Healthy Weight Loss and When to Choose Weight Loss Surgery

It’s the time of year when many people want to start shedding those extra pounds they may have put on over the holidays; or maybe begin a new, healthier lifestyle as part of their New Year’s resolutions. In recent years, weight loss surgeries and diet pills have become extremely popular as a way to quickly drop some weight. However, these methods come with some high risks and possible unwanted side effects.

Matt Cutrer, personal trainer and owner of My Trainer in San Angelo, stated, “I feel like what people don’t understand is weight loss is not a goal you achieve. It’s more like a journey that you continue for the rest of your life. It’s a complete lifestyle change. Every component, every aspect of your life has to change and it has to stay that way. You’re in it for the long haul.”

Cutrer also said that most of the lifestyle change is about proper nutrition, and that “a lot of people just don’t know how to eat right.” Therefore, they go straight to weigh-loss surgery or diet pills.

“A good candidate [for weight loss surgery], I suppose would be someone who feels like they are at the point of no return,” Cutrer explained. “They are having problems moving or literally getting out of bed, just functional movements, and everyday activities – walking or standing. When you get to that point, I feel there is always something that can be done if they are given the skills by someone who is qualified. But if someone is at that point, and they are told by a doctor that it is life or death, then at that point they have to make the decision for themselves.”

Nutritionist Annessa Hays stated, “I would prefer that all avenues of weight loss be exhausted before considering something like bariatric surgery. I think a lot of people see it as a ‘fix’ to all their problems. When bariatric surgery originally started, patients had to wait a certain length of time and meet with various specialists. Now, the wait time has decreased significantly and many patients aren’t dealing with the root of the problem – usually a food addiction.”

However, for someone who has gotten to their “point of no return,” Hays said that she would recommend either the lap band or gastric sleeve before gastric bypass.

“The lap band is reversible,” she explained. “However, there have been cases where the lap band grew into the stomach and couldn’t be removed.”

Hays added that she's a strong believer in people dealing with their issues regarding weight gain before ever considering bariatric surgery. 

She said, "I tell people all the time that they didn’t go to bed last night a size 6 and wake up a size 20; so why do they think they can go to bed a size 20 and wake up a size 6 tomorrow?”

Sara Upton*, a San Angelo resident, chose a different method for her rapid weight loss – diet pills and injections from a local physician.

Sara explained that she went in once a week for 5 weeks to receive a shot, a B-Complex mix, and was also prescribed Phentermine.

“I noticed a change in about a week,” she said. “I don’t exercise much and I only changed my diet by cutting down on my portion size. My inch loss is more noticeable than my weight on a scale.”

While Phentermine has common side effects that include dizziness, headache, and rapid heartbeat, Sara noted that the only one she has encountered has been dry mouth.

This method has definitely worked for Sara and many others, but it is still looked down upon by nutrition experts.

“To me, it is the same concept as the weight loss surgery,” stated Cutrer. “It is a little different in the fact that [patients] are being prescribed a substance, which most of the time is Amphetamine based; and it is either going to do one of two things: it is going to create an addiction down the road or some type of side effect. Or, the other thing is, they will take it for a while and then lose the weight, but gain no skill whatsoever. They still don’t know how to eat right. They are still eating the same foods; they are just eating less of it now because they don’t have the appetite. So, it is just a vicious cycle.”

Nutritionist Hays explained, “Rapid weight loss can lead to gallstones and potentially alter one’s metabolism. Repeatedly losing and regaining weight can definitely change your metabolism. A good weight loss goal is ½ to 1 pound per week if your Body Mass Index (BMI) is less than 35; or 1 to 2 pounds per week if your BMI is over 35. The goal with weight loss should be to lose it and keep it off. The faster you lose it, the faster it’s going to come back. Losing it slowly gives your adipocytes – fat cells – time to acclimate to the change and decreases the likelihood the weight will return.”

Hays also added that there are three important questions that a person should always ask themselves when evaluating diet plans:

1. Can I eat this way the rest of my life?
2. Are there food groups being omitted?”
3. Am I going to have to take vitamins/minerals to make up for what my diet is lacking?

Finally, people should always seek out the advice of their doctor or a nutrition expert to help them make the right decision that will help them achieve their goals in an effective and healthy way.