Coach Rex Ryan Speaks Out About His Lap-Band Surgery
August 29, 2013After Lap-Band surgery, NY Jets Coach Rex Ryan Loses 120 Pounds!
If you are a football fan then the name Rex Ryan will certainly ring a bell. As head coach of the New York Jets, Ryan is well-known throughout the NFL for his boisterous and outspoken personality. In football stadium after football stadium, the coach and his team fight to win games and titles. But behind the scenes and away from the cheering and screaming fans, Ryan's fight slowly became obesity and it was taking a serious toll on his health and his lifestyle.
That Scale Moment
Ryan admits to having no idea of just how much he weighed until he stepped on the scale one day and saw the numbers. He couldn't believe his eyes and found himself turning around to see if anyone else was witness to just how much weight he was carrying around. At 348 pounds, the coach finally realized that he had to do something to change the destructive path he was on. He was finding it difficult to climb the stairs, his blood pressure and cholesterol was high, and the countless diets he tried were of no long-term success.
“I was successful at weight loss probably 50 times, and I gained everything back. Just a typical yo-yo deal.” Ryan said to Fox news reporter Dr. Manny Alvarez.
After researching weight loss surgery, Ryan had the Lap-Band procedure in 2010 and says that the procedure really was the only choice for him personally. He had surgery early in the morning, was back home in the evening, and back to work the very next day. The coach was someone Governor Chris Christie looked to for support and information about the lifestyle changes that follow the surgery. Christie ultimately decided to have the Lap-Band earlier this year. Both men had their surgery performed by the head of NYU Medical Center’s Weight Management Program, Dr. George Fielding.
Life After The Lap-Band
A self-confessed lover of Mexican food, Ryan says he could easily eat 12 tacos in one setting prior to having surgery. But after having the Lap-Band, he now eats about three quarters of a taco and feels satisfied. He says that the restaurant experience is completely different these days. He and his wife most often split a meal and he isn't leaving the restaurant feeling overly full.
To date, Ryan has lost 120 pounds and says that he wasn't motivated to lose the weight just to look better. He wants to better enjoy seeing his children and grandchildren grow up.
Ryan is so happy about his weight loss that he has recommended the Lap-Band surgery to family and friends, including his twin brother, Rob, who is a defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. Rob Ryan underwent the Lap-Band in 2012.
Due to his successful weight loss, Ryan was able to realize a dream come true this summer. He and his son participated in Spain's annual Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. And you really have to be able to move unless you want a 1,500 pound bull at your back!
Lap-Band Animation
Photo Credit: Keith Allison