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Home » The Top 5 Weight Loss Surgery Options You Need to Know

The Top 5 Weight Loss Surgery Options You Need to Know

Updated January 16, 2025 by Rich "Hashi Mashi" NASM-CPT

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What is the Safest Form of Weight Loss Surgery

You are in the right place if you are looking for the best weight loss surgery options.

Obesity, as you know, is a dead end.

You can cross the bridge from fat to fit, from obesity to feeling comfortable within your body.

It is the desperation of a person struggling with obesity that compels you to explore weight loss surgery options.

This article reveals what you need to understand the latest types of bariatric surgery options offered and their key advantages and disadvantages.

Before making what could be a life-changing decision!

Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Options

According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), 252,000 bariatric procedures were performed in 2018.

Here are some of the most common weight loss procedures:

Gastric Bypass Surgery aka the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

This gastric bypass surgery is a laparoscopic procedure that means inserting instruments through multiple small incisions in the abdomen.

Creating a small stomach pouch about the size of an egg that connects to part of the small intestine is the purpose of this surgical procedure.

The rest of your stomach will no longer be functional.

Gastric weight loss surgery option – Gastric bypass surgery Illustrated

weight loss surgeries options gastric bypass surgery Image Credit UCLA Medical Center
 Image Credit UCLA Department of Surgery

Adjustable Gastric Banding

The adjustable band is an inflatable band wrapped around the upper portion of your stomach.

In this laparoscopic operation, you do not lose your stomach; instead, your doctor gradually modifies the size of your stomach opening.

Sleeve gastrectomy aka Gastric Sleeve Surgery

You lose 80 percent of your stomach in this procedure.

What remains is a small pouch that resembles a sleeve about the size of a banana.

Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch

Similar to the sleeve gastrectomy, in addition to losing 80 percent of your stomach, you also remain with a significant bypass of your small intestine.

Pros and cons of weight loss surgery

All of these weight loss surgeries create a smaller stomach, to force you to eat less.

The irony is that you can learn to eat less without going through surgery if you have a system to follow!

Their primary differences lie in mortality rates and effectiveness.

Weight loss surgery side effects

But they all have common potential side effects, for example:

On the positive side, as a result of your smaller new stomach pouch:

  • You will have to reduce the amount of food you eat and are therefore less likely to overeat on calories.
  • And may experience greater satiety with less food.
  • Also, patients can initially see a 60 to 80 percent excess weight loss.
  • And maintain over 50 percent of your target weight loss over the long term.

These 3 People Went To Mexico For Weight-Loss Surgery, And Now They Regret It

However, as in every surgery, there are associated risks, such as:

  • Postoperative complications, including death¹, are higher after gastric bypass surgery than any other bariatric technique.
  • reduce the number of calories and nutrients your body absorbs
  • Nausea
  • Dehydration
  • Constipation
  • Dizziness
  • Hair loss
  • Feel cold with less insulation (fat)
  • Anxiety eating out because you will be on a strict postoperative diet
  • Loose skin
  • Battling food addiction cravings even when you get thin

Lose Weight Without Surgery

I understand the pressure of obesity and the desire to get rid of your fat fast.

At my highest, I was up to 275 pounds, a hundred pounds overweight for my height.

Here are five weight loss surgery alternatives that you might not have considered:

How to Stop Binging and Start Living - Binging is a Dead End. We have to Cross the Bridge from Binging to Living.
Obesity is a Dead End. 5 Best Alternatives to Weight Loss Surgery. How to Cross the Bridge from Fat to Fit.

5 Best Alternatives to Weight Loss Surgery

#1. Walk 2 to 3 Miles Every Morning

Every morning starting today or tomorrow, when you get up, on an empty stomach (aka fasted cardio), get yourself out of the house or on a treadmill and walk religiously for 2 to 3 miles.

You will feel better.

You are going to get your body moving first thing in the morning and do the right thing for your health.

Of course, weight loss surgeries will help you lose weight faster, but at what cost?

