Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS

Astonishing, don’t you think. At last I have found a Doctor who speaks my language. But before I get to that, let me fill you in.

I was recently listening to an interview of an Australian psychiatrist, Dr George Blair-West, who has written a book called “Weight Loss for Food Lovers”. As you might have guessed, I really liked what the good Doctor had to say - at last someone from the medical profession who didn’t talk down to me from on top of an ivory tower! I thought it would never happen….

Lesson 1 - for Doctors

This was the first great thing that Dr Blair-West had to say (I admit to paraphrasing here to save some space and get to the point!):

It is wrong and downright unhelpful for Doctors to view obesity as a physical problem. Obesity should be approached as though it is a psychological problem!

Let me spell out why this is so significant (at least for me).

By treating obesity as a physical problem, Doctors, dietitians and many others in the weight loss industry provide solutions that are almost exclusively physical.

And when these solutions fail (as they almost always do) the finger of blame points only one way - at you! After all, all you had to do was perform a number of simple physical acts (less eating and more exercise) and you didn’t - that means you lack self discipline and will power.

So all you get is - more failure.

I mean, who hasn’t been told to eat less and exercise more - do people think we don’t get that?? Of course we get it, but that doesn’t help anyone stick to diets and exercise regimes.

Now take a step back, and think about it as a psychological problem. When you can’t stick to a diet or do exercise or lose weight, the question becomes….

….what stopped you - what was going on in your mind that lead you to sabotage your earnest efforts. No blame here - just a realization that the subconscious mind is a powerful thing. The next thing you know, you get a solution that works…….

Lesson 2 - for Doctors

Here is gem number 2:

Eating is not just a physical exercise - from the moment we were born, it has been just as much an emotional exercise. We all have a deep psychological connection with food.

I have to admit, I’m paraphrasing a bit here.

But you’ve experienced this first hand.

Close you eyes and relax for a second - now think back to your childhood. I guarantee it will only take you a split second to remember being comforted or rewarded by food. And it starts when we are born - if you’re a mum like me, you almost certainly settled your children when they were babies with a feed…

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with this - it’s just a fact. But, it turns out that it’s very significant if you try to deprive yourself of the foods that you have a deep psychological connection with - if you do, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Lesson 3 - don’t deprive yourself of ‘high-sacrifice’ foods

I’m sorry, but I love this next point. Oooops, I’m jumping ahead a bit - let me set this up.

Dr Blair-West describes foods that we have a deep psychological connection with as ‘high sacrifice’ foods. Get this: most of us have no more than half a dozen of these - foods that mean much more to us than just feeding our physical bodies.

Stop for a minute now, and make a list for yourself. What are the foods that you savor, that make you feel loved or relaxed or comforted. My list includes chocolate (no surprise there), soft cheese and coffee.

Got your list? Now hang onto your seat… here it comes:

If you want to go on a diet, make sure it includes eating all of your high-sacrifice foods.

Far fetched - not at all. In fact, Dr Blair-West says that if you go on a diet that deprives yourself of the foods you love, you will simply set up a cycle of resentment and self sabotage.

Lesson 4 - for you

Let’s face it, if I go on a diet and continue to eat all I want of my ‘high sacrifice’ foods, I don’t think I am going to be losing much weight. So, what’s the answer….? According to the good Doctor:

In short, eat less and taste more.

In today’s society, the trend is to eat more and taste less. Just think about it - when you had your last meal, how many other things were you doing at the same time. Were you talking, reading, watching TV, thinking about work…. When that happens, there’s less chance you will address the psychological needs you normally satisfy with food.

Let’s have some fun here - have you got one of your favorite foods close by. I happen to have a half eaten chocolate bar sitting beside me (ooops - how did that get there) so let’s do it together. First, take a bite (not all of it) while you are reading this and chew away while you review this page and maybe quickly check your emails.

