NSV - More weight lost NOW than I did with WLS...

schustc

I think this is significant..and a huge milestone for me. I just realized that my current weight get's me to a point that I haven't seen in MANY YEARS - AND.. at lower weight than I had reached with a Lap Band.

Many years ago I had a band placed, and sometime over a year ago, I had it de-activated/loosened due to complications. Over a 7-8 year period, I gained and lost the same weight, and got as low as 225 - my max low with the band.

I never got below that mark with the band, because I didn't learn or realize how to eat right.

Guess what?? I am UNDER that - have been for a couple weeks, BUT, I didn't realize until just now that I have beaten my lowest weight - eating HEALTHY and exercising, than what I had achieved with weight loss surgery some years ago.

i.e., I have done better completely on my own. *sigh* truth is, surgery isn't a magic pill, it only helps. You still have to do the work, it just helps a bit, and unless you Learn how to eat and exercise, you'll never succeed - surgery or no.

I've lost all of this completely 100% on my own THIS time, without any aid, and my lifestyle has truly changed. Sad that I wasted all that money and all those years, but VERY glad I didn't have a permanent surgery that could not be easily reversed, or in this case, turned off. now I live with a couple of extra pieces of plastic in my belly - useless, but a reminder nonetheless.

I am NOT bashing surgery - as there are cases where it is warranted and far more helpful - but I realize now - more than ever - that it wasn't MY.. and I stress - MY - solution. I LIKE eating fruits and veggies, I like not having complications, I like, if I want to, having a day where I can eat whatever I want without fear of the food sticking and being in pain, then being on warm liquids for days until the swelling goes down. I like being normal. I like knowing that I am accomplishing this and LEARNING a new lifestyle. This IS my answer. sometime last year, when I saw the Dr to have my band loosened/deactivated, I told him "I Just want to be able to eat fruits and veggies like a normal person" His response? "You don't need to eat fruit and vegetables to survive. That's what a multivitamin is for" My heart sank. I left his office depressed, and ended up gaining every pound i had lost with the band back. In March I started with a trainer, and have lost every one of these 44 lbs from working out and making healthier food choices, and I feel it's something I can be proud of.


Now I can eat fruit or veggies till the cows come home, and drink water any time of day, have no complications, (and yes no 'help' from the band, but I'm not missing it!!) - I am SOO EXCITED!!


Happy Saturday ALL!!

spicypepper

Awesome job! Yes, I finally figured out last year that you have to have diet and exercise in order to be successful. For whatever reason, those two things never clicked for me until then. Now I understand that if I want to indulge, I need to work for it.

Congrats!!!

schustc

Thank you! Sometimes I feel a bit like an outcast,as I'm not really a wls person anymore, but because I was, I'm not in the non wls group either. Lol. I am my own group:-) uniquely though I can speak to both sides of it :-) even if I am the proverbial 5th wheel. Thank you again!

neon7girl

It is exciting to see people realize that WLS, while helpful, is not the cure-all it is chalked up to be and changes have to be made. I am thrilled to see all the weight loss and lifestyle changes and it is motivating for me to read these revelations. keep up the good work!

virichi08

"You don't need to eat fruit and vegetables to survive. That's what a multivitamin is for" I CAN NOT BELIEVE A DAG'ON DOCTOR WOULD SAY THAT TO SOMEONE, SERIOUSLY DUDE..... THAT MADE ME SICK!!!!! ugh...

ANYWAY, congrats on your weight loss :drinker: :drinker: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :drinker: :drinker:

bjfmade

Wonderful story!!

lesita75

:noway: :noway: :noway: What kind of quack doctor says you don't need fruits and vegetables?!?!?! :noway: :noway: :noway:

Congratulations on your success!!!!!!

12skipafew99100

Good for you! Regardless of surgery or not we all can learn from this as we all have wasted a lot of time. Good lesson learned.

schustc

"You don't need to eat fruit and vegetables to survive. That's what a multivitamin is for" I CAN NOT BELIEVE A DAG'ON DOCTOR WOULD SAY THAT TO SOMEONE, SERIOUSLY DUDE..... THAT MADE ME SICK!!!!! ugh...