Cost of Weight Loss Surgery

The average cost of weight loss surgery is about $24,000 in the US.

And you can live the strict pre and postoperative weight loss diet plan without incisions into your body and losing your stomach, as well as all of the other associated risks and complications mentioned above.

A daily walk of thirty minutes to one hour is free.

Start this new habit immediately, and within a month, you will be looking forward to your next walk faster than you would have believed.

Weight Loss Surgery Option #1. Start Walking Every Morning 2 to 3 Miles Every Day.
Start Walking Every Morning 2 to 3 Miles Every Day

New Habits

You need new habits that are effective for your health instead of the everyday habits that got you searching for weight loss surgery options in the first place.

If you are thinking about enriching another doctor’s bank account because you are unwilling to get up off of the couch, that is your choice.

Most likely, you do not move around that much during the day.

  • Roll out of bed, and sit
  • on the chair to have breakfast, 
  • in the car, 
  • at the desk, 
  • then drive home, 
  • and sit again 
  • for dinner, 
  • on the couch, and 
  • to watch TV, 
  • and finally, roll back into bed

A lot of sitting and not enough moving turns into sitting disease!

Before you think of going under the knife, how about taking a walk every day for the next 30 days?

There is no reason to not, at least, give yourself a month to begin some new habits that can help you to lose weight safely.

You can do it.

Start with walking because that is the most natural and accessible form of movement for many people.

If walking is not possible, consider an activity that might be possible like swimming, biking, a fitness trampoline, rowing, or rucking.

The point is to break a sweat every morning before breakfast and before starting your day serving others.

Serve yourself and your body first.

All you need is a good pair of walking shoes or sneakers, and you are on the way to crossing the bridge from obesity to fitness without weight loss surgery.

Weight Loss Surgery Option #2. Start Your Day with a Bowl of Oatmeal for Breakfast.
Start Your Day with a Bowl of Oatmeal for Breakfast

#2. Have Oatmeal for Breakfast

Right now, what do you usually have for breakfast?

Do you even have breakfast?

About 31 million people in America skip breakfast every day. (Huffingtonpost)

But if you are one of these 31 million, you are not in great company.

Because skipping breakfast is associated with several problems, especially your problem of losing weight. Skipping breakfast is associated with an increased prevalence of obesity. (Oxfordjournals)

So, first of all, stop skipping breakfast.

Next, if you are having muffins, bagels, or boxed cereals loaded with sugar, this also has to stop.

Coffee Only is Not Breakfast

Have oatmeal for breakfast.

Not oatmeal loaded with sugar like the flavored oatmeal that you can find on the supermarket shelf.

Just plain old-fashioned oats.

A half-cup of oatmeal provides you with 4 grams of fiber.

  • Add a tablespoon of peanut butter, one more gram, 
  • a banana, two more grams, 
  • a tablespoon of walnuts, 
  • and a half an orange for another three grams 
  • gives you 9 grams of fiber at breakfast alone, 
  • about 25% of the daily recommendation of 35 grams.

Eating foods with fiber is useful for both weight loss and digestion.

The Benefits of Oatmeal

  • Oatmeal is an excellent source of fiber and
  • will help you stay full longer because of the slower digestion
  • Oatmeal can lower your risk of high blood pressure and
  • type 2 diabetes
  • Oatmeal also contains lignans, a plant chemical that helps to prevent heart disease
  • A cup of oatmeal can improve your cholesterol numbers.
  • Oats, oat bran, and oatmeal contain a specific type of fiber known as beta-glucan.
  • Since 1963, study after study has proven the beneficial effects of this unique fiber on cholesterol levels.
  • Studies show that in individuals with high cholesterol (above 220 mg/dl), consuming just 3 grams of soluble oat fiber per day (an amount found in one bowl of oatmeal) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%.
  • This finding is significant since each 1% drop in serum cholesterol translates to a 2% decrease in the risk of developing heart disease ((https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=54))
  • Finally, oatmeal is going to help you lose weight by keeping your blood sugars more stable and preventing the cravings that lead to food binges, the wrecking ball for every person who struggles with obesity.

