# My Weightloss Adventure: the good, the bad and the ugly!



## SlideStop

I had a thread open in about weightlosss surgery in general discussion, but I decided to open up a new diary-type thread! I'll post before and after photos, update on my doctors appointments, weights, experience and I'll post about my weight and food history. 

For anyone who doesn't know I really have my heart set on getting weightlosss surgery to help me lose weight. I feel that I would really be an important adjunt to my diet. I feel that I eat pretty well, but my hunger gets me in trouble! I wish I could be perfectly content with just eating a yogurt, but it just not enough to curb my hunger! I can (as I call it) "5 and 10" diet, but it never really works in the long term because I find myself hungry. I lose 10lbs, gain 5, lose 5, gain 10, lose 15, gain 5.... It's just a roller coaster! 

Yesterday I met with the bariatic coordinater at the hosptal. I'm getting started on my monthly weights! My (future) insurance company needs 6 months of documented weights before they can approve you. My weight yesterday was 246 with cloths on, giving me a BMI of 46. It is possible I could have surgery as soon as this summer! 

Later I will post more about my history and about the surgeon I've chosen! 

Good day everyone, and welcome aboard! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Red Gate Farm

Best of luck with this! I know how hard it is.


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## SlideStop

I have some downtime so I will post a little bit about my history with food: 

I believe my problem started where everyone else's did, as a child. 

This was up until 7:
Growing up we were dirt poor, and I knew it. So poor we frequently didn't have food growing up. When we ate there frequently wasn't enough for everyone to feel satisfied, so when the eating was good I ate as much as I could! My parent also had a very volatile relationship. They fought like cats and dogs... Breaking dishes, flipping wall units and pulling car batteries out, etc. I used to hide in my room and eat dunk-a-roos that I stashed away in my room, which my father would seal by the CASE from work! Eating them helped take my mind off what was going on outside of my bedroom. 

Elementary school:
Eating continued to be my emotional crutch grown up. We moved to my grandparent house when my parents split. I continued to gain weight. I was relentlessly picked on and called "heifer" instead of Heather. I had hardly any friends and it must have been so apparently they would assign me people to play with. My grandfather managed a golf course and country club where I spent A LOT of my time so, of course, there was no shortage of food! My favorite... A dinner roll with bacon. Easy to sneak! Our backyard was really tiny, we lived on a main road with no neighbors, plus I had no friends anyway, so I spent a lot of time 

Middle school:
From there we moved to my current house. I really blossomed! I had made friends, I was able to roller blade, bike, and walk to my friends house. I lost weight... And now that I look back I can actually say that I WAS skinny! I wore a size 6 jeans! I actually found a pair of my favorite recently in the closet and I really wish I could of appreciated it while it lasted!! 

High school: 
Well, totally lost or on the skinny train. I fell into a depression, so bad I was hospitalized for 6 months. The antidepressants made me gain a TON of weight! Almost 50 pounds! I lost many of my friends do to the rumors surrounding my absences and because I had came out as a lesbian. 

Through it all my mother and I haven't had a good relationship, in the slightest! She is still an awful, but functioning alcoholic. She has, and continues to be, physically and emotionally abusive towards me. 

After that it's been all down hill. Poor eating habits, eating out, lack of exercise, excess eating... Just generally not being conscious of what I'm putting into my body. 

If anyone has any please feel free to ask! I'm happy to share!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## greentree

Please don't do this. Please. I don't care what the dr s tell you, it is not good for you. Think about a twisted gut colic in a horse. Same thing. If you do not use your gut, you lose it.


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## SlideStop

This photo is from 2009, aprox 190ish lbs 

This one is 2013, about 230-240lbs 

_Posted via Mobile Device_

This is actually the first time I'm looking at the photos side by side! Wow :shock:


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## SlideStop

greentree said:


> Please don't do this. Please. I don't care what the dr s tell you, it is not good for you. Think about a twisted gut colic in a horse. Same thing. If you do not use your gut, you lose it.


