Queensland MP George Christensen goes under the knife
MP George Christensen urges young Australians to address their weight problems before it's too late. Photo: Facebook
Liberal National MP George Christensen is urging Australians to tackle obesity early after going under the knife to lose weight.
The Liberal National backbencher said on his Facebook page on Tuesday night he is recovering after having 85 per cent of his stomach removed in a bid to lose more than half his 175.9-kilogram pre-surgery weight.
“Now I can only eat small portions not exceeding about five semi-heaped tablespoons of food at any given time,” Mr Christensen says in the post, which features of photo of him in a hospital bed after having undergone sleeve gastrectomy.
“It’s radical but good health is worth it and I have not been the picture of good health in a long time.”
He said he has already lost 5kg and his healthy weight should be about 80kg.
The MP said he feared his obesity would trigger a by-election.
Mr Christensen is now restricted to eating small portions of no more than five heaped tablespoons of food at any one time.
He urged others, especially young people struggling with weight problems, to avoid unhealthy lifestyles.
“Can I encourage those who find themselves putting on weight, particularly at a younger age, to do something about the problem now rather than reaching the point I did where it was near past no return in terms of sorting it out by exercise and diet,” he said.
“I’m determined to make the best of the new internal system by eating right and, once the stomach has fully healed, exercising regularly.”
– With AAP.