One of the reasons why it is so difficult to determine the root cause of obesity is because many of the hallmarks of environmental and genetic problems overlap one another. Take families, for example. Obese parents are more likely to raise obese children. This could be for genetic or environmental reasons – or both.

As it relates to genetics, there is of course not much we can do. That said, we must not allow our genetic makeup to become an excuse for eating too much and exercising too little. Ultimately, no matter what our genes contain, healthy diet and proper exercise cannot be left to the wayside. Further, genetics cannot and should not be blamed for the entirety of the obesity problem – there are certainly environmental components.

Some of us can use our families as role models for health and fitness. Others may not be so lucky and must avoid their family’s shortcomings in this regard. Those of us whose family members do not exercise proper control over their health and lifestyle may be inclined to follow in their footsteps, simply because it’s what we see every day. We may find it frustrating to implement a healthier lifestyle family-wide.

The trick is to first figure out ways that you can break free from the unhealthy pattern around you. Once you have done that, you may be able to inspire your family to follow suit. No matter how your family ultimately decides to proceed, remember that a road to better health and fitness is a personal choice over which you have control.

What are the causes of dumping syndrome?

Dumping syndrome is caused by the rapid descent of high-fat high-sugar foods from the stomach into the small intestine. Since the gastric pouch is so small, especially after a gastric bypass surgery, there’s the potential for food to enter the small intestine largely undigested. This is exacerbated by drinking water or any other liquid during meal.

How can dumping syndrome be prevented?

Dumping syndrome can be prevented in a number of ways. First and foremost, sticking to the postoperative meal plan usually avoids high sugar and high fat foods, which are the primary cause of dumping syndrome. Second, patients should not drink water or other liquids half an hour before, during or half an hour after their meal. Finally, patients should eat slowly and chew thoroughly to make sure that the food is digested properly in the stomach.

Dumping syndrome is usually not much more than an uncomfortable byproduct of bad eating habits. Of course, as with any strange or new sensation, it is very important that you call your physician or 911 if you feel you are having an emergency. You will learn more about dumping syndrome in both your preoperative consultations and during one of our free weight loss surgery seminars.

First, when we eat out, we tend to eat more than if we prepared food at home. This is usually because we are enjoying ourselves and not really thinking about what or how much we are eating. This is made all the worse by the significantly larger portion sizes than what would be considered normal.

Second, we don’t know exactly how the dishes are made. Chefs have long used butter as a great tasting addition to virtually every protein and even vegetables. This means that the grilled chicken or grilled fish that you may be enjoying, may not actually be as healthy as it sounds.

Finally, we are often tempted to have an alcoholic drink which can be detrimental to our weight loss especially if it includes sugary additives.

Because of our relationship with food, it is important that we do not allow our indulgences to become routine. If going out to eat becomes a routine affair, we lose one of the few indulgences in food that we can enjoy. Remember however, that eating out is not the sole culprit of gaining weight and becoming obese. Eating the wrong things at home and picking the wrong items at the grocery store are also to blame.

Ultimately, it is up to us to moderate our diet, make sure we exercise properly and consume only the number of calories that we need to enjoy our meals and stick to our postoperative plan.

As of January 2012, Georgia State Employees will no longer have the benefit for Weight Loss Surgery.  Unfortunately, this move affects a significant number of patients who suffer from obesity related problems such as sleep apnea, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  For a limited time Real Results Weight Loss Solutions is offering a very competitive discount to all patients (including Georgia State Employees) who qualify for bariatric weight loss surgery.

$8888 Laparoscopic Gastric Banding Surgery (does not include aftercare appointments, pre-operative testing, and anesthesia costs).

$9999 Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery (does not include pre-operative testing, anesthesia costs or aftercare and follow-up visits).

This offer is only available for patients who qualify. Each patient will require evaluation by our providers to be considered for this special pricing.

Unfortunately, we can only offer this prices for a limited time only.  Learn more about this limited offer by attending an upcoming seminar.

Disclaimer: Weight loss surgery is not for everyone and carries certain risks and complications.  Discuss these risks with your bariatric surgery before consenting to weight loss surgery.

• Don’t drink water half an hour before, during or half an hour after the meal. While we encourage you to consume water because of the amazing powers of hydration, it is not ideal during and around a meal. Water works against us in two ways. First, it dilutes the saliva and gastric juices important in breaking down the food we eat. Second, drinking water while eating can push largely undigested food into our small intestines more quickly, giving us a sugar spike and allowing more calories to enter the blood stream. The combination can cause excess weight gain or slow down our weight loss efforts.

•  Related to the above is the concept of chewing thoroughly. In the hectic pace of our lives we may find ourselves eating quickly and chewing very little before we swallow. Chewing thoroughly also helps us do two things. First, it allows us to break down the food more into a more easily digestible form. Secondly, it means that we take longer to eat our meals. While this may not be ideal of our schedules, taking some extra time at meals sometimes means eating less overall. If we eat too quickly, our bodies may not notify us that we are full until it’s too late.

• Be creative. You can always spruce up what would otherwise be a bland meal. In other words, we can dress up healthy foods to make them delicious. A great example is kale – a very nutritious vegetable that can be used in a multitude of ways. You can find dozens of recipes online.