What are you talking about? If you don't don't use it you lose it? One of the surgeries I'm considering does not touch your intestines, they just cut away the large part of your stomach, making it an essential "straight pipe" between your esophagus and small intestine. The other one by passes a small amount of intestine. That part is left behind and continues to produce digestive enzymes that are met with the food in the lower part of the intestines. So long as the blood keeps flowing they "bypassed" part still stay viable. 

I understand there will be pain, and I've heard from people who had it that it's a decent amount the first couple days. No pain, no gain... Or loss. :wink: 

Please, explain more about what you mean.
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## SlideStop

Red Gate Farm said:


> Best of luck with this! I know how hard it is.


Thanks RGF!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## greentree

Several women I know who had this surgery could no longer process any fiber. Once you take the fiber out of your diet, the intestine no longer has to work to digest, and it dies. Just like a horse with a twisted gut.

I was managing a fitness facility at the time. I also had nurses who treated patient's horrible side effects of surgery.

My good friend had a lap band when I met her. She had lost over 150 lbs. She could only eat strained broth-type food, or ice cream. When she ate, my funny , vibrant friend turned dark, as if a black curtain fell over her. I thought it was my imagination at first, but it happened every time. The lower half of her body was numb from having several surgeries to remove the excess skin. Riding was uncomfortable for her because of this.
She had that band removed, and gained a good bit of weight back, then had another, different kind put on. She still ate the same amount, only slower.....so she never lost any weight. She had that one removed, too. I know you are not considering a band, but the root causes are the same.

I have always had a weight problem. I was a fat child. Looking back at pictures, even when I wasn't fat, I had such a horrible image of my body that I always felt fat. 
I have lost 45 lbs over and over. 12 years ago, it became impossible to lose. I was doing everything I did before, and I gained. Then at Thanksgiving last year, I saw a program by dr. David Perlmutter. I read his book, gave up, cold turkey, all sugar and grain. I have been losing a pound a week since then, without being hungry, cranky, or counting anything. I did not add any exercise. If I had known it would be this easy, I could have done it years ago...


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## SlideStop

My goal is to lose 3lbs, minimum, by my next weigh in! I went to the grocery store and bought a ton of veggies and a few pounds of chicken and steamed it all up! Hello lunch and dinner this week. Good thing I don't mind eating the same things over, and over, and over again! Also got my 100 calorie Greek yogurts and my fruit bowl is stocked (kudos to my girlfriends mom for keeping the fruit in stock!). 

Here's a peek inside my lunch box today: 


I've been thinking about what I can do to be more active. I thought maybe I'll do the gym on my days off... But I see how well that's worked in the past (or not)! I really miss having the structure of my rugby team with scheduled practices. So, when I was at my girlfriends roller derby game I thought "hmm, maybe I'll play roller derby!" The recruitment is April 7th! Hopefully I'll get someone to take some photos! Pair that with consistent riding and walking/jogging the trail with my mare and I think that should be enough activity in my life.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## 6th Sense

Sounds like you're on the right course. Good luck with your journey x


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## OutOfTheLoop

You will be amazed at how much weight you could lose by cutting out boxed/canned/ packaged foods. Those veggies sure look good!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop

OutOfTheLoop said:


> You will be amazed at how much weight you could lose by cutting out boxed/canned/ packaged foods. Those veggies sure look good!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I try to do fresh, or if it's prepackaged its usually veggies or something low-calorie, like soup or a healthy choice. I don't usually snack out of a box, mostly on fruit. 

I think one of my biggest problems comes from convience food. It's easier to run out and grab chipotle, or pizza, or just going out to dinner. Like tonight, my girlfriend and I are doing 12 hour shifts tonight. We don't want to cook and we don't want to do dishes, so will probably go out. 

