If you're contemplating weight loss surgery....

[gaymer77]

THIS IS NOT A POST TO OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE OR STATE MEDICAL OPINIONS. THIS IS SIMPLY OFFERING TO TALK ABOUT PERSONAL EXPERIENCES ONLY & ANSWER PERSONAL EXPERIENCE QUESTIONS ONLY.

First I want to tell you that I've struggled with my weight since high school. I've lost weight and got down to a "healthy" size but ended up gaining it all back and then some later. I've tried every diet & exercise program out there. I tried keto/Adkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Slimfast, and even fen/phen....everything. Some times I would lose weight but every time I did I would end up gaining it all back and then some. Some times I didn't lose anything. In 2012 I made the decision to have the lapband done (initially went in to get the gastric sleeve but insurance denied it as "experimental" but would approve the lapband or the bypass and I decided on the lapband instead). Had it down and only lost 30lbs with it but ended up gaining it all back and then another 30lbs. I had complications with it because it would literally choke me when I would eat some times to the point I couldn't breathe at all (literal choking). Other times I could eat with no restrictions at all. This past May I ended up getting a revision to the gastric bypass and it has changed my life. As of this past weekend I've officially lost over 100lbs with this surgery's help. The picture below is a picture taken 2 months ago when I was only at 80lbs lost. It is a side-by-side of me a week before surgery (340lbs) and an after surgery picture (260lbs).



With that being said, if you're contemplating having any form of weight loss surgery I'm here to talk to you and share any insight I have had with my journey to a thinner & healthier me.

[Itheni]

You tried restricting yourself with diets and crash diets vs life style changes like adding real lean muscle and eating real food vs quick fixes

So you got surgery.. to strict yourself permanently and can’t fully absorb all nutrients now..

Congrats

[Jackmman]

Well done on the weight loss. People should be congratulated when they set a goal and achieve it. Nice work.

[Themius]

Congrats, I was close to doing something like this at one point but after reading the studies and seeing how so many gain weight back after the surgery I just decided to go on a keto diet since firstly it is delicious, and it is all the food I like to eat. My doctor also agreed with the diet and after I loss weight all signs were quite healthy. Also contrary to the beginning stages of the diet after a few months my fat intake was just slightly higher than average by maybe 20 grams.

[gaymer77]

You tried restricting yourself with diets and crash diets vs life style changes like adding real lean muscle and eating real food vs quick fixes

So you got surgery.. to strict yourself permanently and can’t fully absorb all nutrients now..

Congrats

No I tried lifestyle changes (keto & Adkins are lifestyle changes) along with exercising (which included one time going to a personal trainer 3 times a week for 6 months). When I was 19 years old I tried eating a salad 2 meals a day (no dressing) and ate eggs in the morning with some fruit. I dropped almost 30lbs in a month doing that and dropped another 20 the month after that. I ended up gaining it all back within a year. Every single time I've done a diet I have ALWAYS included an exercise program with it where I worked out a minimum of 3 days a week. I hardly ever eat out because quite frankly I can't afford to do it. I cook (and always have) meals that use little to no oil and select lean meats when I cook dinner. I lived with my in-laws for 2 years where they cooked nothing but ground turkey and boneless/skinless chicken. I gained weight while living there. I got the surgery because I NEEDED to have that malabsorption to lose & keep the weight off. My vitamin levels are all where they should be because my primary doctor monitors my blood every 2 months. I take 2 Flintstone's vitamins daily and get all my protein in with food without having to supplement with shakes and I get 64-100oz of water in daily. But thanks for showing us you're an ass....

