Losing Weight Without Surgery

For anyone who didn't see, i posted 2 days ago asking if i should get surgery im 18 and 720 pounds. Most said to just call doctors and stuff like that, which i didn't do because my mom still works with my doctor stuff.

And even if i was able to somehow ask my mom to pay for my surgery it seems that it would be a huge hassle to get it done. though i am able to walk pretty good, i can't even get into our car right now.

It also seems that these surgeries are more dangerous the higher my weight which makes me think it might be a good idea to try to lose and then do the surgery.

My big problem though is that i have never lost weight in my whole life and i need help to get this done. i know how to lose weight but even there are times (like right now) where i am writing these things and thinking about how much i need to lose weight but im still putting down 1000 calories just while im typing the damn thing.

i want to make some friends who can help encourage me to lose because i cant seem to motivate myself

Did you get the pm I sent you?

Yes, losing some weight prior to surgery is beneficial for safer surgical outcomes, and actually required by many bariatric practices.

and maybe if you can focus and lose some in your own- it'll show your Mom that that you are serious. Keep in mind you are 18- she legally can't handle your medical stuff anymore. It may be their health plan- but in the eyes of the law you an adult. You can call and they can't tell her anything they discussed with you. But they would see any claims made against the Insurance.

Here is what I did to lose weight when the surgeon asked. I made only one cabbage at a time, to not overwhelm me.

1) I cut out all sugary beverages. Soda first. Then teas/Kool aids. The orange juice. I've not drank any of that stuff in over 3 Years now.

2) I limited my carbs to one per meal: so instead of spaghetti & garlic bread- I dropped the garlic bread. Instead of eggs, breakfast potatoes and toast, I dropped the potatoes. I then gradually dropped a carb altogether from each meal. First breakfast, then lunch etc.

3) when I was comfortable with the changes I'd made- I added in a protein shake in place of a snack; then eventually it became a meal.

if you make some very basic changes and are consistent with them you will lose weight. Evtually counting calories will be important- but now basic changes will yield you good results.

Keep posting and asking for guidance and support. It's not easy, but is doable.

Since you are housebound, get support online. Weigh****chers has a "at-home" program where you join and do it all from the computer. They are a great way to learn how to lose weight.

Look into phone therapy sessions.

Contact Doctor Nowzardin. Here is his information

You could be a candidate for the show.

Another excellent source of support is Overeaters Anonymous. You can do online or telephone meetings.

You are correct that surgery is risky the more that you weigh. Peachpie gave you some excellent suggestions to get started.

Surgery is just a tool and you will have to learn how to stop overeating. Seek as much help as possible. You are young and can shape your life however you want to. There is help available success is possible.

Please keep us posted.

You've gotten great suggestions - I don't have any more ideas for you. But I did want to congratulate you on being determined to make this change.

At 18 your whole life is ahead of you and you can make it into whatever you'd like it to look like. I'm excited for you! And I know you can do this.

Now go shine!

The only thing I would add to the great advice the other commenters gave is that it still makes sense to call your insurance yourself and talk to a surgeon on the phone. They may prescribe a liquid diet (like optifast) that could be covered by your insurance. They may be able to tell you exactly how much they need you to lose before being a candidate for surgery and they may connect you with other local people who have been in your shoes and been successful. They might have you do a phone consultation with a dietitian who can give you a specific plan for weightloss that works with your life. I'm excited for you - your whole life is ahead!

Best wishes in your weight loss in whatever way you choose to do it. I will say bariatric surgery has come a long way and the risks are not as great as the media portrays.

I would suggest to you to work with an Obesity Medicine Specialist or a Weight Management Program who can get you on a prescription VLCD basically they are complete, liquid meals, with all the nutrients you need. It will take the guesswork out and help you lose weight at a much higher rate than a traditional diet... it's of course not sustainable forever but will help get you on the road to a much healthier lifestyle.

I'm so glad you're reaching out to others to try to get some help. Struggling with motivation is exactly what having weight loss surgery is all about. There are some of us who have struggled with our weight for years gaining and have lost the same 100+ pounds several times over. The goal of weight loss surgery is to change your life permanently for the better.

At 18 and 720 pounds, you are already setting yourself up for a lot of health risks. If you're still on your mom's insurance, I would talk with her about your concerns. Your mom probably shares them. Hopefully, you have an insurance plan that will cover bariatric surgery. I think most bariatric surgeons would tell you that you will be at risk if you DON'T have bariatric surgery.

Having said all of that, you will be in much better shape to have the surgery if you start losing weight now. Motivation works best if you start setting attainable goals for yourself. I would work on that first...set a goal and do everything you can to meet it...celebrate your success and then set a new goal.

I suspect that you could also benefit from some support from a psychologist who specializes in obesity. Often they're able to work with people to understand their behaviors and move in a more positive direction.

Good luck on your journey and check in on OH every now and then to let us know how you're doing.

First of all, you yourself are the biggest determining factor to your success or failure at losing weight...or anything. It's going to be inconvenient, uncomfortable and at times intolerable, but nobody can do this but you. We can cheer you on, but you must have it in you to really make the effort.

Second, you're an adult and should be taking more control over your life now. According to your other post, it looks like your parents failed you somewhere by allowing you to be so helpless over your own well-being and catering to your whims instead of teaching you boundaries. If you want to lose weight, you need to talk to your mother about it. You're probably going to want to have medical supervision while trying to do this because you're beyond the 10lb fad diet you found in a magazine. That means it's going to be inconvenient that you will need to go to the doctor, maybe weekly and while you're there, you might as well talk about weight loss surgery as an option. They will probably put you on a diet for 3-6 months before you can even ask the insurance company to pay for it. Getting surgery requires several hoops to jump through. Just going through the motions to do so demonstrates your commitment to change.

At 720 lbs, I can't imagine losing that much weight any other way than with surgery. Yes, there are risks, but believe me when I tell you that you are at risk of dying RIGHT NOW of obesity-related illnesses if you don't make a significant change to your life, and the risks of surgery aren't nearly as scary as the guarantee of health problems you are living in at this very moment.

So you and Mom need to talk. You need to talk about the changes you want to make and how you intend to do so. Talk together about a plan to better health and weight loss. You can start with what you are eating and what kind of food she buys for you. What kind of exercise can you do right now? You're quite limited now, but perhaps a walk around your home for a start, or something indoors. There is much in your control, but you must take it. Reading this and your previous post, you make excuses not to start, but you complain about the results you're getting because of it. There is so much life to be lived and you are still young enough to do so. You'd be a fool to not try.

From the way you use your words you sound like your very much in your head about this and not at the stage of taking action. You're beating yourself up and making excuses. I've done the same thing most of my life and it doesn't feel good at all. I know this sounds like a fluffy thing to say, but it is very important that you treat yourself with respect and kindness.

In my experience, motivation is a mythical creature. I feel it in short, ecstatic bursts and later it has disappeared. Because of depression, I often felt my lack of motivation as an actual void-very negative. So, I decided "motivation" was not to be relied on. Instead of motivation, I make myself a promise to do one small thing at a time. And I keep my promise. For example, pre-surgery, I told myself I would go to the doctor and talk to her about my weight issues. After that visit, I promised myself I would write down everything I ate, every day with no judgment or censoring. And so on. If you continue to tell yourself that you have to make this seemingly insurmountable change, you will continue to avoid it and feel bad about it. Try taking one tiny step at a time, completing that and then deciding on another tiny step. Remember you can always decide about surgery later.

As others have said, people can support and cheer you on, but only you have the power to take action.