Diet and Exercise vs. Surgery. Thoughts?

0somuchbetter0

I'm not reading this whole thread because it just upsets me. We had a similar discussion a few weeks ago: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/667363-just-curious-how-do-you-guys-feel-about-gastric-bypass

CharlieBarleyMom

I know from having gone for a consultation (3+ years ago) that there is more to the surgery than just surgery - there is 6 months worth of preparatory psychologist's appointments and nutritionists appointments and you are also supposed to try to lose weight on your own during those 6 months.

I also know from having been to the consultation that those things are mandatory but overlooked if you don't lose any weight and the psycologist is just for the record ...

It does take determination to not eat like you used to once your stomach is cut in half and your digestive system is all messed up... but I know people who have done it... and yup, they're back at their starting weight...

I knew for me, that if I could eat a VLCD like I'd be forced to after surgery then I would lose it on my own... but since I knew I had underlying causes for having gained the weight I knew I had to attack those before I could help myself. Enter MFP.

Now I'm not fully through my program, I'm never going to be fully through my program. Nor have I conquered all of my little devils that brought me to this spot in the first place... but I am working on them and even though I haven't lost anything in 6-8 months now, I'm still determined and on the path to health. And I'm eating healthy. Getting healthy, staying healthy, looking younger, feeling better.

Good luck to anyone who undertakes losing weight, but I still feel that the surgery is someone trying to bypass the hard work... and guess what, you don't get to bypass it. It is still work and you've still got to eat right and exercise to keep it off.

RainHoward

Wow, I am now completely disgusted with the human race and a number of people on MFP. For a place that is supposed to be about supporting one another, all these posts filled with hate are sad. Many of you should simply be ashamed of yourselves and attitudes. Bigoted, hateful and rude. Not to mention uneducated about the very thing you are going off on.

That being said, I really don't care what anyone else thinks. I'm not doing this for you, or you or that guy over there. I care as much about your opinion of my choice to receive surgery as I do about what you think of my clothes or my car. That is to say, not one iota. I'm not doing this for anyone other than myself. For my health, for my happiness and to better my life. If you don't like that or the methods I use, I don't care.

Now I am off to weep at the state of humanity. Sometimes my own race embarrasses me.

Onaughmae

Wow, I am now completely disgusted with the human race and a number of people on MFP. For a place that is supposed to be about supporting one another, all these posts filled with hate are sad. Many of you should simply be ashamed of yourselves and attitudes. Bigoted, hateful and rude. Not to mention uneducated about the very thing you are going off on.

That being said, I really don't care what anyone else thinks. I'm not doing this for you, or you or that guy over there. I care as much about your opinion of my choice to receive surgery as I do about what you think of my clothes or my car. That is to say, not one iota. I'm not doing this for anyone other than myself. For my health, for my happiness and to better my life. If you don't like that or the methods I use, I don't care.

Now I am off to weep at the state of humanity. Sometimes my own race embarrasses me.

^^^^ This Its sad to see so much disgust and rudeness coming from others that should understand what it is like to be overweight and unhealthy. We should support each other...not tear each other down.

0somuchbetter0

Since I know most people won't go and read the other thread I just posted a link to, here's my post from that thread, written July 13:

Well, it's definitely not for everyone. I can't speak for the entire obese population (who can?), but I can tell you a bit about my own story.

Personally, I did it for my loved ones. I want my kids (age 8 and 5) to have a happy, active, healthy mom who they're not ashamed of and who will be around for a long long time). I want my husband to have a wife who he's proud of and who can keep up with his crazy hiking/kayaking/rock climbing adventures, and who he enjoys having sex with (!). I want my mom to grow old feeling peaceful and content about her daughter's future, who she's seen struggle with her weight and depression for most of her life.

I had lap-band surgery just over 6 weeks ago and I know it was the absolute right decision for me.

I'm 46 years old and have been obese for about 20 years. I've tried everything to lose weight, and I mean everything. I know more about nutrition, health, and physical fitness than most people I know. Even obese, I've always been as active as my body would allow -- going to the gym regularly, weight training, walking/jogging, biking... I love being active. The last 5 years or so it was becoming more and more difficult and painful, to the point that I spiraled into a pretty severe depression. Depression leads to shrinks and shrinks lead to self-examination...and I started learning a lot about myself.