OK - now, how did that taste - out of 10, how do you rate that eating and taste experience. I am going to give mine a 6.5 - I’m feeling like a tough Russian judge today!

Now, this time when you take a bite, close your eyes and really savor the flavor and the texture of the food. Until you take that last swallow, I want you to be in the moment of eating that piece of food - think of nothing else. Ready - OK, I am now eating the rest of my chocolate bar….

How did you score - even though I have done this a few times lately, it still surprises me every time. The taste was much better the second time. I am moving my score up to an 8.5 - Delicious! Oddly enough, it also seems like I have eaten more than I actually did.

The mind is a strange and powerful thing….

Dr Blair-West takes his own medicine

OK, I’m nearly done but just wanted to finish by saying that Dr Blair-West is living proof that these techniques work. He needed to lose weight and went through the process of identifying his high sacrifice foods and then, although he went on a diet, he made sure he did not deprive himself of the foods he loved. That way, he didn’t “fall-off-the-wagon”.

Anyway, if you are considering going on a another diet, I hope that this is a bit of ‘food for thought’ for you.

Take care

JK

Hi,

It’s been a while since I last posted, and I apologize for that. In the last few weeks, many issues that have been bubbling away in my life for a long time have demanded my attention (and, if you know what it’s like to have a BMI of 46, you can guess what they would be).

First, here’s how all of this got started

In recent months, you have been sending me emails saying things like “what’s your angle” and “who are you, really”…. Now seems to be the perfect time to tell you my story.

I have been obese since childhood and weighed 260 to 280 lbs for longer than I like to remember. About 2 years ago something happened in my family that got me thinking deeply about my own longevity - I mean, who doesn’t want to enjoy their grand children as the years go by….

And so I started out on this wild journey by researching WLS as a possible solution for me.

I discovered 2 versions of the truth

What I found was that there seems to be 2 different stories. One is that WLS is a fool proof easy way to permanently lose weight - a “no-brainer” for anyone who is eligible and suffering from a bunch of life threatening obesity co-morbidities.

The other story is that WLS is radical surgery that should not be undertaken lightly - that there are many other factors at play and having WLS is no guarantee of success. I stumbled upon some sites that were full of heart wrenching failure stories. One MO person reported that while she made the decision to not have surgery, over 40 of her friends who had WLS had died in the ensuing 10 or more years - hardly a ringing endorsement!

I found the fact that there were 2 diverse stories to be frustrating and alarming.

Helping others seemed the right thing to do

So I started doing more and more research and thought that I should do my bit to help others like me realize that, while WLS can be a solution, it’s not a magic bullet. So the emails began.

I was surprised how well those emails were received by you, and it wasn’t too long before I had 5000 people on my email list - WOW.

And here’s the really funny part - I am an intensely private person who has never made friends easily. It’s a miracle that my husband and I ever got together (LOL). And here I was sending emails to 5000 people…crazy.

Next thing you know, I was in the book business

That was the beginning, and then I had this idea that I should get a book written by an independent expert that once-and-for-all settled the debate - so I spent the last 8 months and 10 of $000’s of my own money to get Weight_Loss Surgery SECRETS together.

Well, I have to tell you, once the launch of the book was done, the sigh of relief that came from deep inside of me could be heard in Canada… (a scary thought, huh). What also happened was that lot of ‘issues’ that I had been ignoring caught up with me.

You know how they say ‘plumbers have leaky faucets’ - well, it’s time I took some of my own advice!

The team is growing

Luckily, a few months ago I was ‘chatting’ to an old friend of mine who lives in Australia. You see, as a child my family travelled around a lot for my father’s work, and we spent a few years ‘Down Under’. Surprisingly, I’ve kept in contact with my ‘Ozzie’ friend on and off for many, many years (I’m not telling you how ‘many’ - that’s a lady’s prerogative….). To be honest, I don’t have any other friends like that - maybe it’s the distance, but I feel I can tell her anything.

