I was watching Oprah this afternoon and I could not believe all the wonderful non surgeical success stories. What caught my eye were two people (a woman who lost over 500lbs-she started out at 720lbs and a man who was well over 400lbs and is now normal size) who were able to deal with their "food" demons and overcame them enough to start eating right and moving enough to lose the weight.

As inspiring as the stories were, I was a bit sad because I wondered what was wrong with me and why I opted to have surgery when there are people out there who are able to do this the "normal" and hardest and disciplined way.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

those stories are so rare, that's why they are on that show. I think bob greenes people the 6 of them where more realistic, 14lbs, 22lbs ect. in months.

More power to those people who can lose it without wls, me I couldn't. i'm happy to have a little extra help. why not?

Hi all! I haven't been successful losing more than 10 or 15 lbs in the past 10 years. I was successful losing 60-65 lbs when I was younger, but gained it back within a year both times. It's always hard, but when you're older and the damage from being overweight so many years starts to gain on you and continued failures and then pain .... it really slows things down. The important thing is young, old, surgery or not, we can't ever give up! I truly believe I can do this with the help of a band. I have hope for the first time in SO many years.

Congrats to all of us for taking control of our health & our lives.

I know what you mean! I'm always watching these weight loss miracle shows looking for inspiration and just end up feeling defeated. Consider this: it's TV...all about sensationalism, commercialism, MONEY. The whole industry is designed around making people FEEL something, anything to buy some thing, or buy INto something. With that said, how many guests were featured?..... EXACTLY.

The thing that makes me feel better about pursuing the band (I don't even have one--Yet!) is that I am here right now eating less and moving more...and guess what...I am @#$%^&* STARVING MY @#$ OFF. Maybe these folks just weren't hungry. Maybe they had friends and neighbors who would come over and monitor them or push the out of bed to go work out. Who knows?--certainly not me. I am glad that some people have been able to do it, but the stark reality is that without some kind of help and support, we're just as likely to successfully lose weight as we are to win Publisher's Clearinghouse. Call me crass.:guess

Alas, I am among the 96%+ who gained back all my weight (and more). Lost >100 pounds on four (count 'em FOUR)separate occasions. Felt fabulous, swore I'd "never go back," truly believed nothing tasted as good as being thin felt, yada yada yada. But..... down in flames each and every time, more and more disgusted with myself. I am to be banded in January and really looking forward to having the "odds" in my favor for a change!

I admire anyone who can lose weight and keep it off the old-fashioned way, and I have struggled mightily with the realization that I cannot, but it is what it is. I'm going to give it my best shot to finally turn things around with the band!

I think the problem is that, it's a scary number statistic of people that lose weight, will gain it back. Something in the 90%.

I personally have lost a good amount of weight (still not a normal size though), and I gained it all back + more.

I think we all do that.

It's not just losing weight, we can all do a diet fad for just long enough.. it's maintaining. We have food issues..

Your post in absolutely correct. November 2005 I was at 240 pounds ... October 2004 I was at 360 pounds. I dropped the weight through heavy exercise (got a trainer) ... but I always seemed to cheat on the diet a couple times a week. It's always been about the food for me ... this band will hopefully act as a reminder for me ... helping me not to go crazy with the food.

I just saw this program about a man who went from over 1000 pounds to less than 200 without surgery.............and then he gained it all back!

I honestly think I can do it without the surgery, in fact I am sure I can. I've already lost 130+ with diet and exercise. But this band is my insurance that I will definitely keep the weight off. Why leave it up to chance? I've actually stopped losing just to qualify for the band, and once I got the insurance approval started to drop again.

I think it can be done without the surgery.........and it can be done with the surgery. I also believe the route you take to get there is completely unimportant. To each his own.

I feel guilty about having to have wls, but I too have lost and gained so many times that I'd finally given up trying. I'd resigned myself to getting huge for the rest of my life. (along with that I went into a deep depression) I didn't want to have the RNY because of all the rerouting and stuff but I'm afraid of the things I keep reading about lapbanders only being able to retain 50% of the weight loss they need too. I still chose the lb though and I will be banded on December 18th. Right now I've started the 3 day clear liquid diet and I'm starving....HELP!!!!! When I see shows like Oprah's, I would like to see them in 5-10 years also. Hmmm...do you think Oprah will have them on her show then? NOT......

On the subject of those of you who have gained your lost weight back, I have some insight that my surgeon shared with us on my initial consult. He said that once you have reached the point where you're 40% above your ideal body weight that a physical (he may have said biochemical) change occurs in your body and from that point onward your body will fight against any efforts of weight loss. He said weight can be lost, but the body will fight against you until it's able to regain that lost weight. Of course, he's "selling" Lap-band surgery, but I liked the explanation. He helped me figure out when I hit that 40% spot and it was about the time I got married and started really putting on weight. I'm 5'8" and it was about when I hit 205.

He told of a professional football player that he worked with who had lost 150 pounds three times but even with his extensive physical training was unable to keep those pound off without surgery. Compelling stuff.

