Weight Loss Camp Saved Him From Gastric Bypass Surgery

“At the last moment, I learned that NBC was casting for very overweight people who wanted to lose weight in a weight loss camp before a national television audience. So I flew to California to stand in a line five blocks long for an interview. Before I was chosen for a spot on NBC’s Biggest Loser, I was almost on the table for gastric bypass surgery,” says Eric Chopin, 2006 Biggest Loser champion.

Weight Loss Camp Instead of Gastric Bypass

After being accepted and signing onto the Biggest Loser weight loss camp, Chopin learned he was a type II diabetic with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Now doubly motivated, he carefully consumed a 2000 calorie diet and worked out four hours daily, running, swimming and working on treadmills at the NBC weight loss camp. After the evening meal, Chopin exercised for another hour and worked in some weight lifting. Not bad for someone who once believed gastric bypass was his only hope. 

Weight Loss Camp Reduced One Pound Daily Without Gastric Bypass

Results? After four months at the weight loss camp, his waist slimmed from 54 to 34 inches and his weight dropped from 407 to 283.  He continued working out at his Long Island home to drop the last 90 pounds … Is this better than risking gastric bypass surgery? 

Do the math and compare the risks.

He Bypassed the Gastric Bypass Surgery at Weight Loss Camp

Researcher David R. Flum, MD, MPH, assistant professor of surgery at the University of Washington says “In fact, in the real world …the risk of dying within 30 days of gastric bypass surgery is about one in 50.” 

But Flum’s study also showed that Obesity is the Risk! The long-term risk of death was much lower among those who had gastric bypass surgery compared with obese persons who did not. Morbidly obese people who had gastric bypass surgery had an 89% lower risk of death in the next five years compared with morbidly obese people who did not.

Even a morbidly obese person can avoid risky bypass surgery by choosing a weight loss camp instead.

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