I know what and how I'm supposed to eat, but there was something that was stopping me from doing it right. I like to say that the little voice that tells you that you've had enough, that you'll regret eating that brownie, that yes, even if you eat it fast and no one is looking, it still counts...that voice is broken in me. I don't know how I broke it or how or when, but I've been working extremely hard (you have no idea!) to figure it out and fix it. About two years ago I decided to take a good hard look at myself -- I started keeping a journal not just about what I was eating, but why, and how I was feeling when I ate, etc. It was scary. Reading over that journal (which no one knows about...not even my husband...until now). I didn't recognize the person I was reading about. It brings me to tears just writing this...so I'll move on.

I realized I had a real addiction to food. Not really to food, exactly, but to eating. Eating -- overeating, binging -- was doing things to my brain, and my brain was screaming for more and more. Yeah, you get high off the dopamine...and the cravings are intense. It's worse than quitting smoking, at least for me.

When I finally stepped on the scale and looked at that number, I realized I had 120lbs to lose in order to be healthy. That number was overwhelming and I just didn't think I could do it alone. I started researching weight loss surgery and a lot of them scared me off. Gastric bypass, with its risks of malnutrition, physically re-routing the entire digestive tract, never being able to enjoy a glass of wine again? Not for me. The sleeve, where they remove a large portion of your stomach so that the food doesn't have time to be properly digested...no. There are a dozen others that are similar. I didn't like the idea of permanently physically changing my GI tract and all the problems that would come with that. The lap-band, while it does have potential risks, is less invasive, allows you to eat anything you want, and most importantly, is reversible if something goes wrong. I don't see it as a magical solution to all my problems. The band definitely requires more active participation on the part of the human -- there are ways to cheat the band where you could eat all day and pack away thousands of calories. I only see the band as a tool to help me face the huge number of pounds I need to lose and make it easier to make good choices. If I let myself go hungry for too long, I make bad choices....the band allows me to go 4-5 hours between meals on pretty small portions. I don't feel hungry except for the reasonable hunger pangs I should feel before I eat. By working with a nutritionist and a therapist (who specializes in addiction behavior and eating disorders), I think (I HOPE) I've pretty much beat the addiction monster. Sure, I had a piece of my son's birthday cake a few days ago, but it didn't turn me into a carb-and-sugar freak, shoving pound cakes and cheesecakes into my mouth when no one was looking. (Which, I'm ashamed to say, could have been the case a couple of years ago).

In closing...

The band (and weight loss surgery in general) is only a tool. If you don't fix what's in your head, you will regain the weight. As far as surgeries go, it was pretty easy for me. All surgery is risky. I had two babies (resulting in two c-sections because they were both breech), and even they were pretty easy compared to some of the horror stories I've heard. Compared to my c-sections, my band surgery was like having a cavity filled.

Maybe some people think I'm weak for opting for surgery, that I've taken the "easy way out." To those people, I say you really don't know what you're talking about until you've experienced my life and my food addiction and my obesity first hand. But that's ok. There will always be someone on the sidelines of our lives, judging us for one decision or other. Best thing you can do is brush it off and do what's right for you.

oandptech

I have several friends/family who have had weight loss surgery and continually go one and on about how well they've done. You know, constant FB updates etc. I personally lost my weight without surgery.

Congratulations on you weight loss!

I was wondering everyone's thoughts on this issue. Before you start blasting me (or each other) please note that this is intended to be a poll on what people think of weight loss surgery. Does surgery allow bragging rights?

No, That is just their personality and has nothing to do the surgery. If not for the surgery they would probably find something else to brag about.

Furthermore, I'm not putting down surgery as a viable medical alternative for those who may need it. Personally, I think it's over prescribed by the medical community/Insurance companies. However, thats my PERSONAL opinion, and I don't think less of anyone who may have that surgery.

Insurance will actually tell you not to do surgery b/c that costs them money AND you have to jump through tons of hoops to get it.

