You dream about being thin, you visualize fitting into your old jeans again (or buying new ones), and you anticipate how great you will feel after defeating a major challenge in your life.
Does this sound like you?
When we are overweight, we mainly focus on on the peripheral advantages of losing weight, but there are multiple other incredible benefits of bariatric procedures that are not just limited to weight loss.
Why Bariatric Procedures Work When Other Things Don’t
If you have less capacity in your stomach for food intake, logically you can’t eat as much. The amount you eat is less, and you feel full sooner. That’s why certain bariatric procedures, like gastric balloons, are successful where other diets and exercise never were.
Advantages of bariatric procedures are physical, emotional, and social. Here are 12 such advantages, which address each of these different categories.
Improved Cardiac Health
This is a substantial advantage after weight loss. When you drop pounds, you decrease the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Cholesterol levels will improve which can reduce many other health risks, thus increasing your life expectancy.
A Bariatric Procedure Will Help Sustain the Weight Loss
Unlike yo-yo diets, a bariatric procedure will help keep the weight off. Less than 5% of people keep the pounds off when losing weight by themselves. They usually regain it within a year. If you are going to reap the health benefits of weight loss, you need to sustain it for at least 5 years.
The best way to achieve this is to implement small changes into your everyday life, such as eating more slowly and taking smaller bites. These adjustments to your eating habits, along with others, will help you stay on track.
Reduced Stress on Your Joints
With less weight on your frame, you can reduce the stress on weight bearing joints. You will discover new energy levels with better mobility. It may even mean less pain medications once your joints are carrying around less pounds.
Better Sleep
Less weight will allow you to sleep more comfortably. It may reduce snoring, or if you suffer from sleep apnea you may find you need that CPAP machine less or not at all.
Taste May Improve
Many people who lose a significant amount of weight find that the food they eat begins to taste better. It is believed that individuals can develop a dulled sense of taste due to overeating, which is corrected once these portions begin to be controlled. More nutritious foods may suddenly taste great to you!
A Bariatric Procedure May Improve Symptoms of Current Physical Conditions
You may find that you will be able to take a lower dose of your current meds or possibly eliminate them completely. Talk with your physician about what changes you can may to your prescription medications after weight loss.
Long Term Remission of Type 2 Diabetes
This is another substantial advantage of a bariatric procedure. Studies have shown that after losing a significant amount of weight with a bariatric procedure, it is possible for patients to be free from a dependency on regular insulin injections for at least 3 years.
Enjoy Sex More
A study completed by Duke University concluded that a, “Higher BMI was associated with greater impairment in sexual quality of life.” Obese people in the study were 25 times more likely to be dissatisfied with their sex life. This is especially true for obese women. Even a small percentage of weight loss can make a big difference.
Lower Health Costs
Overweight people pay more in health costs than their thin counterparts. According to a Health Affairs report, those at a healthy weight spend 42% less on medical expenses than those who are overweight. So, in short, if you lose weight then you could start to save some money!
Improve Fertility
Losing weight can help not only with fertility, but also reduces the risk of many potential pregnancy complications.
Emotional Health Improves
Naturally, you feel better emotionally when you have reached a long time goal. For the same reason, losing weight can also provide relief from deep states of depression.
New Energy Level and New Friends
Taking off those excess pounds will give you boundless new energy. You may find that you begin to seek out more social situations than before, and consequently make new friends. This can only serve to support you socially, emotionally, and physically.
Contact Advanced Surgeons, P.C. today to learn more about the benefits of a bariatric procedure and find out which one is right for you!
As always, if you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call (205) 595-8985 or request an appointment online today!