Chris Christie has lap band surgery, will that hurt or help him in 2016?

You get bariatric surgery in the short term mainly because you have health issues, already there or forthcoming, that necessitate a kickstart. The surgery can be less expensive and more effective than treating the comorbidities.

The counseling makes clear this isn't a quick fix. And the counseling can be much more extensive than telling people to put down the fork and get up off the couch. For some people, it's that simple. For others, there are all sorts of psychological reasons that they eat. If you don't address those, the weight will come right back.

 

He lost 40 lbs, is that even noticeable on him?

 

My aunt was 5-6, 282 when she had the surgery. She's now 201. She's in her late 50s and drank like a fish and smoked and ate any and everything that was put in front of her for her entire adult life and now she's kind of getting a do-over in her late 50s. I'm happy for her...

Her son, who is in his mid-20s, is trying to have the procedure as well. He's probably 5-8 and has to be over 300. The last time I saw him he said, "I wasn't lucky enough to be tall like you..." That kind of pissed me off...

 

I know a few people who had it.

My cousin did, and she's gorgeous now. They couldn't have a better success story.

Another friend who had it was a professional chef. He was fed intravenously for the next year plus and nearly died. It was a disaster for him. He had complications that are disturbingly common.

A third friend had it, lost a few pounds, didn't change her habits and is fatter than ever.

I'm guessing 8 friends or acquaintances have had it in some form, and 4 or 5 are successes. Two spent months in the hospital fighting complications.

If everything goes perfectly and you're willing to change your habits, it's a little easier than the conventional method. It's not magic, though. If you don't make the changes it won't work, and it's a major operation with severe complications.

(And to answer the initial question, it helps him. He's fat enough to have legit health questions. He's distractingly big.)

 

Lap band and bariatric surgery are not the same... Is that correct. I get the sense that lap band is a lot less invasive than bariatric surgery.

 

They had pictures on one of the sites and it was noticeable. It's not like he now looks good, but unless you're 500 pounds, 40 pounds weight loss is going to be noticeable on almost anyone...

 

Lap band is a form of bariatric surgery. It's quickly replaced what's known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which is basically getting your stomach stapled. The surgery is less invasive, and if there are any health issues afterward (whether or not they have to do with the surgery), the band can be loosened fairly easily.

 

I know someone who lost 200 pounds since having lap band surgery about 14 years ago. As long as you eat about 4 small meals a day, the person said, it can work. But to the point: I won't vote for Christie at 200 or 500

 

A couple points:

1. Unless you exercise a hell of a lot, like an hour and a half a day, you will not generally lose weight on an exercise regime. Your appetite just increases. Exercise is still good for you. I have spent at least three-four hours a week on a cross trainer and lifted weights for seven years and gained weight. At the peak of my efforts when for six weeks I exercised 5-6 times a week for an hour and a half I lost a total of 15 pounds. The exercise did allow me to bring my blood pressure under control very quickly though rather than go on Lipitor. The New York Times runs articles occasionally discussing studies that confirm my experience.

2. My doctor recommends the lap band surgery for obese people. He says the complications are offset the problems of the surgery are offset by the health benefits received. This appears to be a growing consensus in the medical profession.

 

The National Institutes of Health recommends the surgery for anyone who has reached adult height and has a BMI of 40 or more. The BMI could be lowered if the patient is already experiencing obesity-related health problems. There are various studies that show the surgery to be more effective than other weight-loss means in quickly (at least, within two years) allowing people to get control of their blood sugar and blood pressure.

Insurers have wavered over the years on paying for it, but many do. However, what isn't paid for is the possible plastic surgery required to remove skin. Just because lose weight rapidly doesn't mean your skin retracts as quickly. Burn units have been very thankful for all the skin-removal surgeries thanks to bariatric procedures.

 

I've shot commercials with lap band patients...

...I don't think it will hurt Christie in the way Mizzou fears-- I don't think people will think he took the easy way out. But what it will do is zap his energy, and his opponents will use that to their advantage. No way you can log 20-hour days week after week if you have lap band. Not to mention being President.

 

Are you sure about this? I understand that you can gain weight during exercise because you eat more - a lot of people, including yours truly, have experienced this even during marathon training. But I think, and I've found, that intense aerobic exercise, even for 30-40 minutes, can contribute mightily to weight loss.

I usually use the treadmill for 50 minutes a day, five days a week, and over the years I've dropped from 215 to a low of about 145.

I've known two people who have had gastric bypass surgery. One was my aunt, who was always big growing up. She had it a few years ago, lost probably 80-100 pounds, and has kept it off. She looks terrific and has the disposition to match. The other was a coach I covered. His was pretty much a disaster. Complications from the surgery with some permanent results like numbess in some extremities, and I would say he's probably put most of it back on.