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Weight Loss Surgery: The Real Skinny
Everybody loves a quick fix—especially when it comes to losing weight. Whether it’s a new diet, an exercise regimen, or surgery, people are always looking for the shortest path to their ideal weight.
Bariatric surgery can help you get ahead of your weight issues, but it’s not a one-and-done remedy. Surgery can give you a head start, but lasting weight loss requires maintenance. While weight loss surgery can speed up the process of achieving an ideal weight, without proper lifestyle changes, the weight will simply return. Readers of this book will discover how their emotions play an important role in their ability to maintain a healthy weight, and will learn how to address issues that may arise in their relationships after weight loss.
Weight Loss Surgery: The Real Skinny can help. Written for people who are considering or have already undergone bariatric surgery, this guide offers honest and easy-to-read insights into both its benefits and the obstacles people face afterward.
With this book, coauthors Dr. Nick Nicholson and B. A. Blackwood have combined their shared passion for healthy living to create an informative guide that will encourage people suffering from obesity to make the necessary changes to live a healthier life.
Nicholson is one of the country’s most renowned bariatric surgeons and a recognized expert on obesity and its treatment.
Bariatric surgery can help you get ahead of your weight issues, but it’s not a one-and-done remedy. Surgery can give you a head start, but lasting weight loss requires maintenance. While weight loss surgery can speed up the process of achieving an ideal weight, without proper lifestyle changes, the weight will simply return. Readers of this book will discover how their emotions play an important role in their ability to maintain a healthy weight, and will learn how to address issues that may arise in their relationships after weight loss.
Weight Loss Surgery: The Real Skinny can help. Written for people who are considering or have already undergone bariatric surgery, this guide offers honest and easy-to-read insights into both its benefits and the obstacles people face afterward.
With this book, coauthors Dr. Nick Nicholson and B. A. Blackwood have combined their shared passion for healthy living to create an informative guide that will encourage people suffering from obesity to make the necessary changes to live a healthier life.
Nicholson is one of the country’s most renowned bariatric surgeons and a recognized expert on obesity and its treatment.
116 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2013
About the author
Nick Nicholson
1 book1 followerDr. Nick Nicholson has a driving compassion for people suffering from obesity, and was one of the pioneers of weight loss surgery. He’s performed over 10,000 bariatric procedures, has been called upon by Johnson & Johnson and W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. to instruct surgeons on the use of their products in bariatric surgery, and is a nationally recognized expert on obesity and its treatment. He and his wife live in Dallas, Texas, with their two sons and their goldendoodle, Dixie.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 7, 2014
I am a few months over two years out from having bariatric surgery. I had a complete gastric bypass and was interested in what this book had to say about the process I had been through and to gather some insight into the maintaining aspect that I am in now. For a slim book, this is very concise with no wasted words and gets right to the point. Bariatric surgery is not a cure-all but a second chance to get yourself together if you are obese and in dire medical condition. This book explains the process but focuses on what you, the one having the surgery, will go through and what you can expect plus what you will emotionally have to conquer as obesity is not all about food and eating. It is psychological, emotional and lifestyle. The book is very easy to read and I found it described what I went through very accurately. I did not lose an astounding amount of weight but did lose 100 pounds and went from a size 24 to a size 12, which I am now slightly struggling to maintain, 3-5 lbs up and down. This little book is very informational and I'd certainly recommend it to those who have decided to go through with the surgery so they can get down to the reality of what will be happening to them. I found the section on maintaining the most informative, of course, and learnt some new things, alongside being inspired to put some new healthy living practices into action. I am a Canadian so I did not read the chapter on choosing a surgeon as our healthcare system pays for this operation and a surgeon is assigned to us; we don't get to choose. I also did not read the chapter on getting back into the dating scene as my now 18 year marriage is completely intact, and all the better for the surgery. Not that there weren't some rough spots for my husband adjusting to the new me. The only thing I wish had been added to the book was a chapter on plastic surgery. The hanging, flabby skin is mentioned but not addressed seriously enough; tummy tucks and breast lifts or reductions are very common concerns for many after the two year mark. This is the place I find myself now, along with maintaining. Certainly a recommended book, which I was quite impressed with.
February 8, 2014
I was interested in reading this book since I had a friend whose sister did the lap band for health-medial reasons, and not even a month or two later, her band burst and she gained most of the weight back. I thought this could be dangerous; however, she got the surgery and helped her get out of a wheel chair due to morbid obesity and health conditions but never changed her eating behaviors or exercise.
The book emphasizes that emotional connections need to be defused before weight loss efforts can arise to a healthy lifestyle. Some of the reasons people say why they are overweight or obese: (1) binge eating (2) thyroid problem. But it usually comes from eating 10-100 calories more than needed daily, and the increased calories added to our diets daily causes the 10 pounds weight gain in a year. This was so helpful since I always wondered why I gain a bonus 10 or more pounds per year in the last few years. And keep fighting to lose the same 10 lbs I gained that following year. Diets may get some results, or same ones but will gain it back faster than how long it took to lose it. Failure dieter? We have to work on our physiology (or thoughts and emotions).
