Taking the Easy Way Out

Alright, here we go again, I'm stepping back onto my soap box...

There is a good chance that I have previously told you of the complete disdain that I have for gastric bypass surgery. Or any weight loss surgery for that matter.

I have long held the belief that we have no idea what the long term side effects of this procedure are. From the very first time someone told me about what they were allowed to eat post-surgery, I was convinced that anyone who had the procedure done and followed the diet would be malnourished in a short amount of time.

A couple of years ago there was a short blurb in the paper, hidden in the back of the section, about the number of people who were dying as a result of weight loss surgery and that many of them were, in fact, dying of malnutrition.

Another concern of mine stemmed from the fact that the actual issue at hand wasn't being dealt with. For many people getting the surgery, the underlying issue was an addiction to food; and that issue wasn't being addressed.

So yesterday morning I'm at the dentist and the hygienist and I are catching up and I ask about her family. She goes on to tell me that her daughter is not well. Her daughter who had weight loss surgery a number of years ago. Who they have scheduled another procedure to have her surgery reversed because she is actually malnourished.

She got to 115 pounds at 5'8". According to the hygienist, she looked like a war refugee. As these health issues began to arise for her daughter, they started doing research into the surgery to see if others were experiencing the same problems.

And they were!

I actually know someone who carried rolls of quarters in her pocket on the day she had to weigh in before having the surgery so that she would weigh enough to have them approve it.

Are you kidding me?

Whatever happened to eating less and moving more?

I know it's not easy. But it is healthy.

I tend to follow a lot of fitness/crossfit people on instagram and I happen to follow one guy who is documenting his own weight loss journey.

In May 2009 he weighed 480 pounds. At his most recent weigh in, he weighed 360. He is doing it with discipline and exercise.

Why is this so rare?