Remember that the key to long term weight loss is not depriving ourselves of that which we enjoy. The more we realize that we can make healthy food delicious and we don’t have to be extreme to lose weight, we will begin to reverse excess weight issues in our lives.

On the other hand, because of the poor sleep that many obese people experience, they may also find themselves gaining weight. Those who are deprived of a full night’s sleep often spend their days more sedentarily because they do not have the energy to exercise. A sedentary lifestyle is a prime cause of excess weight gain. Further, being tired throughout the day may make us less effective in our work and home lives, which can increase stress, and in turn lead to obesity.

So what’s the solution? Obese patients have to break the vicious cycle that exists between obesity and poor sleep. Whether they attack the sleep problem or weight problems first, something must be done. Real Results Weight Loss Solutions has a comprehensive sleep center dedicated to diagnosing and treating common sleep problems. After a thorough evaluation, patients may also consider a non-surgical weight loss program or if they qualify, surgical weight loss in the forms of gastric sleeve, gastric bypass or gastric band. It is important that anyone suffering from obesity and sleep problems speak to their primary care physician or a specialist to understand their options for breaking the cycle and returning to better health.

To that point, the weight loss process starts well before surgery. For your safety, the effectiveness of the procedure and getting a head start on weight loss, your new diet and exercise regimen should start before you reach the OR. The more you lose before surgery, the fewer the potential risks of general health related complications. Further, understanding your responsibilities to your diet and exercise program will help you follow it more effectively after the procedure is over.

After attending a seminar, you will have the opportunity to discuss qualification requirements and your responsibilities before surgery. You may even want to join our medical weight loss program to get a head start and fulfill insurance obligations, if they apply.

With all the excitement taking place before surgery, don’t forget important mental preparations for the lifelong changes you’ll be navigating. Being fully prepared for surgery means understanding the procedure and knowing your responsibility to a new lifestyle.

We look forward to helping you along your journey to new health and weight loss. Please consider us a resource to prepare you for surgery and the exciting changes that come after.

While these statistics may be lower than the same statistics for adults, these developments are very troubling. First, children are more likely to be active. They play with other kids at school, participate in extra-curricular activities, and generally move around more. For excess weight to be such a significant problem shows what amounts to a cultural shift in our youth and how they and their parents manage their health. Second, kids are developing serious weight related diseases at ever younger ages. Long gone are the days where we thought teens couldn’t develop pre-diabetes or joint and muscle pain.

The bottom line is that the increase in adolescent obesity is a trend that must be halted immediately. The ramifications of doing nothing will only lead to a vicious cycle of increased adult obesity rates and more kids suffering from this preventable disease.

Supervised medical weight loss programs as well as weight loss surgery may be appropriate for some children and adolescents whose lives and health are at serious risk. We must however shift our thinking as it relates to our kids. Otherwise, weight related diseases will become an ever-larger threat to their lives.

An addiction to food develops when food is no longer used for sustenance or enjoyment, but eating becomes a compulsion or coping mechanism. When we start to consume ever greater quantities of food, despite knowing that it is doing us harm, we begin to develop a serious problem. For example, we may have been diagnosed with type II diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol as a result of excess weight; yet we do not correct the problem and continue to eat too much. Feelings of guilt may start to creep in and we may begin to sneak food or hide our eating habits. Food addiction is a vicious cycle of eating more and feeling worse.

Because of the underlying physical and psychological properties of food addiction, an effective weight loss program, surgical or not, must address the underlying issues that accompany excess weight. To that point, Real Results Weight Loss Solutions offers one of the most comprehensive diagnostic and treatment programs in the nation. Our program not only addresses the physical through lifestyle change and/or surgery, but psychological issues as well. Our program starts well before surgery and continues indefinitely afterwards. The support system our patients create, with our assistance, addresses the many and complex roots of the dangerous and deadly disease of obesity.

In conclusion, make sure that you fully understand the psychological and physical problems associated with your obesity by consulting with your team of medical professionals. We hope that with a comprehensive weight loss program that includes psychological counseling and lifestyle change, surgery or not, you can rid your life of the disease of obesity and addiction.

My permission list did not include the things I wanted to do or even needed to do; rather it included things I would give myself full permission to do – things I never allowed myself to do in the past. For the past two years my list includes permission to NOT stress about weight or weight loss. My permission list gave me full freedom to have frozen yogurt when I wanted and even an occasional chocolate, without guilt. My permission list gave me full freedom to exercise when I saw fit and not be a slave to any particular workout routine. Movement was key, if I was moving that’s all I cared about. I gave myself permission to ignore those who stood in the way of my success and I gave myself permission to yell, scream, cry and complain – an occasional emotional purge as it were – as a means of gaining personal perspective.

But most the most important permission I gave myself over these past two years was the permission to love myself. I gave myself permission to do all the things that were to my benefit and do none of the things that felt like a sacrifice. I gave myself permission to do everything from a perspective of self-love. From that point on, everything I did felt easy and right. I no longer felt like I was fighting a constant battle with my weight or health.

In weight loss and in life, when we view things as sacrifice, deprivation, exclusion, and necessity we tend to feel irritated, frustrated and controlled. But if we chose to view our actions as done out of the highest regard for our own health and well-being, everything on that would-be New Year’s Resolution list tends to resolve itself naturally.

Happy New Year! Make 2013 your best year yet.