I was going to go under the knife. The surgeon put me on 800 calories a day. That alone nearly killed me as I was pre diabetic. I found out that this sort of starvation in not only cruel but dangerous especially for a man my size. After studying nutrition and health I became astounded and how ignorant or dishonest MDs actually are.

Fortunately for me my physical therapist talked me out of surgery and hooked me up with a gym that had a weight loss program. They fixed my head and showed me that I could do this. I was losing about 3 pounds per week and in a little over a year I was at a healthy weight. My % body fat is 12%. I workout 45 minutes per day and I play sports. I did this for me but more than that I did it for my family.

It dawned on me that there was nothing wrong with my digestive system so it seemed absurd and almost criminal to pay someone to deliberately damage it so that it no longer do it's job. The problem was in my brain not my stomach and small intestine. I was eating about 40% too much. When that was explained to me the task of losing weight seemed less daunting and doable so I did it.

I was over 300 pounds and taking in over 5000 calories a day to maintain that weight.

Nutrition is not rocket science. I stopped eating crap and ended by hedonistic and gluttonous ways. I ate 3000 calories a day and exercised and I made sure that food was wholesome and nutrient dense.

Had I gotten sleeved of gotten a bypass I would not be nearly as healthy as I am now nor would I have so many valuable lessons.

Good for you...congratulations!

I am 63 years old, and have experienced what you are experiencing dozens of times...only to gain it all back, and then some.

It was frustrating to say the least. I simply do not have the self discipline or will power to make it stick.

Lets face it...that's why I was obese in the first place....

So, I had Weight Loss surgery...to do what I was incapable off doing myself...and this is permanent!

I have no fear of ever gaining it back, nor do I have to work hard at maintaining it. I don't have to count calories nor follow any specific diets. No more "White Knuckling" it.

I have many friends who eat right, go to the gym, and live healthy, fit, and skinny lives, and they did not have WLS....so it can be done.

But for me, this is exactly what I needed!! And this is what worked for me.

Just like my skinny friends, I eat right, go to the gym,,and I am healthy, fit, and skinny....BUT in the background, the Lap band is there quietly doing it's job for me.

Again..,congratulations....

BTW, I had to do a medically Supervised 6 month pre-op diet....I did very well for about 4 months, then started to slide back, then failed...

Just Like every diet I have been on, and also proving to my Insurance, for the record, Diets do not work for me.

Congratulations on your weight loss success. Awesome job. It's hard work to make any lifestyle change that involves healthy eating and consistent exercise.

My question is why do you feel that you are healthier now and have learned more valuable lessons than if you had gotten the sleeve or had a bypass?

I had the gastric sleeve over a year ago and I am the healthiest I have ever been in my life, including times in the past where I have been thin. I am now physically fit, strong, energetic, adventurous, and have a zest for life.

Good for you! Any weight loss achievement is to be applauded, no matter the method and no one way is better than any other as long as the end result of better health and fitness is achieved.

I've got to ask, @@Chuckster . You just recently joined this forum (a weight loss surgery support forum), you lost a whole lot of weight non surgically, and both posts you've made since joining have been about losing weight non-surgically. What's your agenda in being here?

@@LipstickLady

A legitimate question.

@@LipstickLady was just thinking the same thing lol

Awesome job! I hope it "sticks" for you. I have lost significant amounts of weight through good old diet and exercise many times in the past. I lost 90 pounds in one year back in 2010/2011 by working out and tracking every single bite of food I took. Unfortunately for me, I have an issue with regain. I was never able to maintain any weight loss for more than a year. I am cautiously optimistic that my sleeve will help me avoid regain once I reach my goal weight this time around. To lose weight with the sleeve, I am basically just doing all the same things I did without the sleeve. I am exercising regularly and I am careful about what I eat.

What I'm hoping is that once I am at goal, I don't get that "whelp, I'm done" mentality that I've had in the past where I thought once I was at goal, I could just go back to my "normal" life of laziness and eating poorly. With my sleeve, the eating healthy and in smaller portions is no longer optional. I can no longer go back to eating a whole large pizza and a pint of ice cream. It's permanent and it forces to me to continue to make good food choices forever. The exercise is still all on me, but I've found that if I'm eating right, I have the energy and attitude I need to exercise. Maybe if I *could* go back to eating pizza and ice cream, that lethargy would set back in and I'd be less motivated to exercise.

I wish you the best of luck and success. I think that if you CAN do it without WLS, then you absolutely should. WLS is a tool of last resort and not to be taken lightly.

I was going to go under the knife. The surgeon put me on 800 calories a day. That alone nearly killed me as I was pre diabetic. I found out that this sort of starvation in not only cruel but dangerous especially for a man my size. After studying nutrition and health I became astounded and how ignorant or dishonest MDs actually are.

Fortunately for me my physical therapist talked me out of surgery and hooked me up with a gym that had a weight loss program. They fixed my head and showed me that I could do this. I was losing about 3 pounds per week and in a little over a year I was at a healthy weight. My % body fat is 12%. I workout 45 minutes per day and I play sports. I did this for me but more than that I did it for my family.

It dawned on me that there was nothing wrong with my digestive system so it seemed absurd and almost criminal to pay someone to deliberately damage it so that it no longer do it's job. The problem was in my brain not my stomach and small intestine. I was eating about 40% too much. When that was explained to me the task of losing weight seemed less daunting and doable so I did it.

I was over 300 pounds and taking in over 5000 calories a day to maintain that weight.

