Fiber

The process of juicing fruit means that you lose a lot of the fiber that occurs naturally within the food. This means that you don’t get the benefit of feeling full that you gain by eating whole, fresh fruit or vegetables. Anecdotal evidence shows that weight loss surgery patients who eat whole fruit and vegetables report feeling fuller and more satisfied than those who consumed juices.

Sugar

The juicing process increases the sugar content of fruit. This concentrated sugar and calorie intake (without the fiber) can cause stomach problems for weight loss surgery patients, including diarrhea, cold sweats, rapid pulse and discomfort.

Whilst one apple or one orange can be a great, satisfying snack for a weight loss surgery patient, it takes a few pieces of the same fruit to make a normal sized portion of fruit juice. This makes it harder for weight loss surgery patients to lose weight and the continued reliance on high sugar and high calorie drinks make patients more likely to regain lost weight in the future.

The higher sugar content in juices can also cause your blood sugar to rise. This can result in feeling hungrier later, as your body works to lower blood sugar levels.

To Juice or Not to Juice?

If you are struggling to consume the recommended number of servings of fruit and vegetables every day, juicing can be a quick and easy way of getting the vitamins and minerals that you need. However, bear in mind that one orange contains around 80 calories, whilst a glass of orange juice contains 110 calories, lots more sugar and no fiber, meaning that it won’t fill you up as much as the whole fruit.

Be a Smoothie

If you find it difficult to stomach whole fruit and vegetables after your weight loss surgery, smoothies could be a better option for you than juices. By blending together the whole fruit, including the skins, you get the nutrients present in the food and feel more full for longer without the spiking sugar levels that come with juices.

Get The Balance

AS your nutritionist will undoubtedly tell you, it’s all about balance! After your weight loss surgery it may take you a little while to establish a diet routine that works for you. Wherever possible, get the majority of your fruit and vegetables from whole food. If you are struggling to do this, opt for th odd smoothie or juice to supplement your intake.

Weight Loss Surgery Choices

At Weight Loss Surgery Mexico we are proud to offer our patients a broad range of weight loss surgery options. Our world class surgeons will work with each patient, together with a nutritionist and a psychologist to determine the best, most effective weight loss surgery procedure for each individual patient.

For more information about the right weight loss surgery for you, contact us today.

Familiarity trumps Fear

Fear is often caused by the unknown, so the best defense is to get to know your gym. If you are looking at joining a gym, go in for a tour and sign-up for a free week. During your week, make the best of it by asking the staff for guidance.  Even if you simply observe, you will begin to learn the layout and rhythm of the gym.  When you join the gym, whether getting back to the gym or adding it as a part of your post weight loss surgery plan, sign up for a few personal trainer sessions so you can learn how to use and get the most of the machines available. Knowing what you’re doing will help you to feel more comfortable and confident.  If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask the staff, they are there to help and make your experience a positive one.

Face your fears with a friend

Facing your fears is always easier with a friend by your side. Consider finding a gym buddy who will make entering the gym easier, challenge your workouts and keep you accountable for coming back! Try going to the gym during off-peak hours if  you can; the gym will be less busy allowing you to focus on your workout, try out new equipment while feeling less self-conscious.

The gym is busy and you need a confidence booster? Try plugging in to your favourite upbeat music as studies show music increases motivation and focus during a workout.

Gym Etiquette

Every gym has them, the people who are messy, hog machines, talk on their cell phones or make lots of noise. Avoid being labeled as a ‘slob, hog, space invader, or super-talker’ at the gym by following simple fitness club etiquette – be clean, considerate and cheerful. Ultimately, if you follow those three simple rules you will be a positive addition to your club and hopefully others will treat you in the same manner.

Commit to it

Set out what you plan to do at the gym before you get there and stick to it.  Knowing your goals ahead of time can help you accomplish them and stick to them for the long term.  This is especially important for those who are overweight or have undergone weight loss surgery such as gastric bypass surgery or gastric band surgery. The exercise will help with both the weight loss and muscle toning.

Finally, don’t be afraid to sweat!  You are not there to look great, you are there to make yourself feel great and part of that requires sweating.

