I'm Curious...I have been reading many posts lately from people stating how much weight they have been loosing prior to having their surgery.....how succesful and proud of themselves they are...

One person reported how much weight they have lost, how much they love to go to the gym, and stated that food has no control over them.....they are in control!!!

Another poster was bragging...and rightfully so, how they have lost over 70 lbs so far, prior to getting their surgery date...and there have been many others.

I'm curious, if people are that successful and motivated, why go through something as drastic as surgery???

For me, it was a last resort, I could not loose weight on my own or take control over my eating. I even screwed up and failed at my required 6 month Dr. supervised diet...I think if I had lost 70 lbs on my pre-op diet, my Insurance co. would have said...... "See? You CAN do it...you don't need surgery..."

So WLS was not a reward for me for doing do well, it was a last resort because I was such a failure....a glutton and food slob....with one foot in the grave. I had no other alternative. Believe me, if I didn't need it I would not put up with something wrapped around my stomach, connected to something that sticks out like a large tumor on my belly....and the scars...and the fears of complications in the future.....no sir...it was not something I liked doing, and would not have if I had any choice....but I had no alternative.

...

I wonder, if people do so well without surgery, what are they hoping to achieve with surgery??? What would their expectations be? What are the hoping for in addition to what they are already achieving on their own ??

I wish I never had to resort to surgery...I wish I had the motivation and self control to do it on my own, sadly I did not...

But yet, every day there are posts with people stating how great they are doing pre-op....

In the back of my mind I'm thinking that one's success is determined by how much in a need you are for solution? How desperate you are? Literally Life or Death? Enough to fully commit through the good and bad to get it at all costs? Literally (for me) it was Do or Die ???

May be nothing...just something on my mind...all I do know is, I would not have gone through all this if I did not need it....and if I did not need it, how committed would I have been to sacrifice and succed? And if I did not show some level of commitment and need, would my PCP even refer me in the first place? Would I have passed the Physc. Eval? Would my Surgeon agree to do the procedure and take me on as a patient????

So when I read posts about people loosing 70lbs + without surgery, and stating they have complete control over food, I have to ask myself WHY??? Why are you here??? Why alter you digestive system with surgery???

It's 4:30 am and I just ranting along with my morning coffee before I go to the gym when they open at 5....

Amen to the " it doesn't last" part. Been there done that.

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Yep.....I think we all have. For me, WLS was my last resort; certainly not my first

I think for some people , the drastic weight loss prior to surgery is the "pre reward" before the lap band. The mind set is in order for me to get the surgery to control my bad eating habits I have to lose a little weight. A 2 week liquid diet is the helper. Trust and believe I am soooo not looking forward to that liquid phase. I know I will drop some weight and I will be happy and I'll probably ask myself "do you think you could have done this on your own?" I already know the answer......NO! I wouldn't be here if I could.

I'm like Bandista. I'm tall and can camouflage my weight. I too am suffering from obesity ills. We all know what yo-yo dieting can do to the heart. I don't want to die early from being fat, or yo-yo dieting adding extra stress to my heart.

Oh and extra plus....I spent 12 years in the Army 1 yr as a Drill Sgt. So what's MY excuse? Child bearing, civilian life and desk jobs have made me a little lazy and depressed with the weight I've gained. We all have our ills.

Much Love Starfish

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Your post was spot on! Its calories in vs calories out...we all know that.

As I was looking through my VFW magazine the other day, and then looked at other Veterans mailers/flyers I get, I discussed with a co-worker this exact thing. SO many of us have been "fit" before in our lives....maybe we were in some organization that "made" us stay in shape, then when we are no longer "required" to do the exercise/PT, we don't change our eating habits. Take a look at the size of most of the folks in those magazines....it'll be evident.

I could diet on my own like most everyone...for the short term. Done it many times. Then get lazy, relaxed, whatever. Right back to the poor eating habits (several large plates of food) and lack of exercise....and gain back more than I lost. Thats why I needed WLS...for the long term.

And a little NSV for me today...I put on my Class A jacket....AND IT FIT! First time in 20 years!

Woooooowwww Catfish!!! And a big ole Hooah!!!! To YOU!!!! That's a NSV to be proud of! :-)

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