Is Weight-Loss Surgery Right for You?

by Winnie Yu

If your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 40—for example, if you're 5'4" and weigh over 235 pounds—then you're a potential candidate. People with a BMI over 30 are also eligible if they have a weight-related condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

But just because you qualify doesn't mean you should do it. First, surgery is expensive—anywhere from $11,500 to $26,000—but your insurance may cover part or all of it (check with your provider). And while weight-loss surgery is life-changing and can even be lifesaving by reducing the odds of dying from cancer, diabetes or heart disease, it does have risks, both during the operation and afterward. So it's crucial to try losing weight through diet and exercise first. Photo: Thinkstock

Meet eight men and women who blogged the weight off.

Surgery isn't a magic bullet; you don't just have it and see the pounds effortlessly come off. "It can help a lot, but you still have to do the work," says Robin Blackstone, MD, president of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery and medical director at Scottsdale Healthcare Bariatric Center in Arizona. "You must exercise and change the way you eat." Otherwise, you run the risk of not losing or regaining the weight.

If you've reached the point where you're seriously considering surgery, you'll most likely be deciding between the two most popular options: gastric bypass, which is what Brooke and Jackie had, and gastric banding (such as Lap-Band). This chart tells you what you should know about both of them.

Gastric Bypass (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass)

How It Works

A surgeon closes off part of your stomach, shrinking it. The smaller section gets attached to the middle part of your small intestine (jejunum), allowing food to bypass the upper part of the small intestine (duodenum). This triggers changes in hormones that control hunger and metabolism, as well as physically restricting the amount of food you can eat.

Who's Eligible

People with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 or a BMI over 35 with one obesity-related condition (such as diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnea).

Why Choose It

You'll probably lose weight faster. In one year, bypass patients shed an average of 85 percent of excess body weight; banding patients lose an average of 48 percent, according to research from the University of Wisconsin. Bypass may also be better for people with diabetes, since the procedure seems to immediately affect hormones that impact this condition.

The Downsides

You'll probably be hospitalized for 48 hours after surgery; there's a 1 in 1,000 risk of mortality during the procedure. After, patients may develop hair loss, vitamin deficiencies, and dumping syndrome (undigested food gets dumped into the small intestine too rapidly, causing nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea and profuse sweating).

Check out 15 chicken recipes under 300 calories.

Gastric Banding (laparoscopic gastric adjustable banding; brands: Lap-Band and Realize)

How It Works

A surgeon makes a small incision and inserts a silicone band around the upper part of your stomach, creating a small pouch that restricts how much you can eat. A plastic tube connects the band to a device just under your skin (the band stays in forever unless the surgery needs to be reversed or redone). After surgery, patients return to the doctor periodically so he can inject or remove saline solution from the device (through a port in the skin) to make the band tighter or looser as needed.

Who's Eligible

People with a BMI greater than 40 or a BMI higher than 30 with one weight-related medical condition (such as diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnea).


Why Choose It

This is a less complicated procedure than bypass surgery because there's no resectioning of the intestines or stomach. You'll probably go home from the hospital the same day, and complications are less likely than with bypass (1 in 2,000 mortality rate).

The Downsides

Twenty percent of patients don't lose enough to reverse a medical condition. Five to 10 percent need to have a repeat procedure to correct a problem, such as slippage of the band. If you have diabetes, the condition won't reverse until you shed significant weight. Side effects include heartburn and difficulty swallowing.

Read more »

Sunless Tanning: When It's Not So Healthy

By Sarah Jio, Glamour magazine

Raise your hand if you love self tanner? I have a love-hate relationship with the stuff. I gave up tanning in college (thank goodness), but I do find slathering self tanner on my bod to be a real pain. But, it's the safer route. Or is it? New warnings...

Related: 12 Secret Signs He's Into You

Yes, sunless tanners are the ultimate healthy alternative to indoor tanning beds or baking on a lounge chair by the pool sans sunscreen, but many studies over the year indicate that people who use self-tanners may still be unhealthy about skin protection.

Related: 21 Flirty Little Date Outfit Ideas

According to a recent LA Times article, experts worry that self tanners may significantly undermine how people view the dangers of tanning. In other words, when their skin gets a little brown from self-tanner, they may be more apt to go outside without sunscreen.

