I live in New Zealand , in case you didn't know :-) here we have a national health system , similar to the UK, which means I guess that you don't have to insurance .. But on the down side it means there are long waiting lists for things, and strict criteria for certain surgeries such as bariatric surgery require lots of hoops to jump thru.

Most insurance companies here don't cover bariatric surgery because it's not "needed" so if you don't get accepted into the public system, you have to pay approx $30,000 for it privately,

I get a bit upset when I read posts about people complaing about things like flabby arms or stretch marks and the like, I also got told well you must have not liked something about you that's why you had surgery... That is simply not true , I didn't have the surgery to get skinny that is a side outcome, i had surgery because I got to 297lbs and I had tried everything to loose weight I had surgery because I didn't want to die at 40 I had surgery because 1 day I might want kids ... Not because I want to look good in a bikini !! I had surgery because I needed to loose something like 170lbs to be in the healthy weight range ( I am really short lol) not just because I need to loose 50lbs .

So I apologise if my comments sometimes seem harsh or I upset someone with what I say I am not trying to do it on purpose I am just passionate I guess , I have fought my weight my whole life and I hate to see people hung up on stupid things like stretch marks ..

I have an appointment with my dietion today ...she is nice but un realistic lol this I can live of lettuce leaves with an occasional piece of fruit or some such lol she on me that you if you can't picture your food in its natural form then you shouldn't eat it ... I can fully picture a field of hamburgers and red bull... I don't see a problem ...lol just kidding

One thing that they don't prepare you for is the mental game .., just because you loose weight doesn't mean you automatically change habits and thinking patterns, I am really struggling with the head space at the moment, I don't know what to do about the part , but im okay I guess :-)

This is soo true the surgery is just a part of it...the struggles continue this is not easy and people think its an easy way out...Trust if i stayed home and watch Tele and not go walking or the Gym the weight would not move...Its winter here and the weather is horrible but every after work i ski ..slid to the Gym...The temptations are there but i fight them every day....Good luck to you !!!