What obesity surgery reveals about the mysteries of weight loss
Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comYour gut controls your weight in more ways than you think
Seeded on Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:36 PM EDT (msnbc.com)
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Maybe this will shut up those who keep saying that diet is simply a matter of calories in versus calories out. Maybe it won't; some myths never die.
It doesn't change the fact that it is still calories in vs. calories out. It would just make it easier to control the calories going in.
Calories in and calories out works fine as a math equation, but in reality your body has to break food down to glucose and other nutrients it needs and it takes more energy and longer to break down proteins and complex carbohydrates than simple sugars and starches.
So, in general the basic math is important overall since consistently eating more calories than you need will end up as fat, but in individual food choices the type of food also does make a difference.
Diet is simply a matter of calories in versus calories out. The story details some of the factors that complicate that basic truth. First, because of hormones such as "ghrelin" the body tries to increase the calories in. Second, the brain controls metabolism which influences the calories out. I retired a couple of years ago, after 35 years of being mostly a desk bound manager. I was determined to lose weight. Through exercise and will power, I lost 40 pounds and have kept it off. People ask me what my secret is. Sadly there is no secret, it is calories in versus calories out. The 4.8 miles I ran this morning burned just enough calories to offset one (just one) Burger King Whopper with cheese. Maybe someday there will be a way to take the will power and exercise out of weight loss. Until then, it is counting calories in (eaten) versus calories out (burned).
The brain absolutely does not control metabolism.
Metabolic processes are complex chemical actions and reactions. That chemistry, in turn, is affected by many factors.
As for calories in / calories burnt, that is a half-truth and as such dooms some people to failure to lose weight which leads to all sorts of factors that cause unwise, self-defeating eating habits. Beating people up with the 'will power' cudgel is just plain snarky.
WHAT we eat certainly does matter. Most retail food is laden with harmful chemicals and ingredients. As our bodies attempt to deal with these toxins, our body chemistry goes haywire. One widely publicized issue is gluten intolerance. This is not limited to celiac disease.
Bravo for research into the chemistry of weight gain, loss, and maintenance.
When a person diets, they eat less food than they are burning. The body has to make up those calories by using stored energy, aka fat. The cells that hold the fat do not disappear. They signal the brain that they are less full. As the story alludes to, there is a complex interaction between the brain and the "gut" in which a person's body attempts to increase the food taken in and reduce the burning of calories (the out). The brain attempts to decrease calorie consumption and may kick in a starvation mode. Exercise helps to defeat this by forcing the body to burn calories.
What we eat matters in that we need calories, vitamins, balanced amino acids, minerals, and micro-nutrients. In some cases, we don't directly need these nutrients, it is the bacteria in our intestines that need them. Our health is based to a large degree on our intestinal allies. Two thirds of the enzymes for the digestion of our food come from our bacteria, not us.
Retail food is not laden with harmful chemicals. Retail food competes against other retail food and is designed to make the manufacturer as much profit as possible. As such, health is secondary to profit, but that does not mean that the food is bad in moderation (small amounts). It is just that it is hard to limit food that triggers so many taste stimuli. (Salty, sweet, fatty.) Retail food is not poisonous; it is just full of empty calories.
When "calories in, calories out" fails, it's usually because the person has aimed for too large a calorie deficit and unwittingly entered "starvation mode", reducing his/her resting metabolic rate in the process.
This is all well and good but it still doesn't explain why there are many more obese people today than there were a generation ago or why the US has among the highest percentage of obesity in the world. I don't doubt this hormone gherlin might play a role in some people having trouble maintaining a healthy weight but, this hormone didn't just pop up all of a sudden, it's always been around.
Since many have found ways to increase it's release without medication, perhaps there are healthy holitic ways to control the levels without waiting for the magic pill that will certianly contain side effects.
Are you kidding me? People are obese today because we have the highest fat diets in history, we live the most sedentary life style of any generation in history, and the sheer convenience of having a high fat fast food joint on every corner tops it all off.
It all starts with the foods we choose to eat. Yes there are many hormones and other factors that deal with weight gain and loss, but it all comes down to the amount of calories you eat each day, and how many calories you burn off, its just that simple.
I agree with Dale and Charlie here. Its all about calories in calories burned and staying away from the fast food joints, most of which sell high fat, high carb, high sodium food. Processed meats at the grocery store are loaded with sodium. Stay away from them as well. Don't starve yourself, just make healthy choices and change your lifestyle permanently. Don't call it a diet. Diets are usually temporary and people go back to what they are doing and regain all the weight, possibly more. Oh, and exercise more. Do little things throughout the day that can add up to make a difference, i.e. park your car further away and walk a little. It always amazes me how people waste time driving up and down aisles in parking lots to get the closest spot. They are afraid they'll burn a calorie. Me? Lately I have been going to the gym and after a ten to twenty minute warm-up, then lift weights for an hour - light weight and a lot of reps, i.e. - three sets of 24, 16, and 10 reps for most exercises. Then, I go walk 1 to 1 1/2 hours at a local park. The weight is falling off. Good luck, all.
