annacsophia wrote: »
    beemerphile1 wrote: »
    CarboUnload wrote: »
    I understand the risks and wouldn't do it without supervision.

    The question is, what is the difference between having the surgery to restrict calories...and just restricting calories?

    What is the benefit of the surgery if you're able to restrict and supplement without it?

    The difference? Willpower.

    With surgery the capacity of your stomach is reduced. Without surgery you need the willpower and determination to stop eating before your stomach is full.

    You need that after as well. There are plenty of people that eat around their surgery. Weight loss surgery does not mean one is weak or does not have willpower, it is used as a tool.

    Yes, you could eat around your surgery, or drink around it if what I hear is correct. But that would require a conscious effort to do so. The feeling of being overfull is often unpleasant enough to discourage people from eating more. If you are overweight now and tend to stop when you're overfull, there isn't any reason to believe you would change that behavior after surgery.

    At the moment, bariatric surgery is the most effective and sustainable method of weight loss we have. It's not for everyone and it doesn't work for all the people who undergo it, but it's the best thing we have at this time. That's not a popular statement around here but it's what the current science of the day tells us.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3470459/

    Unfortunately it does not really require a conscious effort, which is why regain is so prevalent. There are many foods that can be eaten to excess with little to no discomfort, called "sliders". For most, these are things like chips, cookies, crackers, bread, pasta, etc. This is why most WLS programs teach patients to eat dense protein first, then veggies, then other things if there is room. In fact, many WLS patients can eat a normal sized meal once there pouch/sleeve has matured.

    But my response earlier was to the post regarding willpower, as if those who have had WLS lack willpower completely. I disagree with that statement.

    I don't think that's usually what's meant when it's said the difference is willpower.

    The fact is that without the surgery, all you have to stop you from overeating is you. With the surgery, at least in the short term you really can't overeat. In the long term you certainly can (and it seems most people do), but there are some obstacles that need to be overcome that could make choosing to comply with the diet more likely. Plus, you've had the benefit of having to comply for some time already - the ever-popular 'kick start', I suppose. So the demands on your willpower are less for a time.

    Personally, I know four people who've had some form of bariatric surgery. All failed in one way or another (one person nearly died) and regained all of their weight if not more. One of the four ended up losing it all again with diet and exercise.

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