Dallas, TX Bariatric Surgeon Announces Weight Loss Contest Winner

By admin on July 20, 2011 at 12:01 am

Dallas, TX Weight Loss Surgery Contest Winner Announced

After receiving thousands of votes for the nine finalists, Dr. David Kim and the Live Life Again Center for Bariatric Surgery have announced the winner of the weight loss surgery giveaway. Vicki Luna, the music teacher at Castle Montessori School, relied on an outpouring of support from the local community that resulted in her being selected as the winner. She will now undergo weight loss surgery with Dr. Kim, and allow fans of the Dallas practice to follow her journey as she makes a healthy transformation.

The Live Life Again Center for Bariatric Surgery and Dr. David Kim are announcing the winner of their weight loss surgery contest. Vicki Luna was one of nine finalists selected from the initial round of video entries, in which patients explained how weight loss surgery would change their lives. Following an online voting period, Vicki was declared the winner. She will now undergo bariatric surgery at the Live Life Again Center, and provide an inside-look at the entire weight loss process.

After conducting a massive networking campaign in which she enlisted the help of her entire community, Vicki received thousands of votes in the weight loss surgery contest. She created flyers and wristbands, handed out flyers and goodie bags, and spoke to family, friends, coworkers, the local police department, recital attendees, and church parishioners. Once selected as a finalist, she says she spoke to anyone and everyone willing to listen because of the magnitude of this opportunity and her passion for making a healthy change as she strives to life the life she desires.

As the Dallas bariatric practice and Dr. Kim prepare Vicki for the weight loss procedure, they have expressed their excitement for the results of the contest as well. Dr. Kim says the entire Live Life Again staff anxiously await the next step for Vicki, and believe she will act as a source of inspiration for many people considering a healthy transformation and a new chapter in their lives.

About Dr. Kim

Dr. David Kim earned his medical degree from Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine. He then completed his general surgery residency at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where he also served as Chief Resident of general surgery. Dr. Kim completed a peripheral vascular surgery fellowship at Park Medical Center, and a laparoscopic gastric bypass fellowship at the Medical College of Virginia. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and the American Society of General Surgeons. Dr. Kim specializes in a range of bariatric procedures, including the LAP-BAND System, gastric banding, and the gastric sleeve surgery.

The Live Life Again Center for Bariatric Surgery is located at 35 Veranda Lane Suite 100 in Colleyville, TX 76034. Fort Worth patients can reach the practice at (817) 717-7447, and Dallas patients can call (214) 614-7036. The practice can also be found online at drdkim.net, mylapbanddallas.com, or the Live Life Again Center for Bariatric Surgery Facebook page.

###

Posted in In the media, Lap Band, Vicki - Weight Loss Surgery Contest Winner

Dallas Fort Worth Weight Loss Surgery Tools

By admin on February 22, 2009 at 8:51 pm

REALIZE mySUCCESS (TM) is an internet-based program and self-accountability tool developed for patients with the Ethicon Realize Band. In an attempt to enhance patient accountability, long term weight loss success, patients with a Realize band have access to a Web-based tool that tracks post-operative goals, customize plans and monitor their weight loss progress. In a recent observational study, about 3,800 people who had a Realize band and used REALIZE mySUCCESS (TM) were studied to see if the program helped them lose more weight and keep up with all forms of accountability needed to be successful with adjustable gastric banding surgery for weight loss. The results indicated that people who were frequent users (> or = to 1 x week) lost statistically more weight at 2 months, 4 months and 6 months than people who were infrequent users (< 1x/week). People who logged on and kept track of themselves lost about 46% of their excess body weight at 6 months, this was 10% more than infrequent users. Let’s say you want to lose 100#, you would lose about 46 pounds by six months with more frequent self-accountability. Also the study found that almost 90% of people using the program were still participating, so staying involved in your care is key to meeting your long term weight loss goals.

One of my greatest concerns is that people tend to put all their eggs in one basket when they have a gastric band placed from Realize or Lap Band. Imagine if you will that four pillars are holding up a building. One pillar is behavior modification, one is fitness, one is diet composition (calories, protein, etc…) and the last is a properly tightened band. Each of the four pillars provides 25% of the strength of the building. If you rely too heavily on one pillar or completely ignore one, the building will crumble. For gastric banding this is very true, if you rely on the band to be tight, but do not exercise or engage in healthful eating behavior or try to eat small amounts of less than healthful foods, your building will crumble. The next time you think you need a fill ask your self whether or not your building is sturdy and if you are truly utilizing all the tools needed to realize your success. Your band does not need to be super tight to eat a variety of foods per day to make it to about 900 to 1400 calories and go for a 30 minute walk. So here’s to living fresh.

Posted in Ask the dietitian, Lap Band