Anyway, I was recently chatting to her and, I have to admit, I was whining about how hard it all was and how I didn’t know how I was going to cope.

And then we got chatting about her ‘boys’, and she told me they had recently started working together on the internet.

Well, I call that Providence!

So now, Phoenix and Adam are part of the WLS Secrets family. When they heard of my dilemma, they dropped everything and came to my rescue - thanks boys!

The plain truth is, if it wasn’t for them, Weight_Loss Surgery SECRETS would still be sitting on my hard-drive, gathering dust (or at least the electronic equivalent of dust). They have overwhelmed me with their level of commitment and compassion, and so I am very relieved that they are ‘on-board’.

Now I can focus on what I love…and some other stuff

You know what I love doing - researching and writing and digging for answers. That’s how all this got started.

And my number one fear - having to stand up in front of anyone to say anything. I have always been ‘behind-the-scenes’ and that’s where I like it. If it wasn’t for the anonymity of the internet, I would never have been able to get this far.

But the book launch has lead to people asking for my ‘bio’, interviews and photos, and I’m not ready for that. Heck, my immediate family have photos of me only because they caught me off-guard!

So, Phoenix and Adam have agreed to manage that ‘public role’ for a bit, and I fully expect that Providence will come to the rescue to provide a longer term solution.

You can see, it’s all good news for me, and for you. I can now focus on what I love doing - more research and article writing - while also attending to some personal and health issues that I have been ignoring for too long.

So, that’s my story. Look out for more interesting articles from me soon.

Take care,
JK

Here are 4 important facts you MUST know which industry experts would rather you did not find out about.

I’m going out on a limb here!

FACT 1 (This one is shocking!)- “Most Surgeons Are Completely Biased When It Comes to Recommending What Surgery Is Best for You! Here’s Why..”

You have several surgery types available to you. However, most surgeons can only perform one of them because it takes a lot of skill and experience to be able to perform more than one.

And don’t forget, research proves that surgeons who have done 100 or more of one procedure are far less likely to have patients with complications. No surgeon wants to be known as having lots of complications - it’s bad for business.

So when you visit a surgeon, if you are a candidate for surgery, it is almost a certainty that he/she will recommend you receive the only type of surgery they are able to perform.

WHY IS THAT? Because performing surgery is their business and you, when it comes down to it, are a customer. It may not be the best for you, but it IS the best for the surgeon because they make a lot of money!

Surprised? It’s shocking isn’t it!

You must get an UNBIASED anaylsis of each surgery type before you make any decision if you want to make the best decision for you and your family.

FACT 2 (Ready to be stunned?) - “Weight Loss Surgery doesn’t take off ANY weight….. no kidding!”

The truth is, you will never lose a pound from any type of weight loss surgery…. you lose weight BECAUSE the effect of the surgery is to force you to change your behavior and change it big time.

After WLS, “over eating” can be 5 tablespoons of food instead of 4.

As one Doctor so eloquently put it, WLS is

“behavior modification with a hammer. You eat, you feel full. You feel bad if you over-eat and therefore you don’t over-eat.”

It’s seems obvious but the point is, the hard work IS NOT the surgery, the real hard work begins AFTER the surgery.

FACT 3 (Get your mind around this one) - Your stomach will go from the size of a melon to the size of your thumb!

All procedures limit the amount of food you can eat by reducing the size of your stomach. And boy do they reduce it - from the size of a melon to the size of your thumb!

Let me repeat that - your stomach will shrink from the size of a melon to the size of your thumb. Take a look at your thumb now to get the idea.

And if your stomach can only handle a portion of food the size of your thumb - that is all you will be able eat until your stomach empties. Either that or you will vomit the food back up!

If you are a hard-core food lover you have to ask yourself if are you prepared for the psychological consequences of this sacrifice? Your relationship with food will never be the same again!

And once you are in hospital you have no time to adjust because this massive change happens overnight …..literally.