Taking that first step to go to the gym, especially if you are overweight, can be a difficult one. It can be a scary step to go outside your comfort zone. By following these steps and tips you can add working out at the gym as a part of your regular routine.  Once you do, you’ll become addicted and love the effect it has on you and even enjoy going regularly. That first step is even more difficult if you are obese, making it difficult to exercise and therefore difficult to lose weight. For some people, weight loss surgery, such as gastric band surgery or gastric bypass surgery can get you on the right path to losing weight. The quick weight loss and health benefits of weight loss surgery mean that you will be able to become more active more quickly. To learn more about about our wide range of weight loss surgery procedures, contact us today.

A stressful day at work leads you to gobble down a big bowl of cheesy pasta without really thinking about why you are craving the high calorie, high-fat food.  As discussed in part one ‘manage your cravings, manage your weight’ these cravings  are caused by chemicals in the brain that are released when you eat these types of foods and make you feel good providing a rush of euphoria that your brain is looking for.  Outsmart your cravings and understanding what your body really needs by asking these remaining two questions that help you identify the real cause of your craving.

Am I sleeping enough?

The correlation between inadequate sleep and over eating has been highly studied.  A study conducted at the University of Chicago, showed that just a few sleepless nights had a dramatic impact on appetite. The study showed that the sleepless nights caused the hormone leptin, which is responsible for triggering the full feeling, dropped by 18% while ghrelin, a hormone that triggers the appetite, increased by 30%. The hormone changes pushed appetites into high gear, and increased starch based cravings by 45%.

If you’re feeling tired, try having some caffeine, it will help you feel more alert and may help you avoid high-calorie snacks you crave when being tired. If you do give in to a craving, remember to always portion out one serving and put the rest away; this will prevent you from overeating.

Do I have bad habits?

For those who undergo weight loss surgery such as gastric bypass surgery or lap band surgery, breaking bad habits can be one of the more difficult challenges. You may have bad habits without even realizing it, such as eating while you watch TV. When you eat while doing other activities, you are distracted and will continue to eat beyond your body’s signal that you are full, thus eating more than your body needs which leads to weight gain.  Instead, create new habits and only eat at the table. To break the habit, identify the activities you do while eating, such as watching TV or surfing the web, then if you feel a need for a snack or meal while you are doing this activity, force yourself to leave what you are doing and go to the table to eat. This will break the connection between the two and allow you to focus on eating when and how much your body needs.

No matter how you plan to tackle your weight management or weight loss goals, managing cravings can be difficult. Remember to always ask yourself why you are craving the foods, before you dive in. If you are struggling with your weight and would like to find out more about the weight loss outcomes of the range of weight loss surgeries available to you – from gastric bypass surgery to lap band surgery, or to find out more about how Weight Loss Mexico can help you to lose weight, for life,  contact us today.

If you missed part one of ‘Manage your cravings; manage your weight’ be sure to check it out for the other two important questions you need to ask yourself when you are hit by your next craving.

Am I dealing with my emotions?

Stress causes your body to release a hormone called cortisol, which tells the brain to seek out a reward. Fatty and sugary foods counter balance the stress by stopping the cortisol. Every time you reach for these foods as a result of negative feelings, you create a powerful connection between the emotion and the food through classic brain conditioning, just like in the famous experiment of Pavlov’s dog. Your memory then associates the comfort food as a solution to the unpleasant emotion or experience and the next time you experience that unpleasant situation, your brain tells you to get the cookies or chips.

To avoid connecting your emotions to food, try using these tips to manage cravings. Listen to upbeat music when a craving strikes which provides an emotional release and a distraction. Identify what the feeling is you are experiencing and find a fix; if you are bored – find an activity, worrying over a problem – call a friend, stressed about work – go for a work out. Using non-food fixes will also help you create positive brain conditioning, so that when you feel the stress of work coming on, your reaction is an urge to go to the gym rather than the bag of potato chips on the couch.

Am I restricting my diet?

Women who severely limit their calorie intake or limit certain foods, referred to as “restrained eaters”, to manage their weight, often end up with the opposite effect and are often 1 to 2 BMI points higher than regular eaters. Studies show restrained eaters are more likely to experience intense cravings and to over eat foods they have restricted when they do allow themselves to have them. For example, one study shows that women who eliminated carbs from their diet for 3 days reported experiencing stronger cravings and on day 4 ate more calories carb-rich food. Experts recommend, avoid restrained eating and instead enjoying your favourite foods but control the portions. Try sharing a dessert with your friends instead of ordering your own next time you’re out to dinner.

