What was the weirdest, strangest, desperate thing you tried to lose weight?

I did a physician- and dietitian-monitored diet with my mom my senior year of high school that was nonetheless quite sketchy. We had shakes (which they sold, of course) for breakfast and lunch then a very low-carb dinner. I also worked at the YMCA and was exercising like mad -- I was eating 800 calories a day in mostly liquids, then burning at least that much off daily with hours of cardio equipment. I lost 80 pounds in 3 months.

Then I went away to college and it all went to hell. So I started bingeing on pints of Ben & Jerry's, then throwing it up in my dorm bathroom. It worked so well that I gained 120 lbs by graduation. No wonder I had such a messed up relationship with food!

I am so sorry, but so understand!  Thank goodness for WLS, it's been my life savior. I just wish I had done it when I was younger.  

I hear ya! Fortunately it all worked out for the best -- my horrible diet history led the psychologist who did my pre-op eval to "recommend" (read: require) that I establish with a health psychologist and see them regularly through my first year post-op. I did, and she's been worth her weight in gold for my mental health.

I also may be one of the few people who's happy not to have had surgery any sooner. I was 30 when I had my RNY, and waiting that long (vs. my original plan for VSG at 27) meant I had insurance that covered it, saved a ton of money, had time to deal with my emotional issues around food first, and found out I had severe GERD that would have made VSG a bad fit. Plus my husband was able to have his WLS at the same time so we can work together on our journey toward better health. I may have missed ever being "hot" in my 20s, but I'm 3 weeks shy of 31 and in the best damn shape of my life, so I'll take it!

The worse thing I tried was the grapefruit diet! I still dislike them to this day.

Robin

That was the first diet my MIL handed me when I was only 3 months married to her son.  Yep, you are right we never got along  

We had a 'diet' mentality household. Ate Ayds candy as a kid, and my Mom was an original Weigh****cher. I remember getting sent to school in 4th grade with tuna sandwiches mixed with cottage cheese instead of Mayo, and being able to eat like 6 hotdogs at dinner, because that was a 'serving' but no bun.

My dad bought the original Dr. Atkins book in the early 70's and gave a copy to everyone. He struggled with a few pounds but nothing serious. When we were on that phase and had our 'new' - first- microwave we would eat bacon with melted muenster cheese on it for a snack.

I remember - spinach and eggs and grapefruit diets...

Got sent to Fat Camp at end of 7th grade. That was humiliating and shameful. Camp Stanley in NY. Think it is still there.

10th grade got enrolled in a double blind diet pill study at local university hospital... I must have had the placebo....

Dr. Prescribed 'speed' in my early 20's... Phen-Phen briefly

WW, nutrisystem, Diet center, ...... LA Weight Loss - which I actually like until they closed up shop one day, no notice...

Sorry for all you have been through.  I don't know what is worst, living in a house hold where you are the only one with the issue or the entire family having weight problems.  We were from the South and ate like we were from the South.  The only time I remember my Mom successfully losing weight was before my wedding.  She watched what she ate but she used on of those things you put on the door knob and it was like a pulley where you excessed using your legs and arms.  Do you remember them?

OMG my grandma had one of these when I was a kid! I had completely forgotten about it until now but totally remember playing with it!

I tried it and felt so stupid while laying on the floor  

Oh, where do I begin?

My story begins in the days of Metrocal, which was basically liquid chocolate-flavoured chemicals with the consistency of chalk, and those unfortunately-named (as someone else noted) AYDS diet "chews".  Not much of a diet if you eat the whole damn box at once, but so full of Sorbitol you might not get off the toilet for a week.  It was all about the balance.

And then the grapefruit diet, some insane diet that had to do with grapefruit and BACON, of all things, salad, salad, and more salad, "slim pants" that was basically a girdle stuffed with Saran Wrap, Weigh****chers (they made more than their share of money off me, let me tell you), Weigh****cher Wannabe organizations (who also made some fair coin), and one particular (and now blessedly non-existent) organization that led me to the hell known as anorexia, if you can believe it.  I lost 60 pounds in five weeks (easy to do, as I'm sure others can attest, when you're eating between 150 and 300 calories a day - no dairy, no bread, very little protein) and didn't stop until I was so ill I looked like an advertisement for a prisoner of war camp.  And only stopped then because my mother -- who was about ten miles past frantic by this point -- threatened to have me tossed in a psychiatric hospital until I came to my senses.  I have no idea how my husband didn't run away screaming -- we'd been married for like a year at that point.  We celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary last September.  Praise God I got one of the good ones.

And, of course, water, water, and more water -- water until my pee was clear and I sloshed audibly when I walked.  With lemon.  For its fat-burning properties.  Which is a crock.  I drank lemon water constantly when I weighed more than 300 pounds and never lost an ounce.

I did it all -- repeatedly, as we all did.  Lost the same 150 pounds probably three times in ten years -- until I lost it for good, after my VBG in April 2000.  Haven't dieted a day since and can't say I've missed it much.

Looking back, it's a wonder the dieting didn't kill us all.