I'm hoping this changes when we get our new apartment in May! I'll be able to choose what food I keep on my house, pre make meals and I'm sure my GF and I will be saving money sooo no more going out!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## OutOfTheLoop

You can eat healthy going out too! Hubby munches on steak and fries and I chow down on my grilled chicken ceaser salad or grilled chicken and steamed veggies .
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop

OutOfTheLoop said:


> You can eat healthy going out too! Hubby munches on steak and fries and I chow down on my grilled chicken ceaser salad or grilled chicken and steamed veggies .
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I try :lol: sometimes I feel like I need to "get my money's worth" when I go out to eat. Plus sometimes salad vs a cheeseburger.... Yeah I'm powerless. I'm happy to say that I don't drink my calories, I'll ask for veggies instead of fries, and I'll skip on the bun. At chipotle (a Mexican place) I don't get rice, and the only carb I get in the corn. 

Tonight the GF wants to go to sushi. It's going to be difficult to watch her having "all you can eat" deliciousness while I eat like a human. BUT I did good today so I want to keep up on my roll! Today I MIGHT go to bed a winner!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop

16,789 steps at work today! Or, according to my iPhone 8.28 miles!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ShadowKnight

Congrats on the steps! Just keep it up, it'll get easier!


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## Saddlebag

Go easy on the fruit as it's full of sugars. A good variety of veggies is good along with 3 oz of meat. Eat your dinner in the morning to better get you thro the day and have your breakfast at suppertime. We don't need the heavy meal at night as we're not doing as much as during the day.


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## waresbear

Saddlebag, naturally occurring sugar is not the same as processed sugar, not even close. To break down the sugar in a fruit, your body has to work, it actually burns calories breaking down that fruit.


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## waresbear

To illustrate this, take sugar and put it in a bowl of water and get it to dissolve, takes no effort at all, same thing with corn syrup, etc. Now take a bunch of strawberries, put them in a bowl of water, use a masher or whatever, try and get that to dissolve, takes a lot effort and you won't get it to dissolve. Same thing happens in your digestive system, cool huh?


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## SlideStop

I probably should be eating more veggies since they are lower in calories then fruit, but I'm not to concerned about it for two reasons: 1. I really don't eat much of it. Maybe two pieces a day? One with breakfast and one for snack. Today I had a banana for breakfast and packed 3 very small clementines, which I didn't have much of a chance to eat. And number 2. It better then snacking on crap.... Like I did today. They had lunch catered from Panara Bread today. I only had half a sandwich and some salad with light dressing BUT then I ate a chocolate chip cookie... Then another! :shock: I saw how many calories they were and I was shocked. I wish I would have known before consuming them! I probably would have thought twice about that. 

In better news... One month until I move into my own place! Can't wait to stock my own refrigerator and cook my own food! Best part of all I won't have to worry about what food I have where. I'll have ONE home base! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## greentree

Hey, slidestop....check out the post from yesterday on wheatbellyblog.com!! You may have to click on "blog" to get there.


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## SlideStop

greentree said:


> Hey, slidestop....check out the post from yesterday on wheatbellyblog.com!! You may have to click on "blog" to get there.


http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2015/04/an-astounding-chronicle-of-a-wheat-belly-transformation/

Are you talking about this one? 

It says she lost 70lbs in 2 months... I find that awfully fishy. Then she gained 10 back because she ate the bun of a burger? 

...and wait listed for years for bypass surgery? Doubtful. Maybe for a transplant of some sort, but I HIGHLY doubt she had to wait years just go get an appointment to see the surgeon. 

This story seems a bit off to me.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## greentree

I read it that she lost 70 lbs in about 4 months....she started the journal 2 months in. 18 lbs a month is not unrealistic for morbidly obese. 
She lives in Canada....I have heard it is difficult to get elective surgery in their healthcare system.

Sorry, I thought maybe I could help, but I believe your endorphins are not allowing you to see the whole picture (like love is blind), so I will bow out!


