Why Weight-Loss Surgery Is Not the Easy Way Out

Weight loss goal achiever Christine Carter shares a wonderful real life story about her struggles with weight gain but also shares the ongoing success of her weight loss efforts.

The story takes place after 2015--standing at 5 feet and 5 inches tall weighing on a scale to be horrified of the recurring fact that her weight is well over 270 pounds. Unfortunately a chart from cancer.org reveals that an average person measuring 5 feet and 5 inches tall should average 120 pounds with a body mass index of 20%.

Christine shares the emotions that were driving her anger and thoughts that haunted her daily. It was these emotions that triggered the steps to take action:

I didn’t feel like I could stop eating. . While eating one meal...I was thinking about the next. . I would think to myself “What’s wrong with me??? Why am I like this?? I didn’t used to be???” . I hoped weight loss surgery would help my food addiction. . Yep. I said it. ADDICTION. . But...even with my restriction from surgery, I just found more creative ways to eat my feelings. (Particularly things that don’t take room: Frappuccino’s, Red Bull’s, popcorn, and chips were big culprits for me.) . This is why I regained my weight after I could eat solid food again. . It took me a long time to admit I was addicted to food. We’re conditioned to fear the ‘A’ word. . But getting gut wrenchingly honest is the only thing that saved me from myself. . I knew I had to cut the addiction off at its source. I was eating because of emotions...yet taking away sugars made me MORE emotional!!! . But over time, and with a lot of support, I learned to recognize my thought patterns and redirect them. . Unlike other addictions: you can’t run away from this one. FOOD IS EVERYWHERE. From words on the radio to your lunch room at work to your IG feed. . What you CAN do is start with your truth. Come up with a plan. Find a support system. And understand that while old habits die hard...they CAN and WILL be replaced with better habits. . I don’t miss bad foods anymore. And I PROMISE...you can get there too. ❤️

A post shared by Christine Carter (@weightlosshero) on Mar 29, 2018 at 3:48pm PDT

Several steps were involved in the successful weight loss of 175 pounds. Something to note is that a surgery was one of them.

The takeaway from this inspirational story is her response to negativity about the surgery she had undergone:

"At the end of the day, weight-loss surgery is only a tool that works if you put in the effort. I know the work, blood, sweat, and tears that went behind my transformation. By no means was it as simple as saying, "I had three surgeries and look at me now!" It was a complete and total evolution of my mindset, my approach to healthy eating and fitness, and my desire to be healthy and strong.

Today, I follow a strict ketogenic diet, spend half an hour at the gym five or six times a week, and live a pretty active lifestyle overall. I've maintained my 175-pound weight loss for over two years. But still, every day has its ups and down. I have to watch what I put into my mouth because if I slip up for an extended amount of time, I know I'd gain all the weight back pretty easily.

Without that weight-loss surgery, I would have never regained the weight, never hit rock bottom, and never made the changes I desperately needed to regain my health. Even with the surgeries, the road was painful and difficult and will continue to be for the rest of my life.

So for all you haters out there: I did not "take the easy way out." I fought to be where I am today and that's something I refuse to be ashamed of."

If you don't take action you will fail

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