At Goal
Busting WLS Myths
by Terry Simpson, MD, FACS
When people ask me about “at goal? patients they often snicker and say, “Oh, they did everything right… goodie two-shoes!? That simply isn’t the case. In fact, most people who are at goal didn’t get there by doing everything the way we surgeons think they should do things. That is the first of many myths that require busting. The purpose of this post-holiday column is do just that—debunk a few of the common myths about weight loss surgery and the nutritious eating that will help you get to and stay at goal.
When people ask me about “at goal? patients they often snicker and say, “Oh, they did everything right… goodie two-shoes!? That simply isn’t the case. In fact, most people who are at goal didn’t get there by doing everything the way we surgeons think they should do things. That is the first of many myths that require busting. The purpose of this post-holiday column is do just that—debunk a few of the common myths about weight loss surgery and the nutritious eating that will help you get to and stay at goal.The most common myths have to do with what foods are healthy and which foods are not. These myths come from the world of low-carbohydrate diets and have become so pervasive that even we surgeons have to be re-taught. My favorite myth is what constitutes a healthy, good, protein-rich snack: cheese and peanut butter. They are not snacks to promote weight loss. They are not proteins. They are not complex carbohydrates—they are fat. While low carbohydrate diets seem to perpetuate the myth that cheese and peanut butter are healthy alternatives for snacks, it is simply untrue. One slice of cheese contains about nine grams of fat and one tablespoon of peanut butter contains 8.5 grams of fat. The simple conclusion—cheese and peanut butter are simply fat, not protein.
There is a myth that fat in food does not cause fat gain in the body. Fat has about nine calories per gram. When compared to protein (four calories per gram) or carbohydrates (four calories per gram) or even alcohol (seven calories per gram), you consume more calories per gram eating fats than you do when you eat the healthier low-fat options. Consuming excess calories will contribute to fat storage.
The final myth is that you need not pay attention to portions; simply eat what you want, eat until you are satisfied and do not worry about calories. Being full is a subjective feeling. What is full for one person is not full for another. Besides, a person can always eat more food, stuff the pouch and enlarge the stoma. The key to people who are at goal is they pay attention to the portion sizes and do not rely on their internal sensation of “fullness.?
If you are serious about weight loss and weight maintenance, weight loss surgery is only a tool to assist you; if you want to manage it, you need to learn to measure it. The body is a perfect—and we mean perfect—calorie counter. Measure it, manage it, and you too can be at goal!
Terry Simpson, MD, FACS is a weight loss surgeon in Phoenix and has authored several books. For more information visit www.drsimpson.net.
Click here for the PDF version of this article from its appearance in OH Magazine
Click here for the PDF version of this article from its appearance in OH Magazine
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