Obesity is Not Your Fault

You know that, in most cases, your

  • lifestyle, 
  • meals, and
  • food choices brought you to this level of obesity.

Of course, you cannot take all the blame. 

You do not know any better after being fed a lifetime of advertising and marketing to seduce you into buying more nice-looking packages filled with terrible ‘food’ that is not worthy of the food label.

Real food is your friend and your fuel, and manufactured ‘food’ is not.

How to Make Perfect Oatmeal

Just about anyone can make oatmeal.

Measure out a half-cup of dry oats, such as Uncle Ben’s or Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Oats, which you can get in your local supermarket.

Add a cup of water and bring the water to a boil.

Put the flame on low and add a tablespoon of peanut butter (which only has peanuts, no added sugar), a banana, a tablespoon of chopped walnuts, and half an orange or grapefruit.

You can have the oats raw as well.

An Easy and Healthy Breakfast

You can see below that you have a perfect breakfast with 12 grams of protein and 9 grams of fat and plenty of real food carbs to fuel you through your morning.

Oatmeal is about as American as apple pie.

Wouldn’t you instead consider 30 days of having oatmeal for breakfast before going under the knife?

Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Chol Fiber
Giant – Old Fashioned Oats, 40 g dry (1/2 cup) 150 27 3 5 0 4  
Smuckers – Natural Peanut Butter – Creamy (2tbsp), 1 TBSP (32g) 100 3 8 4 0 1  
Banana – Large, 0.5 banana 55 14 0 1 0 2  
Generic – 1 Tbsp Chopped Walnuts, 1 tbsp (8 grams) 52 1 5 1 0 1  
Generic – Naval Orange Large, 0.5 large (184g) 44 11 0 1 0 2  
Add Food

Quick Tools
401 56 16 12 0 9

If you do not like oatmeal, or it is too hot outside, or you just prefer a fresher option, try out some fruit, vegetables, healthy fats, and some dates.

For example, cut up some fresh vegetables, fruit, avocado, include a handful of nuts, and have a few dates.

You will feel refreshed, guaranteed.

If you are still hungry, have some cooked Kasha or a couple of rice cakes with peanut butter or almond butter on top.

#3. Drink Water

When you are hydrated, it will be easier for your liver to process and remove fat from your body.

Better hydration is going to help your thinking and a general sense of well-being as well.

#4. Sleep on Time

Get to sleep on time.

The less sleep, the more cortisol, your stress hormone, the more cortisol, the fatter and less happy you will be, so do yourself a favor and get to sleep so you can get a good 8 hours.

You will lose weight while sleeping and dramatically improve your health.

#5. Get Motivated

Get motivated to take back your power.

You can:

  • eat healthier
  • move your body more
  • walk every day, swim, cycle, or bounce on a fitness trampoline
  • eat more fruits and vegetables and crowd out the processed foods
  • boil yourself a sweet potato or cook up some chickpeas or black beans

People who are successful in long-term weight loss have several things in common, for example, they:

  • are not ‘special’ and no different than you
  • struggle with food addiction, overeating, and binges
  • lost weight on diets only to regain it again like 95 percent of other folks
  • make up their mind to fully commit to improving their quality of life – the defining moment
  • stop dieting, and instead, they focus on effective lifestyle changes
  • create a system – a lifestyle is a system, something you do every day, not only for three days, ten days, or 12 weeks
  • live on real food instead of processed foods
  • increase their consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein
  • start moving even as simple as walking
  • begin resistance training, either with their body weight or strength training with barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands.

There are the most effective weight loss surgery alternatives.

Famous people like Rick Ross, and unknowns like yours truly who dropped 75 pounds in 6 months, have all gone through the same process.

They are not exceptional, all they did was follow a system.

So, before you go under the knife, give yourself 30 more days, even a week of the above five habits only.

