Recidivist

Surgery tomorrow guys I’ll let u know if I survive it! Lol

I will have bypass in February 2019 and have about 90 pounds to lose to be at my goal weight. I don't think it's harder for people like us to lose weight--I think that it might just be a bit slower and we won't have spectacular losses in any given month. In the end, we'll all get where we need to be and we'll all be healthier.

Zomg my food funerals now seem outrageous to me. I bought a huge bag of cheezles, three cream bun things and ate them all in the car so my husband wouldn't know. I scoffed down a massive galaxy bar of chocolate and I'm sure I did other stuff too. I thought I'd never be able to eat them again. Now the very idea of doing that seems cray cray to me. I literally don't WANT to eat like that whereas I really thought I'd be suffering not being able to.

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Thanks to all for your advice and insight! I think walking will be my primary form of exercise, but I might try out a gym at some point. To be honest, I've avoided gyms during past diet attempts because my size embarrassed me, but it might be a different experience after losing weight. We'll see!

Thanks to all for your advice and insight! I think walking will be my primary form of exercise, but I might try out a gym at some point. To be honest, I've avoided gyms during past diet attempts because my size embarrassed me, but it might be a different experience after losing weight. We'll see!

It is going to be great. I know this journey has been over six months. I know when I get to my pre op diet, I will be saying I wish it was not quite here yet. Just kidding. Iy will be great because I will get to my surgery and by summer I will have started to look like the stud I know I am. 😂

I quit cold turkey right before I started my pre-op diet. I figured I would do all the hard stuff at the same time.

Well I have a puckish sense of humor. For me if they pressured me, my answer would be "labial reduction "surgery or if I were male " a hair transplant on my scrotum", stun them, shut them up , turn on your heel and leave their mouths gaping open . They don't pay your bills for you, why should they be allowed to live your life for you? None yer Bees-wax, Nosy Parker!

Part of this will be your mindset changing. What you WANT to do physically will shift. For instance, today I deliberately chose the bus rather than other transport, even knowing that would mean a mile walk to the office and then a mile walk back. I also randomly chose to take my dog on a much longer midday walk while on a conference call - altogether I walked 5 miles today, pretty effortlessly.
Before surgery, I would never, ever have done either of those things on a whim. Almost 100 lbs later, it’s just a nonissue.
I will say that you need to figure out your exercise groove. My sister needs to find a gym and sign up for classes, the financial commitment and schedule is what motivates her. Meanwhile I need an open pool pass and opportunistic walking. Neither of our routines would be sustainable or enjoyable for the other.

MikeII, I understand what you are saying--I had certainly not heard about many of the issues that can arise after surgery. (My gastric bypass is scheduled for February 2019.) However, it hasn't caused me to have any doubts. I'm grateful I've found this forum because it will make me better informed about the process and I can hopefully avoid some problems as a result. It's also incredibly reassuring to know that so many people have been through this and are doing well, in spite of a few bumps in the road. I no longer feel so alone!

I'm a newbie here with bypass surgery scheduled for February 2019. Like many of you, I've never been big on exercise, and I know that will become a big part of my life post-surgery. I can definitely commit to walking every day, but I can't see myself going to the gym. Would a brisk walk every day be enough, or is it going to slow my weight loss? I'd appreciate insight from those on the other side!

I was a true couch potato pre surgery. Committing to exercise was a necessary evil that I was not thrilled about. Exercise/activity does not mean you have to step inside a gym. Start slow. Do it even when you don't want to. It gets easier if you make it a habit. You will find you are stronger than you give yourself credit for.
Use your activity/exercise to replace. stress/emotional eating, head hunger or eating out of boredom. Make it a time to process all the changes and mental battles with weight loss. This is the time you carve out for yourself. Don't let anyone interrupt it.
Get zumba videos online and dance your butt off walk and make it about the destination. Take photos. As you get stronger and have more energy challenge yourself to do more. Plan a hike with beautiful views. Make exercise an adventure and not a chore. Buy exercise equipment at a thrift store. (stationary bike, dumbbells or a treadmill) Find your inner bad@ss! You never know where this journey will take you. Who knows how you will feel about exercise six months or a year from now. Many changes coming your way.

