Is it possible to lose weight and not have surgery?

   I am 50, morbidly obese and I really want to lose weight.  Two weeks ago I started eating very healthy and low fat, low carb,  plenty of protein, keeping it under 1500 calories, lots of water.  I am walking over a mile a day.  I am taking mega vitamins.  I am diabetic.  Please help!! I need some ideas to lose and faster so I won't give up!  I have been doing this for 2 weeks and have only lost 5 pounds.  I've always heard the first 10 don't count.  Please help!!!  (can I do the same diet as the WLS folks do? They lose so fast.  I might not be able to have the surgery!)

Have you tried diets?  Weigh****chers, Atkin's, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, LA Weight loss?  What about finding one of those that suits you?

Thanks Janina, Yes I have, I dieted myself right where I am Now.  I have lost weight several times only to regain.  But this time I mean business.  I am trying to combine the ideas from several of them, I can't do atkins because of the diabetes (TOO low on carbs)  I can't afford the mail order meals.  what I'm doing now is close to WW, only a little stricter.  Thanks!

Ok.. time for me to open my big mouth.. just slap me down if I'm outta order here. I'm 45, until recently I was uncontrolled insulin dependent type II.  I started at 310 lbs and today I'm at 225.6.  I began LOW carb on Oct 1 and STOPPED taking insulin on that day.  My previous A1c's were as high as 12, and in January it was 6.7.  Previous to the insulin, I was on Metformin, glucophage and avandia.  The insulins were Novolog, Lantus and Symlin. I would really be curious as to what your diabetic educator has to say on the subject.  My internist is all for low carb.. especially for type II's.  If you're insulin dependent, I do NOT recommend doing what I did..  what I did was foolish and dangerous, but I was at the end of my rope.  Low carb is fine for type II's as long as your health care provider is aware of it and makes adjustments to your medication. No.. we won't lose as fast as WLS patients... we also don't have to suffer what they do.  Faster isn't necessarily better... it's just faster!  I think the folks that do the WLS are doing it as a last resort.. and hopefully, that's what it is.  I don't think anyone wants to have their plumbing rearranged just for sh*ts and giggles... so it requires very serious consideration.  I'm not anti-surgery by the way.. .. doing low carb was my last ditch effort before doing it.. and so far so good. (Praise God). I think the key is to change your way of life.. your way of eating FOR life.. especially when you're dealing with diabetes.  All bets are off when your body wants to go one way and your mind wants to go the other.   I don't know how far into the diabetes you are..  are you testing all the time?  Are you aware of what causes your spikes yet?  This information is key.  The doctor is the first stop....   God be with you!  (He's certainly been with me through all of this... ) Lori

You've definitely made it that's for sure.  I'm scared to go that low in carbs.  Every time I do, I end up shaking, heart pounding, nauseas, and feel like I'm going to faint or worse.  Guess it's my sugar level, what I was told anyway.  Being diabetic how did you manage to pass this?

 

 

Um.. think of it this way.. I'm "allergic" to carbs.  They cause an insulin response which runs and grabs glucose from my liver and then gets stuck just hanging out cause it can't pu**** into my cells to be used as energy.  If I eat the carbs, all that free floating insulin causes that unused glucose to be stored as fat.  If I don't eat the carbs, my body turns protein into just enough glucose to keep it running properly.  My blood sugar is NEVER low.  But.. it's also never high now either.  If I were still using insulin, I very well may have had a problem with lows (although I doubt it).  My sugar was still out of control with 100 units of Lantus and several 30 unit shots of Novolog a day.

After reading this I dropped most carbs from my food plan yesterday, my morning blood sugar test was 120, very low for me.  I have no headache.  I lost 2 pounds. WOW.

I used to say that too "wow..that's LOW for me".  The bottom line is that 120 is not low.  I'm not saying I beat that number very often, but we're shooting for 80 - 110 where as a non-diabetic person will have a 70 - 90.  I was 111 this morning fasting..  a year ago I would have woke up at a 280.  The difference.. DUMPING carbs.. ALL refined stuff is outta my life.  I don't eat fruit any more.  I do NOT each starch veggies.. and in return, I don't have spikes which cause all that excess free floating insulin to grab mass quantities of glucose from your liver and instead of putting it into the beta cells it just keeps storing it as fat thinking you have ENOUGH in your cells. You probably dumped 2 lbs worth of fluid right off.. and you'll continue to do so.  I don't know about you but because I dumped all that fluid the sugar made me hold onto, even my eyesight got better.  My skin cleared up.. my skin actually absorbs the lotion I put on and it's moist.  The neuropathy  is at bay... it mostly bothers me at night, but not that severe pain I had all the time.  No.. I still can't feel my feet.. that damage is done, but it's stopped at my knees and hasn't traveled up.  I sleep better.. I sleep less.. I'm less fatigued. The benefits of having your sugar controlled are unlimited... I hope you find your groove in this.. Get with the doctor if you're going low carb and let him know so your meds can be adjusted. God Bless!!! Lori

I think I'm finding out that the carbs, or type of carbs I've been eating, IS what's my problem.   I dropped most carbs from my food plan yesterday, my morning blood sugar test was 120, very low for me.  I have no headache.  I lost 2 pounds. WOW.

I think I'm finding out that the carbs, or type of carbs I've been eating, IS what's my problem.   I dropped most carbs from my food plan yesterday, my morning blood sugar test was 120, very low for me.  I have no headache.  I lost 2 pounds. WOW.