I wish they could do something I think surgery is too dangerous and I want to loose quite a bit of weight but like they said the body fights tooth and nail to hold onto it. I feel so week when I diet its very very frustrating. If I had nothing else to do but lose weight that would be one thing but I run a business and I can't be gnawed constantly by the desire to eat while I work. I really worry about the gastric surgery how it will affect people as they age. I just can't go there.
If you'd like a suggestion, try googling Mark's Daily Apple. Following his Primal Blueprint has done so much to solve my constant hunger problems. His website has a ton of info and he's done a lot of research into his nutritional guidelines. After going over it and putting it to work it's made so much sense to me.
I never feel weak while following it and can go hours without feeling hungry. The information I've found on insulin resistance as well is especially eye opening.
Why are you waiting for "they " to do something? Dont diet. Instead form a long range plan with reasonalbe goals. Alter your diet. Eat healthy choices. Eat somewhat less. Exercise in a manner that is not torture that will allow you to sustain over a long period of time.
You did not get fat quickly and dont insist that your body will lose all that weight quickly either. Set long term and reasonable goals, celebrate successes and stick with it.
The wording grehlin vaccine implies that a modified virus will be used. I think more research needs to be done in how the body manf grehlin, so it can be controlled through a natural method, rather than some expensive new drug or vaccine.
How about probiotics? I've traveled to many 3rd world countries and seen "poor" diets but ppl are thin and quite happy. I suspect our advanced sterile society is killing off our natural function of our colon.
Starvation will do that to a person.
Anorexics get "high" by extreme starvation; proven metabolic endorphine reaction. Any questions? I sometimes wonder if "one line" quips about never "seeing an obese starving person" are underground attempts to promote anorexic lifestyles...
I think this article was written to make some people feel good. I lost my thyroid three years ago and all I have done is gain weight. So where does that come from?
thyroid is a major metabolism gland. one of the few valid medically related weight gain causes.
Through very hard and extremely dedicated work, and a very strict diet, my mother (who lost her thyroid over 40 years ago) has lost weight. Stress point here: A ****lot**** of HARD work. It isn't going to be easy, but it is possible.
I don't know to many fat runners . Do you? walking is good too. excuses don't work.
yeah and for those of us with blown out knees from sports when we are younger? Walking hurts even when your mildly over weight so I doubt that running is in the cards? Walking is only moderately successful due to the same problem....
I never weighed over 120 at 5'7" during my life until my knees starting going..
That is a rationalization. Blown knees did not force you to over eat. Also you could have switched to high rep cardio weight training or swimming etc. You made those decisions.
mssuzieq, I too have blown out knees. I used to run, and now I go to the gym and use the elliptical machine. It's like running without the impact to your knees.
It helps me prevent gaining any more weight, but I must say it is still very hard to lose weight. For me, it's those last 10 pounds. In order to lose weight, I must go a little hungry every day, or I don't lose an ounce.
11madness, I don't think your "blame" approach is effective. I spend an hour a day, 5-6 days a week on the elliptical machine, and burn 800-1000 calories per workout. All I have achieved is weight control, not weight loss. That's all I need, since I'm almost at my ideal weight anyway. But for someone who is 50 lb overweight, it would be almost impossible to go a little hungry every day for the next couple of years or so that it would take to lose that much weight.
I hope this research uncovers a medical way to turn off the appetite switch, short of surgery.
11madness.. I never said overeating.. I said sendentary as a result of blown knees... My caloric intake is 1500 calories a day.. I have been dieting for a long time but cannot walk fast or long distances...
I didn't say I was extremely overweight.. I said I never weighed over 120.. I fly a desk for 8+ hours a day, and I do own and use an ellipticall..
My comment was aimed at those that are all about "get your ass out there and run and that will fix it"....
Sorry that i came across as blaming. I dont really think that a person can exercise their way to weight loss anywayunless it over the very long term. I think of it as excercise for health, and watch the diet for weight loss.
My two problems are:
1. I am lazy
2. I eat too much of the WRONG foods
Those two contribute to my 35 pounds overweight.
Confessional is two doors down on the right Sir.