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## SlideStop

I can't see the whole picture? Quiet the contrary, I've put a fair amount of thought into this. To be honest, I HATE HATE HATE needles, I'd say it's a phobia. If I was really really sick I don't know what I would do. I would lose my marbles if I had to have 9/10th of the procedures I see in the hosptital. I really don't want to have surgery or be in the hosptal for any reason. 

As for the blog post, I reread it, and your right it was over a longer amount of time. I have no doubts that cutting out carbs helps people lose weight. What I'm pretty skeptical of is the fact like this guy has something to sell. I'm sure there are people who haven't had any success following his fad diet, just like surgery patients. 

Also, I don't know how realistic it is for me to 100% cut carbs out of my life. Maybe I can do it for a short while, but there is no way I could live the rest of my life not eating another carb again.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop

I found a few photos of my skinnier days! I was probably between 14-16 



In this photo I was 19, around 200-210

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## Saddlebag

Waresbear, the stomach doesn't contain water but acid which breaks down foods. I'm going by what a doctor said, didn't just make this up. Refined sugars enter the blood stream faster whereas fruit with fiber is slower. This is why diabetics have to monitor their intake of fruits and refined sugars.


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## Saddlebag

Greentree, surgeries in Canada are based on priority but here the patient has to lose 75lbs first following their diet so the patient realizes major changes in eating habits are a must both before and after surgery. It's not about a quick fix, drop a few hundred pounds then gain a bunch of it back. It's supposed to be a lifetime commitment. Because people eat themselves into obesity the risks for these surgeries gets to the point that it's highly risky. Too often diabetes has entered the picture which increases risk.


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## blueriver

Weight loss is hard and Kudo's to you for taking the first step!! I'm a male and just last year the Dr. made it clear that I needed to shed 40-50 lbs ... get off the HBP pills as well as the cholesterol meds.

I was 6'2 and 275 lbs with a belly ... he informed me that the belly fat for men was a big problem ... Today I'm 6'2 and 230 ... still some belly!! Med Free!!!!!!

Here's what I did. No seconds and do not think you have to clean your plate!! My wife is 5'9 and 125 so I asked her to feed me like she was feeding herself... also .. leave the 4 wheeler and the gator in the shed ... WALK !!!!!

Just sayin!!!


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## cowgirllinda1952

I too plan to have a gastric bypass between now and summer. I have already been approved. I have many health problems that will be greatly improved by this. I will be going to UTMB in Galveston, TX. The best of luck to you


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## waresbear

Saddlebag said:


> Waresbear, the stomach doesn't contain water but acid which breaks down foods. I'm going by what a doctor said, didn't just make this up. Refined sugars enter the blood stream faster whereas fruit with fiber is slower. This is why diabetics have to monitor their intake of fruits and refined sugars.


Well I am going by what a trainer & nutritionist showed me, and explained, demonstrated, in detail. In fact he studied nutrition for athletes for 5 years. I was lucky enough to be invited to his private MMA gym for two months when he was visiting here for a summer. Everything he taught and showed me worked. I am well into my 50's and I am have a toned, muscular body, so I get results from what I was taught. But do whatever works for you.


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## Mingiz

I have fought weigh issues all my life. I started taking a diet supplement called Infinity V3 Max. The biggest thing with it is drink a lot of water and eat protein. I have been on it for 3 months now. I have energy and though I haven't loss a lot of weight with it but I have loss inches. I can eat what I want but in moderation. It had changed my carvings for sweets and I haven't had fast food in months. I was a sweet tea junky. Now I rarely touch tea. I'm in my 60's I can't exercise as I would like due to knee issues and sciatica. I do use the Wii fitness and the Big Brother Will game. They do help. Just a thought on maybe trying it. I started at 230 I'm down to 217 without really trying. :wink:


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## Saddlebag

Blueriver, my father was 6'3 and kept his weight around 200. He had to wear suits, and had to have them made. He felt he couldn't afford a new suit because he'd gained some weight. He could feel the diff at 210 and would go on his version of a diet. He'd put his usual amount of supper on his plate then put 1/4 of each back. Same with desert. Usually within two weeks he was back to where his suits no longer felt snug. Our mother was 5'6", 121 lbs when they married, and 5 kids later and more years she weighed 123. We lived in two story homes and a basement and she always ran the stairs going up, never walked them.


