This is what I'm trying anyone have any thoughts or ideas let me know I need help with a good meal plan

.....Basically I've been trying to knock a nail in the wall without the hammer - so, I'm headed to Mexico to get my "hammer" - yes I know REALLY bad analogy but you catch my drift I hope.

Great analogy.

As feedyoureye said, so many folks always say they wish they had done it sooner. Me too. Yeah I tried everything, but I wasn't trying anything that had a chance in hell of working. When I went down my WLS path, I had my eyes opened. That 6 months I spent with the NUT really lit a fire in me....and educated me on how much time and effort I had wasted on fad diets, extreme measures silly games.

I wish I could have gone down this path 20 years ago because honestly in all that time nothing I attempted ever had a chance. It was all just recycled versions of the same pipe dream.

"recycled versions of the same pipe dream"

Very well put !!

And it's a multi billion dollar industry - enticing people like us who have tried everything and just want to believe that something actually works. Shudder to think how much money I dropped over the years

.......Shudder to think how much money I dropped over the years

...and the time waisted!...Can you imagine the things all us fat folks could have invented, funded, and got on with if we wern't

running with stupid diets again and again and again...... without success?

4 days on my diet and I've lost 7 pounds and it took me a year and a half to get to this point I am mind over matter and it feels so good

OMG YOU LOST 7 POUNDS IN 4 DAYS? How amazing are you? At that rate you're gonna lose 50 pounds in a month!

Mind over matter, dang! I could have been at goal already.

Edited December 24, 201312 yr by DonRodolfo

4 days on my diet and I've lost 7 pounds and it took me a year and a half to get to this point I am mind over matter and it feels so good

Well that's impressive - but you're on the wrong forum, you should post on the "Mind Over Matter Weight Loss" website ....... (personally, I'll stick with the sleeve thanks - jeeesh)

I don't see any reason to make fun of this person. People have to come to this in their own time. You have ALL been there... I know I have been, so, show some compassion. If she needs us for our experienced support, she is welcome here now or in the future.

I don't see any reason to make fun of this person. People have to come to this in their own time. You have ALL been there... I know I have been, so, show some compassion. If she needs us for our experienced support, she is welcome here now or in the future.

Well said feedyoureye. The person who posted this is not trying look down on anyone who's had surgery. She stated that it's just not affordable for her at this time. I know I wouldn't be able to afford the surgery if my insurance didn't cover the majority of it. She came here looking for advice. If you don't have anything constructive it's not that hard to move on to the next post.

I'm still considering the surgery so this is the right place for me your rude comments show that you're just a negative person and I hope the best for you. I want to thank all of you again everyone's stories are inspirational, yes the money is the biggest problem right now I am trying to get my tribal insurance coverage on board to add wls to it and or just get the tribe to pay for mine if not I'll have to start saving. The whole idea I had was a test to see how much weight I could lose I'm basically on the Atkins diet and doing some exercise and I'm down 10 pounds I actually have to lose 15 more before I have the surgery I don't think the weight will drop as fast as it did the first week I quit drinking soda pop all I drink now is water crystal light and a little milk and of course my shakes I'm eating healthy choices no breads noodles or rice yes it's a little hard but if I want to make a lifestyle change it has to start with me before I'll have the surgery or I will end up eating unhealthy food post surgery.. My cousins had this done in June and they lost a lot of weight but they still make very very unhealthy choices they drink soda and eat lots of sugary foods and breads witch I think they should stay away from now one is not losing much weight and I believe that is because she's eating everything she should not and it's an everyday thing. Anyway I appreciate all of your nice comments and hopefully by the end of this year or before I'll have the surgery paid for and or already have it done

rude comments

Maccurdyerica

I really really don't think anyone meant to be mean/or rude

they are just saying their experiences/situations that losing weight is very hard

people ask me what is my plan i follow with the sleeve

i tell them basically the plan is everything a "normal" person should be doing

drinking lots of Water, exercising, eating much smaller amounts, be aware of what you are eating

not a bad idea for all to keep track of their eating

no real secret "diet" here

but..........after you lose the weight Maccu - the sleeve continues to "help" you

you need to continue all the "rules" for the rest of your life

I "think" everyone is just trying to explain "nicely" to you that they/i have lost weight all our lives - just to regain it

the maintenance part of the sleeve can be/is very hard

but it can be just as hard reaching goal with a regular diet - hopefully not regaining

after all my years of yo-yoing - the sleeve was my last resort because i couldn't keep it off

again saying the sleeve is not magic in itself

i will always have to work with the "assistance" of the sleeve to never, ever regain!!!!

i feel since i had the sleeve/and i will continue to follow the rules, i won't regain

for my healths and my sake, i can't afford to gain

if/when you lose the 100 lbs you want to - good for you

good luck with all

happy holidays

kathy

Edited December 24, 201312 yr by proudgrammy

... If we put our minds into something we can do just about anything that's what I've always been told ...