My sister had gastric bypass. Prior to surgery she lost 60lbs and everyone kept asking me why she went ahead with the surgery after loosing so much, she could just continue. She has always been able to loose weight but never enough to get to a healthy size. The problem is she would plateau and nothing she did would get her past it, she would be plateaued for 6-8 months. Very few people have that kind of will power to be able to continue past that. This last time she plateaued for 6 months and nothing her dietitian, nutritionist, doctor, and trainer did could get her past it. It was then she finally agreed to the surgery after much discussion and research. (She's been researching it for years. It was not a decision she made lightly.)

So far she's lost 175lbs at last count including the previous 60lbs. She lost ME! And for the first time she could exercise like she's always wanted to but her feet and knees would limit her. She wanted to be able to run or even walk for a mile but couldn't b/c of the damage she was doing to her joints. She LOVES to exercise now and can walk for MILES! and even ran 1/2 mile recently.

The past surgeries(15+ years ago) were just that. Surgery and the doctor washed their hands of you. Now if you go to a reputable place it is a system. They teach you how to live a healthier lifestyle. Either instead of surgery or after surgery.

I on the other hand I have been able to loose my weight b/c I never got up to that size and I've never needed to loose more than 20lbs.

While yes, surgery allows you to loose a tremendous amount of weight relatively quickly, only lifestyle change will keep it off. Just like if you were able to loose it ( which is super impressive!!! Congrats! )

P.S. There are more than one surgery, there are quite a few depending on what type of eating issue you have. My sister had issues with portion control and knew if she got the band then she'd just cheat it (soft foods or a grazer type eating habits) and fail. So she went with the gastric bypass, even though she wanted the gastric sleeve (mush less intense) but do to insurance limitations on choices and limits on funds she chose the bypass.

nicenurse2012

Wow, I am now completely disgusted with the human race and a number of people on MFP. For a place that is supposed to be about supporting one another, all these posts filled with hate are sad. Many of you should simply be ashamed of yourselves and attitudes. Bigoted, hateful and rude. Not to mention uneducated about the very thing you are going off on.

That being said, I really don't care what anyone else thinks. I'm not doing this for you, or you or that guy over there. I care as much about your opinion of my choice to receive surgery as I do about what you think of my clothes or my car. That is to say, not one iota. I'm not doing this for anyone other than myself. For my health, for my happiness and to better my life. If you don't like that or the methods I use, I don't care.

Now I am off to weep at the state of humanity. Sometimes my own race embarrasses me.

^^^^ This Its sad to see so much disgust and rudeness coming from others that should understand what it is like to be overweight and unhealthy. We should support each other...not tear each other down.

I totally agree.

abberbabber

Wow, I am now completely disgusted with the human race and a number of people on MFP. For a place that is supposed to be about supporting one another, all these posts filled with hate are sad. Many of you should simply be ashamed of yourselves and attitudes. Bigoted, hateful and rude. Not to mention uneducated about the very thing you are going off on.

That being said, I really don't care what anyone else thinks. I'm not doing this for you, or you or that guy over there. I care as much about your opinion of my choice to receive surgery as I do about what you think of my clothes or my car. That is to say, not one iota. I'm not doing this for anyone other than myself. For my health, for my happiness and to better my life. If you don't like that or the methods I use, I don't care.

Now I am off to weep at the state of humanity. Sometimes my own race embarrasses me.

:flowerforyou:

abberbabber

This reminds Me of the TLC show about those four people who had gastric bypass. I think it was "My 600lb life" or something. That show PISSED ME THE F*** OFF! Nothing but excuse after excuse, surgery after surgery. And then after 7 years only one guy kept all his weight off and lost more. You have nothing to brag about. You took the easy way out!

Half my family has medical issues. Diabetes, hypertension, etc. The ones who are over weight (including myself but luckily I have no medical issues) started out well over 350lbs. At some point you have to put the spoon down, get off your fat butt and make a CHANGE! One by one everyone is making that lifestyle change. NOT with surgery, but working on themselves inside and out.

You don't get bragging rights because you took shortcuts. Yeah good for you you've lost weight. But you also had over half your stomach stapled off. Meanwhile others are learning self control, making mistakes and falling down, but brushing themselves off and getting right back on the horse!

