The Unexpected Benefits of Being Fit

Bruce Sachais, MD, PhD, is an associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Penn Medicine. In December 2010, he attended an informational session and decided to have weight-loss surgery. His Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery was performed at Penn by Noel Williams, MD. In this article, he discusses his struggle with weight, and why even as a physician, losing weight alone has been challenging. 

Read more about how Bruce lost 121 pounds. 

Nineteen months ago, I underwent gastric bypass surgery at Penn, a place that I know and love since I have worked there for the past 16 years. The most common question I get, after people realize that it is me (at least for those that have not seen me in a while) is how it feels and has it changed my life? Well of course it has, and for the better!

But, how does losing over a third of your body weight after being obese for most of your life change your life?

In so many ways.

First and foremost, I can again wear my wedding band; something I had not been able to do for over a year. What a wonderful feeling!

I have much more energy than I can remember ever having as an adult - energy for everything I do. I even appear more animated and enthusiastic when speaking with people, which had apparently been lost due to shortness of breath over the years. What an unexpected benefit.

Air travel is less uncomfortable as I can fit in the seat. So is going to the theater, as most theater seats (at least for live theater) are quite small.

My health is much better. All of my medical issues are either resolved or much improved. I guess the one exception to this is that my family still thinks I am crazy, perhaps even more so given my increased energy these days.

I don’t have to worry about walking around. In fact, I look forward to it. Before my surgery I would have problems after about 5 minutes, but now I can walk for over an hour. I can even run a little and have started a running program. My friends are shocked as I was never athletic at all. I even played in a charity softball tournament with my wife and younger daughter, who are real softball players. I can’t say I did well, but I did play and contributed to the team’s effort, - and had fun.

While these may not seem like major accomplishments for people that have been able to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle most of their lives, they are significant to me. I feel that I have my life back.

Get Your Life Back

Whether it's playing with your kids, managing health conditions, or getting back to feeling like you, get Penn help you meet your weight-loss goals.

Join us for a free information session about weight-loss surgery at Penn. There, you'll be able to meet with Penn weight-loss physicians, and learn about your options in weight-loss surgery.

Join us for a free information session today.