For many people, trying to lose weight can be frustrating, and at times, downright discouraging. Maybe you’ve tried almost every kind of diet, whether it’s a formal program, one you’ve read about in a book, magazine, or been told about, and found that you lose weight only to regain it later when your diet ends. Or maybe you’ve tried popular medications or diet pills, with the same results and some unpleasant side effects. This usually leads to more dieting, and the cycle begins again. It’s the appropriately named “yo-yo effect.”

Well, you’re not alone. Several studies have shown that patients on diets, exercise programs or medications are able to lose approximately 10% of their body weight but tend to regain two-thirds of it within one year and almost all of it within five years.

If you’ve reached the point where nothing seems to work, and you’re concerned about how obesity is affecting your life and your health, then you may want to consider weight-loss surgery.

I want to suggest a solution that you can discuss with your doctor. It’s called the LAP-BAND® System, and it’s helped hundreds of thousands of people take back control of their weight and their life. It’s far less invasive, with fewer risks and side effects than other obesity surgeries. Surgeons use laparoscopic techniques with smaller incisions to place an inflatable band around the upper part of your stomach. The new, smaller upper stomach pouch and a narrowed stomach outlet mean that there’s less room for food and you feel full and satisfied after a small meal. There is no intestinal rerouting or cutting or stapling of your stomach wall or intestines, and your recovery time and hospital stay are much shorter. In fact, the LAP-BAND System can even be performed in an outpatient setting, so people are back home within hours not days. And, unlike other obesity surgeries, the LAP-BAND System is adjustable and reversible.

One of the pioneers and leaders in the industry is the NewHope Bariatrics® and their network of clinical partners. Working with surgeons dedicated to weight loss, the NewHope Bariatrics program starts with education and counseling, and then helps you to reach and maintain your goal through aftercare programs and long-term clinical support. Each week, I’ll be brining you more news about their programs, innovative solutions, and success stories of patients who have reclaimed their life and their health.