[sacredspirita]

Old College Athlete. Done dieting all my life, since 6th grade that is when I started to gain weight. I am insulin resistance (diagnosed recently). And obesity runs in my birth family.

I say birth family as in I am adopted and grew up with a skinny family.

I really can't exercise anymore. I have patellofemoral sydrome bilaterally in both knees (basically means when I get into my 50s I will have total knee replacement). Sure am glad I did athelics all my life. (<--sarcastic joke)

I have a torn minicus in my right knee from a treadmill accident 10 years ago. Belt slipped while I was running.

that was when I lost a total of 13 pounds in 9 months when I was working out 1.5 hours a day, restricted diet to 1800 calories and weight 246 when I started. Running 30 minutes a day, biking 30 minutes a day and weightlifting 30 minutes a day.

I tried a nutritionist program once with a nutrionist told me no exercise, eat 2000 calories. I gained 10 pounds on her diet.


My feelings or Questions

What is the long term affect on the body?

Feeling loss of control. Giving up and saying I can't conquer this myself makes me really depressed and sad. Because I feel I should be able to conquer this myself.

Worried about my own cravings with sugary food (plain sugar will do and happens alot). Or when I emotional eat (this isn't most of the time).

I know I have read some people's craving for sugar goes away with surgery. Is that true for anyone?

I also know that craving surgery stuff could be because of insulin resistance.

I am not a big ice cream fan but I can crave milk from time to time. I really don't like fried foods. Can't stand fast food, pizza, ect...

Biggest problem with me is sugar.

I guess I like to here from people about where you where at before and how you adjusted? Did you have similar concerns?

Many thanks,

Angela

[judijo]

Hi, Angela!

My name is Judi Jo and I am a binge eater. Well, I can't binge any more, but I know where you are coming from.

The following is MY opinion and not necessarily that of any other member of this group.

Brutal honesty is sometimes the best way to discuss uncontrolled eating.

The fact that you discuss sugar cravings indicates that you are actively eating a high-carbohydrate diet. ALL carbs break down to simple sugars eventually.

I can promise you that if you remove the carbs from your diet for at LEAST a week, the cravings you discuss can fade very quickly.

I have been a firm believer in low carb eating for many years, and was moderately successful in maintaining a weight loss that way. Now, after surgery, I don't eat over 100 grams of carbs per day. I do not have carb cravings at all right now.

Think about cutting breads/pasta/potato/rice/sugars out of your diet and stick to meats, hard cheese, and cruciferous vegetables for a week and see how you and your scale feel. There are HUNDREDS of low carb websites out there with full menu ideas.

If you want to ask specific questions about weight loss surgery, all of us would LOVE to answer you with honesty and kindness you will not find anywhere else!

Welcome!

[DocSanae]

Welcome to the board, thank you for joining us.
(((((HUGS))))) May your journey go well.

This journey is a tough ride, not only physically but mentally.
You do need to be ready for it to some extent, but you will also learn during the ride. You need to be ready for that, and be willing to learn and adapt.

You will have to make your decision entirely for yourself and on your own, and not because someone else suggested you go this way. If you feel

Feeling loss of control. Giving up and saying I can't conquer this myself makes me really depressed and sad. Because I feel I should be able to conquer this myself.

then you may face some difficulties in adjusting to post op life. You need to be secure in the thought that you are taking control of your life by tackling the by the horns, and using a good tool on hand--surgery-- for surgery is a tool and only a tool, not a magic bullet that makes your weight disappear. It is how wisely you use the tool that will make or break your success.


So, my suggestions, the order being random.
1) What do you feel you are missing out on, due to your excess weight? Make a list and consider.
2) What do you want to do, to get out of life, when you are able to get rid of the excess weight? Make a list and consider.
3) What aspects of life do you expect to improve through losing your excess weight, either with the help of surgery, or through conventional diet and exercise? Make a list and consider.
4) What exactly have you done up to now to control your weight, and how successful were these methods? Did the weight come back later, and if so, how much? Make a list and consider.
5) What aspects of life do you expect to turn out sour when you lose weight via surgery? Make a list and consider.
6) Do you have any depression issues? If you do, it's best to have it diagnosed and be brought under control.
7) Do you have a coping mechanism other than food or is food your only coping mechanism? If it's the latter, you will need an alternative post op, so it's best to start preparing while you are looking into surgery.
8) This is a toughie--what do you think you are worth, who do you think you are? Often, food is used to cover up these thoughts. You will have to face this at one point or another, and the thoughts may be unsettling, so be aware that it can happen.

Making lists 1) - 5) is to give you a comparison list of the pros and cons for surgery, and to give you a handle on why you think you need the surgery, and whether indeed you do. It is to help you make the decision by yourself and your own needs, not because someone else suggested the idea to you.

5)-8) are points to take into consideration to make your post op journey (if you do decide to go the surgery route) a bit less tougher.

Good luck in your search and research.