My name is John Moore; I had Lap Band Surgery done in October of 2007 by the best doctor in Florida. I weighted 455 lbs at that time, I now weight 294 lbs and still I am losing. This surgery has totally changed my life; I now don’t run out of breath just walking across the room. I work out in a gym at least twice a week and sometimes three, which I have never done. I had several health issues which have slowly gone away. It has opened many windows into different things, one being I can now fly coach instead of first class which is a huge savings. I can also ride thrill rides at amusement parks with my seventeen year old son.

There are just so many things and when you have the greatest doctor and staff, it makes it just that much better. Dr Bass and staff make you feel like family and they genuinely care about you.

Thank You

John Moore

The government’s dietary recommendations are updated every five years, and this most recent report has undoubtedly been influenced by America’s obesity epidemic.

New guidelines from the proposed plan include reducing sodium intake from 2,300 milligrams to 1,500 milligrams per day. Experts note that meeting these new limits will require changes to food preparation and manufacturing, not just using less table salt. While we wait for food manufacturers to adjust their formulas, one way to start reducing sodium is to eat fewer processed foods and more whole foods that are naturally low in sodium.

The updated proposal also encourages Americans to focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. While proteins are still important, new recommendations suggesting limiting lean meats, proteins and eggs to more moderate proportions. People are encouraged to eliminate, or at least drastically reduce, the amount of sugary beverages and saturated fats from their diet.

While these guidelines are designed to help individuals make healthier food choices, experts note that a change in what is being offered is also important. Restaurants and food manufacturers are encouraged to offer more healthy foods with the occasional splurge instead of a wide variety of unhealthy options with a few healthy exceptions.

According to a recent study funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, people who have Roux-en-Y gastric bypass see more improvement of type 2 diabetes symptoms than people who follow a low-calorie diet without having surgery.

Dr. Judith Korner and her colleagues studied 14 obese patients who had type 2 diabetes. Half of the participants were put on a liquid diet that allowed them 800 calories per day. The remaining seven obese diabetic participants underwent gastric bypass surgery. Researchers followed the participants until both groups lost an average of 8% of body weight.

Researchers found that the patients who underwent gastric bypass surgery lost 8% of their body weight in about 3.5 weeks, while it took the liquid dieters about 8 weeks to achieve the same results. The gastric bypass patients were also able to completely discontinue their diabetes medications by the end of the study, while the dieters only reduced their medication use by 55%.

4 Reasons to Make Stretching a Habit After Weight Loss Surgery

1. Improve your flexibility: Of course, one of the first benefits people think of when we mention stretching is flexibility. It is true that stretching regularly will make it easier to bend over and touch your toes, or tie your shoes, or pick up a package. Flexibility makes everyday tasks easier and helps you feel less fatigued at the end of the day.
2. Improve your balance: After weight loss surgery, you may notice that you need to adjust to your changing body. Stretching regularly increases the range of motions in your joints, which allows you to be more mobile and balanced so you can take advantage of your shrinking body size!
3. Improve your circulation: When you stretch, you improve the circulation of oxygen-rich blood to your muscles. This helps speed recovery and may improve your circulatory and heart health overall.
4. Reduce stress: Who doesn’t need to practice better stress management? Deep stretching and breathing helps relieve the physical tension caused by stress as well as calm your mind. Stretching is a great way to relax at the end of a long day in preparation for a good night sleep.

Taking care of yourself after weight loss surgery is important, and stretching for a few minutes is a great way to pamper your body and mind every day.

What causes a weight loss plateau after bariatric surgery?

One of the most common reasons that you might notice your rate of weight loss slowing is because your body’s natural metabolism has adjusted to meet your new calorie and exercise habits as well as your new, lower weight. As you lose tissue, both fat and lean muscle, your body needs to burn fewer calories. Also, your metabolism is naturally regulated to adjust to prevent ongoing weight loss, so it will gradually slow down to make up for the fact that you’re exercising on a consistent basis and eating less.

How do you break through a weight loss plateau after bariatric surgery?

You can kickstart your weight loss after your metabolism has adjusted. But first, you need to determine whether it’s a slowed metabolism or a return to poor habits that has caused your weight loss to slow down. Have you slowly started increasing your portion sizes? Are you exercising less or getting heavy-handed with the condiments? Take a closer look at your eating and activity habits, and recommit if necessary.

If you’re confident that you’ve stayed on track, the next step is to find extra ways to burn more calories or consume fewer calories. If you’re already spending as much time as possible at the gym, this can be frustrating to hear. The good news is, you might not need to add another hour to your workout. Are you taking the stairs instead of the elevator? Are you standing instead of sitting? Are you using your free time to do something active instead of sitting in front of a screen? These small changes are a great way to jumpstart your metabolism again.

You might also be able to increase the intensity of your workout without spending more time in the gym. Experiment with interval training. Bump up the incline on the treadmill. Increase the amount of weight you’re lifting. Stay focused on getting the most work into your time at the gym.

