FEATURE | Posted March 23, 2016

Metabolic reset

Bariatric surgery transforms a life

Bariatric surgery patient David is now 100 pounds lighter © UC Regents
David Brock, now 100 pounds lighter following weight-loss surgery, said that he can finally shed the last of his “clown suits,” or what’s left of his before-surgery, oversized wardrobe.

For David Brock, having bariatric surgery in 2014 and losing 100 lbs. since has changed his life, in both small and big ways.

“I always thought that I was one of those people who was just a heavy sweater,” Brock said. “But after the surgery, I was reminded that, no, there was a time in my life that I wasn’t sweating all of the time. It really was because I was heavy.”

But even bigger changes in his life he attributes to the surgery’s ability to reset the body’s metabolism.

“I had high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol,” he said. “Although I was doing a lot of the right things for quite a while before surgery, my system wasn’t reset back to where it needed to be. Now my diabetes is in remission, my blood pressure is great, and all of my other numbers are in the great zone. The metabolic reset has gotten me off all of the meds.”

Brock was one of 10 patients who modeled their new post-surgery physiques at the 13th Annual UC Davis Bariatric Surgery Fashion Show in January 2016. They shared their personal stories and photos prior to surgery, and then walked the runway in the latest fashions for business, leisure and formal occasions.

While being more fit and trim is gratifying, Brock and the Bariatric Surgery Program team agree that it is so much more than being able to wear new clothes and weigh less.

About the UC Davis Bariatric Surgery Program

The UC Davis Bariatric Surgery Program has been recognized as a Comprehensive Center by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The evidence-based program — proven to lead to significant, sustained weight loss — includes nutrition, exercise and psychological support in addition to surgical and nonsurgical treatment options. The program’s expert team, including surgeons Jonathon Pierce and Aaron Carr, is led by Mohamed Ali, a national leader in obesity treatment and research. Learn more information about the bariatric surgery program.

“The fashion show symbolizes an overall transformation,” said Angela Damron, the program’s clinical dietitian. “It’s amazing to watch. As the weight comes off and health returns, patients start doing all sorts of things they didn’t think they’d ever be able to do again.”

It’s also about sharing successes. When Brock was in the audience at last year’s fashion show, he cheered fellow bariatric surgery patients and wondered when he, too, would fit into regular-sized clothing. The need to encourage others was a driving force for him to participate this year as a model.

“It’s important to let others who may be considering the surgery know about how transformative it can be,” he said.

Related stories: