Online forums and even in-person support groups can help a lot with pre-op and post-op support, including advice and encouragement. But what can be even more inspiring and helpful is knowing someone in person who got the surgery and lost a lot of weight, and can walk you through everything.

For me, that person was my friend. He didn’t hold my hand so much through the process, but what he did to was provide a living, breathing example that the lap-band COULD work. And it did. I knew if he could do it, I could.

So I’m wondering, do you have a weight loss surgery role model, maybe a friend or family member, who inspires and helps you?

I didn't know anyone that had had bariatric surgery when I first began this journey. However, I have MANY such role models now in the support group that I attend every month. It's run by my bariatric center at Highland Hospital and a long term patient of the center, and attendance has grown every month I've been. Being surrounded by people who are on every end of the spectrum, from just being curious and attending this meeting before even contacting the center, to people who had surgery 5 or 10 years ago and have been successfully maintaining for most of that time... it's incredibly inspiring and feels so safe and therapeutic. I'm very thankful.

@@Alex Brecher my role models came from this site, oddly enough. I have friends who have had the surgery but no one as open as the folks I've met on this site.

@@wannaBthinsoon Yeah! Some of us tell you about our boobs, dinner, pooping, peeing, the more the TMI the better!!

@@Elode HEY!! I can take it!! Thanks for being there for me, too!

@@wannaBthinsoon Any time!

@@Alex Brecher I have way too may to mention but if you want to copy my friends list they are all on there

People on this site!!!!!!

They rock.

Plus to be honest... Ummmm....myself.

I've done this before (with the band) and I KNOW I will do it again.

Same here. Two people who are no longer on this site come to mind first and foremost. Carolina Girl and Missy (MIS73) They were my go to peeps as I could identify with both of them and their advice and support was priceless. I didn't know anyone who could give me the help and support I needed out in the 'real' world. But here in the virtual world, I found what and who I needed.

It's why I am still here. I feel obligated to pay it forward.

My role models include:

1) those in my profession (whether I've met them personally or not) who have undergone it and may be here today because of it

2) those friends and family who struggle but who have no intention/ability to get the surgery and therefore battle it old-school, as this determination is required regardless of whether you get it

3) individuals for whom surgery or any help whatsoever came too late and who now guide me from above (rest in peace R.M., M.G., A.M., M.H.)

4) those who are following me in this journey and have surgery upcoming, and have mentally progressed to a brand new life and new opportunities, reminding me that the scale is just the tip of the iceberg, and who remind me (occasionally through certain misconceptions) that neither the surgery nor the weight loss will fix the majority of life's problems...and that while it is about so much more than weight or looks, there are limits to what this miracle touches, and that beyond those limits we are still left to our own devices, and must not give up those fights any more than we gave up this one.

Small town... Only my cyber friends have really useful ideas and suggestions as they have been in my shoes... Our support group had one banded ( me) and mostly pre op and one year or so post op...

Sorry, but frankly they were gushing about weighing twice a day ... Running a 1/2 mile for the first time.

All good things... But I needed those with a few years under their belt or band or sleeve to help with some long term issues...

maybe it is just me, but it feels different almost 9 years out. I still strive for enough Water, but Protein and work outs are fairly commonplace. I love to hear about new adventures with the old WLS !!

And FYI I'm going for a fill again as I have been empty for 8 months and am starting to fill again

Don't want to appear snotty... Just different for seasoned WLS people was my convoluted point!

I'm the only person I know in real life who is banded, or had WLS at all, for that matter. The bariatric support group from my hospital was comprised of pre- and recently-post-op patients. I stopped attending those meetings mostly due to scheduling issues.

A few people on this site are my role models. They don't necessarily know who they are, but they are forces of good here and are always supportive not only to me, but to newbies. Love them to bits.

My role model is a friend of mine from over 20yrs ago. We used to work together and were roughly the same size. She had an older sister who was also in our size range and she had rny in the 90's and got super thin and healthy but we both looked at what all she did and "gave up" and we just weren't there. I investigated my surgery options then, and got scared and ran in the opposite direction! We reconnected a few years ago and we still were both the same size(bigger than before and getting bigger at the same rate). It just seemed that was life for us kindred spirits, but then she talked about wanting to turn her life around and get healthy and she started to change and FAST! She had RNY and lost a ton of weight! I have never seen her look so good or feel so happy and I have to say, I was more than a bit jealous! I asked her what she did to get that way-thinking she was going to point me at my new diet for the next 6 months, as that's the longest I've been able to maintain a diet in the past before putting all the weight back on. When she told me she had wls I was floored! I mean, she LOVED food and I do too and the idea of breaking up with what I know we're our favorite abusers seemed so extreme, but she was sooo happy and doing the things I want to do, so it got my mind to thinking..."if she can do this, I can do this too!" And I looked into my options and here I am currently 9 days post op RNY and already feeling the changes in me.

For me there were several people over time. Since I have had surgery, I have reached out to a few of them to thank them for sharing their experience with me.

The few people I know personally are examples of "what not to do". I am so blessed to have found this site and the wonderful people here. They are my role models - @@Djmohr, @@Elode, @@Babbs, @@Inner Surfer Girl, and a few others I know I am forgetting right now. Truly wouldn't have gotten this far without you!

And PS I stumbled on this site thanks to google search for something so regardless of the drama a while back about a certain person complaining their posts could be searched, I am forever grateful that the posts were searchable or I never would have gotten here!!

The few people I know personally are examples of "what not to do". I am so blessed to have found this site and the wonderful people here. They are my role models - @@Djmohr, @@Elode, @@Babbs, @@Inner Surfer Girl, and a few others I know I am forgetting right now. Truly wouldn't have gotten this far without you!

And PS I stumbled on this site thanks to google search for something so regardless of the drama a while back about a certain person complaining their posts could be searched, I am forever grateful that the posts were searchable or I never would have gotten here!!

Aww, shucks. I'm blushing.

Thanks!

@@Daisee68 awe you're the BEST!!