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## SlideStop

Blueriver, to bad my girlfriend is only slightly smaller then I am! I really wish I could do that with my sister, but our schedules totally don't mesh. Right now I don't have any hypertension, hyperlipemia or diabetes, but I'm not fooling myself here... It's a matter of time!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Le007

This is not aimed at the OP, just a general statement and my opinion. 

There have been great strides in bariatric surgeries but there are still great risks. I won't bore you w/details. 
I know quite a few friends that have had these surgeries and what I have witnessed from them range from - 1. overeating is a form of addiction, some move on to other addictive things. 2. they aren't suddenly happy - they still see themselves as fat, still feel fat, still have the same habits and mental conditioning. (because they have lost weight and the surgery is working- they soon begin skipping the therapy that was included with their surgeries.) 
3. More than 50% of them have gained all the weight back after 5 yrs. - That therapy thing I mentioned... they stopped going and didn't learn how to deal with their new bodies, therefore the old problems are still there. 
4. Repeated infections, gastric problems, MRSA, skin and hair problems, organ damage.. 
5. Lastly, they don't enjoy food anymore. I find the last one unacceptable. 
I am 60 lbs overFAT. There, I said it. After a lifetime in the fitness industry, and working hard to keep my heredity from catching up with me - I needed a knee replacement. I had complications from it and 2yrs later I am really overweight. I make no excuses, it's my fault! Yes, I have family w/big butts and large bones but it's all on me. I am walking again, eating fresh foods (no processed anything) and getting my butt back in shape. 
This is just my opinion but I've seen it all in my former career- Hard work, determination and eating correctly is the answer. If all these other things really worked LIFELONG -- Insurance companies would be all over it because it would save them millions!


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## SlideStop

So, I weighed in today, only lost 2.5 pounds, but I've had several comment that I look like I lost weight. 

I switched over to working nights now so my schedule has been a bit wacky. I've been eating one to many deli sandwiches. On the bright side, I'm eating dinner/lunch as my first meal, then lunch/dinner (I usually just get two deli sandwiches) and then I'm not hungry for "breakfast". So I've definitely been eating less. Even when I'm at home staying awake all night I notice I'm not as hungry. Then there are some days where I want to transition to days so I get off work at 8am, sleep til 1 and get up skip lunch (to busy for lunch!) have dinner and go to bed. 

Over all I'd say that I'm not eating better, just less. Don't get me wrong, I'm trying to avoid crap still though!!Sunday we move into our new apartment and I'll be grocery shopping for myself! No more eating out or eating things because it what someone else made for dinner! 

I think one of the reasons people are seeing a difference is because I've been a lot more active. My mare came back from vacation so I've been dedicated to working with her everyday! Usually I lunge her, take her on longs walks down the road or through the trails, or do short rides on her. Then I have to clean up after her everyday and I'm usually doing "extras" like raking out rocks or moving hay around). Plus, at work I'm always on the go running from room to room. Doing patient care can be labor intensive! :lol: 

Unfortunately the roller derby thing didn't work out! I was working on the night they had tryouts, plus I'm not sure I have the time to dedicate two nights a week to playing. I'll stick to my horsey stuff!!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop

Also, I wonder what the statistics are for people who regain weight after loose weight "naturally". Surely it cannot be a purely surgical weightloss thing. I know I've been loosing weight and gaining weight for years. And I feel like it comes back with a vengeance, slightly more then my original weight when I started.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Kotori

SlideStop said:


> Also, I wonder what the statistics are for people who regain weight after loose weight "naturally". Surely it cannot be a purely surgical weightloss thing. I know I've been loosing weight and gaining weight for years. And I feel like it comes back with a vengeance, slightly more then my original weight when I started.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Well,I don't have anything to back this claim up, but I think that unless the weight is lost slowly, the body goes into starvation mode to try an prevent the weight loss. 

