To the newbies and people who are considering wls

Garland, I'm sure your post had good intentions or it was another quest for attention either way you left out some pivotal advice for the newbies/rookies on this board.  You forgot to tell them this procedure is a total lifestyle change.  You have to totally revamp the way you look at food, process food, and make food choices.  Yes, it is true you can gain your weight back but most surgeons don't anticipate total weight regain.  You also neglected to tell the newbies that when they see some amount of weight regain they need to go back to the basics such as a food journal and proper food measurments and protein intake. 

I have some questions for you that until you take a long look at yourself your "revamp" progam may not give you the results you are anticipating...
1.  Why were you not weighing yourself on a regular basis (3 - 4 times a week)?
This is one of the first ways to catch yourself going down the wrong path.  If you had been doing this you would have seen the first 3, 5, 10, or 20 lbs before it amassed to 50 or 75.  We all know it is easier to lose incremental weight than it is to lose massive amounts of weight.

2.  Where was your food journal?
Did you not document your food choices once you noticed a change in the way your clothes fit or the scale began to move in the wrong direction?  If you were becoming a fast food junkie or something of that nature the food journal would have helped you to see the error of your ways.

3.  Did you go back to your protein meal replacements or contact your dietician for some assistance in jumpstarting your weight loss?

4.  Why did you ignore your gym buddies?  Were they telling you something you didn't want to hear?
We all have moments of sensitivity but often times the people in our circles tell us what we need to hear not always what we want to hear.  That is what true friends and those that care about others do, and most times they have your best interest at heart.

5.  Have you scheduled a visit with a therapist? 
I think this will only increase your chances at success.  Until you can truly be 100% honest with yourself you will have an extremely hard time achieving your new goals.  You have to truly look at you and what you did and did not do, acknowledge it either publicly or privately but you have to acknowledge it and then move on to correct it.  Food is an addiction just like alcohol and drugs and until you acknowledge the problem you won't be able to fix it.

Now you can take this response anyway you deem fit but I am not one to mince words.  I have been quiet with your other posts regarding your recent cir****tances and I felt it was time for some tough conversation.  This journey is not for the weak or the weak at heart so since you know what you need to do and what you should do it's time to put all of the speeches and posts and words into action.  YOU are the only one that can fix your situation, BAF can only listen, offer advice, and support but Garland has to be the one to make the change.

Mrs. Tennessee Cutie

Hello Charloris, first i would like to say congratulations, i heard you were married. and congratulations on your weight loss you look very beautiful as you always have. you have to remember as i stated i thought i had everything under control and the bottom just fell out.

you are right i did not weigh myself and that is a good way ,   i did not keep a food journal, actually all of your questions i cannot answer.

now i did not neglect to anyone anything these were just the mistakes that i made and i didnt want to see someone travel that same deserted road i have traveled.

but i can tell you this i am back on track and i want to thank you for the reminder of the food journal that will show a snapshot of my intake of foods.

thank you and congratulations, Charloris you have done extremely well

I admire you for "confessing your sins" in front of everyone.  You could have easily hid for another year or two while you attempted to work on this alone.  It takes a lot of strength to admit that we don't have it all together, and that we need help.

I pray that you are successful in meeting your goal, and in getting to know yourself better so that this is a true lifestyle change for you.