Vent completed. :flowerforyou:

This is beginning to feel like wrassling with a pig......

pljohnson001

Essentially, the general consensus on this post is that I don't deserve to be proud of, nor should I be posting about my weight loss. Because I didn't do it myself. I cheated. I took the easy, lazy way out by having bariatric surgery. Since (as it has been proven by so many commenters' "close personal friends" and family members) I will gain all of it back, I therefore deserve no kudos, nor well wishes.

Okay. Well thank you so very much for making that clear for me. I thought that my two hours of working out, 6 days a week, monitoring my calories and utilizing this tool (both my sleeve, AND MFP) were what was making me successful with losing the 75% of the 350 pounds I started out with needing to lose! I am so glad you were all here to let me know how wrong I was.

So, for all of you who have positively commented and complimented me on my weight loss, I apologize for taking those remarks away from people on here who have lost their weight the honest way, with absolutely no help nor weight loss tools, as they are the only ones who's weight loss was truly worked for and earned, and have absolutely no possibility of gaining any of it back. Again, my sincerest apologies for taking away from those worthy "losers".


You judgmental, uneducated, ignorant, donkey's arses!

Well said.

caro1275

you know what...shame on every person that ever accepted an aid out there for moving on with their life.

shame on the person that needed an anti depressant to move on in their life,

shame on the person that needed methadone to successfully kick a drug habit,

shame on the person that had to use inhalers to help get their asthma under control.

shame on the person that accepted the help of a painkiller during a painful healing situation..

shame on the person that accepted rehab after an accident..

just shame....

but yet, IF people accepted those aids and IF people came out of the other side successfully and with full faculty and became fully active contributing members of society we laud them for the troubles, we laud them for their fight and their battle and the ensuing victory over their demon that they had to overcome...

yet we find it within ourselves to judge others WE (who have not truly been in their shoes) feel are not worth any pride, or self satisfaction or good feelings....

personally the judgments I see in this thread about how a person that has had a surgery isn't entitled to EVER feel good about themselves is disgusting...

I couldn't have said it any better!

BogQueen1

I personally know someone who had it. She said it was life changing for her. She goes to the doctor more then anyone I know, has constant issues eating enough protein, and will take monster horse vitamins for the rest of her life in order to avoid becoming malnourished. She also still has to resort to 'quick fix' diets in order to take off those stubborn pounds that keep creeping back, and never acquired good exercise habits.

Is this health? Is she a glowing picture of vitality?

For her it was the right choice she said, she had exhausted all other possibilities, and is much happier this way.

But in my mind, bariatric = barbaric. So much of your body's health and well being is centered around your digestive tract and what you put into it. Garbage in, garbage out. So for me it will never be an option. I'm still new here, still getting the hang of tracking these calories, but so far it seems to be working. I feel better. I walk with my head up now. The depression I feel ever time I see a cute adorable girl in cute adorable clothes is getting less. One day I hope to be wearing lovely fashionable clothes and looking good in them, and even better out of them!

So I vote against it, personally, but this doesn't mean that for some people it's not the right answer. People who just don't have the energy to move, or are too fatigued and weighed down by life, and full of despair to fix it through diet and exercise. Better they find some measure of health this way then dieing painfully due to obesity.

californiagirl2012

Personally I am proud of the fact that I lost weight (60 lbs) without surgeries or any of the new injectable hormone stuff. Everyone is looking for the magic pill or quick fix, but the old fashioned way has been around forever, eat less and move more. Simple but hard and it requires patience. The benefit is you learn a lifestyle when you do it this way. Those with surgeries miss out on this character building part of the process. There is a place for the surgeries, when life is endangered.

I took two years to lose 60 lbs and I have kept it off a year now, but I noticed it took most of that year for my mind to adjust to the "new me" and to adjust to maintaining rather than losing. I can't imagine what it's like for the mind to adjust with the surgery. I like having the time to adjust.

angelcurry130

And here I thought I was posting what I thought about ELECTIVE surgeries. That was the original point of the thread, wasn't it? Opinions on whether or not someone should be proud of trying to get a quick fix? It wasn't? It's about bashing people for their opinions on elective weight-loss surgery? It was also about getting defensive when someone has gotten surgery as a life-saving last-resort? My bad.