If your metabolism is slow, your metabolism is slow. you can't loose 20lbs then go back to how you were eating before and expect it to stay off (Not actually aimed at you, but just in general). I think people hit their weightloss goals then just stop.


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## Saddlebag

This is why my father cut his calories some, not drastic. He was aware of the stats of the weight gains following too few calories. In Canada, gastric surgery seems to be the preferred surgery for weight loss, but before it's done, the patient has to lose 75 lbs, not just to lose the weight but to establish new eating habits. This often takes about 6 mos or so.


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## tinyliny

Saddlebag said:


> This is why my father cut his calories some, not drastic. He was aware of the stats of the weight gains following too few calories. In Canada, gastric surgery seems to be the preferred surgery for weight loss, but before it's done, the patient has to lose 75 lbs, not just to lose the weight but to establish new eating habits. This often takes about 6 mos or so.


the kind of management of food that you are describing is something that "normal" eaters can do , normally. folks , like me, who have an addictive relationship with food, struggle mightily with this. the whole bit of advice we often get of "just make food less important", or 'just cut down a little bit on each thing you eat", is a bit like telling a drug addict, "just use less heroin". 

I am sure that even with gastric bypass, or without it for that matter, a compulsivce overeater and one who is obese and has spent a lifetime being overweight cannot just "cut a little out" and make that work. 
maybe the OP can, but I have never been able to do that. if I could, I would have LONG ago.

the only way I have ever been able to find any kind of tenuous balance with food is abstaining entirely from some foods, and finding those that I can eat without having to weigh or limit or account for every bite.

so, abstain from sugar, for example, but allow any an all vegetable or fruit consumption without any kind of mental restriction. and, abstaining from bread or any kind of wheat product, like noodles, crackers and such, has also been very freeing. 

however, it's an all or nothing thing. and for an addict, this is a country we know all too well.


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## carshon

My older sister had lap band surgery about 4 years ago. She lost 135 lbs. She has also had 2 very major health scares because of the band. She was told by her Dr that the by-pass surgery is not a healthy alternative and that the thought process behind the band is that is can be filled or unfilled depending on the persons weight. Once with a severe bought of the flu her band slipped and cut off her stomach flow to her intestines - she became septic and was in the hospital for about a week. The second time the band slipped as well and she had severe abdominal pains. As another poster said over eating is an addiction - my sister still over eats and this causes "dumping" - she can still eat a large amount just does it slower. 

My mother had by pass surgery 25 years ago and has problems with fiber and meat - they fill her up and cause her to use the rest room - quickly.

I am over weight and because of what I have seen in my own family have opted to not have any surgeries.

I would also say that you may not "bounce" back to riding as quickly as you think. My sister is an air traffic controller (sits at a desk all day) and was off of work for 8 weeks.

There are no quick fixes in weight loss - surgery seems like the easy way out and that is not always the case. Educate yourself (as it seems you are doing) and make the best choice for you.


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## SlideStop

Surgery certainly isn't the easy way out. It's not a quick fix and the end all be all to weight loss. It certainly doesn't come with its associated risks and complications!! 

I'm sorry to hear about your sisters complications! I hear may people have complications with the band, including a good friend of mine. I certain I don't want the band. 

On the flip side, there are also complications that come from being 135 pounds over weight!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ASLacey

I (re)joined Weight Watchers three weeks ago ... down just over 10 pounds so far. Feels good ... I want to keep this up. I've wanted to lose weight forever (and have in past, only to have regained it, ugh) ... but my motivation right now is that I'm riding and older horse and I know that the easier I am to carry, the easier it will be on him.


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