Ever stop to think that being lazy is an effect and not a cause? If this is hormonal, like they're suggesting, it means a lot of things potentially. Let's not be too fast to dismiss the claims that were made in the article.
Drink water instead of soda or beer .
cut out potatoes and bread.
work out like a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day.
You might just be surprised how much weight you will lose the trouble is once you stop it comes back.
Too simplistic! Some people do fine eating whole grain foods, but need to cut down dramatically on fat and sugar. Adding vegetables with little or no fat added will greatly improve your nutrition and fill up your stomach at the same time.
And thankfully there are many no-calorie, no-sugar alternatives to water like coffee/tea (using sugar substitutes and/or notfat milk), diet sodas, diet flavored waters, diet juices and beverages (did you know there is a great Sugarfree Hawaiian Punch out there?). Water is good, but it can get boring.
Reduced fat butter? Fat free sour cream, cottage cheese and yogurt? Fat free salad dressings? Tons of good options out there!
Without these alternative choices, people would have difficulty keeping their calorie consumption low.
For others, it's often a matter of just too MANY calories in and not enough exercise. Exercise to build up muscle, which will burn more calories than fat.
I personally agree with retiredcoastguard. It can be that simplistic. Just as simply stated, cut out extra carbs and drink lots of water and exercise. Not hard. Rather than the grains, fruit and veggies are far better options for something low in carbs and high in fiber and vitamins. Not to mention I'm finding that I figured out that either wheat or the gluten itself was the cause of years long digestive problems, and it's becoming more common for others.
There's no point in drinking fake sugar. Not only is it chemically processed, but it can make a problem with a sweet tooth worse, and may even still produce an insulin response because your body thinks it's eating something sweet. Water is fine, flavored with lemon or teas with no added sugar. I drink water when I'm thirsty, but I'm not going to drink some gross diet soda for the sake of having a drink.
And this low and no fat thing is driving me crazy. Our bodies need fat. So much of our body would rather have it as fuel, and after all, what does our body decide to store when we eat too much? Fat, not sugars. I eat lean meats, real butter and even bacon and full fat milk. If it comes from the center of the grocery store or in a box, I don't eat it. (Generally. It's hard to get things like coconut milk for curries in anything but a can!) My foods don't contain things I can't pronounce, or list 20 different ingredients. I'm never hungry anymore and easily come in under my caloric requirements. Fat even makes you feel full much sooner. As long as I keep my few urges in check (used to binge heavily on food, all sugar and carbs!) I'm fine.
all this being true, as an organism we are no different than we were 200 years ago and were not near as heavy then as now. lifestyle lifestyle lifestyle. after 2 weeks in peru, the shock of the prevalent obesity noticed in the miami airport was stunning. peruvians have the same hormones coursing through their veins as americans do yet obesity was rare. except on the reed isnlands on lake titicaca. they can't go for much of a walk or jog on a 200 foot diameter reed island. anecdotal i know but...
i will bet if they figure this hormone/obesity soup out there will be unforseen negative consequences to manipulating it.
And so, throughout the history of time, "another study has shown" .....that all of our other studies were worthless.....
Do you understand the peer review process? Can you speak intelligently about the scientific method? Do you think you can read a paper on the given subject matter and understand it thoroughly? If not maybe you should kick your cynicism down a notch and consider the possibilities.
m-612920,
Classic. Love it! Thumbs up.
I lost 30 lbs - perhaps a lot of water weight, then hit a wall. Now I'm losing again because I learned that, by becoming sedentary for years, my muscle cells contained much fewer fat-burning enzymes than normal and that the slow walks I was taking did NOT stimulate my body to get fit. It turns out the average person has to walk at least 40 minutes, bike or swim 20 minutes, run 15 minutes, or cross country ski 12 minutes before the out-of-shape body effectively says, "OK, burning sugar for muscle energy isn't enough. I have to make more fat-burning enzymes and release more fatty acids from the fat cells during and after exercise."
Because my Achilles tendons are weak from many years or running plus one operation, I found I could not comfortably walk enough to get that "stimulus response" so I took up bicycling.
Congrats to you on your efforts.
Great article. I have tried all of the above with fairly good success. I am 63 and in good shape but it is a constant struggle to balance diet, exercise and hunger pangs. This article was an eye opener for me. It now helps me to understand I sometimes have to fight my own body in order to lose and maintain a healthy weight. Nice job on this report. Thank you Rachael.
I suspected as much when it was revealed that people (like me) who are overweight and have type II Diabetes went into diabetic remission within 4 or 5 days of having the surgery. Figured there were enzymes and hormones at work there that our medical scientists just did not understand.