I hope that you, too, will find that surgery is not your only option for weight loss.

Safest Weight Loss Surgery Options – Wrapping up

The safest weight loss surgery is the one you never do.

All weight-loss surgeries carry risks that you don’t have to experience.

Surgery is not the only way to create a smaller stomach.

Every single weight loss surgery option requires that you follow a strict diet and exercise plan.

For example, here are some dietary guidelines after a typical gastric bypass surgery ²:

  • Eat smaller amounts of food six times a day instead of 3 big meals.
  • Chew thoroughly
  • You will not be able to eat solid foods for approximately two months after surgery
  • Drink in between meals and not with meals
  • And drink at least 64 ounces of water a day
  • Stop eating as soon as you are full
  • Avoid foods high in fat and sugar
  • You must take a multivitamin supplement every day for the rest of your life.

Why not change your lifestyle habits now?

If you choose surgery to help you lose weight, you will need to follow a strict diet and exercise plan before and after your surgery.

But if you change your lifestyle now, without surgery, you can only benefit without risking all the dangerous complications of an operation.

Oh, but I heard on the radio that it is minimally invasive.

Minimally Invasive? – Yeah Right!

The above rules are only some of the hardships you will have to bear after surgery besides the real pain after ‘minimally invasive’ laparoscopic surgery.

Do Not Be Fooled by the Term Minimally Invasive.

Minimally invasive means that a surgeon professionally stabs you, and you will need at least three months to recover.

I know, because I also had ‘minimally’ invasive surgery laparoscopic pyeloplasty surgery.

No matter what the ad touts, laparoscopic robotic surgery is painful to bear and requires a lengthy recovery, notwithstanding all of the other risks that you incur by going through with any weight loss surgery.

Morbid Obesity Relief

Morbid obesity is a common reason for choosing weight loss surgery.

And many studies support a surgical option when all other efforts to lose weight fail.

In these cases, the long-term outlook for bariatric surgery is superior to remaining morbidly obese.

Because once you lose enough weight, your risk of many diseases correlated with obesity disappears.

There are even magical benefits of losing 20 pounds, and all the more so for more significant weight loss.

So, in some cases, for example, you can no longer walk due to severe obesity; there are no other weight loss surgery options.

However, if you can still move, I challenge you to spend the next 90 days preparing yourself to meet the slim you, instead of getting ready for surgery.

What’s Next

Start Your Weight Loss Journey Here to learn what fueled my fitness transformation, and more importantly, how to ignite yours.

If you need to lose 100 pounds or more, all you have to do is repeat the Hashi Mashi Plan until you reach your ideal body weight.

And once you hit your goal weight, keep living the Hashi Mashi lifestyle.

Weight loss is not rocket science.

I was as addicted to processed food, obese, and desperate as you are today.

You are not alone; over 75 percent of the US is overweight or obese.

Before letting a bariatric surgeon open you up, try a new way.

Your body wants to get healthy, just get out of the way and let it.

What do you have to lose?

The best weight loss surgery options in the world are no match for The Hashi Mashi plan.

Related Posts:

  • This Obese Man Ditched These 3 Common Habits and Lost 75 Pounds in 6 Months
  • Can You Lose Stomach Fat by Lifting Weights?
  • 7 Deadlift Fat Loss Results You Need to Know
  • Phentermine for Weight Loss – Does it Work? Is it Safe or Even Effective?
  • The Obesity Code Summary Can Spark Your Weight Loss Success

Footnotes:

¹ Cathedral City Mayor Greg Pettis Dies After Bariatric Surgery – Desert Sun 2019

² What to Eat After Gastric Bypass Surgery – Mayo Clinic

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Filed Under: Diet and Weight Loss

About The Author

Rich Hashimashi AuthorRich "Hashi Mashi" is a NASM-CPT, CNC and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. At 55, he lost 75 pounds in 6 months, and discovered if you change your body, you can change your life. Ready to reignite your fitness? Start Your Body Transformation Journey Here.

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