Not wanting surgery......

I don't have the time nor the money to take off for surgery and I just want a place to come for some support. I don't even know if I belong here but I believe NO ONE I can find on this site has a higher BMI than me so I do believe i am the biggest person alive.....anyways i just turned 31 and having a hard time with lots of stuff and well i just want some help.

Hi...I'd like to suggest you post also to the Nonops forum here at obesityhelp - it's a very active and friendly board and I'm sure you'll get a lot of responses to your questions. You can find it by clicking forums up top in the yellow bar and then choose Non postops from the Member Interest drop down menu. Best of luck in your endeavors! ~Tooter

Amy, This website is a great place for support; for both those we are and are not having obesity surgery. You will find that there are people of all different shapes, sizes and BMI's. In fact, there is a great forum for those with a BMI over 50. Best of luck to you. Jaimee

Amy, You're welcome here! This site is for those who are/were obese...not just pre/post-ops! You may pick up on a few hints that may would assist you in losing some weight without having surgery. Wouldn't that be fantastic! Naturally, you won't need all the vitamins that post-ops need since your stomach can still break down food into the vitamins & minerals the body needs. Here's a few things that might not be too hard to incorporate into your daily lifestyle: 1. One thing all of our body needs though is water...and lots of it. The recommended amount is 64 oz (I usually get twice that). 2. Also, avoid sugars (pop!) and caffiene. Caffiene is an appetite stimulant and it can dehydrate you...making that EVEN MORE water you need to drink. 3. Walk! 30 minutes a day...even at 10 minute intervals...will get the heart pumping! 4. Be aware of what you are eating. WWW.FitDay.com is a terrific site to log in what you eat...and get an idea of the calories, fat, carbs, and proteins that you are taking in each day. Ask your doctor what would be a good calorie intake for you. My guess is that he/she will start you on ~1800 cal/day (most of us post ops are on 1000-1500/day). I'm sure others could add to the list. Shoot, I'm sure you could. We've all been on a dozen diets...but that was the problem. They were diets, not lifestyle changes. For us, the surgery forced us to change our lifestyle. You have the opportunity to make changes on your own. Without having surgery, start small...like adding the walking and water. Then work your way up to healthy. Yeah, sounds easy then why didn't I do it, huh? Quite honestly, never thought about starting small and making it a lifestyle change instead of a 'diet'. Not sure I would have had the will power to make into a lifestyle change without the surgery though. Looking forward to seeing you on here! Sherri

Not playing a game of topping you, but my BMI the day of surgery was 66...and my highest was 71. No, you're not the biggest person alive. There are others out there as well. As for support, although most people on these boards have had, or are planning on having, surgery...that isn't a requirement. This place is for help with Obesity. Not exclusively surgery. I don't have all the links, but there are boards for people with BMI over 50 and for non-surgical approaches to weight loss. This board is good for local support as well. Take care, Eric C.

Amy, I agree with Sherri.. start small. You have made the first step by reaching out for help now go the next step! I had surgery almost a year ago but I actually started my life change 3 years ago.. I gave up Pepsi, then went to decaffinated green tea.. got rid of the caffene. Got rid of the ciggerettes 12 years ago.. they were part of a cycle too.. eat and smoke...go together... Also add more protien to your diet and less white stuff... pasta, bread, anythng with white flour rapidly turns to sugar.. SPLENDA ROCKS!! No after taste!!! I switched from 1 1/2 cups white sugar to 1/4 cup Splenda per gallon and didnt miss the sugar!! Protien builds muscle muscle eats fat.. Best of luck.. and come often. Linda