WARNING:  The following post is a bit on the rant side. 

I am  going to say something that is going to piss a lot of people off. And I’ll probably get tons of emails, but I don’t care.  I am passionate about this.

Here it is:  Gastric bypass is a tool of the weak.

Ok, maybe not all the time, but *WAY* too much of the time.  I will concede that there are people out there that have two options; either go under the knife or under the ground. Those people are not as plentiful as some would have you believe.

But it has become all too common for ethically challenged doctors and so called weight loss centers to perform variations of the gastric bypass surgery on those who are only 40-60 pounds overweight.  There are even billboards all over LA (probably elsewhere too) saying that if you are only 50 lbs overweight you should get it.  Oh yeah, and it is covered by insurance. 

 
Mmmm, doughnuts.

Good news lard butt, your problems are solved!  A couple nips and tucks and you’ll be wafer thin! 

You don’t even have to change your shitty eating habits:

 
I agree – with the first part.

While 40-60 lbs of extra weight is significant, even considering taking the surgical route still makes me ill.

Here’s a thought:  How about being accountable? 

How about getting off the couch a few times a week and performing some form of exercise other than a fork curl.

How about actually changing what goes down your pie hole?

Nah, F that.  Just get the surgery, that’ll fix everything!

And last week there was even better news:  Now being unaccountable for your actions is even easier!   A new version of the lap band surgery (a procedure where a band is placed around the stomach, shrinking the amount of food it can hold) is now done without scars.  They just have to stick a hose down your throat.

Open Wide.

You can read all about it here.  I’m sure those docs are patting themselves on the back.  Yeah, great work.

The woman they feature in the piece is proudly saying she lost 40 lbs in the last 10 months.  That’s 4 pounds a month or 1 pound per week.

You can compare that to 3 clients I am currently working with who have lost 9, 13 and 16 pound in the past 2 weeks. 

And all it took was hard work and dedication and as an added bonus no anesthesia was required.  I’m not saying this to brag, but to point out what is possible with intelligent program design.

Here’s my biggest issue with the lap band flabalanche :   It is a giant cheat. And truthfully I am usually not against cheating.  Under normal circumstances I’m all for it.  If there is a short cut out there I’m going to find it. But in this case cheating can lead to an early grave.

All the lap band (and similar procedures) do is force weight loss by decreasing the amount of food that can be consumed.  But unless the eating habits change eventually the stomach will expand and the weight will come back on. Not to mention the other health issues that come along with eating like crap.

I have seen too many lap band refugees and heard too many horror stories.  And while I do not specialize in the super obese, I have personally helped 3 people drop over 100 lbs and dozens upon dozens drop 50 to 80 lbs. (this does not count those who have worked with trainers I supervise)

So while I am not qualified to say no one should ever get these types of procedures, I am qualified to say exercise and good nutrition works. 

Not sometimes – EVERY TIME.

A view to a kill or motivation for change?

So if you are temped by the billboards and recent media blitz let me say this: Don’t be an idiot.

And to those who say “I have tried every diet and they didn’t work” I’ll say this:  Bullshit.  I’ll say it again- eating right and exercise works every time.

Success is guaranteed.  All it takes is consistency, accountability and determination.

Joshua Carter, CPT The Body Transformation Expert Carter Fitness http://carterfitness.com 818-337-6175

PS- Side Note: 
Here is who will email me: Those who have done the surgery, had great success and it changed their lives. They’ll be pissed I am slamming gastric bypass.  Hey there Sparky I ain’t talking to you. Congrats on fixing your life.

Here’s who won’t email me:  Those who have had the surgery and they still failed.  They still eat like crap and the weight came back on and they are just as miserable and heavy as they were before.  And the dead ones, they won’t be emailing me either.