[Celista]

You look great! Nice job

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No I tried lifestyle changes (keto & Adkins are lifestyle changes) along with exercising (which included one time going to a personal trainer 3 times a week for 6 months). When I was 19 years old I tried eating a salad 2 meals a day (no dressing) and ate eggs in the morning with some fruit. I dropped almost 30lbs in a month doing that and dropped another 20 the month after that. I ended up gaining it all back within a year. Every single time I've done a diet I have ALWAYS included an exercise program with it where I worked out a minimum of 3 days a week. I hardly ever eat out because quite frankly I can't afford to do it. I cook (and always have) meals that use little to no oil and select lean meats when I cook dinner. I lived with my in-laws for 2 years where they cooked nothing but ground turkey and boneless/skinless chicken. I gained weight while living there. I got the surgery because I NEEDED to have that malabsorption to lose & keep the weight off. My vitamin levels are all where they should be because my primary doctor monitors my blood every 2 months. I take 2 Flintstone's vitamins daily and get all my protein in with food without having to supplement with shakes and I get 64-100oz of water in daily. But thanks for showing us you're an ass....

There are a lot of sad, bitter, and angry people here. Just ignore them.

[Airlick]

The only reason you can lose weight and quickly gain it back is that you haven't changed your habits. And this is exactly the truth that is seemingly unfathomable to many fat people - you're daily intake while you're off diet is a LOT larger than it should be. Replace your coke with water, tea and juices, stop eating excessively fat food, gorging on 2 pounds of meat every day, eat vegetables and fruits, start light exercises and you're good to go. I've dropped from around 110 kilos to some 62 in around year and a half by doing specifically that. There are no magic tricks involved in losing weight, and you don't need a surgery.

[gaymer77]

Congrats, I was close to doing something like this at one point but after reading the studies and seeing how so many gain weight back after the surgery I just decided to go on a keto diet since firstly it is delicious, and it is all the food I like to eat. My doctor also agreed with the diet and after I loss weight all signs were quite healthy. Also contrary to the beginning stages of the diet after a few months my fat intake was just slightly higher than average by maybe 20 grams.

I agree with you about the food on a keto diet being good. I loved that one because the food wasn't bland tasting and I could actually eat good. One of the reasons why people gain weight after weight loss surgery is because they screw it up themselves. You have to learn that you can't drink and eat at the same time or what you end up doing is literally washing the food in your new pouch down into your small intestine which makes you hungry & able to eat more. They also don't stick to the lifestyle changes that their team gives them. They go right back to eating the typical shit they had before surgery. Cakes, cookies, fast food, etc etc etc. Yes you CAN have those types of things but in moderation. I have the occasional cookie (love me some Nutter Butters) or cake but when I do its literally a sliver of a piece and 2-3 cookies at the most. Weight loss surgery is just a tool to help you lose weight. You still have to live your life & can't rely solely on it to do what needs to be done to be healthier. Moderation is key instead of fully depriving yourself. If you deprive yourself then it just makes you crave it more and you end up caving in & eating more of it than had you just given yourself a small amount. I will say this though, if you have the gastric sleeve done (formally known as sleeve gastrectomy compared to the gastric bypass which is formally known as the Roux en-Y) the chances of you gaining the weight back are much much higher than if you had the bypass and the amount of weight lost is lower than the bypass. The sleeve was designed originally to help severely obese patients lose enough weight so that the surgeon could go in and later revise it to a bypass. They found that since people were already losing weight with that surgery they would start doing that in lew of the bypass for some. If you have GERD, acid reflux, or Barret's esophagus like I did then the sleeve is out of the question for you to get since it will actually make the symptoms worsen with the surgery.

[ZazuuPriest]

No I tried lifestyle changes (keto & Adkins are lifestyle changes) along with exercising (which included one time going to a personal trainer 3 times a week for 6 months). When I was 19 years old I tried eating a salad 2 meals a day (no dressing) and ate eggs in the morning with some fruit. I dropped almost 30lbs in a month doing that and dropped another 20 the month after that. I ended up gaining it all back within a year. Every single time I've done a diet I have ALWAYS included an exercise program with it where I worked out a minimum of 3 days a week. I hardly ever eat out because quite frankly I can't afford to do it. I cook (and always have) meals that use little to no oil and select lean meats when I cook dinner. I lived with my in-laws for 2 years where they cooked nothing but ground turkey and boneless/skinless chicken. I gained weight while living there. I got the surgery because I NEEDED to have that malabsorption to lose & keep the weight off. My vitamin levels are all where they should be because my primary doctor monitors my blood every 2 months. I take 2 Flintstone's vitamins daily and get all my protein in with food without having to supplement with shakes and I get 64-100oz of water in daily. But thanks for showing us you're an ass....

