So, I started this process with my insurance Regence back in February of this year. I was told I had to be under a 6 month physician guided weight loss plan. The only stipulation was that I could not be larger at the 6 month weigh in than I was at the first weigh in. What a process this has been!! I slacked off in the beginning and gained a little weight, I'm not gonna lie. I was serious at some points but with my final weigh in on Thursday, I feel like a contestant on the Biggest Loser during the at-home competition. My physician had little in the way of actual guidelines. She's pretty holistic that way. So, basically I changed up my goal/mantra to be - "just maintain, don't gain. Take a breath." I can easily drop a pound or two by the end.

For months prior to this my weight had been consistently going up and and up until I almost gained all of the 140# I'd lost years before. I think I was at goal weight for only 24 hours! I was scared out of my mind. So, I figured maintenance was a good goal for me because I've not had any practice at that!! I started at 258. As of this morning 6 months later, my weight in 259.6. It won't be good enough for my insurance company but for me staying more or less the exact weight for 6 months is a miracle and victory!!!! So, anyways I'm going to employ some increased daily steps, IF (intermittent fasting, an enema and drink Water religiously) that will take it down the pound or two that I need by Thursday. I talked to my case manager on Friday and she said as soon as she gets my chart notes, my referral goes to the surgeon will go out Thursday. So, I'm so excited and nervous and looking forward to the journey!!

Edited September 22, 201411 yr by MisforMimi

If you don't mind me offering a bit of advice regarding your weigh in, here are my thoughts.

If you really want to make weight, you need to think like a wrestler, not like a dieter. Cutting weight is not healthy of course, but you can easily drop the 1.8 pounds you need to be under your original weight. Drinking Water is a good idea for a diet, but a bad idea for making weight. The more you drink, the more you weigh. Cut out your food and your water the day before you need to "make weight" and weigh yourself the morning before. If you're still not under, go sit in a sauna.

You've spent 6 months waiting to get a surgery date, a few hours of being dehydrated isn't going to hurt you, but it will help guarantee you get the surgery you want. I figure all of us here had our stomach cut out so that we could be thin, a day or two of some weight cutting is nothing compared to the extreme action we took with surgery.

Good luck!

Thanks for the tip! I forget that, about being dehydrated. My brother, a body-builder told me to walk on a treadmill at 15 incline in a full jogging suit for a few hours! I'd rather the sauna, personally.....

I also would rather sit in the sauna than walk on a treadmill! Another trick is to soak yourself in a really hotbathtub up to your face for 15 minutes, then sit in a really hot room or sauna for 15 minutes, then repeat until you hit the weight. I'm not a fan of cutting weight, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Thanks, yeah I don't like rapid weight loss tactics. Been there, done that. But this is a necessary evil at this point....

OK. I made my target weight!!! I was under by 3 pounds! My chart notes go to the insurance company and they are sending the referral to my surgeon today!!!! Eeeek!!!