No matter how you plan to tackle your weight management or weight loss goals, managing cravings can be difficult at times. Remember to always ask yourself why you are craving the foods, before you dive in.
If you are struggling with your weight and would like to find out more about the weight loss outcomes of the range of weight loss surgeries available to you – from gastric bypass surgery to lap band surgery, or to find out more about how Weight Loss Mexico can help you to lose weight, for life, contact us today.

Check out part 2 of ‘Manage your cravings; manage your weight’  for the other two important questions you need to ask yourself when you are hit by your next craving.

Weight loss surgeries, such as gastric bypass surgery and gastric sleeve surgery , aim to aid weight loss through restricting the amount of food required to feel full thus limited caloric absorption.  Both of these popular weight loss surgeries achieve this restriction by reducing the size and thus capacity of the stomach.

Harvard Study

The Harvard University research studied three groups of obese mice, where one group was given the gastric bypass surgery. The other two groups of mice were given a placebo type surgery in which their intestines were cut and then reattached. One group with the ‘fake’ surgery continue to intake a high-fat, high-carbohydrate based diet, while the other group who underwent the ‘fake’ surgery was put on a weight-loss diet.

Weight Loss amongst Microbe Changes

Three weeks after the surgery, the mice that underwent the weight loss surgery showed significant weight loss, approximately a third of their body weight. The same group was observed to have changes in the numbers and types of microorganisms found in their gut after week one. In comparison, little change was found among those in the two groups which did not undergo the weight loss surgery.

Microbes Help Out

To further explore the relationship between the gut microbes and weight loss, researchers then transferred some of the microbes from the mice that underwent the gastric bypass procedure to those that did not, thus introducing microbes into the stomachs of some of the non-surgically altered mice. The mice that received the bacteria also lost weight, about a fifth of what they would have with surgery, while in contrast the mice who did not receive the bacteria did not.

Although it is unclear why the microbes caused the weight loss, the study indicates that the bacteria living in the gut following gastric bypass surgery may support weight loss.  These findings have opened the door for further research aimed at understanding how the microbial population within the gut changed by the gastric bypass procedure exerts its effects.

While the microbes alone are not the answer to obesity and weight management, the research shows that those battling weight loss after bariatric surgery have tiny helpers aiding their weight loss and with an often difficult weight loss battle, most people will take any help they can get – no matter how small!

If you are struggling with your weight and need a little extra help, contact us today to determine if weight loss surgery is right for you. Weight loss surgery, such as gastric band surgery or gastric bypass surgery, can get you on the right path to losing weight. For more information about our wide range of weight loss surgery procedures, contact us today.

While weight management programs and weight loss surgeries such as lap band surgery or gastric band surgery may be the first step in gaining control over your weight, it is important to make healthy lifestyle changes as well to continue to manage your weight and prevent regaining lost weight. Behavioural changes that impact what you eat, when you eat, and why you eat is vital in the battle for weight control.

Little Sleep, Big Food
A US based study published this month examined 16 healthy men and women in a controlled environment over a two-week period. The subjects in the study were given unlimited access to food. During the first week, half of the participants were given nine hours of sleep, while the other half were given only five hours of sleep each night. The study observed that the participants who were sleep deprived ate far more food overall and after only one week gained an average of two pounds.

Less Now, More Later
During the second week of the study, the groups switched the hours of sleep they were given. Observations showed that not only did the sleep-deprived participants eat more food, they also changed when they consumed their calories and what they ate. Those participants who were given less sleep  overate carbohydrates and tended to shift the balance of their calorie consumption to later in the day, eating a much smaller breakfast and snacking more after dinner. The shift in calorie consumption is linked to the internal clock, because the sleep deprived participants were still in their biological night, being woken three hours before their internal nighttime ended, they consumed less. The change then lead to snacking in the evening and a 6% overall increase in calories consumed during the day.

This short term study was able to show a significant link between sleep deprivation and weight gain but researchers identified a need for further research to examine long term correlation between the two as well as how limited sleep impacts our eating habits.

The research shows a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain, where losing only a few hours of sleep for a one week period can lead to significant weight gain. Beyond feeling tired, insignificant sleep can lead to increased food consumption, poor food choices and ultimately weight gain, highlighting the importance of getting enough sleep as a healthy part of weight management.

If you are battling with your weight and would like to know more about the best weight loss surgery options for you, contact us today and for a free call back from our of our qualified, US-based weight loss consultants.

