:confused:Hello yall, im 18 years old and I am now in the process of having surgery. I have to lose weight first, 5%. I weigh 280 pounds and am very unhappy with my life. I want more energy, I want to be active. I

have dieted a lot and failed. Anybody got some advice for a youngster?

Ebeth, first of all, congrats on making the choice to change. I wish I would have done my surgery sooner. I tried all methods of diet and suceeded at all of them, only to have the weight come back in the end ( and bring friends). Stick around on here and you can learn a lot. I found thi site after haing my surgery and am learning a lot every day.

The whey Protein shakes twice a day, along with a small meal really worked to get me to surgery weight. I started on a liquid diet 3 weeks prior to my surgery date so I could get used to it while I was still feeling normal.

Good luck.....Keep us posted...Dave:bounce::bounce:

I wish I could have done this before the excess weight ruined my knees,feet and back.

Ebeth, I think you will find most of us on this site, wish we had the opportunity to have surgery earlier. At eighteen it is hard to imagine another 20 years of being big, of putting your hopes and efforts into every new diet that comes along, only to be dissappointed time and time again. I am now 38, and have been big for the last .....forever (battling for the first 5 years, and then big for the next 15...and getting bigger) yes - in that time I have had my 3 gorgeous daughters, but you can have the band during pregnancy..............I regret missing out on a lot of "life experiences" in my twenties and early 30's due to being self conscious and physically unable to participate.............. If you promise to change your life, and not regret one moment of time - then go for it!!! Be thinner and happier - give yourself the power to participate!!! Good luck - Karen

:confused:Hello yall, im 18 years old and I am now in the process of having surgery. I have to lose weight first, 5%. I weigh 280 pounds and am very unhappy with my life. I want more energy, I want to be active. I

have dieted a lot and failed. Anybody got some advice for a youngster?

Ebeth,

I'm 20, also young like you and I'm planning to have the band this coming January. I totally understand where you're coming from. I've been overweight most of my life and diets just don't work. We have our whole lives ahead of us and we want to be able to enjoy them and be healthy. Like other posters said here and elsewhere that they wish that the band was around when they were younger. If we have the opportunity to do something that will give us the ability to be healthy and enjoy the rest of our lives then why not? with everything!

Thank you guys so much, the information helps a lot. I am looking forward to doing so much more in life, i just need some outside support!! So thank you so very much for your kind words!

I am 49 now and have health problems due to obesity. You are doing yourself a big favor by doing this before you are 49, trapped in your body, and trapped by your health problems. Congratulations on having the courage to do this!