There is no question that we can lose weight when we are motivated to apply the discipline. My problem is that I spend too much time, wanting to lose weight but not applying the discipline. The band helps me, by taking away some of the options I have of not applying discipline. It is a tool, I choose, and it is not easy. No matter how people do lose their weight, I see no point in picking on any other method. All I have to be concerned with is what I need. Then we seek out our support, there's enough room in this world for all of us. Even Oprah. haha!:biggrin1:

On the subject of those of you who have gained your lost weight back, I have some insight that my surgeon shared with us on my initial consult. He said that once you have reached the point where you're 40% above your ideal body weight that a physical (he may have said biochemical) change occurs in your body and from that point onward your body will fight against any efforts of weight loss. He said weight can be lost, but the body will fight against you until it's able to regain that lost weight. Of course, he's "selling" Lap-band surgery, but I liked the explanation. He helped me figure out when I hit that 40% spot and it was about the time I got married and started really putting on weight. I'm 5'8" and it was about when I hit 205.

He told of a professional football player that he worked with who had lost 150 pounds three times but even with his extensive physical training was unable to keep those pound off without surgery. Compelling stuff.

I'm not buying it. That does not match up to what science says, but it does agree with the myths of the 70s. A bit like starvation mode. It's a myth and science has proven it wrong.

Your body isn't able to think and rationalize anything, he's giving the human body credit for things it is quite frankly, unable to do.

I haven't heard that starvation mode is a myth before. I'd be interested to hear more about that.

I haven't heard that starvation mode is a myth before. I'd be interested to hear more about that.

Yeah, that's one that came out of the 70s. Science just does not prove eating more calories will make your body lose weight. If you eat 2000 calories you'll have to burn 2000 calories. Calories in/calories out. People often times give the human body more credit than it deserves. The body stores fat for the purpose of storing energy. When Glycogen and other carbs are burned it start working on fat and muscle. The human body simply does not calculate how many calories it is getting and then make a decision to store them vs. burning them because there are not enough.

The body is very good at storing fat, too good in a way. How easy is it to eat 3500 calories? That's a full pound. How many miles would you have to run to burn 3500 calories? A LONG run! :huggie: Bottom line, you have to burn more than you take in to lose weight.

The Starvation Myth

Bodybuilding.com - Jeremy Likness - Ask The Health Coach - Part 1.

And another...

>> Q ] How do I avoid "starvation mode?"

• I always love the starvation mode argument. "Don't go under 1000 calories or you'll be in starvation mode." Starvation is when you are not getting nutrients or energy - zilch, nada. It is true starvation - i.e. not eating.
  
  No, you will not go into some special mode after 6 hours of not eating. I've fasted for days before, and contrary to the popular trend, I did not suddenly lose 15 tons of muscle mass and become a thin sluggish weakling. I fasted for spiritual reasons and when I was done, I eased back into my regular nutrition program and was fine.
  Starvation mode is something that serves two purposes. In the mind of marketers, its a great scare tactic to shock people into buying supplements to make sure they have something on the road and don't go into that scary starvation mode. It is also great to market systems because Americans like to eat. So any system that says, "Lose fat by eating more" is going to sell.
  
  The second purpose it serves is for the person on the diet. It is a great justification for never going low enough to achieve phenomenal results - after all, they may kick into starvation mode. Better to have a reason to keep calories up and blame the inability to lose that last bit of ab flab on something else.
  Seriously: when you lower calories, your metabolism goes down. This isn't starvation mode, this is your metabolism slowing down. The thing is, who cares? I know the trend is to say it's better to eat more and have a burning metabolism.
  
  Personally, I don't see how a slow metabolism is any worse than a fast one if you are eating nutrient dense. In other words, I know of a 1200 calorie diet with far more nutrients than a typical American 3000 calorie diet. If it is sustainable and enjoyable, who cares if the metabolism is a bit slower? The idea is that it is easier to lose fat, but if you reach your goal and are maintaining, theoretically you don't have to lose more fat.<<
  

Weight Loss Myths Exposed

Myth #3: Cutting calories causes your body to go into starvation mode and slows weight loss. This is untrue. Your body’s resting metabolic rate can vary by about 15%. Nevertheless, eating too few calories and an inadequate amount of Protein can make you lose precious lean muscle mass, which will eventually slow metabolism, for the long term. Ideally, stick to the calorie and protein amounts that are right for your body with the Herbalife™ program.

(Plz ignore the Herbalife nonsense)

I only post this particular link because it is usually body builder types that promote this myth. Researchers and most docs tend to disagree with how the body works. I was happy to see a body builder type pass on quality info regarding nutrition issues.

I was beginning to think this was a thread on Oprah, but while we're on the subject, wouldn't it be cool if she had a show with only WLS guests. There are more than a few celebrities who have had it. Carnie Wilson had RNY, K Ali (Muhammad Ali's daughter--not sure how first name is spelled) has had Lapband, I saw a Discovery Health show about a female rock singer who had Lapband, and anothe show featuring Gil Gerard who used to be the TV Buck Rogers, and I believe he had the vertical sleeve. I remember he lost 143 pounds (I didn't recognize him when they showed him before surgery!). Maybe Oprah would get inspired. All the losing and regaining she has done surely has taken some toll on her health, as it has with us. I am waiting to get banded (hopefully in February) and look forward to a new relationship with food. More power to anyone who can lose weight and keep it off, by whatever means.