Its pretty clear that you have literally no idea how to properly diet.. you need fat and 100oz of water is hardly more than a half gallon which is not enough if youre being active like you claimed.. which i doubt

[Muajin76]

i used to have a buddy that was very big. he found a way to hook up his gaming laptop to his treadmill. dude lost a ton of weight while playing wow. gotta have great coordination to do something like that though. boosting up your metabolism with certain drinks when you first wake up in the morning can also help. water with lemon, ginger and apple cider vinegar is amazing morning/evening drink.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

I run jog 3 times a week for a few km and don't eat like total shit (still get plenty off BBQ, cheeseburgers, and fried chicken) and it seems to work for me.

[gaymer77]

Replace your coke with water, tea and juices

This is actually really horrible advice to give someone. Yes water is better for you than coke. Tea and juice actually have just as much sugar in them as cokes do. Some times juice has MORE calories and sugar in them than cokes do. For the past 4 years I drink nothing but bottled water with those singles-to-go flavor packets for flavoring. One bottle with one packet has 0-10 calories and no sugar. I rarely drink soda, Starbucks, smoothies, or teas. I will have them when we go out to eat somewhere but seeing how we don't even eat out once a week that's a hardly ever situation.

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Its pretty clear that you have literally no idea how to properly diet.. you need fat and 100oz of water is hardly more than a half gallon which is not enough if youre being active like you claimed.. which i doubt

The recommended water consumption for your average person is only 8 8oz glasses per day. That's a total of 64oz. I drink that much and then some. Try knowing what you're talking about next time before you spout bullshit.

[arandomuser]

No I tried lifestyle changes (keto & Adkins are lifestyle changes) along with exercising (which included one time going to a personal trainer 3 times a week for 6 months). When I was 19 years old I tried eating a salad 2 meals a day (no dressing) and ate eggs in the morning with some fruit. I dropped almost 30lbs in a month doing that and dropped another 20 the month after that. I ended up gaining it all back within a year. Every single time I've done a diet I have ALWAYS included an exercise program with it where I worked out a minimum of 3 days a week. I hardly ever eat out because quite frankly I can't afford to do it. I cook (and always have) meals that use little to no oil and select lean meats when I cook dinner. I lived with my in-laws for 2 years where they cooked nothing but ground turkey and boneless/skinless chicken. I gained weight while living there. I got the surgery because I NEEDED to have that malabsorption to lose & keep the weight off. My vitamin levels are all where they should be because my primary doctor monitors my blood every 2 months. I take 2 Flintstone's vitamins daily and get all my protein in with food without having to supplement with shakes and I get 64-100oz of water in daily. But thanks for showing us you're an ass....

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/19/h...t2P4C_YSCLUEOg

basically lays out the scientific reasons why just "putting your mind to it" dosent work, and YES they do include biological and genetic elements. oh and also surgery is the number one way to cure obesity but because of stigma people dont get it as much, partly perpetuated by the guy you were responding to

[Celista]

Its pretty clear that you have literally no idea how to properly diet.. you need fat and 100oz of water is hardly more than a half gallon which is not enough if youre being active like you claimed.. which i doubt

What are you on about, you don't need fat to lose weight.

