If this is the case and you have tried all other avenues of weight loss to no avail, weight loss surgery may be your last option. However, you must understand that such surgery still requires a drastic change in your diet and other health implications are inherent with the procedure, as with any invasive surgery.

Below are explanations of the most common types of weight loss surgery, how they work, the lifestyle changes required and possible side-effects.

1. Adjustable Gastric Banding

A silicone hollow band is tied around the upper part of the stomach, dividing the stomach in two, with the upper part being the smallest division. The band decreases the size of the stomach, making you feel full after eating only small amounts. This decreases the volume of food intake, leading to weight loss, which will be monitored and maintained by your doctor. The tightness of the hollow band can be adjusted accordingly after the surgery, with a tighter band meaning you become fuller quicker and a bigger band allowing for an increase in appetite. As with all weight loss a gradual decrease in size is the best, so your doctor will monitor and maintain the best level of weight loss for you, to ensure that you stay in the best of health.

Pros:

The surgery is relatively safe with a low complication rate and it also has a short recovery period, with no need to remove any body mass or tissue. The procedure is also reversible and the ability to adjust the band means your weight loss can be healthily maintained.

Cons:
In rare cases the band around the stomach has been known to leak, erode or change position, which could result in infection. Also the person will still have to follow a low calorie diet after surgery, which means a liquid only diet for 2 weeks after the surgery and small meals for the rest of their life.

2. Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy

This surgery decreases the size of the stomach by removing a vertical portion of the stomach tissue. The stomach is then divided down the middle with staples. This method limits the amount of food eaten by decreasing the volume of the stomach by 85 percent, leading to high levels of weight loss.

Pros:
As the stomach is now reduced in size the patient won’t be able to absorb as many calories as before, leading to weight loss. Levels of hunger are also reduced with Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, meaning a decrease in cravings and further weight loss.

Cons:
This is a non-reversible surgery and cannot be changed after the operation is performed. Often, due to the invasive nature of this method, follow up surgery may be required, to solve any complications that arise. Patient are also required to stick to a specific diet and would be required to avoid high calorie foods such as ice cream or chocolate bars for the rest of their life.

3. Vertical Banded Gastroplasty

This surgery uses both band and stapling to create a small pouch in the upper regions of the stomach. This decreases the amount of food a person needs to eat at one time and slows down the passage of food, which reduces the absorption of nutrients and calories, leading to weight loss.

Pros:

There is no loss of stomach tissue with this procedure and the operation is reversible. As it combines both band and staple, there is a two-pronged attack on cravings and weight, with both a decrease in hunger and decrease in calorie absorption.

Cons:
The patient must to adhere to a strict diet for the rest of their life. If food isn’t chewed thoroughly severe discomfort and vomiting can occur and although reversible the procedure to do so is invasive.

Criteria for Weight Loss Surgery:

Before any weight loss surgery can even be considered, a person has to fit the strict criteria required for treatment.

To qualify for weight loss surgery the candidate must have a body mass index of over 40 and must be at least 100 pounds overweight. They must also be suffering from a life threatening obesity related illness, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or severe sleep apena. The patient must also be completely aware of the risk of their operation and accept the changes they will have to make to their lifestyle and diet.

The candidate must also have exhausted all other options of losing weight, such as dieting and exercising before they can become a candidate.

If you need anymore information concerning weight loss surgery it is always best to consult your doctor, who may put you on a better diet plane, or provide you with further advice concerning weight loss surgery.

Becky is an online writer, with a keen interest in health and lifestyle. For more top tips and health advice visit her Twitter page @FreshHealth11

Friends- Friends are a great form of weight loss support. They will help you with your progress and celebrate with you when you achieve your goals. This will work best if you find a friend that is also over weight that wants to loose weight with you. You can set goals with your friends, be accountable to each other and even set up rewards for your progress. Friends are also fun to cook new recipes with, head to the gym with and more.  With a friend by your side you will find that weight loss can actually be fun and enjoyable.

Co-Workers- Co-workers can provide great weight loss support. If you are interested in exploring this option talk with your company leader or HR representative and see if they would be interested in sponsoring a company wide weight loss plan. You could set up a company wide support group. You can offer to lead discussions about the struggles of weight loss one morning before work or perhaps even during a lunch break. This is a great way to get closer with your co-workers while working toward a united goal of better health.

