“Eat healthy and exercise regularly” – well, that should do it, right? You’ve heard it before and you’ll probably hear it over and over again, but the advice to balance a nutritious diet with moderate physical fitness is sometimes not the be-all, end-all answer to healthy living we hope it to be. While both are essential to a successful weight-loss or weight-maintenance program, recent research suggests that increasing exercise alone may not be enough to tackle obesity. In fact, many health experts agree that changing diet and food consumption habits may do more to positively affect obesity rates than increasing exercise.

A study by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation shows that although men and women in the United States are more physically active today, these improvements have done little to reduce or halt obesity rates. A separate paper by the institute published in the Journal of the American Medical Association identifies poor diet as the leading factor contributing to America’s poor health. To read more about these studies, see this article from The Los Angeles Times

Is Weight-Loss Surgery Right For You?

When an individual weighs 75 pounds or more than their ideal weight, sometimes even the most extreme changes to diet and exercise patterns will not be enough to kick-start significant weight loss. When diet and exercise alone are not enough, weight-loss surgery is something you should discuss with your physician to determine your eligibility. Though each individual is different and there may be certain exceptions, the following criteria must be met in order for someone to be considered a candidate for a surgical weight-loss procedure:

• Shown previous earnest efforts to lose weight through nutrition-based dieting and exercise programs.
• Must be willing and motivated to make healthy lifestyle changes that will help achieve weight-loss goals – for a lifetime.
• No history of medical problems or health concerns that would deem surgery/anesthesia unsafe.
• Between the age of 18-70.
• At least 75 pounds over the recommended weight for your age, height and gender or have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater or 35 or greater with certain co-morbidities.

If your weight interferes with employment and family activities or prevents you from performing normal, everyday actions such as walking, sitting and standing, or if you have a high-risk, obesity-related health concern such as diabetes, sleep apnea or heart disease, these are all very good reasons to consider weight-loss surgery and discuss your options with your doctor.

There Is No One Answer

While diet and exercise alone is not helping you successfully lose weight, you should also know that weight-loss surgery will not excuse you from the requirements of proper nutrition and exercise in order to maintain the weight loss that surgery can help achieve. After surgery at Lite & Smart Dimensions™, a dietician works with our patients to plan a personal nutrition program and establish exercise goals in order to sustain muscle mass, improve energy, and keep the weight off.

Though surgery may be a great choice to help you attain a healthier weight, success can only be achieved through your personal motivation to pursue a healthy lifestyle and the commitment to follow through on the advice of your healthcare providers in regards to diet and exercise. In addition to talking with your doctor, it is important for you to take a vested interest in your personal wellness by understanding all surgical procedure options, effects of treatments and how your life will change following surgery (did you know that how you chew while eating will become extremely important?), and the potential for complications, disappointments and dietary restrictions.

My team and I have performed more than 11,000 weight-loss surgeries and our support team of nutritionists, psychologists and other weight-loss professionals are determined to provide you with the care you need to achieve and maintain weight-loss surgery success. Click here to learn more about your weight-loss surgery options, risks and potential complications, as well as dietary guidelines and more.