[ZazuuPriest]

What are you on about, you don't need fat to lose weight.

you need fat for digestion of food and absorbing nutrients fucking read a book

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This is actually really horrible advice to give someone. Yes water is better for you than coke. Tea and juice actually have just as much sugar in them as cokes do. Some times juice has MORE calories and sugar in them than cokes do. For the past 4 years I drink nothing but bottled water with those singles-to-go flavor packets for flavoring. One bottle with one packet has 0-10 calories and no sugar. I rarely drink soda, Starbucks, smoothies, or teas. I will have them when we go out to eat somewhere but seeing how we don't even eat out once a week that's a hardly ever situation.

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The recommended water consumption for your average person is only 8 8oz glasses per day. That's a total of 64oz. I drink that much and then some. Try knowing what you're talking about next time before you spout bullshit.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l...r/art-20044256

Hey look i can read.. and it says drink more than 64oz a day. that took 3 seconds to look up what i already knew but i figured youd want a source

[gaymer77]

you need fat for digestion of food and absorbing nutrients fucking read a book

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https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-l...r/art-20044256

Hey look i can read.. and it says drink more than 64oz a day. that took 3 seconds to look up what i already knew but i figured youd want a source

It also says you can get fluids from other sources than directly drinking water. I drink 64-100oz of water daily in addition to whatever fluids I take in with naturally with foods. That means I drink 8-12/13 cups of water daily. That article contradicts itself too because it says that women should drink 11.5 cups daily but while pregnant it should be 10. But that article also said "Your fluid intake is probably adequate if: You rarely feel thirsty & Your urine is colorless or light yellow". I rarely feel thirsty & if I do I drink more water. My urine is almost colorless 99% of the time. I am fully hydrated. But thanks for caring.

[Airlick]

This is actually really horrible advice to give someone. Yes water is better for you than coke. Tea and juice actually have just as much sugar in them as cokes do. Some times juice has MORE calories and sugar in them than cokes do. For the past 4 years I drink nothing but bottled water with those singles-to-go flavor packets for flavoring. One bottle with one packet has 0-10 calories and no sugar. I rarely drink soda, Starbucks, smoothies, or teas. I will have them when we go out to eat somewhere but seeing how we don't even eat out once a week that's a hardly ever situation.

Uh, have you heard about the concept of making tea or squeezing juice on your own? I wasn't talking about some bottled brands, they are obviously just as bad as any other coloured drinks. Though it's not so bad with juices, I don't know about US, but I could easily find relatively cheap juices that didn't have extreme amounts of added sugar at my place.

[ZazuuPriest]

It also says you can get fluids from other sources than directly drinking water. I drink 64-100oz of water daily in addition to whatever fluids I take in with naturally with foods. That means I drink 8-12/13 cups of water daily. That article contradicts itself too because it says that women should drink 11.5 cups daily but while pregnant it should be 10. But that article also said "Your fluid intake is probably adequate if: You rarely feel thirsty & Your urine is colorless or light yellow". I rarely feel thirsty & if I do I drink more water. My urine is almost colorless 99% of the time. I am fully hydrated. But thanks for caring.

imagine the hubris of the guy who had to get surgery to get un-fat... youre still fat... but insists that while he was fatter he was doing everything right. insane

[Taeron]

Speaking as an uninformed citizen, my understanding is that lowering your body fat % is a simple equation of "Calories Out>Calories In".
Any "diet" will work really.. as long as this equation is true.

The turning point for me personally was just truth.

The truth that any weight gain following weight loss was a result of nothing more than my own bad decisions
The truth that obesity is highly indicative of low IQ

Very confronting things to swallow. But removing all external influences/excuses as the cause, also removed external influences as the solution.. because, its all me.

[Muajin76]

Uh, have you heard about the concept of making tea or squeezing juice on your own? I wasn't talking about some bottled brands, they are obviously just as bad as any other coloured drinks. Though it's not so bad with juices, I don't know about US, but I could easily find relatively cheap juices that didn't have extreme amounts of added sugar at my place.

yep..you don't get that added crap either, making the fruit juice even healthier and better for dieting. i finally bought a blender the other day to make my own stuff so i can shave off my belly and weight as well.