It has not been a bad year. I had my roux-en-y gastric bypass on July 27th., 2009. Now, I am a new woman, literally. My friends who I haven’t seen in just a month or so have come up to me and asked “May I help you?”. I wasn’t immediately recognized. I love it. I am not afraid to step in front of a camera. There are so many new adventures, and everyday a new experience. That is how I find out I can do new things, or things I have not done in years, like tie my shoes, jump, walk up and down stairs, etc. Did I say I used a rolling four wheeled walker for 15 years, my back was not straight, aches and pains all over my body, blood pressure was high, I was a border line diabetic? Now, I walk on two legs, three and a half inches taller, free of all those awful aches ,  taking very little blood pressure medicine ( soon will be off of that), and I no longer worry about diabetes.

My personal doctor urged me to get weight reduction surgery because my health was deteriorating to quickly too soon. I have been dieting since a child, and could never get my weight down for any lengthy period of time, that would do me good.  I found Dr. Bass in Cape Coral ,FL. He was the right man, for the right job, at the right time.  I have to admit for what is an embarrassing situation (telling your weight and age), Dr. Bass , Tiffany, and the rest of the crew never once did not treat you without dignity, and respect.  Dr. Bass , is a talented Doctor, not only in surgery but with the pen. Whatever he wrote to the insurance company, was approved, and the surgery scheduled. Hooray! It is still one of the best days in my life . I now eat to live, and journal, too. exercise daily, drink plenty of liquids, go to GB support groups, keep busy, and think of myself first. Now, I can truly help others, as Dr. Bass and company has helped me.

I look forward to many happy years ahead…63 years old and getting younger every day.

It’s estimated that 80% of people who have type 2 diabetes are also overweight or obese. This excess weight, especially in the midsection, may contribute to the disease. However, type 2 diabetes can also make it difficult for people to lose weight because of prescription medications used to treat the disease, complicated genetic links, and increased insulin resistance.

Although it may be more difficult, losing weight offers a lot of benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. Even a moderate weight loss can often result in lower blood sugar, blood pressure, insulin resistance and a lowered risk of heart attack, kidney failure and stroke. Working to lose weight by exercising and eating a healthy diet, regardless of weight loss results, may also ease some symptoms.

People who have recently developed type 2 diabetes may be able to completely resolve their symptoms if they lose weight. This is most likely to occur if the patient is young and able to achieve a body weight within the normal range.

Doctors encourage patients with type 2 diabetes who are overweight to work towards weight loss. Even if the disease is not cured, patients who lose weight are less likely to suffer from serious complications, including amputation, later in life.

3 Tips To Prevent Weight Gain As You Age

1. Build lean muscle mass: Muscle burns three times as many calories as body fat, so it’s a good idea to pay attention to your body composition as well as your weight. How do you know if you need to build more muscle? You can have a body fat percentage test done at your doctor’s office or local gym, or pinch your belly or upper arm to see if you’ve got extra fat stored.
2. Eat lean proteins: Lean proteins can help you retain or build muscle mass while losing fat. Lean cuts of chicken and beef as well as low-fat dairy products are great sources of protein for dieters.
3. Change your workout routine: If you’ve been doing the same exercises for years, your body can actually adapt to burn fewer calories from the same amount of work. Try changing up your routine by trying a new exercise class or experimenting with interval training instead of endurance workouts.

As you get older, it’s important to focus on weight loss strategies that allow you to build lean muscle mass instead of just cutting calories.

The family dynamic, whether it’s a built-in support system or even friendly sibling rivalry, plays an important part in the level of success a bariatric patient experiences. After six months, the family members had lost 13% more excess weight relative to the individual group. After one year, family members lost 30% more, and after two years, they lost 10% more. In addition, diabetes, hypertension, GERD, and sleep apnea all improved at a much higher rate for family members.

One factor that may seem to improve the results is that the family members had a higher tendency to continue their follow-up appointments, especially after the first year. After one year, only 58% of the individuals kept their appointments compared with 83.5% in the family member group. By keeping appointments, patients are more likely to comply with dietary requirements and resolve any post-surgical concerns that may surface. So, if you are going to have a bariatric procedure done without any family members, motivating yourself to keep your appointments and follow your surgeon’s suggestions may help you experience the highest degree of success.

After you have weight loss surgery, you may need to rely on your diet and supplements to meet your vitamin needs. The first step is to make every bite of your diet count by eating foods that are naturally rich in vitamins and nutrients.

Which foods are best for you? Whole foods, which are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or as close to their natural state as possible. Fruits and vegetables, for example, offer the most nutritional value when eaten as close to fresh as possible instead of out of a jar with preservatives and additives designed to increase shelf life. Focus on eating foods that aren’t packaged, and you’ll have a great start to getting the nutrients you need while still losing weight.

In addition to eating a whole food diet, you may also want to take supplements and multi-vitamins. Talk to your doctor about the foods you eat regularly and what vitamins you may be lacking to help decide which supplements you should take.