What is the difference between basically not eating vs gastric sleeve...I have been asked this and I don't know how to answer

progress starts in the mind

The sleeve (as well as other WLS), is not "not eating". You have to eat. especially Protein.

So someone might ask "why don't you just eat a lot less and make sure its got protein?

The answer to that is because it's virtually impossible to diet like that for life. Maybe for a few weeks or even months but not lifelong.

The sleeve takes away the large portion of the stomach so that you can't and won't even want to eat more.

Heck, if it was as easy as "just not eating that much" then wouldn't we all do that? So I guess thats how I would answer that to those who ask that (seemingly naive) question that people ask you.

Edited December 31, 20169 yr by The New Kel

My nutritionist answered this same question for me...she said that first of all, your body would react and would feel overly hungry and then you would binge. Also, as you loose weight your body constantly fights against you to go back to your heavy weight. It would be extremely difficult to just "not eat a lot" and expect it to last long term. People portion control all the time and it works for some but I know with my body, it wasn't going to work.

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"By changing your gastrointestinal anatomy, certain bariatric procedures affect the production of intestinal hormones in a way that reduces hunger and appetite and increases feelings of fullness (satiety). The end result is reduction in the desire to eat and in the frequency of eating. Interestingly, these surgically-induced changes in hormones are opposite to those produced by dietary weight loss".

Especially with the sleeve surgery. It removes most of the "hunger hormone", or ghrelin.

It's all about control. The sleeve forces some sort of control over you. Some people have great control. They most likely, will never have weight issues..

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