Page 37 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2016

I watched what I ate and drank more water. I
got to where I wasn’t eating three meals a day but instead grazing on small meals throughout the day.
cal Weight Loss Center’s free semi- nars led by bariatric surgeon Dr. Pete Avara, Dubose decided it was time to make a change and get control of her weight once and for all. She chose to go with the LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Band, a device that is lapros- copically wrapped around the upper portion of the stomach dividing it into two sections. The smaller upper por- tion fills up and triggers the sensation of being full after only a small amount of food is eaten.
In November 2007, Dubose had the LAP-BAND procedure. At first she was discouraged because the results were not as quick as she would have liked. Her mother also died soon after making the year even harder.
She pressed on, however, watching what she ate — no bread, small pieces of meat that could be chewed easily and drank more water. In 2008, she added exercise to her health plan and began riding horses and working on her farm.
LAP-BANDs can be adjusted over time to help patients increase or decrease their weight loss. Dubose re-
quired several adjustments during her first three years after insertion.
“I eventually leveled off,” she said. “I watched what I ate and drank more water. I got to where I wasn’t eating three meals a day but instead grazing on small meals throughout the day.”
When she first went to see Dr. Avara he told her that at 5 feet 4 inches tall, her ideal weight should be around 130-135 pounds. “I never dreamed I would see those numbers,” she said.
Almost ten years since her proce- dure, she has been able to maintain her weight at 135 pounds. When she lost 130 pounds, she had plastic surgery
to remove the excess skin around her stomach. “That made me feel really happy, and I could see the success bet- ter,” she said.
Dubose says Dr. Avara and his staff have always been supportive of her, encouraging her to take vitamins and to maintain her nutrition.
“I expected a quick fix,” she said. However, for DuBose, the procedure coupled with the support of South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center was the catalyst for sustainable
Melissa Dubose
FACING PAGE: MELISSA DUBOSE after losing half of her body weight. Dr. Avara with South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss. LEFT: Dubose before her weight loss with daughter Mikah at Disney World.
weight loss and a healthier lifestyle. Today, she enjoys cooking for her
family. “I love to cook a variety of things from southern comfort food such as collards and sweet potatoes to white chicken enchiladas, chicken and rice or grilled steak veggie skewers,” she adds. “It’s all about proportion and not just eating those big meals every day. I usually graze throughout the day and sometimes that means just sampling what I’m cooking.”
Led by medical director and surgeon Dr. William “Pete” Avara, III, South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center has helped thousands of people in the region obtain a healthier life- style. Dr. Avara has practiced general surgery since 1987 and has performed over 3,000 bariatric procedures.
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October 2016 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 37
South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center 1124 Oakleigh Road, Ocean Springs 228.872.7277
www.smsurgicalweightloss.com