It's the only real exercise I can sustainably perform. So it's my main squeeze...
The way I see it is I have to walk in every day life so I'll just lose what I was always going to lose with it (no accelerated weight loss) but if I hit the gym for 18hrs 9 days a week then break my ankle I will gain back the 50 extra lbs I unnaturally lost.
That's my lazy humble opinion.
BUT
strength training will do wonders for the skin/muscle tone and cardio increases endurance. Do what you can, at the pace you can sustain.
Safe Journey 🎈

If you have ANY lactose intolerance, stay away from any protein that contains Protein Concentrate. Find yourself a protein that ONLY has Protein Isolate. Like Isopure for instance. Whey Protein concentrate is exactly what it sounds like, it's a concentrated milk protein, but concentrates do not filter out lactose. Isolates remove most, if not all, lactose.

You are looking at things the wrong way. Saying you'll NEVER be able to do something is wrong... very wrong. Quite a high number of Bypass patients, myself included, have almost no issues with almost all foods. I can eat pretty much what I want at this point, just over 6 months post op. I drink beer, eat sweets, etc. No issues. I had 2 donuts the other day and that made me feel like crap, but no dumping or other issues other than feeling super run down and icky for a few.

If you focus on ways you plan to fail, you will fail.
Focus on the things you can switch out. I'm a huge ice cream guy. I could eat a whole pint and want more. I found Halo Top ice creams, protein, no added sugar, low fat, super low calories and they taste good.

I don't eat white flour anymore, I choose to eat the high grain count stuff or fiberone has an 80 calorie wrap.

Look for the things that you can swap out, and that will satisfy the cravings while still falling inside of your diet restrictions. It's not hard, you just have to do a little bit of work at first.

Revision from Band to Bypass was legit the best thing I've ever done. I'm still dealing with some odd body dysmorphia, I still "feel" fat. Like when I'm not paying attention, my spacial awareness is that of my fat body... but I'm not "fat" anymore, so that's an odd thing to deal with. But it's getting better day by day. I don't have any issues with feeling like I'm missing out on food or anything, we still go out to eat, I just pick better items. Your taste buds will change, some folks they change only for a little while, some, forever. I've lost my craving for super sweet things, for the most part.

With sagging skin, my max weight was 370 and I don't have much sagging skin at all... I've got some, but it's totally hidden with clothing.

The bypass is reversible. It's risky, but it happens. The **ONLY** weight loss surgery that isn't reversible is the sleeve, because the sleeve 90% of your stomach is removed, with the bypass, it's all still there, just shifted around.
The other side is to realize that, food addictions are real, even if you don't believe you are addicted to something, doesn't mean you aren't. Some of it is habit, habits take a minimum of 2 weeks to break.

Why do you want the surgery? You don't have to answer here, but keep that in mind whenever you start to get frustrated or sad at things that... more than likely won't bother you later down the road.

I knew that if I didn't do something to lose the weight, I would be cutting my life MUCH shorter... I don't want to do that to my wife and kids.

I'll tell you this. over 90 lbs dropped since March and I feel fantastic. Food does not drive my life, I still enjoy lots of food items, I can hike without issue, I take several flights of stairs without breaking a sweat, I actually did 8 floors of a Federal Hospital in 1 go, just because I wanted to see if I could do it, and my heart rate got to a whopping 121 bpm. I'm prepping now to climb a mountain.... I wouldn't even have been able to entertain the idea 6 months ago.

It's ok and totally understandable to be afraid, scared and unsure of the future and all the changes that WILL be required with this surgery. But one thing is certain, if someone stays overweight, they are guaranteeing they will have medical issues down the road.

I have been thinking about surgery for years and keep second-guessing myself. Everyone around me says that I just need to "try harder," but I'm the one who has been yo-yo dieting for decades and always gaining the weight back. Unless you have struggled with weight issues yourself, you can't understand what it's like. I finally pulled the trigger and am having gastric bypass in February 2019, and I'm going through with it this time. This is for me, my health and my future, and I don't care what anyone else thinks.

And you now officially had your " Come to Jesus" moment. I was told the same thing, worse when you consider I'm 73. But 4 months ago this Saturday I had my own Winter Wednesday and received an RnY , and my recovery has not been picture- perfect, but it is what it is and I'm still going to gain a total ✌ victory, no matter how long it takes.Don't know if my Weight Road will smooth out soon, but I also would never go back where I started. A wise thought to share:
When life gives you a hundred reasons to break down and cry, show life you have a thousand reasons to smile and laugh. Remain strong!

I'm turning 60 this year and am having bypass in February 2019. The turning point for me was when my primary care doctor told me I likely wouldn't live to see 75 if I didn't do something drastic to get healthy.