Is Weight Loss Surgery An Option? Part I

Most of us who have tried to lose weight using a diet and exercise know how frustrating it can be. You might have to give up some of your favorite foods, avoid sweets, forego sugary drinks and sodas (my personal vice), exercise...the list goes on. Personally I enjoy exercise, but it can be hard for many of us to make time in our busy lives to take a walk or go to the gym. Those of us who have family members who don't care one way or another about their weight have it particularly hard because the others insist on having the other stuff around the house, making it much easier for us to 'cheat'. My husband has the aversion to vegetables that most other men I know have and, since he's the one who pays the grocery bills, we have to consider cost over nutritional value when it comes to buying (most) food items. These things mainly apply to the 'overweight' or 'lesser-obese' of us-those with a Body Mass Index of 25-30 (overweight) or 30-39 (obese).

Unfortunately, things are a bit more challenging for our friends with a BMI of over 40. Some people find it so challenging, in fact, that they've considered weight-loss surgery. This is a major decision, but some see it as their only option. If this is something you've thought about, I'd like to give you a bit of information.

As always, check with your doctor before going on any weight-loss program. I'm not qualified to give medical advice, just information.

First, let me describe the different kinds of surgeries. Gastric bypass-the one most of us think of when we hear the words 'weight-loss surgery'-consists of reducing your stomach from its normal 'football' size to about the size of an egg and attaching it to the lower part of the small intestine, allowing the food to spend less time in your body and absorb fewer calories. There are a few other types of 'reducing surgeries', but gastric bypass is the most common. Once the stomach heals, the patient is then put on a strict diet that runs in stages:

Stage 1-Liquid diet. This usually consists of things like milk, broth, 'cream' soups.

Stage 2-Pureed foods. Basically, it's solid foods such as fruits and vegetables strained and mixed with a liquid until it resembles baby food. In addition to this, you will be able to have yogurt, cottage cheese and other soft foods as recommended by your doctor.

Stage 3-Soft solids. This includes soft fruits or cooked vegetables, as well as ground or finely-cut meats. Basically, if you can smash your food with a fork, it fits.

Stage 4-Solids. You can now have 'regular' foods as long as you can tolerate them. Avoid things with a 'stringy' or 'fibrous' (celery, corn, broccoli, cauliflower etc) or a 'crunchy' (granola, cereal, popcorn, dried fruits, nuts etc) texture, as well as breads. This isn't to say that you can never have these foods again so much as that it's possible that they may irritate your still-healing stomach.

After Stage 4, you should be able to have a more 'normal' diet. Each stage lasts about four weeks, the exact duration depending on your individual tolerance and doctor's instructions.

As for drinks, avoid carbonated drinks. In other words, leave the Dr. Pepper at the store. :( Hard, I know. But the good news is that you may eventually be able to drink diet or sugar-free sodas, giving you relief from your Coke- or Pepsi-withdrawal. :) That's good news, right? :) 

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