I started my required 6month doc/dietician supervised diet 2 weeks ago. I joined my fitness pal .com to help me with it (I learned about that site on here). So far I have lost 11#s and have looked on their community and seen soo many success stories..now I am having doubts about the surgery. Can I do it on my own? If I can, would it last? What if I go thru all this pre-op stuff and back out because of this calorie counter...and if that fails, I would have wasted all my effort toward getting surgery.. I wish this was easier and less confusing. Anyone else go thru this?

I knew when I started my 6 month prep, that it wouldn't last. I had 20 years of failed diets in the past. To be honest I did not try very hard during my 6 months that if I lost too much weight, I would go below the qualifications. Look back in your past, how low did your dieting last and what happened. I knew that I had to do the surgery, it was the only way for me to become healthy. I have not regrets. I did lose a few pounds during that stage but after surgery I have lost over 40 pounds. I could have never done that with dieting and keep it off forever.

I too have done years of diets and each and every one I lost but gained right back. I have never been more motivated to lose since I got the sleeve. I use to think I could do it on my own but quickly learned I was wrong. Don't doubt yourself!

Honestly you have to make the decision which way you want to proceed.

Personally losing the weight can be done. The statistics out there state that only 5% of people who lose the weight are able to maintain the weight loss over time. Losing is easier than maintaining in my books. I have had troubles with maintenence and always end up gaining the weight back and some extra. For me I want help with the losing and mostly the maintaining of the loss.

Hope you can figure out what is best for you.

Only you know you. For me it boiled down to not trusting myself to continue, especially when life threw me one of its wonder surprises!

I had a lifetime of failed diets to prove to myself that I need more than a diet to win this battle.