Alcohol doesn’t have any nutritional value, meaning it gives you ‘empty calories’. Because your body can’t store alcohol it has to burn it off straight away. The process of metabolizing alcohol can have a negative effect on our metabolic system, which can cause weight gain.

Metabolizing Alcohol

The impact that alcohol has on health starts with the way in which your body processes, or metabolizes it.  Many people drink to feel drunk, or because they enjoy the sensation of relaxation often associated with alcohol. However, few people understand exactly why they feel that way after drinking.

Our bodies can’t store to alcohol so, as soon as it enters your system, your body prioritizes metabolizing it above metabolizing proteins, carbohydrates and fat. On entering the stomach, 20% of alcohol is absorbed straight into the blood stream and within minutes your brain will feel the stimulant effects of the drink.  The other 80% of the alcohol goes to the intestines, where it is absorbed. Some alcohol is secreted through your sweat, saliva, urine and breath, which is why it is detectable with a breathalyzer.

The liver is the main site for alcohol metabolism, which is why high alcohol consumption can cause liver damage.

Alcohol and Blood Sugar Levels

An important job of your metabolism is to keep your blood sugar level constant. Blood sugar, or blood glucose level, is the amount of glucose in our blood at a given time. One of the first jobs that your metabolism ditches to process alcohol is blood sugar maintenance. Alcohol consumption therefore inhibits blood glucose production and, in prolonged heavy drinkers, can lead to glucose intolerance and diabetes.  Eating on an empty stomach causes even more havoc on your blood sugar levels and can cause excess hunger and excess storage of sugar.

Fluctuating blood sugar levels can lead to complications, which can be exacerbated by being overweight. For many people who are struggling to lose weight and maintain weight loss, and for those who have diabetes or prediabetes, weight loss surgery can be the answer. Weight loss surgery can be a good way for an obese person to get on the right path to sufficient weight loss to improve health outcomes.

For more information about the broad range of weight loss surgery procedures available from Weight Loss Surgery Mexico, contact us today.

Read on to find out more about how alcohol can cause weight gain.

Alcohol doesn’t make everyone gain weight. In fact, for many people with alcohol dependence, alcohol consumption is prioritized over food consumption, which can result in weight loss as a result. However, for people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis, alcohol consumption can contribute to weight gain.

Alcohol causes metabolic processes to suffer, because your body needs to get rid of alcohol straight away.  This means that fats and sugars aren’t burnt off as efficiently as they should be, so they are stored in the body as fat. Additionally, high alcohol consumption can cause the metabolism to slow down. This means that you burn food off at a slower rate, causing you to store higher levels of fat and protein in your body.

Calories in Alcohol

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, that’s nearly as much as fat, which contains 9 calories per gram. A regular beer contains 150 calories, and cocktails can contain as many calories as a small meal! Often these calories are underestimated and people who drink regularly (even just one drink a day) underestimate their calorie intake from alcohol.

What Can you Do?

By dropping 300 calories a day from alcohol (that’s 2 beers, or one mai tai) you could lose around 1.2 lbs. a week, without even trying. Try to limit the amount you drink to an average one drink a day (a 5 ounce glass of wine or 12 ounces of beer) if you are female, and 2 drinks a day for males. If you are out socializing you can limit your weight gain from alcohol by:

• Alternating alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks
• Select light or sugar free versions and mixers where possible
• Never eat on an empty stomach.
• Don’t drink alcohol to quench your thirst; have water alongside your alcoholic drinks.
• Try sipping your drinks to make them last longer.
• If you feel the need to have more than one drink when socializing, don’t drink during the week to keep your weekly alcohol consumption within a healthy range.

Help with Weight Loss

As obesity levels rise and lifestyles change, it can be hard for individuals to successfully lose weight, and keep it off. If you gain weight from alcohol consumption, you will be more likely to develop other obesity related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and heart conditions. Weight loss surgery, such as gastric sleeve surgery, gastric band surgery or gastric bypass surgery can help you to lose weight, and keep it off, helping you to reduce your risks of obesity related disease and to feel happier and healthier, for longer.

If you would like to know more about gastric sleeve surgery, gastric band surgery or the range of weight loss surgery procedures that are available with Weight Loss Surgery Mexico, contact us today.

For more information about the effects that alcohol can have on your metabolism, read Alcohol and Your Metabolism

Updated guidelines on weight loss surgery procedures have confirmed that gastric sleeve surgery, or sleeve gastorectomy, is an effective weight loss surgery procedure.  This has resulted in the procedure being upgraded from an investigational weight loss surgery procedure to being recognized effective form of weight loss surgery.

