My Weight Loss Story (it's a long one)

I'm new to OH and even newer to the non-surgical weight loss section. A bit (okay, a LOT) about me.

I'm 23yrs old. I've known I was overweight since I was 12yrs old when my doctor mentioned it and it's been a losing battle since.

When I was 15 or 16 I tried getting control of my weight. I weighed 190lbs...I started vigorous exercise daily which resulted in lowered appetite (for me) and further resulted in a weight loss of 35lbs.  I got my liscense...quit exercising...put it all back on and then some.

From age 16-19 I put on weight yearly...and at 19 I weighed 245lbs. I again attempted to lose weight. I tried fad diets including all fish diets, all meat diets, low carb and low cal diets. I also joined Curves at this time and DID lose around 17lbs...making it down to around 228lbs. I became pregnant.

I had my first child in June 2008 when I was 20...two months later I was pregnant with my second child. Two pregnancies later, in July 2009 I was 22yrs old and very close to 300lbs (between 280-290lbs)  this was the worst time of my life. I developed severe breathing issues, reflux issues, apnea...fell into severe depression (it'd always been lingering) and finally had to do something so I went to my doctor and asked about weight loss surgery.

He felt I was a good candidate and put me on track for surgery. After 6mos of diet (half hearted on and off attempts on my part) I had gained 12lbs and my insurance company denied my surgery. I was devastated.

Several months later at a follow up visit with my PCP we decided to try the course again with my new insurance company. I have now completed my second 6mos pre-op diet/exercise program and here comes the dilemma and my weight loss SUCCESS story.

After failing the first time, and making the huge decision to try again (after all the original hassle it WAS a huge decision) something snapped mentally. I began adopting a new lifestyle. Making small changes weekly that have resulted in HUGE changes overall. Since starting the new "lifestyle" in October I've went from 284lbs to my current weight of 212lbs. My surgery is scheduled for June 7th. I'm still losing good (about 10lbs/mos) and expect to be in "onederland" by my surgery date. SO, now I'm torn as to whether or not I should have the surgery. It will change my life (and in some negative ways) more than I already have. I could die, that's realistic I think, to say, and it's a huge concern as I have two small children. Here is where I'll stop and wait for questions or input...thanks for reading, as I know it was quite the rant!

welcome to the non op board! you have done a wonderful job already!! at under 200 lb's would you even still qualify for WLS? how tall are you, if you dont mind me asking? My story has some similarities I was enrolled in classes to have WLS and at the time was sitting at about 317 lb's (highest known weight was 322)  I had gone to the introduction class and was on a waiting list for the weekly classes to start, at the time I had kaiser and the 6 months of classes are madatory, so I was told that it was about a 6 month waiting list to get into the weekly classes then another 6 months of classes before I would be approved to schedule surgery, so I knew I had at least a year or more of waiting before I could even do the surgery! That is when, like you something clicked mentally, at the time 2 of my close friends were having RNY and rather then feel envious of them I used there surgical weight loss to motivate me to do it without surgery, I searced books and natural NON-DIET approaches, I completely changed my view of nutrition and I started exercising more, I always had some form of exercise in my life evan at 322 lb's, but I became more diligent and disciplined with it, I also started a program called Isagenix that is a nutritional cleansing program and had great success very quickly with that, this was all in Feb of 2009. What clicked in me was that I would no longer entertain failure as an option, I started studying nutrition and how it effects our bodies and became an avide learner of all tings natural, at one point I wanted to even go to school to become a nutritionist specializing in natural foods and remedies (that may still be on the back burner somewhere). I lost about 90 lb's fairly quickly then I seemed to get stuck there, like you I dealt with some depression and also with some personal and family problems that derailed my weight loss for a while, during this time, it was very spiritual for me and God really showed me a lot about my life, my beliefs and who I really was, which was NOT a fat girl! I continue to learn and heal and let go of a lot of stuff that hindered me in the past. The journey contines. By the time the 6 months of classes opened up to me, I opted out of taking them, at that point i was confident enough in myself that I had found the true path I was going to take to reach my weight loss success for good. I do not regret my decision, like you I was terrified of the possible complications and haveing 3 childrean and a husband to care for was a huge factor for me as well. Whether or not you go ahead with the surgery or continue on the path you are on, I wish you all the luck on your continued journey to success! thanks for your comment on my weigh in post as well! feel free to ask me anything, or send me a friend request if you would like to see my progression pics or anything like that. Take care!              

Thanks for the response, and if I can figure out how I WILL friend you...I had already tried to look at your profile  :)  because I DO see you as a big success. You always hear about people losing BIG weight naturally but never meet them...so to meet even one I was very curious about you. I was considering adding a type of "cleansing" to my new lifestyle but wasn't sure on where to begin in that department. Currently I've limited carbs, if they don't come with a whole lot of protein they aren't eatin. I also do some whole grains. I eat a lot of protein as I love meat and for snacks I do cheeses and fruits. I try my very best to not drink calories unless it's milk or for a treat 50/50 juice (so lite juice). I was considering doing a few days of just protein shakes as I really do not mind them but wasn't sure if this was nutritionally a good idea or not. I still indulge occasionally...for instance have a slice or two of pizza at a party...but no longer feel like it's a reward or like I'm depriving myself without such things.

