Weight-loss surgeries are currently experiencing tremendous popularity.  But this popularity comes at a price.  People consider these surgeries to be the only solution to their weight-loss problems.  People think that these surgeries will provide them with the secret weapon that they've been looking for to help them lose weight.  Most of the time, this is not the case.  Instead of a solution to their weight-loss problems, many people are left with permanent side effects and continued obesity. 

Poor Outcomes: After only two years, studies have shown that 50% of people that have undergone weight-loss surgeries regain their weight.  As more long-term studies are done, you will likely see the failure rate, over a five-year period, go far higher than the 50% failure mark. 

No Proper Education: In my weight-loss program here at  Fast Track, I regularly see clients that have failed following their weight-loss surgeries.  Clients state that they were required to take a basic nutrition course and yet they are still stunned when they learn the basics of dieting and exercise in my program (I don't believe that most patients are taught much of anything regarding nutrition and exercise).  With consistent regularity, clients claim that if they had known the information that I'd taught them, they would never have proceeded with the surgery.  They felt that the education and discipline would have helped them to achieve their weight-loss goals without surgery. 

No Shortcuts: Many people that need to lose weight hate the idea of diet and exercise.  They instead look to weight-loss surgeries as a form of avoidance.  This is a huge mistake.  Regardless of who you are, and whether you're underweight or overweight, everyone needs to exercise regularly and eat right.  In fact, if you do not adhere to proper diet and exercise, following a weight-loss surgery, you will most likely fail to maintain your weight loss.  Why not save yourself some time, pain, and money and simply make proper lifestyle changes now and avoid the surgery? 

Permanent Side Effects: Many patients who undergo weight-loss surgeries experience the bad side effects and symptoms of malnutrition.  Some of the symptoms will be lifelong.  Most of the patients have problems keeping food down and will experience vomiting.  This can be a lifelong problem.  Some foods that you used to enjoy will never be consumed again because they cause gastric distress.  Do you really want to give up your favorite foods for life?  Do you want to regularly vomit when you eat too much (what is the difference between this and bulimia)? 

Your Not Losing What You Think: Research has shone that the most weight you can lose, safely, is 1 to 2 pounds per week.  When you are losing weight at this rate you can be assured that most of the weight that you are losing is fat.  This is what you want.  Can you lose weight at a faster rate than this?  You certainly can.  Many people who undergo weight-loss surgeries lose 5 pounds per week.  You may think that this is a great thing but it is not.  You must remember that there is a big difference between weight-loss and fat loss.  When you're losing greater than 2 pounds per week you are probably losing water weight (which occurs at the front end of most diets) or you're losing muscle. 

One pound of muscle burns 35 calories, per day, at rest. Muscle is a highly metabolically active tissue.  When you lose this tissue from your body, you are effectively slowing down your metabolism.  This is not to mention the fact that you're also significantly weakening your body.  Losing weight at a 5 pound per week pace will not only be detrimental to your body but will also increase your likelihood of dieting failure.  Because you're significantly slowing your metabolism with the loss of muscle mass, that means that you will not be able to eat a normal amount of calories and maintain your weight.  Do not let yourself be mesmerized by the scale.  It does not tell the whole story.  A good successful diet is about fat loss, not only weight loss.  Slow and steady wins the race.

Weight-loss surgeries are not a quick fix, easy answer to avoiding proper nutrition, portion control, and exercise.  If you are not committed to making significant changes in your life then the surgery is just an expensive, painful, and permanent problem that you're going to have to deal with – in addition to being overweight.  If you do not adopt healthy lifestyle choices, you will likely regain any weight lost with the surgery.  The question is, when you know you need to make changes to your lifestyle, why also subject your body to a surgery that will have lifelong side effects.

"The Biggest Loser" television program has provided us with an excellent illustration to show that anyone can, and will, lose weight with proper diet and exercise.  If you think that you cannot possibly lose weight except with surgery, then you're lying to yourself.  You are also likely to fail following a surgical intervention.  The fact is that with proper discipline and education you can, and will, be successful losing weight without surgery.