FACT 4 (Gastric bypass surgeons will hate me for this one) - “Gastric bypass causes greater weight loss but the risks are greater, MUCH greater!”

Quite simply, patients who have gastric bypass will generally lose about 70% of their excess weight - some lose up to 50% of their body weight. Usually the weight loss is over 18 months and then it plateaus with a regain of about one third of the lost weight over the next 10 years.

Imagine that - 50% less of you! But here’s the rub that some experts may be avoiding to give the attention it deserves - the risks are MUCH greater……

Dr David Flum, an Associate Professor and gastric bypass specialist from the University of Washington, Seattle, carried out research on procedures up until 2002. The research established that 1 out of 50 people in the State of Washington died within only the first 30 days post surgery - a death rate of 2%.

And the complication rate is reported to be at least double that associated with an adjustable gastric band.

I know I said only 4 facts but here’s one more because I like to give more than I promised, and this one is important…

FACT 5 (Only the brave dare to tread and succeed) - “After WLS, your life will NEVER be the same again, EVER!”

Having the surgery is the easy bit - it’s just the beginning.

If you are not ready for a lifetime of monitoring and a drastic change of lifestyle, WLS is probably not for you.

Let me explain.. here are just a small sample of the things that will be different forever:

• you may need vitamin supplements forever
• you will have to see your Doctor regularly, from now on
• you will have to eat very slowly, and chew your food very well
• no drinking while you eat
• you will need to commit to have regular exercise
• no milkshakes
• you will have to give up foods that you love, forever
• ………..

The point is, there is no room for slacking-off or going easy on yourself. WLS is a lifelong commitment that can only succeed if you have the courage and will to see it through for the REST OF YOUR LIFE…
….think about it, is there any other enormous life challenge you have conquered and maintain every day? If not, then WLS will test you.

That’s enough from me for now - I hope this has given you something to think about.

JK

A few days ago, I asked you to tell me what you wanted to know about WLS.

And do you know what the common thread was amongst all of your responses…….you want the ‘real’ truth, not what surgeons ’say’ is the truth.

Are you surprised? I’m not.

You have worked out that a lot of what is offered to you as ‘fact’ by those involved in the industry, is in truth marketing spin. That’s why I’m on a crusade to provide you with some real information.

Why am I telling you this?

Because it’s the reason behind the idea that became Weight_Loss Surgery SECRETS.

And the good news………almost all of your questions are covered in detail in Weight_Loss Surgery SECRETS. If you haven’t seen it yet:

• go here to get a sneak preview of the book…..
• and then here to enter the competition to win a free Gold Package valued at $379.99.

Now, here are your 3 most burning questions and some short answers.

Your 3 top questions about WLS are….

Q1. What are the risks of WLS and does it outweigh the outcome?

A1. WLS patients have about a 1 in 5 chance of suffering complications while in hospital and a 40% chance of complications in the first 6 months. There is also a small risk of death. As you get older, the risks increase.

Whether the risks outweigh the benefits is personal question only you can answer.

To find out more…go here

Q2. What are the chances of regaining the weight after the surgery?

A2. In 2004 it was reported that 20-30% of patients regain weight at 18 months to 2 years after surgery. There are a lot of theories as to why this occurs, but the inability to keep to a strict post-surgery diet is often at the heart of these failures.

Q3. What are the long term risks of WLS?

A3. The fact is, the long term impacts of WLS are still relatively poorly understood. That’s not too surprising when you consider that the Lap-Band system was only approved for use by the FDA in 2001.

Some of the longer term risks include:

• hernia
• nutritional deficiencies
• gall stones requiring gall bladder removal
• osteoporosis

To find out more, check out my recent post on complications here.

I will try to provide some more detailed answers to these questions in the next few days.

Take care

JK

Are you shocked to learn that someone who lost a huge amount of weight through WLS is not prepared to recommend it to anyone?

