A recent article, one like many others we’ve read, reports on a woman who had weight loss surgery and how the procedure has benefited her overall health. The article reported that the woman had tried to lose weight previously through diets, pills, and exercise but had no success over many years. After deciding to have weight loss surgery, the woman said she no longer needed to take medication for her high blood pressure and cholesterol, and also benefited from improved mental health. She also noted that her lifestyle is healthier overall as she is now able to exercise and play basketball along with her son.

When individuals reduce their excess weight, it becomes easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle, often increasing life expectancy by several years while also dramatically improving the quality of that life. While weight loss surgeries may have seemed primarily as a beauty procedure years ago to many, today it is seen both by the public and the healthcare community primarily for its health and life-saving benefits.

A common misperception is that, with some reasonable effort, most people can stop being obese if they only want to badly enough. It’s not nearly that simple. There are many other health factors that can make natural weight loss difficult; yes, diet and exercise can permanently defeat obesity and reverse its negative health impacts, but the reality is that it’s only a very, very rare few who are able to fully defeat obesity on their own. That’s largely due to hormones that spur overeating and which actually increase as we begin to lose weight. The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of individuals are simply unable to ignore constant, hormonally driven, hunger pangs over the long term. In these cases, very often the best and only option is to take advantage of procedures like a sleeve gastrectomy, which then allow for the patient to eat a much smaller diet while being able to go about their business and build a healthier and happier life.

When individuals are struggling with weight loss, maintaining a fulfilling lifestyle can be difficult. The excessive weight makes it difficult for many to move or stand for long periods of time, let alone work out or participate in sports. By reducing the weight via surgery and decreasing the strain on joints, individuals are then able to exercise more comfortably, helping to create a virtuous cycle that allows for continued weight loss and build-up of healthy muscle tissue.