The following content is created in consultation with Cooper University Health Care. It does not reflect the work or opinions of NBC Philadelphia's editorial staff. To learn more about Cooper University Health Care, visit cooperhealth.org.

With the new year upon us, we can all probably stand to lose a little weight and adopt healthier eating and exercise habits.

But for some of us, specifically individuals who are 75 to 100 pounds overweight and have a body mass index (BMI) between 35 to 40, making that critical adjustment can be difficult.

For individuals who have tried to make these changes and have not had results bariatric surgery is a good option. The majority of bariatric surgeries performed in the United States are the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), which is what Shyra and Laurie (pictured above) underwent. This procedure removes a large part of the stomach, causing a restriction in how much one can eat and a possible decrease in appetite. There are two other popular techniques, the gastric bypass procedure, which involves reducing a person's stomach to an egg-sized pouch and connecting it to the lower part of the small intestine and the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, which is where the surgeon places a band around the upper part of your stomach to create a small pouch to hold food.

However, bariatric surgery is not a quick fix that allows patients to lose weight while maintaining the same bad habits that got them to that state in the first place. Rather, it requires that patients completely overhaul their lifestyle, changing their diet, their relationship with food and their exercise routine in an effort to keep the weight off and lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

That’s why the comprehensive weight loss surgery team at Cooper University Health Care is dedicated to providing patients the care they need for the rest of his/her life. Cooper’s bariatric team will be with you during every step of your weight loss journey, from the expert surgeons performing the minimally invasive procedure to the nurses managing your pre- and post- operative care to the dieticians who help you rethink your relationship with food as well as help you form a diet plan you can stick to. It truly is a support network, you have for the rest of your life..

To learn more, attend Cooper’s webinar, Weight Loss Surgery Options: What Do You Have to Lose? This interactive webinar featuring Rohit Patel, MD, director of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery at Cooper University Healthcare, and Bariatric Dietician Josephine Raum, RD, MS will cover weight loss surgery options, advances in weight loss surgery and their risks and benefits. From the changing perceptions of weight loss to the impact of diet, learn if you or someone you love qualifies for weight loss surgery.

Don’t let obesity get in the way of enjoying life, take the first steps to your transformation today by registering here.

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