Page 69 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2017

to big and positive changes, having a supportive group of professionals makes all the difference. “The staff, nutritionist, and nurses can all help you to prepare mentally for your lifestyle change, and the doctors will give you additional tools to help aid you in your weight loss journey.”
Ultimately, the decision to seek weight loss surgery is a personal one, and Tuggle urges people to make the decision on their own. “It is a great tool, but if you choose to go this route with your weight loss journey, make sure you do it for the right reasons — you and your health. No one else should make the decision for you,” he said. “ I recommend that you have a support system of family and friends, but the ultimate decision to change and want to get healthy and start a new life begins with you.”
A little over a year after his surgery, Tuggle has lost a total of 136 pounds and has a dramatically improved quality of life, only having to take one blood pressure pill a day.
The South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center has been helping men and women like Joseph Tuggle to meet their weight loss goals since their formation in 2000. Founded by South Mississippi Surgeons (SMS), they have been providing the Coast with quality surgical care for more than 30 years.
To learn more about weight loss surgery, visit their website at smsurgicalweightloss.com, where you can register to receive a free information session.
FAR LEFT: JOSEPH TUGGLE After losing 136 pounds. ABOVE: Tuggle before gastric bypass surgery.
DR. WILLIAM AVARA, III DR. JASON PAYNE THE STAFF at South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center
South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center
1124 Oakleigh Road, Ocean Springs 228.872.7277 • www.smsurgicalweightloss.com
FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net
March 2017 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 69