Surgery is no finish line

I was stunned by my nurse while in recovery from my RNY after she told me this. "If you're not completely serious about this new lifestyle, your life will be nothing but a series of complications and hospital trips."

She was so right to take my expectations of easy weight loss and smash them. This is a challenge to anyone brave enough to honestly face it. It's not some romantic finish line that one crosses and is suddenly fit and healthy. It takes hard work, organization, strong will and diligence.

I see so many people come on here who've yet to have the surgery, and proceed to post stats, talk the talk, act like they know so much about the procedure. And are clueless of what is actually required to face a lifelong problem.

I think it's great to want to belong, but please know this. This surgery is NOT the miracle. The miracle are those persons that do it everyday and them come and share their extensive knowledge that then helps simpletons like me. THEY are the miracles. The surgery is a tool to help, the people that persevere are the reason I'm here.

As you said the surgery is a "tool' and you decide how to use it and that is why they call it a journey  

I thought it was the finish line too.  I did not believe my surgeon when he told me about regain.  I was in shock to find myself back at Weigh****chers during my third year out from surgery when I started to gain a pound a week.

I still have to diet and exercise, but it is much easier now.  The surgery gave me an opportunity to get to normal weight and fight regain like a person who has never been obese.  I still weight, measure and track my food and still weigh myself every day.

I know when to take action and what to do when the scale goes up.  It is not easy, but is so much easier than before.

I totally agree with Gary. It has been a little over a year since my surgery and I have met my goal. (Not sure if ticker is showing it yet).  I have lost 103 lbs., but I found that the closer I got to my goal, the harder it was to keep my eye on the prize. It is still an every day strugle, but I just take it one day at a time which works the best for me. I am grateful for my tool, but I have to do my part every single day.

I am friends with many people in my area who had surgery the same time as me. It is so sad to me that many of them never learned that lesson. Many have regained a lot and a few have gained it all back. I think some resent me for keeping all of my weight off, but I work damn hard every day to do so. I don't let those people bring me down.

Nice!

You do work hard Laura. You are a good mentor for a lot of us. 

Thanks to all who are role models and honestly talk about the longterm challenges.  At almost 1 year post-op, I wonder/worry about keeping it off, but I proceed knowing that I will confront future challenges as they arise, as have all of you.

I haven't met a lot of people who've had surgery (I went to Mx) but for those I've actually met, I can only think of one other person who has reached her goal weight and kept it off. My own daughter did not reach her goal.  That's the norm. Same here on the boards. Most people NEVER reach their goal. Even at 2-3 years out, they'll say they're still working towards goal, but in all honesty I don't think they're going to lose another 30-60 pounds because they haven't lost any substantial amount of weight in months.  I think that's a hellish place to be.  

I agree. That's why I get pretty vocal with those who "test the waters," or "cheat a little," or those sorts of things at just a few weeks or months out. Those first months to a year are gold, and you never get them back. A lot of people would disagree with me, but I looked at it like a race. Get the weight off as quick as you can, no screwing around. Be a little unhappy now, rather than a lot unhappy later.