Newbie with a ?

Hi Everyone! I am trying to decide if I want to get the bypass done(never had major surgery-scared to death) and have decided to try and lose weight myself first.My ? is does anyone have any tips such as what kind of foods,how many calories a day,etc.Thanks all any help is appreciated.

Hi Margaret and welcome to the non-ops board. I don't know that I have any advice other than we each need to find what works for us. I think each person on this board is doing something different and what we are doing seems to be working well for most of us. The hard part is not the method so much as the "doing" itself. I personally have found that keeping a food diary and staying at an average of 1300 calories a day is working well for me. I keep an eye on refined carbs but try not to deny myself too many things. I do stay away from sugar and the only "white" stuff I allow my self is Sourdough bread and pasta and then only very rarely. I drink lots of water. I walk as often as I can and try to stay active but regular exercise is still my weak area. I just continue to try to increase the activity in my week. Some weeks are better than others! This is working really well for me right now. Others here are doing things completely differently so hopefully they will share there experience and you will get some ideas of what may work for you. Finding something you can live with long-term is half the battle. Best of luck to you on your journey. Maren 440/310/140? (5'5")

Hi Margaret and welcome to the non-op board It would be helpful if you gave us some idea of where you are in your journey. Have you been able to successfully diet in the past, what are your weak areas, how do you feel about exercise, etc? You can read some profiles and get an idea of what has worked for some of us. I think the general guidelines of a certain amount of calories a day, coupled with exercise, and staying away from junk food is a pretty good formula. However, as we have all found, what works for one seldom works exactly the same way for another. I can tell you how I lost my weight, but I don't know if you can do it like I did it, or whether the idea would just make you want to scream. Please let us know a few more details, and welcome to the beginning of your journey. Donna

Thanks Maren & donna! I have been on diets before and lost weight.I have never lost a bunch of weight at one time though.i don't think I was serious enough.I am good at not just sitting on the couch.I like to stay busy.The last time I dieted was before Hurricane Katrina.I was really doing good and then that happened.But I am now ready to start losing.i have set goals(first time for me) and really want to be here for my niece & nephew.So I think this board will really help.Thanks you guys!

Hi again Margaret, Well based on what you said, I would hasten a guess that WLS is not for you at this time. One of the things I implore people to do is to be honest with themselves. If you know that you can be successful on a weight loss program, a change of life program, then I believe they should go for it. I am not saying for one moment that WLS is not the answer for some. But you don't state co-morbidities and you have quite a positive attitude. Like you I had toyed with diets in the past, once losing a bunch of weight. But I never really made it past Monday at lunchtime for many of them, perhaps 3 months being the longest I held out without eating everything in sight. 3 months is in no way a long enough time to make lifestyle changes. We have to change our mindsets to realize that the types of lifestyle changes needed for sustained weight loss and increased health don't get made overnight. Good luck and keep coming here for more support. Donna