Weight Debate: Bariatric Surgery vs. Diet & Exercise

Are you considering a type of Bariatric surgery to lose weight vs. good old fashioned diet and exercise? There are advantages and disadvantages to bariatric surgery.  There are also several types of bariatric surgery.  It is a very big decision and care needs to be taken before you battle the bulge by going under the knife.  It is a surgery, every surgery has its own set of possible complications as well as side effects, make sure you are aware of all of these before you make that decision.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Bariatric Surgery

There are always two sides to a coin, just as there are advantages & disadvantages in bariatric surgery.

Advantages include:

• Massive weight loss
• Better health due to weight loss
• Sometimes covered by insurance
• Better self-image
• Some surgeries may be reversed

Disadvantages include:

• Must be morbidly obese, in other words, more than 100 pounds overweight
• Must change diet
• Flabby left over skin
• Higher suicide rate due to the underlying issues not being addressed.
• Surgery complications such as blood clots

The key to a successful bariatric surgery is counseling before and after.  Also understanding that you can’t eat the same way you did before is key.

Advantages of Diet and Exercise

Whether you are losing weight the “old fashioned way” by dieting and exercising or opting for the bariatric surgery, DIET and EXERCISE are the keys!  After bariatric surgery, you have to pay close attention to what and how much you eat.  Losing weight should be about feeling better about you.  Would you feel better if you took the easier way out?  Good old fashioned diet and exercise may take longer and require you to stay dedicated, but you have to change your way of thinking about food either way.  Bariatric surgery should be a last resort; you have to fix the problem under the weight first.  Talk to a counselor, start figuring out when and why you put on the pounds, and create a workout schedule that you’re comfortable with to help you stay on track.

Consider hCG diet program as a healthy alternative to surgery.