Hey! I'm currently 18 will be turning 19 in the summer. I've been heavy all my life and I'm at my heaviest now. I believe I'm around 285-300lb. I started college last fall and gain a lot of weight after moving away from home and living in residence here. I'm hungry and tired all the time. I'm out of breath from small amounts of walking. I'm not in a place for a lifestyle change that isn't really... forced? I have absolutely no motivation to go out and exercise and buy healthier foods. I exercised for over a month and a half for 30-40 minutes a night a year ago and I didn't lose a single pound, which really discouraged me from exercising seriously again.

Do you think before considering WLS people should have tried dieting and heavy amounts of exereice and eating less? I don't think that's something I can push myself to do without other motivations.

I want to start to discuss WLS with my parents but I have no idea what they'll say. My parents are both overweight and will be totally willing to help me become a healthier person, but I'm not sure they will go for it. How do you think I could go about bringing the topic up?

I'm in college for another year and a half and thinking about continuing my education afterwards. I'm wondering if maybe I could do it then when I'm 20? I've been spending the last few weeks reading about WLS and wanting to ask my mom about it on the phone but I'm nervous. Any advice at all would be awesome. Thank you guys!

read up on the surgeries (all of them) to see what would be a good fit for you...remember any WLS works and none are better than the other no matter what anyone says.....WLS is a complete life (lifestyle) change and for best results, always do what the dr who operates on you advises..

i fear many people see just having WLS will automatically make them lose

100 pounds in one day.....the larger the BMI, they can lose faster at the beginning.. but it will come off the same way it went on, 1/4 pound at a time

unless you decide to eat better, exercise, no WLS will help.......people get one surgery, it dont work for them and off they go to another one......the person looking at oneself in the mirror is a HUGE reason a WLS can work or not work.......(granted some complication can and does happen on any WLS) but those are small risks in my opinion to gain a longer life.

so if you want to be healthy and get healthy

do it....but expect to do some work...

BEST of everything

Edited February 3, 201412 yr by ☠carolinagirl☠

Hey! I'm currently 18 will be turning 19 in the summer. I've been heavy all my life and I'm at my heaviest now. I believe I'm around 285-300lb. I started college last fall and gain a lot of weight after moving away from home and living in residence here. I'm hungry and tired all the time. I'm out of breath from small amounts of walking. I'm not in a place for a lifestyle change that isn't really... forced? I have absolutely no motivation to go out and exercise and buy healthier foods. I exercised for over a month and a half for 30-40 minutes a night a year ago and I didn't lose a single pound, which really discouraged me from exercising seriously again.

Do you think before considering WLS people should have tried dieting and heavy amounts of exereice and eating less? I don't think that's something I can push myself to do without other motivations.

I want to start to discuss WLS with my parents but I have no idea what they'll say. My parents are both overweight and will be totally willing to help me become a healthier person, but I'm not sure they will go for it. How do you think I could go about bringing the topic up?

I'm in college for another year and a half and thinking about continuing my education afterwards. I'm wondering if maybe I could do it then when I'm 20? I've been spending the last few weeks reading about WLS and wanting to ask my mom about it on the phone but I'm nervous. Any advice at all would be awesome. Thank you guys!

No form of WLS will force a lifestyle change. You have to want it and you have to be willing to work at it. I don't believe a person should've had to diet first but the experience may prove helpful. There is no such per-requisite except for the fact your Surgeon will most likely place you on a pre-op diet. I urge you to educate yourself as much as possible on WLS and attend a free seminar and learn as much as you can about it. Old saying goes is knowledge is power. If you want to sell this to your parents then master the topic and you'll be prepared to take on their reservations/questions.

WLS is a lifestyle change but it takes place in your head in order to translate and funnel down to your physical image. If you're not ready for the change mentally than all your doing is setting yourself up for long term failure. I know a person who lost 185lbs with bypass but yet still eats Chinese food a couple of times a week. It's only a matter of time before he starts gaining because he made no mental adjustments.

I am not trying to scare you away from WLS but I am trying to impress upon you the importance of mental preparation. What ever you decide I wish you the best of luck.

Edited February 3, 201412 yr by Jim1967

Everyone here has attempted and made up their minds at one point or another to get on a diet program, and exercise to better themselves....

There are many people in the world who are very successful at it....there are others that needed surgery....

I have tried dieting with every program under the sun for 30 years...I am one that needed surgery to do what I was unable to do....If I could do it myself, then I would not have had surgery...surgery forced me to change my ways, forced me to eat differently, and ultimately forced me into a new lifestyle...a lifestyle that today, after 3 years, I do not even think about it that much anymore....

But that's me....I have many friends who will never need surgery, they live a healthy lifestyle without it....

Edited February 3, 201412 yr by B-52

I agree with the above posters. WLS will not force you to do anything. It's just a tool, and you will still have to do the things that you say you are not motivated to do; exercise and eat healthy foods. When you got discouraged about exercising, were you dieting at the same time you were walking? Exercise alone will not make you lose weight. Portion control, healthy foods AND exercise work hand in hand to bring the desired results.

Without knowing you, and just taking your post at face value, I don't think you're ready to take this huge step. I say this because you clearly say that you're not motivated to do much of anything that will help you lose weight and get healthy. With surgery, YOU have to do the work. The surgery is not an easy answer, but it is effective as long as you live by the rules. I'm with the posters above.....educate yourself on exactly what is involved with the band or any of the other surgeries. Many people lose a lot of weight, but gain it all back......even after WLS. If you don't change your "mind", this will be a very costly venture, without the desired results.

I wish you the best.

Edited February 3, 201412 yr by mrsto

Thanks for the really great responses! I realize that it will take a lot of work along with surgery, but I don't think I'm in a right place and the moment to begin a lifestyle change. College is stressful enough.

Maybe in a few months or years I will be ready, until then I will spend a lot of time researching.

But when I said "forced" I think I kinda meant diet and exericse without the help and support of my family and doctors. I will need people to be behind me and push me forward.

Hopefully in the next few months I will start seeing doctors to get the ball rolling to a healthier life. Thanks everyone!