any people have already given up on their New Year’s resolution to lose weight by Valentine’s Day. Should your resolve need a boost, help is available at St. Luke’s Weight Management Centers in Palmerton and Lansford.

St. Luke’s metabolic and bariatric surgeon Ikemefuna Akusoba, MD explains that weight loss reduces high blood pressure and high cholesterol that contribute to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Consequently, losing weight decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

In addition, obesity is associated with at least 13 types of cancers, including stomach, liver, uterine and ovarian, so weight loss reduces cancer risk, he said. Moreover, dropping unwanted pounds can improve fertility and decrease stress on joints and bones.

It also reduces obstructive sleep apnea that can cause abnormal heart rhythms and sudden cardiac death. Because weight loss improves sleep, self-image and confidence, it enhances behavioral health and reduces the risk of depression.

Options available

The St. Luke’s Weight Management Center offers two options - medical and surgical weight loss programs.

In both programs, a team of physicians, dietitians, behavioral health specialists and exercise physiologists work together to help patients reduce excess weight.

Education and counseling are provided in both group and individual settings for nutrition, behavior modification, emotional readiness and fitness.

For many obese and morbidly obese individuals, weight loss surgery is the best solution for long-term success.

St. Luke’s offers several options, all of which are performed laparoscopically. This results in minimal incisions and short recovery. When surgery is added to the mix, the success rate increases to 80 out of 100 people, Dr. Akusoba says.

“It just goes to show that it’s much more complex than just calories in and calories out,” Dr. Akusoba says. “I’ve seen people who had the best lifestyle and followed the best diet and yet couldn’t lose weight. A lot of things are in play - your genetics, environment and whether you have an active or sedentary occupation. It’s all of these things combined and more.”

Besides the benefits described above, weight loss surgery has an almost immediate effect on the blood sugar levels of patients with diabetes. After surgery, patients can stop taking insulin even before leaving the hospital.

“Back in the day, when we didn’t have a McDonald’s around the corner, our bodies made adaptations that helped us to hold onto the calories so we could survive until our next meal,” he explains. “Now, when we want to lose weight, our brain doesn’t understand. We’re limiting our calories and exercising to lose weight, but our brain is saying you’re starving me, and it goes into survival mode.”

Not an easy fix

Dr. Akusoba cautions, however, that surgery isn’t an easy fix.

To ensure the patient’s safety, the St. Luke’s Surgical Weight Loss Program requires patients to meet with social workers and dietitians before and after surgery.

Patients attend several weeks of classes prior to surgery to learn how to consume enough fluids and nutritious food.

Afterward, they have routine laboratory tests to ensure they are absorbing adequate vitamins and minerals.

To maintain weight loss, they must adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and a nutritious diet.

Patient Victoria Gomez of East Stroudsburg agrees that surgical weight loss isn’t the “easy way out.” But while it requires work and commitment, she says it’s “1,000% worth it.”

Gomez and her husband, Sol Narvaez, had laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery on the same day in 2019 and have since lost a combined 263 pounds.

“It’s not magic,” Dr. Akusoba says, summing up weight loss surgery. “It’s a tool and it’s the most powerful tool we have.”

Call 1-866-STLUKES (785-8537) to learn more about surgical weight loss. To schedule a nonsurgical (medical) weight loss appointment, call 484-426-2600.