It explains the three surgeries: (1) gastric bypass (2) gastric sleeve (3) lap band. I only knew of the first one, and later the last one on the list because of a family friend but most people speak of getting or deciding on the first one of the three. Even though the book had a chapter on how to select the right surgery for you, or go about it, but don't recall reading anything of what qualifies a person to get it. Only that it is a personal choice overall.
The writing was slightly comedic, written in layman terms and conversational. It also gave medical terms in a simplified form which I liked the most. It gave me some answers that I wondered overall with obesity such as why we feel so hungry when on a diet, or eating less and exercising more due to ghrelin levels. Example: lose 100 lbs, eat 1200 calories for 734 days, and workout 3 days a week of 30 minutes, which will require more than discipline and desire. We have to combat our physiology. We keep screaming "feed me!" like every hour of the day. I can so relate...even when detoxing my body when I feel overloaded and gassy.
Moreover, surgeries may seem like the trick but doesn't last forever since one has to change their behavior to eat less, more exercises, and development of habits as a lifestyle. So this is only half the problem.
Do not have "food as a crutch". I loved the line stated in the book, "Surgeons operate on the stomach but operate on our head (thoughts)." New body needs a new attitude, whereas we need to gain confidence.
Nick Nicholson, M.D. admits weight loss isn't easy and have to figure out why the sudden weight gains...what was the change, keeping food journals and exercise, also shape into what you want your body to be. There are other dilemmas that some people choose to do the surgery or reasons for obesity, even the three commandments which I can relate to most of them such as "clean your plate."
*I received a copy from the publisher after entering in the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program to provide a review. This was worth the read and gainful insight! I highly recommend this book to those trying to figure out their weight loss issues, or those considering surgery.
The book emphasizes that emotional connections need to be defused before weight loss efforts can arise to a healthy lifestyle. Some of the reasons people say why they are overweight or obese: (1) binge eating (2) thyroid problem. But it usually comes from eating 10-100 calories more than needed daily, and the increased calories added to our diets daily causes the 10 pounds weight gain in a year. This was so helpful since I always wondered why I gain a bonus 10 or more pounds per year in the last few years. And keep fighting to lose the same 10 lbs I gained that following year. Diets may get some results, or same ones but will gain it back faster than how long it took to lose it. Failure dieter? We have to work on our physiology (or thoughts and emotions).
It explains the three surgeries: (1) gastric bypass (2) gastric sleeve (3) lap band. I only knew of the first one, and later the last one on the list because of a family friend but most people speak of getting or deciding on the first one of the three. Even though the book had a chapter on how to select the right surgery for you, or go about it, but don't recall reading anything of what qualifies a person to get it. Only that it is a personal choice overall.
The writing was slightly comedic, written in layman terms and conversational. It also gave medical terms in a simplified form which I liked the most. It gave me some answers that I wondered overall with obesity such as why we feel so hungry when on a diet, or eating less and exercising more due to ghrelin levels. Example: lose 100 lbs, eat 1200 calories for 734 days, and workout 3 days a week of 30 minutes, which will require more than discipline and desire. We have to combat our physiology. We keep screaming "feed me!" like every hour of the day. I can so relate...even when detoxing my body when I feel overloaded and gassy.
Moreover, surgeries may seem like the trick but doesn't last forever since one has to change their behavior to eat less, more exercises, and development of habits as a lifestyle. So this is only half the problem.
Do not have "food as a crutch". I loved the line stated in the book, "Surgeons operate on the stomach but operate on our head (thoughts)." New body needs a new attitude, whereas we need to gain confidence.
Nick Nicholson, M.D. admits weight loss isn't easy and have to figure out why the sudden weight gains...what was the change, keeping food journals and exercise, also shape into what you want your body to be. There are other dilemmas that some people choose to do the surgery or reasons for obesity, even the three commandments which I can relate to most of them such as "clean your plate."
*I received a copy from the publisher after entering in the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program to provide a review. This was worth the read and gainful insight! I highly recommend this book to those trying to figure out their weight loss issues, or those considering surgery.
August 7, 2016
I read this book because a relative is thinking about having this done, and I wanted to know more about what she should expect both physically and mentally. What surprised me the most was the way others may treat her after the surgery. Every patient must prepare for the actual surgery and especially post surgery, but will also need to be prepared for changes that may come from a spouse, family and friends. Not everyone will be thrilled with the changes and may even resent the person. Why anyone would be anything but thrilled that their loved one/friend is getting healthy is beyond me.
The life of anyone having this done will be changed forever (asumming they don’t go back to their old habits), and that can either be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on their own mindset. Being prepared is more than physical, the patient must also be mentally prepared for everything that comes with the surgery.
This was a quick read, very informative, easy to understand, and I think this would be a must read for anyone thinking about having weight loss surgery.
The life of anyone having this done will be changed forever (asumming they don’t go back to their old habits), and that can either be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on their own mindset. Being prepared is more than physical, the patient must also be mentally prepared for everything that comes with the surgery.
This was a quick read, very informative, easy to understand, and I think this would be a must read for anyone thinking about having weight loss surgery.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews