Question:
Why do you lose weight faster after the operation as opposed to just working out?

I am so curious of this fact. I am amazed at the rate of weightloss that you guys experience. I have worked out and it took me a about 8 months to lose 60 pounds and you guys seem to reach that in a matter of a few weeks. Does anyone know why the weightloss is so much faster?    — Patricia H. (posted on February 28, 2001)

February 27, 2001
That is the whole purpose of the surgery. If we could have lost weight working out than weight loss surgery wouldn't have been invented. They reduce they actual size of your stomach so it is not even remotely working out alone, but the intake of food is drastically less. In turn allowing us to obtain optimal weight loss results.
   — Lauren P.

February 28, 2001
Pat: The answer is simple. Working out burns calories and you have to burn a substantial amount of calories to lose even one pound. What the surgery does is (#1) reduces your intake of food (fuel) dramatically and (#2) reduces the absorption of those calories also (depending upon amount of intestine bypassed). The way you lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. After surgery, you are immediately burning everything you take in plus some. Then, if you add exercise onto that scenario, you really burn off the fat (and muscle too if you aren't really careful!).
   — Cindy H.