An Akron, Ohio news website ran a story recently about a woman who lost 200 pounds as the result of bariatric weight-loss surgery, and now plans to run a half-marathon.

It seems that Karrie Rothgeb has been bitten by the runner’s bug and is now an avid athlete. Formerly 350 pounds, Karrie was unable to run in the past. But after having bariatric surgery, adopting a new exercise program, and dropping 200 pounds, Karrie now runs regularly — and plans to run the Akron Road Runner Marathon later this month.

Story excerpt:

“Running has given me confidence [said Rothgeb]. When I was this size, no way did I ever dream about running. It wasn’t even a dream then. Now that I’ve lost the weight, I dream bigger than I ever thought I could.”

Read the full story here

Summary of post: The Houston Chronicle recently caught up with Khalia Ali to discuss her new book on gastric banding and weight loss. 

Several times in the past, we have blogged about Khalia Ali and her efforts to educate the public on Lap-Band surgery. Khalia is still hard at work as the spokesperson for gastric banding surgery.

The Houston Chronicle recently ran a story about Khalia’s new book, Fighting Weight, in which  she tells the story of her struggle with weight and her choice to use gastric banding surgery.

Article excerpt:

After the birth of her son, she ballooned to 335 pounds and had her share of embarrassing experiences — breaking chairs and uncomfortable airplane rides. At the peak of her weight, she ran into her father at a charity event. “He was happy to see me, but concerned. He knew from the way I looked that I lost my balance,” she writes in Fighting Weight (Collins, $22.95), her book about weight struggles and her experience with gastric banding.

Read the full story

The Houston Chronicle recently ran a story online about a 17-year-old girl who lost nearly 200 pounds through gastric bypass surgery. Specifically, the young girl underwent a Roux-en-Y bypass procedure.

According to the article, the patient (like many who undergo bariatric surgery) had a lot of excess skin as the result of her significant weight loss. So she is now undergoing plastic surgery to address this secondary issue.

Plastic surgery after bariatric surgery is a common thing, as the weight loss that follows bariatric surgery often leaves an abundance of excess skin. Surprisingly, a recent report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons revealed that only 15% of bariatric surgery patients follow up with plastic surgery. [Learn more about this report on bariatric surgery and plastic surgery.]

An excerpt from the Houston Chronicle article:

A year and a half after her bariatric surgery, Willis had gotten her weight down to 172 pounds. This summer, she took a job as a theater usher, which she never would have done in her old body because it involves a lot of walking in public, she said. “I feel really good about myself,” said Willis, who wants to become a registered nurse. “I feel like I can do anything.”

Read the full article