Why can't we keep it off naturally?

[Newbeginnings313 6]

So I was told in my orientation class at the beginning of the year that statistically and realistically people with 100+ lbs to lose can't lose it and keep it off for good.

I just got my approval for surgery and the ball is finally rolling and I just informed my father of my decision. He said that I've already lost 30 lbs so just keep going, that surgery is unnecessary. He asked why I need surgery if I can lose it naturally. And I didn't really have an answer.. I told him that statistically it's unlikely for me to be able to do it and keep it off and he then asked what the difference between the two are.. Either way I'm eating healthy, exercising and eating less. So why shouldn't it work??

I don't really know why to be honest..any thoughts??

I'm just disappointed. I really wanted his support and approval and now I'm just frustrated and upset. Along with the surgeon said we're looking at January/Febuary but I start Nursing school in January so I know I'll have to wait for summer so it doesn't interfere with classes... I'm just so tired of being this heavy, I don't want it to take 3+ years before I can start living!

[Introversion 1,876]

41 minutes ago, Newbeginnings313 said:

He asked why I need surgery if I can lose it naturally.

You probably need surgery because, although anyone can lose weight without a surgical procedure, it's doubtful you'll ever keep it off for the long term. I'm just being honest here.

Those of us who were once obese have permanently altered biochemistries. In other words, once a person has become badly overweight, his/her body will fight like hell to defend the higher set point if/when weight loss through old-fashioned diet and exercise occurs.

Weight loss surgery is the only durable method that reduces an obese person's weight set point. Once we undergo a bariatric procedure, the body now fights to lose enough weight to get to a lower set point due to favorable neurohormonal alterations.

Click on the link below to read the thoughts of obesity specialist Dr. Arya Sharma.

http://www.drsharma.ca/arguments-for-calling-obesity-a-disease-4-limited-response-to-lifestyle-treatments

Quote

It is not that diet and exercise are useless – they absolutely remain a cornerstone of treatment. But, by themselves, they are simply not effective enough to control obesity in the vast majority of people who have it.

This is because, diet and exercise do not alter the biology that drives and sustains obesity. If anything, diet and exercise work against the body’s biology, which is working hard to defend body weight at all costs.

Thus, it is time we accept this reality and recognise that without pharmacological and/or surgical treatments that interfere with this innate biology, we will not be able to control obesity in the majority of patients.

By the way, I've lost 200+ pounds over the past 2+ decades before having weight loss surgery (lose 30, regain 50, lose 60, regain 90, rinse and repeat) and I'm only in my mid 30s.

I could lose weight just fine prior to surgery, but couldn't keep it off. I was sleeved 2.5 years ago and this is the most weight-stable I've been in my entire life since puberty.

[Newbeginnings313 6]

Thanks! I'm the same I can loose it but it comes back, I'm in my lower 20's but I've been obese all my life. I'll show him this?? I love how she talks about how for diseases like hypertension and diabetes but we need medication because just exercise and eating healthy alone won't cure you, so how is it different that we need help for obesity as well. Great point! Thanks, and congrats on your weightloss!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G928A using BariatricPal mobile app

[AZLoser 103]

If you ever watch the 600 lb show, it always starts with the statistic that the patients have less than a 5% chance of success. It's the same with all of us. There is still a lot of misinformation around wls and most people don't understand it. Your family will be happy once you're losing and doing well.

[Berry78 4,259]

I have trouble linking videos on here, but if you go to youtube and search for Dr. Matthew Weiner. He is a bariatric surgeon that explains why surgery can work long term when diets usually don't.

The video is called "Should I have weight loss surgery?"

He has a lot of good ones other than that too.

[Newme17 3,444]

Doing it on your own CAN work. BUT, a big BUT here...it will take super extra hard work to do. You'll still have to battle out the mental aspect of why you gained, etc. and like another poster mentioned, your body will rebel against the state that you're trying to put it in. I'm all for losing weight on your own, yet I'm all for having wls as well, because although it's really not the easiest process, it sure is a more successful process to keeping weight off. It's a great booster and tool. That said, it CAN be done both ways, I don't believe for one moment we are destined to be overweight, but it is awfully hard to do it naturally, doesn't mean it can't be done. I had the sleeve and I don't regret my decision at all. I would encourage it for anyone who hasn't been successful on their own and especially if they have co-morbidities.

note: had I found my lifestyle diet of a Whole Foods plant based diet during my attempts to lose weight before I started wls, I would have opted for it naturally. Knowing what I know now. But, it's been done and like I said, I don't regret my decision.

Edited August 16, 2017 by Newme17

[Berry78 4,259]

Surgery should always be the last resort. By all means, TRY to do it without surgery. But if it doesn't work out, surgery will always be there.

Most of us have had many, many failed diet attempts in the past. So by the time we are considering surgery, we know that simply dieting doesn't work for us.

But for those without that sort of history, they SHOULD try a diet first.

[painter88 101]

I tried doing it on my own, but the issue comes with the stalls where you get depressed and you lose faith. With WLS surgery nothing will help you being depressed when you get stalled, you just can't eat, so after a couple weeks you start losing again. Or like now I'm losing 1-2 pounds per week, I would be very upset if I'm holding back food and I see only 1-2 lbs. coming off. With WLS you can be upset as a many times as you like, it won't help you. You just can't eat....

SW:305

CW:212

Sleeved 01.30.17

[Introversion 1,876]

Obesity is a time-dependent problem...this essentially means the longer a person's been obese, the less likely he/she'll maintain a weight loss after diet and exercise.

Assume we have two 40-year-old women. Both are 5'5" and weigh 300 pounds with identical body fat percentages. The difference is one woman's been obese since childhood while the other one was thin all her life until massive weight gain during pregnancy in her mid 30s.

The woman who's been obese since childhood is unlikely to maintain a major weight loss without surgery. Her body's had 30+ years to hormonally adopt obesity as its default state. If/when she enters a weight-reduced state with diet/exercise, her body fights to return to 300 pounds (and usually succeeds).

Meanwhile, the woman who has been obese for a few years has a better chance of losing and keeping weight off. Her body hasn't had time to adapt to the potent hormonal influences of obesity.

Diane Carbonell is a woman who was thin/average-sized until she became obese (300+ pounds) in adulthood after several pregnancies. She lost weight the old-fashioned way via diet/exercise and has kept it off since the late 1990s. I suspect her body never really had a chance to become acclimated to obesity since she wasn't fat for a terribly long time:

http://www.dianecarbonell.com/

[JKC2016 82]

Few of us had wholehearted support from family pre surgery. Try not to worry about that. If you choose surgery, your support people will very likely be fully behind your success. It is scary to have a loved one go into surgery. I told only 4 people pre surgery (mother, 2 daughters and spouse). 3 were against it. And now they all feel really good about my results. This is a highly personal journey. It requires commitment to healthy food choices and regular exercise. You will be able to eat after surgery (several months later) and it is still work to lose weight. If you choose, you can eat enough calories to gain back the weight. The difference is you have a great tool to help with Portion Control. If you use it and make lasting lifestyle changes, you will lose and maintain. The time between now and surgery is a fabulous time to put those lifestyle changes into place. Switch to Water as your beverage of choice and aim to drink 100oz water per day. Eat whole grains only, and stay away from prepared meals and processed foods. Increase your vegetables, stick with lean Protein, some fruit, very little sweets. Making this your primary eating style will prepare you for success with surgery. Oh, and eat slowly and chew your food well. Maybe your father will join you in those changes. Best of wishes on your journey to health.