Why no recommendation?

Let TS tell you in her own words:

*******************************************************************

One thing I would tell the public about, and many folks do not know this, is the infections and consequences suffered by many. I think it’s a theme kept behind closed doors because otherwise
people would not have a surgery.

I suffered horrible infections and lost 52 pounds in 30 days - not a bad way to lose weight, but the ordeal I had to go through was unbelievable, including:

• walking around with drains coming out of my body,
• food tubes hanging from my stomach,
• being alone in the hospital because for so many days, my family was at work
• being poked for blood every single day at least 3 times per day
• being in intensive care, thinking all the time I was going to die.

I think if someone wrote about this part of the bariatric surgery experience, many might seek other means to losing weight.

I don’t condemn it, but after what I have been through, I would not recommend it to anyone.

********************************************************************

Tell me, how many of you have read this sort of feedback on any of the “information” sites readily accessible on the internet…..

Anyone….?

You Need the Whole Story - Not a Sales Pitch

Don’t get me wrong - I am not saying for a second that you should or should not have WLS. I am a believer in the power for positive change that can come with successful WLS.

All I want you to do is understand the whole story. If you then decide to have WLS you will have a better chance of success.

Why? Because research has proven that those patients who are well informed, have a significantly better chance of being a success story. That’s why one recent study recommended that all patients undergo a study course and a knowledge test before their WLS was approved.

You read that right - only graduates of WLS school would be allowed to have the surgery.

Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS doesn’t hold anything back

Weight_Loss Surgery SECRETS covers all the likely complications that might arise with WLS and informs you of what to expect. To a large degree, it will arm you with all of the information and knowledge you need to minimize, conquer and down-right side-step many of the complications and issues that beset the average WLS patient.

If you want to get a sneak preview of the book, GO here

…..and then GO here to enter the competition to win a free copy.

Now, where were we….

Complication…what complications?

The fact is, there are at least 11 peri-operative complications (occurring during surgery or up to a week after). Here are a few of those:

• bowel obstruction
• respiratory failure
• deep vein thrombosis
• gastric leaks
• ulcerations.

While death is relatively rare in patients under 65 (3-4 per 1000 patients), it increases to 3-4 per 100 patients over the age of 65. The most common causes of death are:

• heart attacks
• strokes
• pulmonary emboli (clots in the lungs), and
• infection.

Then there are complications that can arise in first 6 months after surgery. For example, up to one third of WLS patients can develop gall stones in the first 6 months and this may lead to their gall bladder being removed. Another is stomal stenosis, and another arises when the lap band is too tight and starts to erode the stomach.

Then there are longer term complications, such as ventral hernia.

What is the risk I will suffer a complication?

About 22%…. that’s right - you will have a 1 in 5 chance of having a complication while in hospital. Think I am exaggerating?

Well, I’m not - that figure comes from a US Government report published in the August 2006 issue of Medical Care. And here’s the punch line…

….that figure rose to 40% over the 6 months following surgery.

That’s almost a 1 in 2 chance of suffering from a complication - is it just me, or do these seem like crazy odds!

Does this impact on the cost of surgery?

You bet it does!

The same study concluded that costs increased by about $10,000 (on average) for a person who suffered a complication. However, if a complication required re-hospitalization, the cost rose to an average of $65,031.

What is the impact on me?

By now, you are probably wondering “what does all this mean for me”.

On the one hand, what is means is you have a 78% chance of having the perfect procedure and hospital stay and then a 60% chance of having no complication within the first 6 months.

But for the rest of you, it means complication can arise…..

…..and the impact of those complications?

In a nutshell, TS summed up her experience pretty well - thanks TS for sharing it with us.

Of course, there are other stories. If you have had WLS and were unlucky enough to suffer complications, it would be great if you would share your story with us here.

