Gastric sleeve or gastric bypass; those are the two procedures content creator Millicent Chebet Mwangi, better known as Milly Chebby, now finds herself seriously considering.
After years of trying every weight-loss method she could manage, and with her 40th birthday approaching, Milly says surgery has become a realistic option.
Speaking to Nation Lifestyle , the content creator admits she has done extensive research and is leaning toward a permanent solution.
Content creator and YouTuber, Millicent Chebet, aka Milly Chebby.
Photo credit: Pool
“I would maybe do it, and it is something I have done my research on, and for real, and I would not mind doing a permanent procedure. I am clocking 40, and so one of the things I am working towards is living a healthy life. Surgery has been part of my plans, and I feel like maybe it is time. I am loving how people are taking health into their hands. Abroad, people are doing it, and also I’m loving that Kenyans are embracing it, so why not?”
If she goes ahead, she already knows what she prefers.
“I will go for a gastric sleeve or a gastric bypass [gastric sleeve is a procedure where a large portion of the stomach is cut out, limiting how much food one can eat. Gastric bypass is a procedure where the stomach is divided into a small pouch and the small intestine is rerouted so the body absorbs fewer calories.] I want something that I have no worries about if I stop it, my weight will come back,” she tells Nation Lifestyle .
“I will do it in Kenya since I believe we have the best surgeons in our country,” she says, adding, “I also don’t mind partnership. I have built my brand, and so if I want to do it and I approach a hospital and they agree for a partnership, then why not? I am a walking billboard, a walking radio, a walking TV and all that, saving a whole Sh500,000 for something like that, I would gladly do it.”
Her friend, media personality Willis Raburu, has informed much of her research into weight-loss options.
“One of my friends, Willis Raburu, did a gastric bypass, and we hang out a lot. I have seen what he eats. I have had a lot of conversations around the procedure he did, and I have seen it work for him. Also, so many other Kenyans have talked about it, and it has worked for them.”
Content creator Millicent Chebet Mwangi, who is popularly known as Milly Chebby.
Photo credit: Pool
“I don’t mind more children, and so, when I was doing my research on the kind of procedure I will go for, I ensured that it is also part of my main concerns. The experts have assured me that the procedure is very safe for pregnant women, nursing mothers and all that,” says the mother of one.
Before considering surgery, Milly says she attempted nearly every known method.
“I have tried so many methods. I got haemorrhoids, which were very bad because of skipping meals. I tried the OMAD (One Meal a Day) meal plan. It failed terribly. I have tried talking to a nutritionist, but still, that is not working despite having a single meal. I also tried tablets and I lost some kilos, but after sometimes, the weight came back,” she says.
She goes to the gym, which she says has become more of a mental sanctuary than a weight-loss strategy.
Among her friends, she says there are many who have successfully undergone different weight-loss procedures.
“Some of my friends who have successfully lost massive weight through various procedures include Maureen Waititu, It’s Waithera [Beatrice Waithira], and Pritty Vishy [Purity Vishenwa], among others,” she said.