Church- Some churches offer weight loss support groups or physical fitness classes to their members. Talk with your pastor and see if this is available for your congregation.

Gym- Signing up for the gym will cost you money but it is a great way to work on your weight loss goals and meet others that are struggling with the same things that you are. If you want some professional support consider hiring a personal trainer. They will help you learn the skills that you need to work out as well as to provide motivation throughout your workouts. They will also help you to set achievable weight loss goals and will monitor your progress as you work to achieve them.

Online- The Internet offers many weight loss support groups that are a little more anonymous than other weight loss groups. This may be an easier option for someone that is embarrassed to open up face to face about their weight loss struggles. There are many great programs but one of the most popular is probably Weight Loss Buddy. They will help you find a weight loss buddy to support you as you conquer your weight loss journey.

Paid Groups- Paid membership groups such as Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig offer weight loss support as well. These can be pricy, but if you are serious about losing weight can be effective. Some offer free continued support once you reach your weight loss goals so these can be great for helping you to keep the weight off.

The concept of the glycemic index was created in 1980 by Dr. David J. Jenkins and some of his colleges at the University of Toronto as they were studying what the best foods for diabetics were. Basically, if carbohydrate that are ingested by the body break down rapidly during digestion, then they release a lot of glucose into the blood stream. These types of carbohydrates are said to have a high glycemic index. On the other hand, if the carbohydrates that are ingested break down at a slower and more natural pace, releasing glucose on a steady stream, then they are said to have a low glycemic index.

As time went on, every type of food imaginable was assigned a glycemic index number. This number is a rating of between 1 and 100 and the breakdown is as follows:

•    55 or less = LOW
•    56-69 = MEDIUM
•    70 and higher = HIGH

The whole idea behind the glycemic index and weight loss is based on the levels of insulin that is produced by the body when certain foods are eaten. When you eat foods that have a high glycemic index value your body will produce higher amount of insulin as the result of the fast breakdown of the carbohydrates that creates a high level of glucose, which is basically sugar. So, the body has to put out these higher levels of insulin in order to combat the higher levels of blood sugar and the result is a crashing of the blood sugar levels. This makes the body store fat and can actually make you feel hungrier.

One the other side of the fence, if you eat foods that are low in the glycemic index then your body will create less glucose and less insulin as a result. So, your blood sugar levels will be sustained and the end result will be a fuller feeling when you eat and instead of storing the fat given by the carbohydrates, your body will actually burn it off steadily and absorb it slowly over time.

So, if you eat foods that are low on the glycemic index then you will be able to sustain long term weight loss. This is probably why doctors are now recommending a low glycemic diet for obese people as well as those who have diabetes.

Some of the low glycemic foods that can be enjoyed on a low glycemic diet include sweet potatoes, milk, certain fruits, certain veggies, and grains. There is a lot more on the list, but this gives you a starting point.

If you think that a low glycemic diet may be the key to lasting weight loss, you should talk to your personal physician about it and see what they say. While the whole process may have been started to help diabetics be able to enjoy more foods, the end result has been the creation of a way in which people can lose weight simply be altering their eating habits.

Instead of sitting at your desk and doing nothing all day, try some of these desk exercises that are guaranteed to get you feeling great:

•    Hand Grips: Hand grips are an inexpensive way to get some easy desk exercising in. Hand grips consist of two small plastic handles and a rolled up looking piece of wire attaching them. All you do is grab hold of the hand grips and squeeze. While this may not sound like much, try doing it about 30 times each hand and do that several times per day. This is a great exercise to do as you can use one hand even if you are on the phone; just don’t count out loud if you are.
•    Portable Pedals: Portable pedals make it possible for you to turn your desk into a stationary bike. Portable pedals simply go on the ground under your desk and out of sight from anyone else and you then slip your feet into the pedal straps and you are off. Again, this seems like it wouldn’t do much, but try getting in about 20 minutes every day and see how much of a difference it can make.
•    Exercise Ball: Here is a desk exercise that you can do by simply substituting your office chair for an exercise ball. Instead of sitting down in a slouched position in your chair, you can sit on a balance ball and ensure good posture. If you really want to make it interesting you can move ever so slightly to the left and the right creating a great little abdominal workout for yourself while you are sitting at your desk.
•    Stand Up: No, you don’t have to stand up all day, but you can stand up for about 20 minutes a day and get in some great exercising while still typing away on your keyboard. Start by rising up on your tip-toes and blast your calves. You can end the workout session by doing some leg squats. Just make sure that there aren’t a lot of people around when you do this desk exercise as they may think you have gone nuts.

