I have been reading studies in JAMA and elsewhere for well over a year, looking at all kinds of statistics. Initially my research was to determine which bariatric surgery was the best choice. Even after attending an informational seminar, where my surgeon went on to call the BNY GB the “Gold Standard” I had more reading to do. As it turns out for me, as someone who has taken medication to avoid GERD for the last 20 years, and my GERD evolved to the point that I now have Barrett’s esophagus, however it has not spread nor is there any signs of dysplasia so that is okay, but it ruled out the Sleeve for me. The band is no longer actively pushed, in fact the number of revisions from band to GB in 2014 actually was higher than the number of people getting the band for the first time. My surgeon said that in his opinion in 10 years the band will be considered a historical procedure and no longer done, or if still done, only on a very small segment of the bariatric group as a whole.

So why do we fail to continue succeeding? Let’s start by defining failure, in the context of this post. The failure I am talking about is, having surgery, getting to your goal weight, then after a year (or more significantly at three and five years out) gaining back a larger percentage of weight than is expected. The current system wide average, is that it is expected that all patients will gain back about 10% of the weight lost. It is less in the GB group then the sleeve, and the band is worst of them all.

Now understanding what I mean by failure to continue succeeding, here is the bad news. No one has done any respectable studies looking at WHY we fail to continue to succeed, the studies mostly compare success rates between the various surgeries and things like additional surgery, readmission rates, complication etc. I think I can explain why some people fail to continue to succeed, and when you think about it makes sense. It is actually the opposite of a positive new thinking called the “Aggregation of Marginal Gains” look at this link to read about it. It is a way to live life. To break it down, simply stated, you improve everything within your sphere of influence by 1%, the sum of all those increases can be, and if done correctly, quite significant. But you have to fully embrace the concept for it to work. When I say EVERYTHING within your sphere of influence I mean everything. A great example, when I used to cross the road going for my morning walk, I waited until an opening in traffic then I took a diagonal path across the road. This represented the easiest way to cross. Now I refuse to turn unless making a 90 degree turn. I improved my step count crossing roads by 1%. Nothing Earth shaking, but it adds up. Park 1% further away from the door. Walk upstairs instead of the elevator. Which I already did, however now I walk ½ a flight further than I need to go and them go down. 1%. Grasp the concept as a whole, and just imagine, improving everything by 1%, and not just once. Taking the stair example, I started off walking up just a couple additional steps. Now it’s a ½ a flight plus a couple extra steps. Soon I’ll be up to a full additional flight of stairs. Continue to push for 1% changes.

So now that this great concept is out there, you are probably asking yourself, what this long winded tool is getting at. We fail to continue succeeding, that is regain more weight than expected, in the exact opposite way we succeed. 1% at a time. You’re at your goal, your weight fluctuates up and down 2 pounds. It’s been a long time since surgery and you are not as sensitive to sugar as you were initially. So you are at a party and say what the heck and you have a small piece of cake. You don’t dump, in fact you have no ill effects at all. This is the start of the end. One piece of cake leads to two, which leads to other things you would not eat, but you’ve become tired of all the cooking, and a quick meal, is temping. Then it happens. You get on the scale and you are up three or four or even five pounds. Knowing you lost the weight before, you think no biggie, I’ll just make sure I eat right. Some do some don’t. Some become in their own mind failures at that point and fail to see the reason to continue with the program. *(Note the title of this post is not why we fail, NEVER think of yourself as a failure, EVER!! Look back at old pictures and remember you are a success!! Do not let the negative thoughts become reality, do not set yourself up for failure. Remember the old adage, “If you are not planning to succeed, you are planning to fail) They stop going to the gym, start old eating habits back up, and sure enough as they expected, the weight comes back as well.

So why do I post this now, and post it here? Because this post seeks to reinforce that which should have been taught to you in whatever mental health process your surgical group had you go through. The understanding that you are making a LIFELONG LIFESTYLE CHANGE emphasis is justified. I don’t have any cute puns or. gifs to attach. This post, I hope will help those approaching goal, those at goal and those who are new or even still pre-surgery, to understand, these changes never go away. When you remove something from your diet, it’s removed. I think of the things I choose not to eat as things I am allergic too. I choose a bit more extreme diet than many, I do not eat corn, potatoes, rice, flour, Pasta, sugar, fructose or anything processed. If there is something on the label I cannot pronounce, it’s processed, and I refuse to eat it. There are exceptions. I am going to see Star Wars Saturday evening, and I will probably cough up $50 for a small popcorn and a bottle of Water. This to me is acceptable. I Choose not to eat certain foods, but I can also eat them with the understanding that it is limited.

So if you read this whole post, congratulations on your tenacity. Hopefully it will enlighten you. Hopefully it will help you affect positive changes in your life. The Aggregation of Marginal Gains is a simple concept to employ, but life altering. And lastly always remember this, if nothing else from this post, put up a sticky note on your fridge or inside your car, or the side of a computer monitor, anywhere where you will see it every day, and remember this “I attained success 1% at a time, that is slowly, I will stop being successful in the same way, 1% at a time, or slowly. I must always be consciously aware of what I am eating and continue to plan to succeed”

Happy Holidays to all, and to those in your lives!!!

