I am a newbie still in the early stages of the process. Finding this forum has been a good thing as I hear what others have gone through. As I am researching having WLS for myself, I want to pose a question that I am trying to formulate a ready response for. How would I explain to someone who has not struggled with weight why I cant just simply reduce my intake and viola! I can loose the 120 lbs I need to lose? It seems there are some people who assume I just don't have any willpower, and that weight loss is simply a behavioral problem. Over the last 25 years it seems I gain a little at a time, then when I try to lose, my body lets me drop 15 lbs then stops everything. I hit that plateau that I have never gotten past despite having worked REALLY hard on. I will tell you... I am an engineer with two masters degrees and two board certifications. Will power has never been one of my problems. I don't eat bad, and have taken even further steps over the last year to eat right. No pizza, pasta, sugar, etc. I eat a lot of lean meat and greens. The problem is I lose to a point then my metabolism seems to stop; my body waits me out and then if I lose my routine for a few days (like traveling) then I lose momentum. In the past, weight loss efforts ultimately stop because I get demoralized and I give up and quit caring.

I dont need to give anyone an answer to why I am choosing WLS.. Frankly its none of their business; however, I do want to know what other people have found to explain this metabolic resistance. I know Grehlin is responsible, but what have you all come to on this?

1 hour ago, tonbra32 said:

I am an engineer with two masters degrees and two board certifications. Will power has never been one of my problems.

Hi welcome! Genetics is a humbling *****

I wanted start by saying IMHO Intelligence level and metabolic (or any favorable) genetics are not necessarily correlated. E.G. Stephen Hawkings.

(Also IMHO more likely in our current societal structure intelligence and environmental factors have a stronger correlation -such as food scarcity/deserts and access to nutrition education- but the jury is still out...)

I, likewise, hold a Master's but will put it in a folder to collect dust when it comes time to talk about my health. Family history, lifestyle, exercise, etc. those things mean more to the physcians.

1 hour ago, tonbra32 said:

How would I explain to someone who has not struggled with weight why I cant just simply reduce my intake and viola! I can loose the 120 lbs I need to lose? It seems there are some people who assume I just don't have any willpower, and that weight loss is simply a behavioral problem

Unfortunately those people never truly understand so you will likely be wasting your breath. Unless these people are the gatekeepers in your process or highly HIGHLY important in your life, do you really owe them a presentation?

1 hour ago, tonbra32 said:

The problem is I lose to a point then my metabolism seems to stop;

A lot of Doctors call this a set point, YouTube bariatric surgeon Dr. Weiner. He talks about this often

1 hour ago, tonbra32 said:

I do want to know what other people have found to explain this metabolic resistance. I know Grehlin is responsible, but what have you all come to on this?

This surgery does not ONLY alter the physical digestive pathways but also metabolic changes occur. Best to attend a few seminars, talk it through with a Surgeon you trust and research on your own while you decide.

There is A LOT of research out there, mostly medical journals easily found on Google Scholar or through other portals using your Uni's Alumni House access codes ?

Good Luck ?

Edited November 2, 20196 yr by GreenTealael

Just my view - Reason i am saying this is because this forum is divided between is Weight a Medical issue or Mental Issue.

So my opinion of myself - I dang near hit 400 pounds and have a lost a ton of weight prior to the surgery, But it was a nightmare, I had to work out so hard, Starve be miserable and once i took a break it pilled back on.

I have a metal issue! I dont' feel my weight was from any medical issue. I simply ate and drank way to much and way to much of the wrong things. Since the surgery life has been great, I have coined the phrase F#$ck Food! Due to the surgery cutting out all my nerves that make your brain think your hungry I simply don't eat. Once you get rolling on the surgery it is not just a food thing, You are also getting healthy with vitamins and supplements. Something i never even looked at prior to the surgery. It is a full body makeover and also a Head game makeover. One thing i want to caution you on is it is not a easy journey. You may want to read the post i did a few days back. Anyone can do it but not anyone can succeed.

As for my view it was the best decision of my life

I don't mean to imply the weight problem is ALL a medical thing... Definitely behavior plays a roll. Had I had better habits in my 20's, I would not be here now. The problem is not that I am here, I cant get it off no matter how hard I work at it, and I can only keep a portion of it off.

I have found that I have lost 20lbs since May (5 months) and have kept it off by using my fitness tracker, daily monitoring my caloric and fat intake and regular weighing myself. When I am not weighing, that when things tend to go sideways because I am also not tracking my food. I have become fanatical about tracking my intake... If nothing else to prove to the dietician and my wife that, no, its not what I am eating that is casing me to stall.

Edited November 2, 20196 yr by tonbra32

The matter of weight is still a complex one and I think no party can claim to "have found the reason and/or solution".

It's always a mix of physical/medical, mental/psychological, genetic and environmental reasons.

Treat/improve only one of these things and you're doomed. Yes, your genes can't be changed (though reads on activating/deactivating certain genes are interesting) but the people who really think "one needs only therapy and as soon as the mental stuff is alright the weight will fall off and stay off" or "this weight loss drug/surgery will take care of it all" are kidding themselves, ignoring the complexity of the disease called obesity.

You have to read Dr. Jason Fung's book, "The Obesity Code." It explains the whole thing very well and will release you from guilt and shame. I am thinking about giving it to one of our docs at the hospital who still holds to the manta, "Eat less, move more." It is actually much more complex than that. If that were true, all of us would be skinny. Goodness knows we have all tried. Read the book. It is really a good one.

On 11/2/2019 at 12:40 PM, tonbra32 said:

I have found that I have lost 20lbs since May (5 months) and have kept it off by using my fitness tracker, daily monitoring my caloric and fat intake and regular weighing myself. When I am not weighing, that when things tend to go sideways because I am also not tracking my food. I have become fanatical about tracking my intake... If nothing else to prove to the dietician and my wife that, no, its not what I am eating that is casing me to stall.

That's really good stuff you are doing there. With WLS you'll have to track all of your food, vitamins, and water intake, every day, for just about ever. At least that's what I've been told. Whether you continue to do so after you are in maintenance mode, I don't know. But for me, that's 196 pounds away, so I'm not going to worry about it now.

This place is great for investigating the different surgeries, the attitudes and concerns people have concerning the different surgeries, and the sharing of encouragement and understanding that goes on here is unparalleled. If you're researching and like podcasts there's WeightLossSurgeryPodcast.com. I dunno how often she creates new material, but she has a boatload of previous topics to listen to that I've found helpful.

All the best in your researching. Continue to ask questions, that's the best advice I can give you.

I say metabolism and genes are a big player on my side. Before surgery I was hungry every 2 hours even after eating a huge plate of food never get full but now after surgery I feel better the bypass does change your internal plumbing and metabolism...