The new guidelines are sponsored by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, The Obesity Society and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, who confirmed that, since the last guideline update in 2008, results from gastric sleeve surgery compare favorably with other weight loss surgery procedures such as gastric band surgery and gastric bypass surgery. .

No Recommendations for the Best Surgery

Despite upgrading gastric sleeve surgery to classification as an effective weight loss surgery procedure in its own right, the guidelines still refuse to recommend the best overall weight loss surgery procedure. This is because the most effective procedure will vary according to the patient, the surgeries available and the bariatric surgeon performing the weight loss surgery.  Patients and their physicians need to take into account the overall physical health of the patient, the amount of weight they wish to lose and the expertise of the surgeon in order to determine the best weight loss procedure for them.

Offering a Range of World Class Weight Loss Surgery Procedures

At Weight Loss Surgery Mexico we offer a range of weight loss surgery procedures, all overseen by Dr. Corvola, one of the world’s top ten weight loss surgeons.  With the support of his highly qualified weight loss surgery team, including a clinical nutritionist and a psychologist, Dr. Corvola helps every patient to find the very best weight loss surgery option for them.

A one-size fits all approach to selecting weight loss surgery procedures is often adopted by weight loss surgeries that do not have the skills, qualifications, or facilities to offer a broad range of procedures. This means that patients may be encouraged to choose a weight loss package that is not necessarily the best for them.

Treating the Individual

We use a range of techniques including a full physical, psychiatric evaluation, counseling and ongoing support from a nutritionist to ensure that we optimize the weight loss surgery outcomes for every patient. In this way we make sure that each patient can make an informed decision about the weight loss procedure they choose, helping them on their road to weight loss and improved health.

If you would like to find out more about the weight loss outcomes of the range of weight loss surgeries available to you, or to find out more about how Weight Loss Mexico can help you to lose weight, for life, contact us today.

Obesity Linked to Microbes

A US study recently published in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reveals individuals with high concentrations of hydrogen and methane gases in their breath are more likely to have a higher percentage of body fat or a higher body mass index (BMI).

The large scale study examined the breath content of 792 people. The findings revealed an association between gas production and body weight, a correlation that could prove to be critical in further understanding one of the many causes of obesity.

The content of the participants breath was analyzed and classified into one of four categories; normal breath content, higher concentrations of methane, higher levels of hydrogen, or higher levels of both gases. Interestingly, those participants who tested positive for high concentrations of both gases also had a significantly higher percentage of body fat.

Methanobevibacter smithii, is a predominant microorganism found in the gut. It affects the efficiency of digestion of complex sugars, meaning it impacts the amount of calories harvest from food that is consumed. These microorganisms scavenge hydrogen from other microbes within the gut, utilizing the hydrogen to make hydrogen rich methane. The methane is released during the normal breathing process. These conditions promote hydrogen-producing bacteria to thrive and withdraw nutrients from digesting food more efficiently and thus garnering more calories from consumed food. Over time this may contribute to weight gain, the studies researchers theorize.

When “M. smithii — becomes overabundant, it may alter this balance in a way that causes someone to be more likely to gain weight,” said lead author Ruchi Mathur, MD, director of the Diabetes Outpatient Treatment and Education Center in the Division of Endocrinology at Cedars-Sinai.

Funding provided by the American Diabetes Association will allow for an ongoing study to confirm the link between M. smithii, obesity and pre-diabetic conditions. The study will examine how efficiently participants digest their consumed food and extract calories with the presence of M. smithi vs. the efficiency after the microorganism has eliminated with a specific course of antibiotics.

M. smithii Linked to Weight Gain in Rats

A 2012 study which looked at the relationship between M. smithii and diet induced weight gain in rats, also revealed that the level and extent of M. smithii colonization is predictive of degree of weight gain in rats.

This new research shows a strong connection between microorganisms living in the gut and obesity. While further research is needed, this information does provide fresh insight into one of the many causes of obesity. However, regardless of the cause, struggling with obesity or to lose weight is a difficult challenge. If you are struggling to lose weight, contact us today to determine if weight loss surgery could be the right solution for you. Weight loss surgery, such as gastric band surgery or gastric bypass surgery, can get you on the right path to losing weight. For more information about our wide range of weight loss surgery procedures, contact us today.