Thanks
JK

PS. Don’t forget to join the announcement list for Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS - do that by either

• downloading my free report from here , or

• submitting your details here

Have you seen the sneak preview of the Weight_Loss Surgery SECRETS yet?If you haven’t seen the sneak preview of WLS SECRETS, click here & take a look nowSince I started sending out emails on weight_loss surgery you have been sharing part of yourself with me through emails and blog entries. That has helped me a lot and been very humbling, so…..I have decided to give away 5 copies of Weight_Loss Surgery SECRETS.Not only that, but I am also going to give you the chance to win the Gold Package valued at $379.99. With 5 winners, that’s almost $1900 in prizes.The best part is, entering the competition is easy….All you need to do is add a comment to this blog post telling me why you should be one of the winners and why you think my book will be useful for you. But first, here are the rules:

1. You are limited to 250 words or less
2. Be quick, as I will be announcing the winners very soon

And one last thing. If you are one of the lucky winers, I am going to ask a favor.I will want you to send me a few paragraphs on what you thought about the book - your honest opinion - as soon as you have read it. I plan to share your comments on my website, so if you can also send a photo of yourself, that would be great.I am looking forward to reading your entries.Oh, I almost forgot……one more thing.You have not one, but as many chances of winning as you like, here’s how…Just tell your friends about this competition and if one of your friends win, you will get a Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS Gold Package as well, keep returning to this page to invite as many friends as you like.

So do these 2 things now:

1. Leave a 250-word comment in the “Leave a Reply” box below telling me why you deserve to win a FREE copy of Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS Gold Package valued at $379.99
2. Invite your friends using the form below to increase your chances of winning

Here is the sneak preview of Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS that I promised.

Let me tell you, it has been a labor of love and taken me more than 12 months to bring it all together. I can’t believe it is almost ready (fingers crossed).. Go here to order your copy now.

What’s in Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS?

This book covers in detail all of the issues surrounding WLS and will answer all of your questions. Most importantly, unlike so many other information sources on WLS, this book is open and honest, is written by a medical industry insider, and has no hidden agenda.

I have no self interest in whether or not you decide to have WLS - all I want is that you make the best decision for you, period. That is the goal of this book.

Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS delivers essential unbiased information on:

• the available procedures and their associated risks
• what you need to think about and weigh up when you are considering WLS
• how to prepare yourself, physically and mentally, for WLS
• what to expect when you are admitted to hospital
• pre-op procedures and what you need to know about them
• the post operative recovery process in hospital
• what to expect when you get home
• how to give yourself the best chance of being a WLS success story.

Find out more about Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS here.
After reading Weight Loss Surgery SECRETS you will be able to answer questions such as:

• is WLS right for me?- what are the risks for me?
• am I ready for WLS?
• how am I going to pay for it?
• what can I expect before, during and after my admission to hospital for the surgery?

If you are looking for the full story on WLS, you are going to love it. Go here to order your copy now.

And if you have not downloaded the “Age of Consumer Diligence” free report but would still like to be on the announcement list to hear when WLS SECRETS is released, then add this form and I’ll let you know:

“WLS, The Age of Consumer Diligence & How It Effects You” FREE Report Released at 9am US EST, Monday 17th December, 2007!

(Leave your comments in the ‘Leave a Reply’ box below)

I’m thrilled to let you know the FREE report I’ve been working on for the last couple of weeks is ready for you to download.

It’s a must read if you are morbidly obese or considering any type of Weight Loss Surgery.

This is what I’d like you to do next:

1. If you haven’t got your copy yet, go here and download it now:
   Download it here
2. Tell you your friends and peers about it using our easy to use form here:
   Tell your friends here
3. And finally, let me know what you think in the ‘Leave a reply’ box below

Thanks and I’m really looking forward to hearing your comments,

Julianne (JK)

Hi and welcome,

over the coming months this little blog will be the center of startling revelations, controversy and passionate discussion.

Your invited and encouraged to join in.

Looking forward to reading your comments,

JK