Obviously these desk exercises for office workers will not be a total substitute for a good daily workout and a balanced diet, but they can go a long way in helping you maintain a healthy lifestyle. With the sedentary nature that America is growing accustomed to, you need to do everything in your power to ensure that you stay in the best shape possible; even if that means looking a little silly while sitting at your desk and working out.

Read more exercise tips on the WeightLossProse.com weight loss blog.

While you may be embarrassed to have your picture taken of you in a swimsuit, seeing that picture can be the motivation you need to get serious about losing weight and improving your diet.  It’s easy to hide under clothes, but that swimsuit photo reveals all.   You’ve seen the before and after pictures for many weight loss programs.  Why not take your own pictures?  With digital cameras, it’s never been easier.  You can simply set the self timer and get visual documentation of your weight loss journey.  This can also be a great way to check your progress.  Set regular intervals to take your picture, depending on your weight loss goals.   Whether it’s every month or every three months seeing those pictures can help you be proud of what you’ve accomplished – or let you know you need to be working harder.

Tracking your progress by taking measurements is also a great idea.  Sometimes you become leaner – losing fat, but gaining muscle.  Since muscle weighs more than fat, you may not see a change on the scale, but if you take measurements of your waist and hips you will be able to document your progress.

Why not set up a schedule to take pictures and measurements?  It’s a great way to monitor your weight loss efforts.  Once you reach your goal weight, looking at your “fat” pictures can help motivate you to stay on track.   Sometimes after you reach your goal weight it can be easy to fall back into old habits.  By looking back at your starting picture – whether it was a few months ago or years ago, can remind you of all the hard work you have put in and not to let it slip away.

It’s a good idea to backup your pictures if you want to document your progress long term.  That way if your computer is damaged or suffers failure from a virus you won’t lose your documentation.  You can read online backup reviews to find a service that suits your needs.  Many companies offer free services if you don’t have a lot of data to backup.  This can also be a great way to store your pictures without concern of others finding your pictures on your computer.  You can use the online backup as your primary storage.

The day you start a diet is the day you start failing. When I use the term diet I mean those crazy things out there that really don’t provide your body the nutrition it needs. Yeah, you can lose a few pounds up front from only drinking lime juice for a week but what are you losing, water weight and some muscle but you really aren’t losing the fat you want to. You see when you starve your body it actually goes into preservation mode and stores more fat. Your body turns whatever it can in to fat because it is in panic mode.

The best possible approach to lose that dreaded fat and get the body you want is to eat. Eat 6 small HEALTHY meals per day. I am not saying go out and eat McDonalds 6 times a day. What I am saying is eat 3 appropriate healthy meals of about 500 calories each plus 3 healthy snacks a day. See when you feed your body regularly it actually increases your metabolism and helps to burn the fat. When your body knows it can count on food regularly it doesn’t think it needs to store that fat for a later date.

When you couple healthy eating with a good exercise regimen you are destined for success. Exercising 30 minutes a day has lasting health effects. You can lower your blood pressure, decrease stress and anxiety, decrease your
chances of stroke and prostate cancer and just feel better in general. You must do more then just diet to lose weight. You can start by skipping all fast food and cutting down on the soda pop. Did you know 1/3 of all calories consumed in the United States are from pop? Just imagine if you cut out 1/3 of your caloric intake where you would be.

It really doesn’t take much to get started. Search “healthy recipes” n the web and you have everything you need to plan your meals. Find a exercise program you will stick with. That could be as simple as a exercise video or any type of home exercise equipment that you will actually enjoy and stick with. Keep it fun, cook what tastes good and enjoy
yourself. You will be on your way to great things.

About the Author:  Brian Williams researches and reviews most types of home exercise equipment for his website www.fitnessgearreviewed.com. He also has been a firefighter / paramedic for the last 10 years.