Last Updated on March 30, 2016 by Michael Brockbank
My sister-in-law once asked me why I don’t put some money into having laparoscopic gastric banding surgery or any of the other procedures to help me lose weight. Although I can see why some procedures are necessary for people that have legitimate reasons why they can’t lose weight, it’s simply not for me. I would rather put in the effort and change the way I live without medical marvels. These are the reasons I gave my sister-in-law.
- Cost
To start things off, I don’t have the money to put into surgery that is more related to vanity than health in many instances. I know there are people out there that require these kinds of weight loss surgeries in order to survive. I am not one of them. I don’t have insurance to cover such procedures, nor would I use it if I did. For me, it’s a waste of money to accomplish something I can do on my own if I wasn’t lazy. - I Hate Invasive Surgery
I spent most of my life trying to keep objects and people out of my body – I’m not going to purposely let them root around inside me. If it were a life and death situation, that would be different. But simply wanting to be thin isn’t a cause for me to agree to allow someone to slice me open. - Taking Accomplishment Away
When you get one of the various weight loss surgeries, you’re taking away from the accomplishment. Sure, you make look better when you see yourself in the mirror. However, you may not have the same respect for yourself as someone who worked at losing the weight. I believe there is more to be gained emotionally when you put the effort into getting fit. You can look at yourself in the mirror and think, “Yea, I did this.” - Reduces Knowledge
When your eating right and taking the time to learn what physical fitness can do, you’re walking away from the experience with more than just weight loss. I’ve seen several people who’ve had the gastric banding surgery who still eat poorly. Instead of understanding how fruits and vegetables make an impact on the body, some people will still eat things that are void of proper nutrition. For me, this kind of a surgery is kinda like cheating on a test. Sure you’ll get the end result you want, but you won’t know anything about the process of making healthier choices at a later date. - Promoting Laziness
It’s too easy to have a surgery and still be lazy about proper health. I view weight loss surgeries as ways to promote laziness. In today’s society, far too many people have become complacent in their daily lives. We live in a culture where instant gratification often over-rules satisfaction from accomplishment. I would rather work hard to look like Captain America than to have it given to me. - Giving Me the Willies
I know that the “willies” isn’t really a profound reason, but it’s one that I stand by. The thought of having something put inside me to tighten up my stomach or to have a vacuum shoved into me to suck out the cellulite makes my skin crawl. Even when I snapped my hand in half, long story, I ignored the doctor’s advice to install a metal plate. - Potential to be Unhealthy
As I mentioned earlier, getting special surgeries to reduce your weight deprives you of knowledge about healthier eating choices. Although the doctors may advise you to eat better, it’s still possible to experience malnutrition. If you ate better and exercised before the surgery, you wouldn’t need it in the first place – in many cases. Aside from decreasing your caloric, carb and sugar intake, I don’t see why a surgery would be any better than keeping myself motivated to rely on portion sizes and balanced diets.
Don’t get me wrong, I know there are several medical conditions where surgeries like this are based in actual health reasons. I am not one of those people who require such procedures. Many individuals will have these weight loss surgeries done for no other reason than because they want to be thin.
This is just my opinion and how I feel about these medical advancements. I don’t look down on someone for having these done. I would simply rather have the experience and the knowledge while looking at myself with pride knowing that I am the one responsible for getting myself back into shape.
If you’re thinking about having a weight loss procedure done, make sure you understand fully what is entailed. There are several risks that may not be worth the trouble in your opinion. Do some research and fully learn what is entailed for this kind of experience.
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