The forum I have been a part of since before my surgery has died out and that is why I came here. I find it hard to believe you were in the armed services with your cry baby attitude. You must have been a reservist or a cook or something. There is no way you served in battle. No man attacks a military wife because she did not serve. I couldn't due to a serious back injury at 17. My daughter however in 3 months away from 18 and is enlisting.

As for the "look at how much weight I have lost" take the time to READ. It has been a hell of a road. It was not easy and I am not healthy because of it. Even following all the rules I need weekly Iron transfusions. I almost died during a routine gallbladder surgery. If you want to,see my labs I will be happy to share.

I posted my before and after photos showing all of the loose skin that comes with this surgery. A real look at weight loss not tight jeans and turtlenecks hiding all the trouble spots.

My post was an honest opinion of everything I have seen on boards like this and in real life over the past 3 years. Not a personal attack on you as a person but it seems you want to go to war. It's hard to control your emotions when you no longer have a chicken wing for a crutch.

There is an ignore button. Use it. I will see you in 2 years. I hope you succeed but if you hit the walls we all hit I hope you are man enough to admit it.

You should truly consider seeking mental health counseling. You are a hateful person. Coming here and telling me I was going to fail, was unforgivable. Go troll another forum, I am not the only one who posted about you. I seek to share and help. That is all. I am no messiah, however my ass topic has helped many people, what have you done? Tear me down. As for my military service, what I did is none of your Fing business, I do not like talking about it. Musing about common topics is one thing, details about taking a life, fall well outside the scope of a friendly wen page. Nice line about the chicken crutch, recall YOU started this, not I. So simply go away. I've notified Alex Brecher about your posts in the hoped he bans you for attacking me in the manner you did. If not, troll away.

On a different note, you are correct, I did not read that your husband served. Glad to have him in family fold. I wish nothing but safety for your daughter, I am not a monster.

The whole point to these forums is to share our collective wisdom to help others. You had a hard time, I have a friend who had a GB 10-12 years ago who is going to die soon because he never took care of himself. He similarly has to get iron injections 3 days a week once a month. His health problems will cost him his life, however I am resigned to this. I tried in vein for years to get him to take care of himself and eat right, only to be angrily told to leave it alone.

I saw your photos, and your loss is impressive. However telling a member here to go away and come back in 2 years would deprive all these people what lessons I have learned. That is not how I operate. This is my online family, these are the only people who understand what I am going through. I'll still be here in 2 years, and the 2 after that. This is a lifelong commitment.

I would suggest as an alternative that you go seek some help for your latent anger, or at least learn how to phrase things in a better way. Trying to bait me into an argument serves no one here any purpose. In fact none of your posts have added any value to this topic.

I can see why your old forum died with the likes of you around berating people. You'll not have the same success here.

These mark my final words on this subject to me it's closed. And if I could find it, I'd love to show you the x-ray of my left hand with shrapnel in it. I guess a rogue potato must have exploded and got me while I was cooking.....

Thanks this is very affirming. I am preop due to have GB on 2/1. This very mindset has been on my mind constantly. I know I have to embrace this as a life long change for this to be worth it. Why put myself through all of this if I turn back to the very things and thinking that brought me to this point in the first place.

@@LF1971

We fail the same way we succeed, 1% at a time, or slowly. Eat a cupcake, and note, did it kill you? Nope, there is no immediate reaction. To be really successful, your Surgeon cannot possibly overstate, this is a LIFELONG change. No more cupcakes. Ever. Can you live with that? Does your love of a cupcake surpass your desire to be fit and healthy? Is that cupcake going to be the one that causes you too stroke out? Or have a heart attack? It's like smoking. I started making these changes a very long time before I had surgery. I was already in a good place when I had surgery, it was not such a shock. Start now. Tonight. Throw out everything (well donate it) you will no longer be able to eat. That is a good start. If it not in the house, you can't eat it, right? And if ever you are going through a rough time, and you will, we are ALL here for you. WE are your biggest fan, we all want you to succeed.

Best of luck and Happy New Year.

Thanks Winklie good advice!! I will take it! Cupcakes not my drug of choice but I get your point no more pasta, white potatoes and cola for me. Thanks so much for the realism & encouragement

@@LF1971

One day in the future, you'll pay it forward to someone else. That is what makes this such a great site!

I like the positive message of the 1%, but I guess I need to think a bit more about how directly it applies to maintaining massive weight loss.

I hit goal in Feb 2013 and weighed that exact weight Christmas morning 2015. I lost more than half my body weight and so far keeping it off and good health is a central focus of my lifestyle . I am far far from perfect but I feel like I had to change WAY more than 1%. I am not talking about just food and exercise either...

@@CowgirlJane

It is the aggregation of all the changes that add up. The whole principal is to start small. It's never too late to start, look at Team Sky!

Happy New Year

I should start what exactly?

@@CowgirlJane

It is the aggregation of all the changes that add up. The whole principal is to start small. It's never too late to start, look at Team Sky!

Happy New Year

@@CowgirlJane

The 1% thing, perhaps I misunderstood you, it is 1:45 am.

lol sorry about any confusion