Probably, within the next 2-5 years the cure for obesity will be discovered. Of course since it is such a widespread disorder, the cost of obtaining the cure will be so exorbitant that only the very wealthy will be able to afford it. It seems our Pharmaceutical companies are just as devoid of conscience and business ethics as every other robber corporation in this country. Right now I'd put my chances at no better than 50-50. My daughter made me PROMISE not to have the surgery done after her school bus driver died subsequent to having the operation.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out, however I have no foolish thoughts of getting our health insurer to EVER approve or pay for the treatment once it does become available. They're only in business to collect our premiums and to buy gold plated dining utensils for the CEO's Lear jet.
I get tired of all the "experts" who assert certainty about this and a hundred other topics (think climate change, vaccines, traditional vs. non-traditional medicine, etc.) who feel that their gut instinct carries as much weight (ha ha) as empirical evidence and scientific studies.
I don't care if someone disagrees with the findings of a scientific study (science would have "solved" everything long ago were it not for disagreement), but if you really believe that someone is wrong, back up your belief with something more than "common sense" and anecdotes. When faced with evidence respond with evidence, because not doing so make you look like someone pushing an agenda.
Doesn't matter if my body tells me I'm hungry or not. I eat what I want. I had been doing just fine for a couple of years then started eating what I craved - not hungry just craved; things I know I shouldn't eat. Just once, said I. Then the next day - just this. Then the next day I was really craving something I hadn't eaten for awhile and went to the drive-thru and got it. Doesn't matter what my stomach says to my brain it's what I say to myself that is the problem. AND I have stopped walking every day which could be an additional reason for the cravings.
m-612920 hit the nail on the head!!!!! Thanks!
"We never realized that the brain was so important," Bhoyrul said. "We thought it was just as simple as getting people to eat less. That turns out to be the least of the issues," he said.
What a dumb thing to say, especially coming from an expert....
Care to explain why it's dumb? Based on the evidence in this article, I think Bhoyrul's statement makes perfect sense.
I do not understand why it is so challenging for drug companies to figure out how to help with the obesity problem by inventing a pill to suppress appetite woithout speeding you up. Any doctors out there who can comment?
These scientists aren't even looking at the one big hormone that controls so much in our bodies. Insulin. They can suppress those hunger hormones all they want, but they aren't looking at the cause of why people are continually getting those signals.
When we eat too many carbohydrates and sugars, our bodies send out insulin to counteract that. If we keep our diets low in carbs, our bodies deal with it quickly and turns to fat for energy. But if we overload it with too many carbs, our insulin has to keep shoving those sugars into our cells. Eventually those cells stop listening, and we begin to suffer from elevated blood sugar and our bodies store that extra energy into fat cells. Once your hormones and insulin are all messed up, your body gets the idea that it's hungry and starving because now your fat cells don't want to let go of any of that energy, and if you don't keep feeding it carbs you feel awful. This cycle promotes obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Unfortunately, the government and our doctors have decided that the proper way to eat and diet involves a whole lot of carbs...even from those whole grains.
I've found so much success with a low-carb diet, and including a little more fat in my diet. My hunger hormones are under control because my body is feeding my cells properly. Carbs are good for a quick energy fix, but they burn too quickly and adding fat makes it possible to go for a long burn. I went from feeling light-headed and awful from not eating every few hours to being able to go hours without wanting food. When I do, it's my stomach that tells me, but it's just as easy to ignore without the cravings dogging me along with it. I don't ever feel like I have to go hungry or practically run myself ragged to try and be fit. Suddenly I'm eating a normal range of calories without even worrying about it. And even better, once your body heals, it'll let go of that extra fat around your middle so much easier. And you should see the looks on people's faces when I get to tell them I'm eating whole eggs and uncured bacon somedays. You'd think they we're forbidden or something. :D
I had jaw surgery three years ago and my mouth was wired closed for 6 wks and then I could not eat anything but soft foods for one year. It changed my whole metabolism. I don't gain weight anymore. I ate lots of ice cream and milk shakes while I was on liquids and never gained weight. Three years later; I am still the same. I can't explain it. I had severwe sleep apnia and that is why I had the surgery. since I can now breath at night while sleeping, I don't have a weight problem. My uneducated opinion is that when you sleep you need oxygen and that determines your metabolism. I would say it has been an amazing. transformation for me.
.
Listen folks,
I started a low carb "Atkins Diet" 7 weeks ago and I have dropped 23lbs so far.
no calorie watching and no restriction on the amount of food just on the type of foods you eat. Never Hungry.
No calorie in calorie out and NO SURGERY.
BUT....No Cheating. It works for me.
"If we can understand how these surgeries work…we can put whatever that thing is in a pill," Patterson said."
