Making that break with food often begins with a disastrous weight-inspired event. For one British grandmother, breaking the sofa inspired her to get fitted with a gastric sleeve. And in just a year the woman, who weighed 27 stone, lost more than 10 stone!
While I haven't been involved in any breakages in recent years, I can safely say that I've noticed seats becoming tighter and more uncomfortable. On my last plane journey, for example, the seat belt was extended to its maximum. It's going to be a little while until I take my next flight, so I'm aiming to have at least a few inches spare on my next trip.
Closer to home, I've noticed that my white plastic garden chairs are such a tight fit that I have to sit on the edge. With this in mind my short-term goal is to be able to sit properly in one by the end of the summer!
Tonight is my third weigh-in with Slimming World. I'm not sure if I should feel relieved or worried, but I had no nightmares about gaining/overeating last night. I've been sticking to the plan and eating my syns - nothing more, nothing less. I'm also feeling more comfortable with making food choices. I have a few breakfasts, lunches and dinners to choose from... and I'm always on the prowl for more.
Showing posts with label bariatric surgery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bariatric surgery. Show all posts
Monday, 4 July 2011
Sunday, 3 July 2011
Can liposcution help you lose weight?
According to some people, seeing the fat removed from your body can be the kickstart to a healthy eating regime. I must admit, however, that this taking things a step too far! I have my own issues with bariatric surgery, but I'm aware that it can deliver quick and relatively safe results for the individuals involved. But relying on liposuction to help you lose weight is just insane! It's like relying on Botox to keep you wrinkle-free! One woman even started speaking to her doctor on the subject while still pregnant with her second child!! Call me old fashioned, but your body is holding those baby fat reserves for a reason - let your baby use them!
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Natural weight loss vs weight loss surgery
A one-year weight loss program based on lifestyle changes can help obese people shed almost as many pounds as surgery, according to the latest research from Germany.
In a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, they found women who stuck with the program lost 43 pounds, while men shed 57 pounds.
Before the year was up, however, more than 40 percent quit! Even among the completers, 75% of the weight loss was re-gained after just three years.
"Weight regain remains the Achilles' heel of all weight loss therapies," said Thomas Wadden, who runs the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and was not involved in the new work.
Excess weight is one of the world's greatest health problems. It is tied to a host of chronic diseases, extra health care spending and early death. In the US, approximately a third of adults are obese.
While weight loss surgery effectively helps people slim down, complications and cost make the procedure less than ideal.
In the new study, Stephan Bischoff of the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart and colleagues used a number of lifestyle changes, including a low-calorie diet, behavioral therapy, group meetings, nutritional counseling and exercise -- a weight loss program franchised by Nestle as OPTIFAST52. There is also an OPTIFAST program in the US, but it is only half as long as the German program.
The researchers, all of whom work for OPTIFAST centers, signed up more than 8,000 obese participants at dozens of centers across the country.
At the start of the program, women weighed 247 pounds on average and men weighed 301 pounds. Combining all participants regardless of whether or not they finished the program, women lost an average of 33 pounds, with men shedding about 10 pounds more.
Six in 10 participants completed the programme - losing 53% of their excess weight on average. This is very close to the average weight loss achieved by surgery in the same timeframe (60%).
Completers also saw a number of other positive effects, such as lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and an improved quality of life.
However researchers tracking a sample of 300 participants three years after completion found that they had regained most of their weight. This is less likely to happen after surgery, according to experts.
Still, Bischoff said, 20% of participants successfully kept their new weight without further assistance.
Potential side effects from the program were rare, with the most common ones -- hair loss and constipation -- reported by less than one percent of the participants.
Whether those problems are a real consequence of the Nestle program is still uncertain, because the study didn't include a control group. By the same token, it's hard to be sure exactly what benefits came from the program itself, as opposed to just being part of a scientific study.
And there are other problems with the program, said Stanley Heshka, a nutrition researcher at Columbia University in New York.
Although OPTIFAST52 appears to work in the short term, he told Reuters Health by email, it is not a practical solution to America's obesity problem. Obese Americans tend to be poor, while intensive programs like Nestle's tend to be "very costly."
