Larry Martinez knew he needed to lose weight when he could no longer hunt with his sons like he used to, and a doctor refused to perform back surgery until he weighed less.

Martinez retired from the Prescott Police Department in April 2001 after he injured his leg. Over the next few years, he gained weight as walking became more painful. At one point, Martinez weighed 314 pounds, his diabetes worsened, and his back problems increased.

"I knew I needed to do something," said Martinez, who now works for the Yavapai County Public Defender's Office. "I wanted to have better health and be around for my two sons."

One of Martinez's sons attends college at Northern Arizona University and the other serves in the Marine Corps in Afghanistan.

Martinez, a Prescott native, chose gastric bypass surgery at Flagstaff Medical Center's Bariatric Surgical Program. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery recently named Flagstaff Medical Center's program a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. The long-term evaluation focused on processes, equipment, supplies, training, patient support, weight loss after surgery and resolution of other weight-related health concerns, said Starla Collins, media relations coordinator for Flagstaff Medical Center.

In Arizona, there are four Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence - Flagstaff Medical Center, St. Luke's Medical Center in Phoenix, Scottsdale Healthcare - Shea Campus, and Northwest Medical Center in Tucson - according to the Surgical Review Corp. website.

The Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation allows Medicare patients who have been approved as candidates for weight-loss surgery to receive covered treatment in those programs, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid website.

Since 2004, nearly 500 people have had weight-loss surgery under the Flagstaff Medical Center's bariatric surgery program, Collins said. Twenty-four people have come from the Prescott area, Collins said.

"I needed something that was going to be permanent," Martinez said. "I looked into three different programs at other hospitals, but none seemed right. This one did."

Three months after Martinez's surgery, he and his son were out hiking when his son exclaimed, "Dad, you're out hiking with me." That made Martinez's day.

A few weeks ago, Martinez and his son were out looking for javelina.

"A year and a half ago, I wouldn't have been able to get around like that," Martinez said.

The gastric bypass surgery Martinez chose after talking with his doctor provides the greatest weight loss over the least amount of time, Collins said.

"I wanted to see the weight loss quickly, so it would help me stick with it," Martinez said.

A gastric bypass divides the stomach into smaller upper and larger lower pouches, then reconnects the small intestine to both pouches. A person who has this procedure eats less because of the smaller stomach. Patients also absorb fewer nutrients from their food, so they need to take multivitamins for the rest of their life after the surgery.

Martinez said he doesn't mind taking his multivitamins twice a day.

"Once you get into the routine, it's not a big consideration," Martinez said. "It's not a big deal as taking as much insulin as I used to."

Before the bariatric surgery, Martinez took between 80 and 100 units of insulin a day divided into four injections. A year after his surgery, Martinez, who lost 147 pounds, takes five units of insulin a day in one injection. Martinez said a month after his surgery, he only needed two insulin injections a day.

After the surgery, Martinez changed his eating habits and his portion size. Each day, he eats a fruit cup and oatmeal for breakfast, a light midmorning snack, a salad for lunch, a light afternoon snack, soup or meat and mashed potatoes for dinner, and a light snack before bed.

Now, when Martinez eats the Mexican food he loves, he'll have one soft taco and very small portion of refried beans.

Martinez said he makes sure he eats enough protein and drinks a protein shake each day.

"Having the gastric bypass surgery was the best decision I ever made," Martinez said.

Once the weight started coming off, Martinez found it much easier to walk and exercise. Now, Martinez exercises on one of his machines at home in the morning, and walks at work and later in the evening.

That, along with Martinez's weekend hiking and hunting, has helped him get into such good shape that he also works security at Prescott High School football, volleyball and girls' basketball games.

"The weight I'm at now is what I weighed when I got out of the Marine Corps," Martinez said.

Martinez said he recommends the Flagstaff Medical Center's Bariatric Surgery Center to anyone considering the procedure.

"The first thing I'd tell a person is to do it for the right reason - for yourself," Martinez said.

Martinez said it took him two years to before he sought out the procedure. He'd attended seminars in Phoenix at different centers about the surgery, but they didn't seem right.

When Martinez took his wife to Flagstaff Medical Center's Bariatric Surgical Program to meet Dr. Robert A. Berger, she told him she'd support his decision.

"Most patients research and consider bariatric surgery for two years before they have the surgery," Berger said. "The main reason we do the surgery is to treat other health issues the patient has. For Larry, that included his diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, and lower back pain."

Martinez started the program, and for 6 months he went on a doctor-supervised weight loss regime.

During that time, the doctor evaluated his other health issues; he started physical therapy; and he met with a psychologist to make sure he was emotionally and physically ready to make the needed changes.

He also talked at length with the nurses and participated in group sessions.

"They educate you a lot about the decision you're making and what you need to do during and afterwards," Martinez said.

Dr. Berger and Dr. Andrew Aldridge performed Martinez's surgery together. Martinez's surgery went well and followed the standard course, Berger said.

After the surgery, Martinez walked around, Berger said. The next morning doctors checked the connections and Martinez started a liquid diet. Doctors and medical staff observed Martinez for one more day and then he went home, Berger said.

Martinez said six friends had bariatric surgery, so they check with each other when they have questions. He also said his family has been very supportive.

After the surgery and his large weight loss, Martinez had no need for back surgery.

Since the surgery, Martinez has dropped clothes sizes three times.

"The first time I bought a lot of clothes, but after that I just bought enough to get by," Martinez said.

People who haven't seen him in a few years do a double-take, Martinez said.

"Some people have told me, 'I should know you. I don't recognize you, but I know your voice,'" Martinez said.

In October, Martinez had a problem not connected to his weight-loss surgery in which paramedics airlifted him to the hospital for treatment during the first day of an elk hunt with this son.

"I urged my son to get his elk and then meet me at the hospital," Martinez said. "When I was released from the hospital, we drove back in, and I killed my elk. The next week, I got my deer and he got his deer."

Martinez said he had weight-loss surgery to let him do things with his sons again, and he won't let anything slow him down.