Jeeze...so much hostility...

lilpoindexter

I think surgery is risky, and it is better to lose weight by eating well and exercising.

Aventuria

And here I thought I was posting what I thought about ELECTIVE surgeries. That was the original point of the thread, wasn't it? Opinions on whether or not someone should be proud of trying to get a quick fix? It wasn't? It's about bashing people for their opinions on elective weight-loss surgery? It was also about getting defensive when someone has gotten surgery as a life-saving last-resort? My bad.

Jeeze...so much hostility...

It's a tough topic, of course emotions tend to run high after a while... :ohwell:

Momma_Grizz

Personally I am proud of the fact that I lost weight (60 lbs) without surgeries or any of the new injectable hormone stuff. Everyone is looking for the magic pill or quick fix, but the old fashioned way has been around forever, eat less and move more. Simple but hard and it requires patience. The benefit is you learn a lifestyle when you do it this way. Those with surgeries miss out on this character building part of the process. There is a place for the surgeries, when life is endangered.

I took two years to lose 60 lbs and I have kept it off a year now, but I noticed it took most of that year for my mind to adjust to the "new me" and to adjust to maintaining rather than losing. I can't imagine what it's like for the mind to adjust with the surgery. I like having the time to adjust.

^I agree^ I'm not judging those who have had surgeries but for me, there was too much of a risk so it was not an option. It took me 14 months to lose 153 pounds - one day/one pound at a time and through that journey, I learned a lot about myself, nutrition and healthy life style. I maintained that loss for almost two years but this last year by letting myself slide, I have regained 40. Being big my entire life and never having lived a healthy lifestyle before, I really needed that 14 months to learn, to adjust to this new lifestyle and to 'grow' into my new self.

RainHoward

And here I thought I was posting what I thought about ELECTIVE surgeries. That was the original point of the thread, wasn't it? Opinions on whether or not someone should be proud of trying to get a quick fix? It wasn't? It's about bashing people for their opinions on elective weight-loss surgery? It was also about getting defensive when someone has gotten surgery as a life-saving last-resort? My bad.

Jeeze...so much hostility...

It's a tough topic, of course emotions tend to run high after a while... :ohwell:

Why? That's what I don't understand. What is with the hate and lack of respect? It's a personal choice. Just as spending multiple hours a day working out is a personal choice. Or running 50 miles a week. I don't judge others on the choices they make or the methods they use. What gives them the right to judge me or anyone else?

http://rainhoward.blogspot.com/2012/08/anti-surgery-hate-and-bigotry.html

Aventuria

I don't think it's hate.
the problem lies more in those who did it without surgery feeling stripped off their "right for appraisal" when looking at people who did it with surgery.

I see it as most here. Surgery is a tool and you still have to do a lot to get to your goal and stay there.


As long as you get there and stay there, you have my praise. I don't care too much about the tools you use, cause I think we are one big group facing the same problems... :ohwell:

keeleen

These forums with topics like this really get no where.... There are always going to be people who disagree... But I think maybe we should all focus on our own health.... instead of focusing on what everyone else is doing. If you are doing it the natural way, watching what you eat and exercising, then that's great. If you are doing it with weightloss surgery, then that may be what's great for you, some people may think it's a cop out, but they have to make extreme changes as well. No I haven't had weight loss surgery, never even considered it, and I'm just beginning my weight loss journey. I have a long ways to go, and lots of changes to make on the way, it's a learning process for everyone. That being said, I'm only concerned with my weightloss and getting a healthier lifestyle, if I have questions, or need help I will ask. If you don't think someone deserves "bragging rights" for weight loss surgery, then don't congratulate them and move on... there's no since in putting them down. But we should all be here for pretty much the same reasons, and that's to lead a healthier lifestyle, and there are tons of people on this sight, doing it tons of different ways, just because it may not be your way, doesn't give you the right to judge. You don't have to support someone if you don't believe in the way they are doing it, but you also don't need to put them down and make them feel bad about theirselves. I think it goes back to the old saying "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."