Also, there is this:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170216103923.h tm

Min Wei, Sebastian Brandhorst, Mahshid Shelehchi, Hamed Mirzaei, Chia Wei Cheng, Julia Budniak, Susan Groshen, Wendy J. Mack, Esra Guen, Stefano Di Biase, Pinchas Cohen, Todd E. Morgan, Tanya Dorff, Kurt Hong, Andreas Michalsen, Alessandro Laviano, Valter D. Longo. Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Science Translational Medicine, 2017; 9 (377): eaai8700 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aai8700

As I said in other replies, that 4 years was 3.5 years of continuing to try to old ways, and 6 months of total success. Which is to say, I only found out about the best way six months ago. But I'm SO glad I didn't have WLS! I get *all* the exact same benefits with no surgery!

Thanks, I will try to. So far 6 months and 20% weight loss. No signs of slowing down, no signs of ever wanting to stop, no cravings to go back to the old way. So I'm psyched!

Good job on your success. But why do you say "I couldn't maintain a low BMI even after having WLS"? are you saying that it works, or doesn't work?

The odds aren't against me. I am proving it every day. And yes, my attitude does guarantee it - guarantee my success, that is.

WLS is effective at losing weight, I never disagreed with that. But, sorry to tell you, there IS a method that not only comes close but gets EXACTLY the same results, and WITHOUT surgery. So, sorry, but you're wrong about that. Nor is it the best treatment we have - it's second-best. Unless you're tried Intermittent Fasting, then you have not tried "every method out there".

I've been dealing with obesity my whole life, and I'm about the same age as you. And, yes, like you I thought I had tried everything. And yes, nothing had succeeded long term. I was very close to getting surgery myself. But when I found out all the details, I decided it wasn't worth it.

Thanks for your concern, but "my fasting attempts" not only are not "doomed" but ave been incredibly successful - and WAY easier than I had feared. I thought I would be constantly hungry - I'm not. I worried that I would eat way too much when I stopped - I don't. Compared to something like quitting smoking or following a "diet", it's a cake walk. It's nice that you can pooh-pooh it when you haven't even tried it, though. So far it's been six months and I don't even have the SLIGHTEST, TEENIEST urge to go back to the old way of eating. In fact, I'm so powered up about all the weight that I've lost,. and how much better I feel, and how successful it is, that I not only am WAY healthier but I have energy to spend time doing pointless things like trying to prevent people from making a huge mistake like WLS even when they just ignorantly jump on anything that disagrees with them.

Look, I imagine it must totally suck to be in a position where you had drastic surgery only to find out that you didn't have to. There's no going back, unfortunately. Really I'm here to warn the people who haven't had it yet. People who have, all I can say is sorry you didn't get the good information before you were suckered into it by your greedy hospital.

I've lost 20% of my weight in 6 months. Not only have I not gained any of it back but I am mroe energized than ever and completely 100% never, ever will go back to the old way. I have NO craving for it and actively am repelled by the thought. So your condescending attitude is a waste of your time.