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What is your why?



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When my doctor mentioned it as an option I was open to it and was planning to get around to it...eventually. Then one of my friends got type 2 diabetes. He's like 34 or 35 and I'm 32. He's much bigger than me but it still spooked the hell out of me. I know me and I know that type 2 diabetes would be a death sentence for me; There's no way I'd be able to manage it, it's too micromanage-y and I've got ADHD real bad. So I had to do something.

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2 hours ago, Kris77 said:

Was the heaviest I had ever been. Got to the point when I’d bend over to tie laces felt like I couldn’t breathe. Plus outweighed my husband by a lot. He is a normal weight. So I could have squished him lol. My heaviest was 238. I’m only 5’4 3/4. Now I’m 138. Best decision I ever made. Only regret was that I should have done this sooner!!

Same here. I needed help with socks and shoes and even needed some help with bathroom issues and showering. I got to be 420 pounds and I'm 5 foot tall so my weight definatly affected my ability to do everyday tasks

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56 minutes ago, Jnfinney said:

My why is pretty complex. I’ve been overweight since I was about 9. At 11 years old I was diagnosed with hashimotos disease and hypothyroidism. I was bullied physically, verbally, and emotionally for years in school due to my weight. As I entered my 20s my cholesterol and blood pressure were creeping up to borderline needing medication. I suffer from horrible depression and anxiety and my poor self image doesn’t help with that at all. Last summer, I reached my highest weight ever of 235 despite regular exercise and attempts to eat healthier. I have just had it with my weight and decided I needed surgical intervention.

Kids can be so cruel. I was always heavy as well and was bullied from elementary school on.

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On 3/11/2021 at 11:21 AM, David_L said:

To give my boys the gift of being a potential "Grandpa" to their future children, should they decide to have them. It's something they didn't have much have in their lives. I also want to enjoy "golden" years in a healthy way with the wife.

I also want to break free from the prison cell of nearly 350lbs. We're flying to Savannah in a couple months and for the first time in a long time, I am not too concerned about fitting in the airplane seat.

This is a good one!

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5 hours ago, angeleyesdalton said:

I have high blood pressure and I’m tired of taking meds also I’m going to be a empty nester in a few months I know it’s time to get healthy and travel and do more things with my hubby

Congrats! All good reasons!!

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1 hour ago, victoriaciminelli111 said:

I went on my first diet when I was 8 years old

I have been dieting for 35 years. I needed something else and now I have it.

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Hope this helps some folks. One thing I read not too long ago (and I can't recall where exactly) are the reasons why we do the things we do. This is why I love this topic and thread. Intrinsic vs extrinsic. Saying things like "I want to drop 50lbs so I can get into my old jeans" would be extrinsic whereas "I just want to be at a healthy weight and avoid the long term complications due to excessive weight" would be more intrinsic. These are the things we really have to ponder.

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To get rid of my diabetes. Be able to move around without the use of a cane, or wheelchair. Those are the main things. There are so many others. Too many to list.

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On 3/11/2021 at 11:15 AM, victoriaciminelli111 said:

Thank you he actually passed away four months after his gastric sleeve from complications of the surgery. But he was in rough shape pre op.

so sorry. I think this is pretty unusual.

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1 hour ago, HealthyLifeStyle said:

To get rid of my diabetes. Be able to move around without the use of a cane, or wheelchair. Those are the main things. There are so many others. Too many to list.

To not get Diabetes!

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23 hours ago, chiquitatummy said:

To prevent future disease and illness. I was obese and generally healthy but knew I was on the path (like many of my family members) to diabetes and high blood pressure. Watching my mom suffer with her health now is a big motivator for me to do something to prevent being in the place she is in another 15-20 years. Realizing that my weight put me at high risk for Covid was another wake-up call for me.

I was also tired of feeling physically uncomfortable in my body (achy back, feet, hips, etc) and having no energy. I missed doing the things I used to do like hiking, rollerblading, and bike riding. I'd stopped doing them when I got heavy enough that it was painful and physically uncomfortable to be active. I'm only two weeks and a couple days out from surgery and already I can walk without discomfort around my neighborhood. My energy may still be low, but my back and feet don't hurt! It feels amazing!!! I'm remembering how much I used to enjoy being physically active.

Hey we had surgery the same day! How are you doing?

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I wanted to stop having daily concerns about things like how I would fit into a chair at work, not being able to play with my kids, feeling exhausted and like every move was like running a marathon. I didn’t feel like how I looked matched how I felt- I didn’t even feel like myself anymore.

I wanted to be able to exercise again. To have some control over my endless cravings. To fit into clothes that I actually liked. To not feel like I never wanted anyone to see me because the first thing they would think is about how fat I was. To know that I can’t fit on an airline seat, when traveling was one of my greatest passions in life.

Four months in and I have no regrets. I’m 110 down, and getting closer to just being “overweight”. To go from a 48 BMI to 33 feels amazing in every way.

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For me there was a million things about my life I wanted to change that are affected by my weight, but somehow that all became background noise in my life.

What made me finally decide to sign up for surgery was the sudden clarity that if I could have done it in my own, I already would have. My being overweight has virtually been my reality my whole life and being morbidly obese has been my life for at least a decade. This “issue” is not a passing thing.

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My wife developed an autoimmune disease that reared it's head last year. One way to help reduce her symptoms was to lose weight. One month after being diagnosed we met with the surgeon and 2 months after that we both had surgery. She has lost 80 lbs since preop and I have lost 85 since preop and 105 overall since last year. Luckily her symptoms are greatly reduced and we are both doing amazing now.

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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

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      1. NickelChip

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      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

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      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

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