WOW!!!!! There is actually an Non-Surgical Weight Loss Forum

Hello All. My name is Echo. I was on this site researching the gastric sleeve. I was so close to going to Mexico and having it done but I rather save the money for a new wardrobe after I kick this weight to the curve. I have been yo yo dieting since July 09. I started at 243 and I manage to get done to 229. But regain it all plus 3 extra pounds.  I know I can lose the weigh on my own, I just don't know why I can't get my mind on board. If I have control over anything, it should be my mind so why is this so hard. I think its only hard if you make it and right now I am making it extremly hard. Eat right work out, it seem so simple. Can somebody tell me how to get excited about changing my life. Whats your motivation?

January 25, 2010

Dear  Echo:

It is very hard.  I tried dieting for years and gained it all back and more.  I attend Overeaters Anonymous meetings because I am a compulsive overeater.  It is a spiritual program, and your Higher Power helps you to control your eating and weight.  I suffered from food addiction for many years, and now, I only eat when I'm hungry, instead of eating over my emotional issues.

You can find meetings for OA on www.oa.org. 

Denise Phares/Highpow

Thanks for providing the website for OA. I'm a compulsive eater too, and not afraid to admit it either. Got the first step Licked!:)

I wish I had an answer for you. It IS hard. I've lost over 100 pounds before and went on to gain 140 back over teh next 5 years.  I am finally doing it again and hopefully forever.  I want WLS that's what brough me to OH but I also realize that the chances of me findind a way to get it paid for are slim to none for now so I cant just sit and feel sorry for myself.  When I started I felt so crappy, couldnt even get out of bed easily. Walking up the 3 steps to my door was a challenge...it was BAD. Dr's have been urging me to do whatever it takes to get under 300 pounds for years and I just wanted to punch them, I mean, HELLO?!  wouldnt I do that if I could?  But the can't part is a mental block. I couldnt get motivatd to make any big changes. I am sure part of it was that my life was so unhappy already.  This time around I decided I was going to do it for real and never go back so I figured WLS was the perfect tool to force me to jumped hoops, saw a doctor and found out I had to do 6 months on my own first anyway.  2 months in something happened and I lost my insurance and the state seems to not care to get me on a healthplan so I kinda saw that all slipping away.  However, I've lost 40+ pounds now in 3.5 months and I am feeling a lot better even though I still have such a LONG way to go.  I have a couple motivational things. First of all just feeling better...eating a lot less makes my whole body feel better all the time. The weight loss makes my body feel better too, of course.  My KIDS! tey deserve me at 100% and they've barely ever had that. Also I hope to go see my man at the end of the year and I'd LOVE to be 100 pounds less by then. He doesnt care of course but I just do.   I am barely ever tempted to cheat. My temptations are pizza and maybe cookies and pretzels.  I'm doing Atkins because living on Atkins puts my diabetes into remission the same as a surgery would so I cant eat all the carby junk that I shouldnt eat anyway lol

Try to find a friend, someone you love to help you at first. Maybe they can give up something hard for them as you go through this.  My BF helped me get started by giving up smoking, which he loved, as long as I kept doing my best. It's good that my strength took over after a short time since he's back to it now but it's been months and you'll be motivated enough to carry on after a few weeks regardless.

Congrats on the 40+ pounds gone, thats amazing. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this comment it was so helpful. I can honestly say unlike you, I never gave it a real try. I only started to lose weight a couple of months ago and only gave it about 40%. I thought having weight loss surgery would make it less stressful for me even though WLS has its hardships too.  I am 245 and I slowly see myself creeping toward 300lbs and that scares me.  I always wonder will I ever get that wake up call to get healthy or will I ever find that motivation that makes me unstoppable.  I know that it can be done. I want to be under 200 lbs by the summer and will try to give it my all. Thank you again.