University of Pennsylvania's Wadden does see promise in weight loss programs, but said they need to do a better job of helping participants keep the pounds off.
"For every month that you spend losing weight, you should spend another month learning how to keep the weight off," he said.
In a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, they found women who stuck with the program lost 43 pounds, while men shed 57 pounds.
Before the year was up, however, more than 40 percent quit! Even among the completers, 75% of the weight loss was re-gained after just three years.
"Weight regain remains the Achilles' heel of all weight loss therapies," said Thomas Wadden, who runs the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and was not involved in the new work.
Excess weight is one of the world's greatest health problems. It is tied to a host of chronic diseases, extra health care spending and early death. In the US, approximately a third of adults are obese.
While weight loss surgery effectively helps people slim down, complications and cost make the procedure less than ideal.
In the new study, Stephan Bischoff of the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart and colleagues used a number of lifestyle changes, including a low-calorie diet, behavioral therapy, group meetings, nutritional counseling and exercise -- a weight loss program franchised by Nestle as OPTIFAST52. There is also an OPTIFAST program in the US, but it is only half as long as the German program.
The researchers, all of whom work for OPTIFAST centers, signed up more than 8,000 obese participants at dozens of centers across the country.
At the start of the program, women weighed 247 pounds on average and men weighed 301 pounds. Combining all participants regardless of whether or not they finished the program, women lost an average of 33 pounds, with men shedding about 10 pounds more.
Six in 10 participants completed the programme - losing 53% of their excess weight on average. This is very close to the average weight loss achieved by surgery in the same timeframe (60%).
Completers also saw a number of other positive effects, such as lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and an improved quality of life.
However researchers tracking a sample of 300 participants three years after completion found that they had regained most of their weight. This is less likely to happen after surgery, according to experts.
Still, Bischoff said, 20% of participants successfully kept their new weight without further assistance.
Potential side effects from the program were rare, with the most common ones -- hair loss and constipation -- reported by less than one percent of the participants.
Whether those problems are a real consequence of the Nestle program is still uncertain, because the study didn't include a control group. By the same token, it's hard to be sure exactly what benefits came from the program itself, as opposed to just being part of a scientific study.
And there are other problems with the program, said Stanley Heshka, a nutrition researcher at Columbia University in New York.
Although OPTIFAST52 appears to work in the short term, he told Reuters Health by email, it is not a practical solution to America's obesity problem. Obese Americans tend to be poor, while intensive programs like Nestle's tend to be "very costly."
University of Pennsylvania's Wadden does see promise in weight loss programs, but said they need to do a better job of helping participants keep the pounds off.
"For every month that you spend losing weight, you should spend another month learning how to keep the weight off," he said.
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Gastric bypasses linked with increased risk of alcoholism
Fancy trading in your eating addiction? According to the latest diet research from Sweden, bariatric surgery candidates who opt for a gastric bypass over a lapband could be running the risk of alcoholism.
While researchers have long been aware of the higher risk of alcohol absorption which follows a stomach staple, the new findings - announced in Chicago earlier this week - are the first to suggest a link with alcohol abuse.
The study examined records or 12,277 patients who underwent bariatric surgery over a 26 year period. Comparing them with 122,770 control subjects, researchers found that - before surgery - the obese patients demonstrated a much higher risk of depression, attempted suicide and alcoholism. And - despite surgery - these risks remained high.
Shining the spotlight on alcoholism, researchers discovered that gastric bypass patients were 230% more likely to suffer from alcoholism than their counterparts who underwent lapband surgery.
While researchers have long been aware of the higher risk of alcohol absorption which follows a stomach staple, the new findings - announced in Chicago earlier this week - are the first to suggest a link with alcohol abuse.
The study examined records or 12,277 patients who underwent bariatric surgery over a 26 year period. Comparing them with 122,770 control subjects, researchers found that - before surgery - the obese patients demonstrated a much higher risk of depression, attempted suicide and alcoholism. And - despite surgery - these risks remained high.
Shining the spotlight on alcoholism, researchers discovered that gastric bypass patients were 230% more likely to suffer from alcoholism than their counterparts who underwent lapband surgery.
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