Since self-tanners don't provide any sun protection, this is a big problem. In fact, in a major study conducted by the Archives of Dermatology, researchers found that those who used sunless tanning products were more likely to also frequent tanning salons. In other words, tanning breeds more tanning--of all kinds, healthy or not.

I'm curious: Do you use self-tanners and tanning beds? What are your thoughts on self-tanners?

Read more »

6 Tips for running your first half-marathon

Gearing up for your first half-marathon? You're not alone! The half is the fastest-growing race distance in the United States, and the distance most dominated by women. (A whopping 59 percent of half-marathon finishers in 2010 were female.) 

And what's not to love? You get the satisfaction of completing an impressive distance – 13.1 miles – without the time-suck of training for a full. But when you're gearing up for your first, the jump to a race with the word "marathon" in the title can be intimidating.

Never fear: Joe English, a coach in Portland, Oregon (running-advice.com), has some tips to carry you through every phase of the 10-week training process, from the first steps of your first run to your first steps across the finish line.

During weeks one through three…
Coach's Tip: Even if you feel great, stick to your plan and resist the urge to do too much too soon. "Overdoing it can lead to fatigue or even injury," says English.

Exercises to Help You Avoid Injury

During week five…
Coach's Tip: "As you adapt to the training it will begin to feel easier – but it's also possible to lose focus when there's a long way to go before the race," says English. Stay on task by focusing on mini-goals within each workout, like hydrating regularly or finishing faster.

During weeks nine and 10…
Coach's Tip: "Take the edge off your taper by spending 30 minutes a day doing something that relaxes both your mind and body, like a walk or a yoga class," says English. Try to sleep an extra 30 minutes each night.

The day before the race…
Coach's Tip: It's normal to experience a big-time case of nerves the day before a race. Distract yourself by playing with the kids or watching a movie, and try focusing on how well you've prepared rather than what could go wrong.

On race morning…
Coach's Tip: "Arrive early to the race, as everything from parking at the start to waiting in the portables line can take longer than you expect," says English.

Don't Make These Race-Day Mistakes!

During the race…Coach's Tip: In the first half of the race, go slower than feels necessary. Pick up your pace at the halfway point. The energy you saved in the beginning will help you finish strong.

More from Runner's World

Why Races Cost So Much

7 Races Every Runner Should Do

Find the Perfect Race Destination

       

Read more »

3 compelling reasons to avoid fatty meats

By Nicci Micco, M.S., editor-at-large for EatingWell Magazine

Moving toward a "more meatless" diet is all the rage—just look to former President Bill Clinton, who's been speaking recently about the vegan diet he adopted to help his heart health. I'm all over moving toward eating less meat too. Why? First, I love vegetables, whole grains and beans (for real) and feel great when I'm packing my diet with these plant-based foods. Also, as Rachael Moeller Gorman wrote in a recent issue of EatingWell Magazine, vegetarian diets often have big benefits for the environment and your health.

That said, meat isn't evil: it's a great source of protein and other nutrients, including iron, a mineral some women fall short on. And the latest 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that "lean meat and poultry" are protein sources that fit into a healthy diet. Basically it's the fatty cuts of meat that we should be considering what I like to call "sometimes foods." (Can you tell I have a 3-year-old?)

Don't Miss:
9 "Bad" Foods You Should Be Eating
6 Foods That Sound Healthy But Aren't

Here are three compelling reasons why limiting fatty meats is a smart move:

1. Saturated fats. The fat in meats are mostly the saturated kinds that could harm your heart. Research shows that by eating lean proteins, such as chicken, fish and beans, in place of fattier meats, you'll limit saturated fats, which can elevate "bad" LDL cholesterol that leads to plaque buildup in arteries. (Of course, there are other things you can do to reduce your intake of sat fat, too, namely—replacing butter with olive and canola oils; selecting nonfat or low-fat milk and yogurt in place of whole-milk versions; and eating full-fat cheeses sparingly. For more ideas on how to eat, check out these 10 Best and Worst Proteins for Your Health and the Environment.)

2. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Cooking fatty meats at high temperatures can create toxic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs form when fat drips onto hot coals, creating smoke that settles on food; these compounds have been associated with increased risk of breast cancer.