Another clown who wants something for nothing. Maintaining a healthy weight is hard work. No effing pill alone is going to do more than help a little. Reminds me of the youTube video of some overweight guy demonstrating how to inject HGH. Dude. Sorry but HGH (or anything) by itself will not make you fit. Only hard work and self discipline will do the trick.
The Obesity Myth: Can Donald Trump Force Michelle Obama to Disclose Her True BMI?
Firstly, we have a woman who on March 22nd, 2011, claimed on Yahoo her own Daughter was classified as obese. Secondly, Michelle Obama claims she was not even aware of what BMI was - yet three months later is telling the entire Nation how to fight obesity? Perhaps we need Donald Trump to force Michelle Obama to disclose *her* BMI first, prior to dictating to the rest of the Nation how to slim down?
Michelle Obama & the USDA blatantly stole “MyPlate” from a young Iowa Mom’s creation and brainchild – the Fudoo Board. The Mom had sent Michelle a prototype of these Fudoo Boards a year or so ago, hoping to contribute to the fight of childhood obesity. Obama stole it and ran – never giving credit to the Mom that developed it – . IOW, Michelle Obama and the USDA developed *nothing* – MyPlate was simply stolen from a kid’s teaching tool….yes – for children.
Yet Ms. Obama would like us all to believe it is our habits causing this obesity epidemic in the United States. Interesting that she has not attempted to work in conjunction with the USDA and the FDA to eliminate Bovine Growth Hormones and Estrogens in our meats and dairy. Apparently she has not taken a good look at the effect of both of these on human development and cancer as well. Most other Nations refuse to import our beef and produce for that exact reason.
Ms. Obama has also not addressed the fact that the GMO grains produced in the US are causing a nationwide food allergy epidemic – most Americans can no longer tolerate wheat glutens or any other type. Our farmers in the US have been forced by the US Government to grow Monsanto’s genetically modified grains – aka “Roundup Ready” which essentially are engineering to withstand enormous amounts of pesticides, and once eaten by an insect it will essentially blow up in their stomachs. Imagine the effect on humans? It will not kill us instantly, however the long-term damage is quite apparent. But it is, after all, good for the medical profession, one of the few remaining industries in the Nation. There is not one item one can purchase on the inside perimeters of a supermarket that does not contain some type of gluten. Glutens are also added to pet foods – why? So the animal is hungry again shortly after eating. That is actually how it is advertised and marketed in China – as an appetite stimulant. Switch Fido or Fluffy's food to gluten-free and take note how much less they eat. Same as with humans.
Has Michelle Obama taken the time to see why so many food products made in the US are bloated with high fructose corn syrups? Have any of you read the boxes or bottles of *anything* you’ve bought recently? And how about known carcinogens in our foods? Has Mrs. Obama taken the time to ask her FDA why Allura Red AC is in so many of our foods (Google it - goes by many names) – like the yogurts she’s touting - and in pretty much any product made for a child. It does, after all, make candy and cough medicine look pretty. It has, however been banned in numerous other Nations - but not in the USA. The USA, after all, is the kingpin of placing commerce over it's people's well-being.
But dear, it causes cancer.We are not seeing not only obesity in young children and young adults, we are seeing astronomical numbers of both succumbing to cancers unheard of 20 years ago in their age groups – these cancers are not afflicting the elderly – it is children and young adults – 30 year old people in hospice with only weeks to live. What has she done to investigate this? Has she asked to see the cancer rates sorted by types, age groups and mortality rates along with area demographics? If she hasn't, you can - right on the CDC website. Rather than fighting for a *cure* how about attacking the *cause*. Educating the American people is a start, however I doubt it would be initiated by the Federal Government since that would entail biting the hand that feeds them.
Has Mrs. Obama taken the time to examine why we all have arsenic and perchlorate in our drinking water, and why if one has their blood tested for Arsenic it will be present? Has she taken the time to learn what the effects of even minimal amounts of arsenic in the bloodstream are? Simply Google "symptoms of arsenic exposure". Has anyone taken the time to understand that most store-bought water purifiers do not filter arsenic? And we wonder why we have a Nation of zombies?
FLOTUS, please clean your own house before you clean ours. We all may have fallen off the turnip truck, but it was not yesterday. Do something useful and take the toxins, fillers, growth hormones, appetite stimulants and carcinogens out of our food supply – it is poisoning us all. And please, dear, get your own BMI in check before you start dictating to the rest of the Nation. These are no longer the days of "do as I say, not as I do".
I would like to add that you did not correctly cover all weight loss surgeries available. You should do better research before you give out information to the public. It could really miss lead some.