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 # Poor Sleep Is a Major Risk Factor for Weight Gain and Obesity
A Huge review found that short sleep duration increased the chances of obesity by 89% in children and 55% in adults. That’s just in people averaging around 5h of sleep per night and its scaleable, the further you get from optimum levels of sleep the more likely you are to gain weight.  
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2398753/)

# Poor Sleep Can Increase Your Appetite
Many studies have found that people who are sleep-deprived report having an increased appetite
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC535701/)

When you do not get adequate sleep, the body makes more ghrelin (hunger causing) and less leptin (tells your body you are full), leaving you hungry and increasing your appetite.

A study of over 1,000 people found that those who slept for short durations had 14.9% higher ghrelin levels and 15.5% lower leptin levels than those who got at least 7h sleep. The short sleepers also had higher BMIs 
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC535701/)

# Sleep Helps You Fight Cravings and Make Healthy Choices
Reduced sleep actually alters the way your brain works. This may make it harder to make healthy choices and resist tempting foods. The reward centres of the brain are more stimulated by food when you are sleep deprived.

A study of 12 men observed the effects of sleep deprivation on food intake.
When participants were only allowed four hours of sleep, their calorie intake increased by almost a quarter, and their fat intake almost doubled, compared to when they were allowed eight hours of sleep.
(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20357041/)

# Lack Of Sleep Can Reduce Physical Activity
A lack of sleep can cause daytime fatigue, making you less likely and less motivated to participate in exercise or sport.
In addition, you’re more likely to get tired earlier during physical activity.

Getting more sleep may even help improve performance. No studies for this one. You will have felt it yourself. I know I have

1. Eat Mindfully - Does this take me closer to my goal, or further from it?

2. Move More - Increase your step count, go for a swim, maybe watch an episode of your favourite show on the cross trainer.

3. Guarantee you give your body a chance of 8 hours of sleep per night.

Absolutely crazy things right?

These three things are the stepping stones that all fat loss transformations start with. And you can start today with no equipment.

​Everyone knows the equation, if you consume less calories you need you will lose weight. It’s true for everyone, so why do people still get the gastric band instead of sticking with a diet?

In lots of studies and in doctors offices up and down the country the gastric bypass is touted as a magical method of weight loss and reversing type 2 diabetes.

In a gastric bypass, a large part of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine are disconnected. Therefore reducing the amount someone can eat. 

According to a Lund university study 90% of positive effects of the gastric bypass come from the 6 week low calorie diet before the surgery. Many changes occur after having the surgery which actually slow weight loss started by the diet due to the stress on the body of being cut open and having to heal itself.

One of the authors of the study stated ”The fact that we have now shown the effects previously associated with surgery actually arise during the preceding low-calorie diet, and not as a response to the surgery, may perhaps make gastric bypass surgery less magical.”

From personal experience speaking with clients that have had the op and reading many accounts of people that have had it, it seems the grand gesture of having an invasive surgery is the once in a lifetime motivational event needed to stick to a diet. 

So we are back to the equation, consume less calories than you need to lose weight. This equation requires a high motivation level to achieve and maintain. Then we have a shortcut in the surgery to increase motivation to 100% in the short term. Not only because the surgery itself is a huge occasion but because for several months after the surgery there is a physical barrier to overeating.

Below is a very simplified flow of events that people having the surgery experience

1. Knowledge that less calories consumed than you need = weight loss.
2. Low levels of motivation = trying diets on and off sometimes for years and failing.
3. INTERVENTION - can be surgery or another change that makes motivational levels to extremely high.
4. Short to medium term weight loss.

So to answer the question in the title, it’s not gastric bypass vs Diet. It’s that the surgery is the last weapon doctors can use to make someone follow the advice they give at the beginning of treatment. Creating a calorie deficit to lose weight with the surgery itself as the hard wall at the end of the treatment and not a magic pill.