Natural Weight Loss Vs Weight Loss Surgery

Millions of people around the globe are struggling to reduce weight through different strategies. While others prefer to burn body fat naturally, others are taking the risk of undergoing surgery in order to reduce calories. In the United States alone, more than 60 percent of the population is either obese or overweight, and this number continues to rise mainly due to people’s lifestyle (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Many people see surgery as the best option of reducing their body fat, but they have limited knowledge on the risks associated with this weight-loss method. Natural weight loss has more benefits than weight loss surgery, and many people who are willing to reduce body fat are advised to consider weight loss surgery as a last resort.

Read also A Quantitative Study of Secondary School Students with Anorexia Nervosa

In order to appreciate why natural weight loss is preferred to weight loss surgery, it is important to understand the difference between natural weight loss techniques and weight loss surgery methods. When conducting weight loss surgery, operations are performed on the abdomen by making small incisions, rather than large incisions. According to NHS (2015), there are three mostly used methods of weight loss surgery namely sleeve gastrectomy, gastric banding, and gastric bypass. Sleeve gastrectomy, gastric banding, and gastric bypass involve removal of part of the stomach, division of the stomach into two using a gastric band, and using surgical staplers to create a small pouch at the top of the stomach, respectively. Conversely, natural weigh loss strategies do not require any cuttings to be done on the abdomen and they include dietary changes, exercise, the use of dietary supplements, juice fasting, and detoxing (The Baseline of Health Foundation, 2015).

Natural weight loss does not cause any harm to the body and it is therefore more motivating than weight loss surgery. The main goal of weight loss surgery techniques is to reduce make the body starve by reducing the size of the stomach. The main idea behind this principle is the fact that a small stomach will make one to consume smaller quantities of food than before (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). This helps to reduce the amount of calories that are stored under the skin in form of fat. With natural weight loss, one does not have to starve the body with an extremely reduced stomach. Instead, natural weight loss gives the body an opportunity to appreciate the right types of food and remain healthy as fat deposits get reduced. Additionally, natural weight loss assists a person to develop healthy lifestyles such as regular exercise and healthy eating habits that do not cause any harm to the body (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015).

Weight loss surgery has got a number of side effects that might result into negative health impacts and should therefore be avoided. It is recommended that any person who undergoes a weight loss surgery must permanently change his or her diet and lifestyle (Hallmark Health System, 2012). Since weight loss surgery affects how the gastric system functions as far as absorption of calories is concerned, people who choose this method of weight loss can suffer malnourishment accompanied by anemia after the surgery. Such complications might require a person to consume food supplements that are rich in vitamins and minerals for quite a very long time. Other severe complications that may arise from weight loss surgery include gallstone which occurs due to rapid weight loss, dumping syndrome, sagging skin, and post-surgery blood clots (Hallmark Health System, 2012).

Weight loss surgery is less likely to promote long-term weight reduction than natural weight loss. The main goal of implementing any weight loss strategy is to reduce fat deposits under the skin and maintain a low weight for a prolonged period of time (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Although losing weight might be a simple mathematical equation, one needs to learn very delicate routines and habits in order to keep the weight. Weight loss surgery might be very promising at first because one will be able to lose a lot of weight due to lack of appetite. The new weight acquired after undergoing weight loss surgery may go away with time. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) explain, more than 50 percent of those who undergo weight loss surgery begin to regain weight after two years. This is because, the body adjusts to the new system, and the stomach expands all over again. On the contrary, natural weight loss methods are most likely to maintain low body weight for a prolonged period of time.

Considering the explanations given above, the benefits of natural weight loss outnumber those of weight loss surgery because they contribute to both physical and psychological well-being. By considering natural weight loss and avoiding weight loss surgery, one feels proud of achieving an amazing goal and strives to maintain it by continuing to apply the associated techniques. When compared to weight loss surgery, natural weight loss improves the overall health of individuals and is less expensive. Consequently, weight loss surgery should always be considered as a last resort rather than a primary method of losing weight.

Scroll to Top