Nutrition is not rocket science. I stopped eating crap and ended by hedonistic and gluttonous ways. I ate 3000 calories a day and exercised and I made sure that food was wholesome and nutrient dense.

Had I gotten sleeved of gotten a bypass I would not be nearly as healthy as I am now nor would I have so many valuable lessons.

Hell yes !!!!!!!!!

Way to go. Way to own up to it and do something about it.

Excellent success story. Now....post up some pics of your progress and let's hear some specifics on your plan to maintain this.

Way to go, man !!!

Congratulations on your weight loss and new healthy lifestyle! It is always great to hear stories like these. I am currently working with my husband to help him do the same and it certainly isn't easy. It also isn't easy for me. I fight for every pound lost.

I lost hundreds of pounds over the years, the most at one time being 95. I would do a fairly good job only to gain it all back and then some.

Now every time I lose a pound I know it will be gone forever because I have a tool that helps me. For me, surgery literally gave me my life back and it was the best decision I ever made for myself. I am the healthiest I have been in my life as well. All of my previous medical issues are gone with the exception of one, I damaged my spine. I would not have been able to lose this weight without surgical intervention and not because of my eating habits.

What I am wondering is, what are you hoping to gain from The folks on this site? Why do you believe that losing weight without surgery is healthier?

If you are assuming that it is because you did not have to have your insides rearranged I would argue that losing and gaining over and over again is not healthy. Although this may have worked for you, I know I could have lost the weight, I simply proved over and over that I could not maintain it.

I know that if I follow the plan, I will remain healthy.

I am just curious why you would post to this site? Are you looking for support or simply a platform to make those that are considering weight loss surgery second guess their decisions? For many that use this site, weight loss surgery will save their lives.

If you are looking for support, that is fantastic and this group will always jump in to help. Please let us know what you are struggling with.

@@LipstickLady

My thoughts exactly...

Congratulations on your weight loss and new healthy lifestyle! It is always great to hear stories like these. I am currently working with my husband to help him do the same and it certainly isn't easy. It also isn't easy for me. I fight for every pound lost.

I lost hundreds of pounds over the years, the most at one time being 95. I would do a fairly good job only to gain it all back and then some.

Now every time I lose a pound I know it will be gone forever because I have a tool that helps me. For me, surgery literally gave me my life back and it was the best decision I ever made for myself. I am the healthiest I have been in my life as well. All of my previous medical issues are gone with the exception of one, I damaged my spine. I would not have been able to lose this weight without surgical intervention and not because of my eating habits.

What I am wondering is, what are you hoping to gain from The folks on this site? Why do you believe that losing weight without surgery is healthier?

If you are assuming that it is because you did not have to have your insides rearranged I would argue that losing and gaining over and over again is not healthy. Although this may have worked for you, I know I could have lost the weight, I simply proved over and over that I could not maintain it.

I know that if I follow the plan, I will remain healthy.

I am just curious why you would post to this site? Are you looking for support or simply a platform to make those that are considering weight loss surgery second guess their decisions? For many that use this site, weight loss surgery will save their lives.

If you are looking for support, that is fantastic and this group will always jump in to help. Please let us know what you are struggling with.

What I took from his post was that we need to fix our heads........and put forth effort. His post really strikes a few nerves for me. Like you said......I've lost hundreds of pounds over the years. I failed at maintaining the discipline to keep it off. Seeing posts like Chuckster's makes me stop and think hard about it. What's it going to take for me to get it right this time?

This goes without saying for most here..... some they seem to be lazy and waiting on miracles.

I think that those who fix their heads and take daily action to live healthy will profit hugely from their WLS.

You raise a good question in why post here, however it's what he posted that is what I like. More of Chuckster's enthusiastic effort combined with the WLS tool sure will take us a long way towards lifelong health.

I agree with @Dub. WLS is not a decision to be made lightly. Everyone should make an effort to lose weight through more traditional means before resorting to surgery. And whether we have WLS or not, we all do have to get our minds right about the level of commitment and effort it is going to take to be successful long term. I really hope that the OP can maintain his success long term. I want that for EVERYONE who posts on these forums, no matter which surgery they chose or whether they choose not to pursue surgery at all.

My only concern was intent.

There are so many people that come to this site that look for support as they make the very difficult decision to have weight loss surgery which could be life saving for them.

Some of these folks are scared and in the moment need help affirming their decision. Many will decide not to move forward not realizing that not doing anything will likely be much worse for their health. In some cases, like mine, I had one foot in the grave and one foot on a banana peel. My kidneys were failing.

When I say having WLS saved my life, It is the truth.

Everyone has their own opinion, I hate to see people lose their battle with obesity. I have had several friends die from complications of obesity including my own Mom. She was only 66 years old.

My intent is only to help others when and where they need it. I am just trying to understand the intent of the original poster.

@@Chuckster Aww well that's good for you chuckie! I'm one of the Absurd ones who is now officially 98 lbs down and medically just as healthy as you if not more so, we should compare lab reports!!! It's good that you were able to lose the weight with your system, I'm happy for you. I wouldn't degrade how other people chose to get healthy (which is technically what your doing) Why do you have a surgery date of March listed? Make sure you come back in another year and let us know how all that's working out for you! I would love to know what material you studied for your information, being as I'm working on my masters for my NP. In all my years of college and nutrition classes I must have missed those books explaining how the MD are so ignorant. I'm sure my surgeon would beg to differ seeing as how he's also one of the top trauma surgeon in our state. Congratulations on your success!

My only concern was intent.

I wouldn't even call it a concern *for me*. I'm just curious.

Where you at Chuckster????