ANYWAY, congrats on your weight loss :drinker: :drinker: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :drinker: :drinker:

I know. He and his wife had bands too - so he was absolutely - low carb with limited fruits and veggies - and that's how they lived and lost weight. he's a huge advocate. I was developing worse habits because anything that was not slathered with mayo, ketchup or butter, would get stuck in the band area, and cause pain and swelling. Eating junk and highly processed foods was my answer I KNEW there had to be a better way... I couldn't live like that. Even though I was not gaining a lot of weight because I was eating smaller portions of bad stuff, I felt like CRAP. I had 2 miscarriages in 2 years, and I will never know if my dehydration/malnutrition issues played a part or not. The last miscarriage was last summer. I hope we can try again with success - but with my age - who knows.

Thank you everyone!!

12skipafew99100

For the first 23 years of my life I was wonderfully thin. I just thought you were or we not. I did not know some people had to work at tit to achieve it. I have gained since then and realize that I now have to work at tit to achieve it again. Hard work gets you there. Here I come!

jerbear1962

Congrats you see how important eating right is for you. Amazing how much difference it makes I feel the same way. I thought about lap band and even thought about gastric bypass but I knew that I'd just keep eating the bad things I was eating. I had to reteach myself to eat more healthful foods to look at food as fuel for energy to burn. Not to look at food as comfort...only fuel. Stick to your program and see where it takes you. Good luck

snowmaniac

That is an awesome NSV! Congrats!

oker673

Thank you for sharing this. No body ever really talks about the complications of the lap band. I have always been told that multivitamins are just to ensure you get the proper nutrients, but people should try to eat healthy. Sorry to hear about your miscarriages. Keep trying and I hope it works out for you.

schustc

Thank you everyone!:flowerforyou:

MrDangerSass

Congratulations on your new found freedom and your success. Eat well, burn hard, be happy.

hellerd2003

I had the RNY surgery. I can tell you that while I lost a LOT of weight with the surgery, I also learned bad habits (i.e., if food isn't "moist" and covered in sauces, I can't eat meat, etc.) and gained half the weight I lost back. Ironically enough, that still makes me, statistically, a WLS "success"... but I'm still morbidly obese! I'm not willing to go through reversal because reversal of a RNY is a dangerous surgery in and of itself. Meanwhile, I have chronic malabsorption syndrome (vitamin deficiencies so bad that I see a hematologist and get iv iron q 3 months and B12 injections e/o week). It really does come down to simple diet and exercise, though. So, here I am, going through the act of choosing fruits/ veggies/ proteins to lose the weight I've regained. I wish I would have found a site like this and had the discipline to just lose weight in a normal/ non-extreme fashion.

Congrats on your accomplishment! I hope (strike that-- I KNOW) that one day I'll post a similar story. :-)

On a side note, as a healthcare professional (critical care RN-- will have my NP in 4 semesters), I'm absolutely SHOCKED that a doctor would say that you don't need to eat veggies/ fruits and can just take multivitamins. Most recent research shows that multivitamins do NOT give you the same benefits as receiving nutrition from natural means, and one study actually found adverse effects from relying on supplementation alone. That doctor should be ashamed .... esp when giving that information out and then profiting from people buying that crap. Believe me... there's not a poor WLS doctor in the WORLD.

schustc

just wanted to say, I JUST had a 9 cup bowl filled with romaine leaves, yellow bell pepper, a chopped up fugi apple and some vinegar and oil dressing (omega 3 oil)..

I am STUFFED. We're talking full to the gills. LOL. I don't have to be hungry and diet - it's AWESOME! I eat SO much fruit and veggies now.. I have actually had (shiver) the occasional twinge about wanting to go vegetarian. I do like my chicken and eggs. I do on occasion eat red meat (a few times this week actually) but I crave fruits and veggies like you wouldn't believe. NOW. thats a transition that happened around may-june of this year.

Just need to figure out what to fill in for protein since my lunch had hardly any. probably a shake. or some peanut butter (PB2) on a whole wheat thin - if I can find the room

cherbapp

Awesome NSV!!

And I get it...I had gastric bypass and gained half my 110 pound loss back. When I worked hard at diet and exercise and got below my lowest after-surgery-weight, I was so proud.

You got it figured out and you are gonna be at your goal before you know it! Good job!!

irishcanadianwoman

Thanks for sharing. I've never considered surgery but it sure is interesting to hear your story!
Congrats on your success and best wishes for continued health.

VanessaHeartsMasr

That's awesome!! I had been considering the lap band before I found MFP. So glad I didn't go through with it!! Your story just solidifies my decision. Thanks for sharing!