“My Not So 600lb Life”

So I’ve been hooked on watching the show ‘My 600lb Life’ lately. I also enjoy watching ‘Skin Tight’ and in the past, other weight loss reality shows like ‘Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition’ and ‘Biggest Loser.’ I find myself captivated in the lifestyle that these people live and the events in their past that brought them to this point in their lives.

“My Not So 600lb Life”

Most of the people appearing on the shows have a BMI greater than 35 kg/m2 with life threatening conditions that could be corrected with weight loss. Because of their situation, a lot of people who are obese to morbidly obese will choose to have bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgeries are risky and will alter the secretion of the gut peptides in a manner that will reduce food intake. Each individual is carefully evaluated and has gone through the potential risks and benefits of surgery. These surgeries are not the end all be all of weight loss. As after the surgery requires a relationship with food and commitment to a healthier lifestyle. If the client doesn’t uphold this, they can very well end up back to their weight, if not more. There are different types of bariatric surgeries, below are the most popular:

• Vertical Sleeve: This procedure will remove up to 80% of the stomach. Imagine your stomach is the size of a watermelon and it will get cut down to the size of a lemon.
• Gastric banding: Uses an adjustable band that is installed to create a small pouch to reduce food consumed all at once.
• Gastric bypass: The most common procedure, bypasses part of the stomach and the beginning of the small intestine. The smaller stomach limits food intake and the shorter intestine reduces absorption.
• Liposuction: Mostly a cosmetic procedure which involves inserting a large hollow needle under the skin into a specific area of fat and vacuums it out.The procedure can only reduce the amount of fat in a specific location. However, it does not reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

As with any surgery, there are pros and cons:

Pros

Quick weight loss, reduction in the diseases related to obesity, improved mood, stamina, mobility and self esteem.

Cons

Short term surgical risks and complications, abdominal hernias, breakdown of stomach staple line, stretched stomach outlets, gallstones, “dumping” syndrome and nutrient deficiencies.

While watching these individuals and their journeys before and then after their surgery, you can tell that they are much happier with their life. As with all eating disorders there is a mental aspect, so seeing a therapist as well will also help with recovery.

Information source: Nutrition Science and Applications textbook