At a recent conference, I had the privilege of hearing a presentation given by a registered dietitian who has had weight-loss, or bariatric, surgery. Our presenter shared many personal experiences from before, during, and after her surgery. She told us about discrimination against those who are overweight, fear of the chronic diseases that may result from obesity, and her feelings of despair as she struggled with a lifelong pattern of yo-yo dieting.

But bariatric surgery wasn't the happy end to her story you might have expected. Several years after her surgery, she's still experiencing many health problems; most are related to the surgery. She also attempted to dispel some misconceptions surrounding the bariatric surgery process.

Many potential candidates for bariatric surgery believe that after the surgery they'll be able to eat whatever they want, whenever they want. Bariatric surgery may seem like an easy fix for people who have tried but failed to lose weight over the course of many years. In fact, this type of surgery requires ongoing lifestyle modifications, including taking nutritional supplements and exercising.

Many patients who undergo bariatric surgery may never reach their ideal body weight. Even though patients typically lose significant amounts of weight for up to 24 months after surgery, it's possible to regain the lost weight. And many people who've had bariatric surgery often require additional cosmetic surgeries to remove excess skin after they've reached their weight loss goal.

Bariatric surgery is one tool -- potentially a great one -- to help people reach a healthier weight and decrease the health risks associated with such chronic diseases as diabetes, heart disease, and sleep apnea. But it's definitely not the magic bullet to become the supermodel on that magazine cover. No matter which weight loss method you select, diet and exercise will be key components of your permanent weight loss regimen.