3. Dioxins. More than 90 percent of our exposure to dioxins—a family of chemicals (including some polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs) with known cancer-causing properties—comes from meat, dairy, fish and shellfish. Why? Because these compounds concentrate in animal fat. (Find out about 7 more toxins you can avoid to clean up your diet.)

To avoid dioxins, opt for leaner cuts of meat and poultry; trim away visible fat. Good to know: meat from grass-fed animals tends to be leaner to start with (but don't get tripped up by these 5 myths about natural meats).

Do you try to limit how much (fatty) meat you eat? Why?

Read more »

Running Hills: Go From No Way to Give Me More

Source: Running Hills: Go From No Way to Give Me More

There's an enormous hill by my house that I used to pass by and shudder. That is, until I went on a run with my hill-loving neighbor. Hills are intimidating, but they really do make us better runners. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? Here are some tips to make hills feel easier so you can start incorporating them into your runs. 

When You're Not Running When you're not running, cross-train with other types of intense cardio to strengthen your heart. Mountain biking, hiking, walking with the treadmill's incline pumped up — all at a vigorous pace — will do the trick. At first, it will feel like it's impossible to catch your breath, but as your body gets used to the physical demands, you'll be able to get through an intense workout without feeling like you're going to pass out.

Strong legs are also important because they propel your body weight forward when you're running up a hill. When strength training, focus on moves that target your calves, shins, quads, hamstrings, and booty like balancing side leg lift squat, reverse lunge, Superman booty lifts, calf raises, and elbow plank with donkey kick. 


More From FitSugar: Yoga For Runners


During Your Run Strengthen legs, run faster, and increase endurance by incorporating sprinting intervals on flat surfaces. Ultimately, to make hills feel easier, you have to run up hills. Start off with slightly gradual inclines, and as these feel comfortable, start tackling steeper hills. When running up a hill, reduce your speed dramatically since this will help keep breath more even. Also concentrate on timing your inhales and exhalations with your stride. Added bonus: this will also give you something to focus on besides the fatigue you may be feeling.

Another trick is to keep your eye on the prize. I like looking ahead, slightly higher than eye level; it makes breathing easier and is excellent motivation since I see the progress I'm making. I tell myself I can do it, and use my arms to pump, which also gives me a little added push up the hill. Sharing the challenge with someone else doesn't hurt either. You're more likely to power through if a running buddy or your pooch is also giving it all they've got. If you need a little outside motivation, blare your favorite power song, and whether Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, or Christina Aguilera gets you up that hill, every time you make it to the top, it'll get easier. Pretty soon, all this hill training will change your tune so a run won't feel right without some steep inclines thrown in.

Read more »

Study Says Women Over 30 Gain Weight Post-Marriage, But We’re Not Buying It

bride & groom next to food table

Does marriage lead to weight gain? That depends on how old you are when you marry, according to a new study from Ohio State University researchers. For those age 22 to 30, marriage didn't strongly correspond to either weight gain or loss. But for those 30 and older, both men and women were likely to put on a few pounds in the two years post-marriage, compared to non-married peers, and women were more likely than men to put on significant weight. The probability of weight-gain increased the older the age of the individual.

The researchers looked at data on 10,071 individuals surveyed from 1986 to 2008 to measure weight changes in people in the two years following getting married or getting divorced. Men were more likely than women to gain significant weight after a divorce; this likelihood didn't apply to those 22-30, and increased with age for those older. "For someone in their mid-20s, there is not much of a difference in the probability of gaining weight between someone who just got married and someone who never married. But later in life, there is much more of a difference," said lead researcher Dmitri Turmin.

I hate the old wisdom that women stop maintaining their figures after marriage, as if the only reason women care about being in shape is to land a man, but I'm sure the results will be slanted this way by some even though the study is much more nuanced than that. Because it only followed couples for two years post-marriage or divorce, it's not clear how these events affected weight-gain and loss for either gender long-term, only in periods of 'marital transition.' Also, lets be clear: The study isn't saying that *most* women gained significant weight—only that women were more likely to gain significant weight in the two years after marrying than men. In the majority of just-married individuals—men or women—the weight gain was small (since we're only talking 2-years after the wedding, maybe this just reflects people returning to their normal weight after shedding a few pounds for the big day).

Read more »