On a side note about personal reasons...one of the things that got me seriously concerned about my weight was my father passing from heart disease right before my second child was born...he was 52yrs old. Also, in regards to WLS and concerns over not being able to care for your family. I want to have the surgery to take care of my family, not to become a burden on them. I could literally be worse off after surgery. I brought this up at a mandatory support group meeting...how I was afraid my children would be motherless...and one member said "but are you really living now"  I AM...to the extent that my children have someone the could at least speak with. Even if I were completely sedentary (which I am NOT anymore) I feel my children would still prefer it to no mother at all?!?  Kind of didn't sit well with me, I got their point but it's as if they didn't have children to consider themselves. OH, and I get the impression sometimes that surgeries are pushed by doctors...and maybe I'm paranoid but it's like they don't care about the risks to you as long as they get paid   :(  Just like any salesman, they have something to gain by telling you that you need it.

As far as approval...I'm 5"1'  tall and was told by my surgeon (at 223lbs) that I need to lose 100-120lbs yet. I do not know if they'll deny me if I'm under 200lbs at surgery BUT that's sort of my "promise to myself and family"  If I can get under 200lbs by surgery date...I'm cancelling the surgery. My biggest concern is re-gain, but that's even a concern if you HAVE surgery so...

I just accepted your friend request, when I first started coming around this board there were quite a few women on here that inspired me, they all had lost BIG weight without the surgery, most of them have moved on, But i want to be here to be that encouragement to whom ever I can be. You know, one of my best friends is 5'1" and she and I walk together through out the week, she has lost about 35 lb's and has another 20 or so to go, but if a dr. told you at 223 that you still had another 100 to 120 lb's to go,  I think that is CRAZY! really, I mean seriously? that seems like a bit much to me, do you have a goal for yourself? I am 5'8" and a large frame, I also have a lot of muscle so for me, my goal is 170 lb's then at that point I will look into having the excess skin removed I have heard from friends that have had that done after massive weight loss that that will take any where from 10 to 20 more pounds off depending on how much excess skin you have, and that for me is still up in the air, I may or may not even have tht done, but i would like to look at my options. Let me know if you have any specific questions, i'd be happy to help!

Yeah, I thought weighing 100-120lbs was a bit much too...a bit TOO thin. I want to be relatively healthy...but I know what my body looks like at 160...and 155...and 145 at my height and I would be perfectly happy with a 150 body type at the end of this road  :)  I know it's still overweight for my height...but I felt I looked pretty at that weight and could do ANYTHING I wanted to do at that weight. I walked (and walked and walked and walked) at that weight. I'd do upwards of 10miles some days at that weight  :)  I was rarely sick or fatigued...sure, I couldn't run far or fast...but I was happy.

As far as questions go, how often/how long do you exercise?  Also, what type?  Your diet, I'm very curious because you reference carbs and whatnot in your other post...how do you work your nutritional intake throughout the month?  Also, I tend to notice a standstill the week before my period  :)  does this happen to you or am I probably taking in the wrong foods for that time of month?

I have the same thing before my period I usually go up a couple of pounds that week actually do to water weight, so I usually will not weigh during that time. As far as my exercise right now I am walking, I walk any where from 1 mile on a day that I have all 3 of my kids to 6 miles when i walk with my friend and we put our youngest daughters in their strollers and just go! i also have some exercise video's that I do from time to time and I have five pound weights that I do arm exercises with on a regular basis. I used to be a gym rat and go 5 to 6 times per week for an hour each time, but I cannot afford it any longer, I was pretty burnt out on that too and for now have really enjoyed the walking, I got of pair of walking shoes with the curved heal that I walk in as well, I really like them, I pretty mush just try to move my body a lot during the day, and not be sedentary. As far as nutrition goes, I am currently changing things up to get back on track with weight loss, my goal is to eat "clean" this means as clost to natural as possible, organic produce, no hormone or antibiotic treated meat, I try to elimanate or severly reduce the amount of processed foods and anything with artificial ingredients in it, I quite eating fast food and soda (have had these things only a couple of times in the last 2 years) I also try my best to stay away from white/refined carbs, sugar, flour etc. I use natural sweetener such as stevia and agave is my favorite, I use whole wheat and whole grains for breads and pasta's when i do eat them, but right now I am staying away from those as well, I do still use my isagenix shakes when i have them those are organic undenatured whey protein, I drink mostly water at least 120 oz per day and sometimes green tea as well, or sometimes will just squeeze lemon in my water, this is very alkalizing to your body as well! I eat lean meats like chicken turkey and fish, some of my favorite snacks are raw almonds, greek yogurt, and fruit. I know that for my body type I shed weight the quickest with protein and veggies, but when I do add the complex carbs I will do things like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, ezekiel bread, and lower sugar fruits like blue berries and strawberries, I cant think of any thing else to add right now, if i do I will let you know, I pretty much eat some kind of salad every day, and a lot of times I will jist put a little EVOO and vinegar on it or I will find a good all natural no perservative dressing, there is one that my kids like by "maries" that I can find at most grocerie stores, ok, hope I didnt talk your ear off, but that is some of my diet!     

Congratulations to you both!

If you can avoid having WLS, then, in my opinion, you should.

As almost anyone who has had WLS will tell you, the surgery is only a tool; you still have to do the work. And having the surgery is by no means a guarantee of success.

I wish you both the best & I think you are doing great!! :)

Thank you

I second that, thank you! It really does seem to mean more to me, personally, to do this on my own. While surgery is definitely NOT the easy path...I feel non-surgical is definitely the most natural path AND nobody can say anybody helped me do it! Greater sense of accomplishment