I figured out that if I follow this diet plan I can lose just as much as anyone else but I'll be happy if I reach my personal goal.

The veterans in this thread who have shared their experiences with you have sacrificed so much in their lives, trying to lose weight and have endured immeasurable hardships to get to the point where they are today. They have families that have sufferered alongside of them in their journey. These people who have shown concern for you and have taken time out of their lives to advise you are supposed to be okay with you saying "if you just put your mind into something you can do just about anything" and "If I follow this diet plan I can lose as much as anyone else"? Do you not see how insulting this is? You don't understand why people are being hostile or negative towards you?

I understand you can't afford the surgery right now. In the meantime do a lot of reading, ask a lot of questions, adjust your attitude and don't assume for a second you know something about losing weight that we don't. We've been where you are, but you don't know what you think you do about where we are. Lastly, if you want things sugar-coated for you this is probably not a good place for you.

Edited December 25, 201312 yr by DonRodolfo

I can speak from experience about this. I had lap band surgery over 3 years ago and had many complications with it. I had it removed in October of 2013. Originally my doctor was going to do the sleeve at the same time, but there was too much fat around my liver to do it safely.

My doctor put me on the pre op diet and told me I had to lose 50 pounds before he would do the sleeve surgery. I lost 16 pounds the first week on it, but the longer you are on it the slower you lose it because your body goes into starvation mode. It took me a little over 8 weeks to lose the 50 pounds, but it was worth it. In total I was on nothing but liquid for almost 11 weeks. It is not something that I would recommend as it is very emotionally draining. I had my sleeve surgery on December 10 and as of December 23 I was down 28 more pounds.

I wish it were that easy. No disrespect intended, just being honest.

.........

...... I lost 16 pounds the first week on it, but the longer you are on it the slower you lose it because your body goes into starvation mode. It took me a little over 8 weeks to lose the 50 pounds, but it was worth it. In total I was on nothing but liquid for almost 11 weeks.......

And it's not just that you're going into starvation mode. When we suddenly cut calories (which will mean we cut carbs as well) our bodies begin using up our stored glycogen reserves. It takes a tremendous amount of Water to metabolize these reserves, which is why that first 10-15 pounds can come off so quickly and easily. It's mostly water weight. Once it's gone, then the body has to metabolize fat which takes some real effort and time.

So when people like the OP lose XX amount of pounds within just a few days, it's not fat that's being lost....not much of it. It's also partly why so many "normal" people think we can lose all our weight without WLS. Because they've lost that 10-15 pounds so easily many times. They don't realize they didn't lose much fat just water. They also don't realize that they couldn't have kept going so easily.

Can anything be added to this? Well, I'll try.

The closest approximation I think there is to the first 4-6 weeks of WLS is the liquid diet Optifast. I was on this for about 10-12 weeks. You are basically taking in all of your nutrition through Protein shakes, no more than about 170 calories each, 5 times per day.

You have to find that resolve within yourself and your stomach does shrink a little. After the first few days, it becomes a new normal.

The problem is that whenever you get to the end point (either because you've lost the weight, or because your mind over matter cracks a little) you can easily get back to where you were.

I lost 28 pounds in my time on Optifast. In the 8 weeks since WLS, I've lost about 40.

The best way to do Optifast is to lose all of the weight, however long that takes, and then ease back into eating small meals. They don't have you concentrate on exercise at first, merely on following the plan. So sure, some people do lose massive amounts of weight this way and keep it off. But most don't.

For me the big difference with the sleeve is that I simply can't say, "Forget it! I'm going to eat a whole…" and do it. I am sure that there will be different things I can eat over time that I can't now, but the physical restriction is important. So too is that mental edge. I went there. I had WLS, and I don't want to screw it up.

Just my 2 cents. If someone can do it by following the plan, fine. Most can't.

Does anyone know how I can get this done ASAP I really want to lose weight and have the sleeve, what doctor in Mexico is good and cheap I've heard some bad stories but I can't afford anything up here. My tribal insurance won't add wls to their coverage and won't pay for the surgery I need help.