What made surgery different?

What helps me after nine years is admitting this is a diet, not a lifestyle.

For the first years it was a lifestyle change.  I was not hungry, I could only eat a small amount and what I did eat did not get absorbed.

Then the weight started to come back on.  I tried a lot of things and the only thing that works is eating less.  For the rest of my life I will be on a diet.  What surgery did for me was to let me lose all of the excess weight and get on a level playing field with those who do not have the disease of obesity.

Dieting is easier now and I weigh every day and always know exactly what I weigh.  I have no range to stay in.  I have to be 136 or below or I am going to unhappy and cutting calories.  For me the difference is that I face reality and never live in denial.

That's pretty awesome. I guess we all have to admit that we will be on a diet the rest of our lives.

I'm the opposite of WD in that respect. The word diet, to me, simply means the way I eat. 

I don't/ can't see the way I eat as being "on a diet". I guess because with every "diet" I was on, I felt deprived, was always hungry, missed the yummy things I wasn't supposed to eat, and always felt like I was missing out. I don't feel that way anymore. It's probably just a mind trick I played on myself...haha, ( power of suggestion and all that ), but it's worked for me. 

And for me, being "on a diet" has a beginning and an end. This is permanent.

From my experience, and I'm only 15 months post op, it really is a restriction thing.  I can't eat large portions without feeling very uncomfortable.  Not only that, but eating too much sugar (Like I did about half an hour ago) makes me feel very icky.  Before surgery, I could eat halloween candy all day long and not blink, now I'm feeling queasy and sweaty because I had a couple of pieces of candy after lunch.  

It gives you the ability to lose the weight easily, because at least for now I will have to work to gain it back.  I would have to be uncomfortable physically, and really push myself to over eat.  Once I get to goal and my pouch has matured fully, maybe it will be easier to pu**** but for now it's easier to stay mostly compliant to my plan than it is to go completely off the rails.

I'm no expert, about 5 months post WLS.  For me, it was my last chance.  I too was a pro-loser.  I've lost over 100 lbs. multiple times in my life.   My last major weight loss was 10 years ago - went from my all time high (329 lbs.) to my all-time low (119 lbs.)   I swore I would never be fat again.  Ha!  I managed to keep most of it off for about 6 years and then in a 4 year period (really more like 2-3 years prior to WLS I gained all but about 30 lbs.  back.  Like another poster said when I stick to a diet I rock it, but when I go off, I REALLY go off.  I'm hoping this is the last time I will have to loose weight, but I will never say never.  I'm fighting the head hunger and the food demons and come here daily for support.  I still have about 40-50 lbs. to goal, but already feel so much better.  At 57 I'm hiking and biking again and want to continue to do so for a long time.  Gotta do this one day at a time.

8+ years post op RNY 

I know I have WLS:

• Restriction - as long as I eaton plan - proteins then veggies
• Dumping - too much sugar- but it needs to be really too much - and I get really ill..
• Fat flashing or "fat nausea" ... some fat- and too much of some fats makes me nauseated and or I get runs... 
• RH (reactive hypoglycemia due to too many carbs and sugars) - that at times is much - much worse than dumping..  Really worse..and it can last 12 hours. Chasing my blood sugar... 
• Bad gas with some carbs (bad enough I have to switch rooms I am in) ..

I had RH way before I had serious dumping. I ate enough carbs / sugars to get some symptoms of dumping... Relatively mild - initially ( I did not eat too much crap for a very long time)

But one day app 3 years post op I just ate real dessert ...tiramisu...and not a little.. A lot... And I paid for it...first severe dumping... Accompanied by horrible muscle cramps in my legs and feet...(severe dehydration as water rushes from your body into your small intestine). That was happening when I was dry heaving while having expolosive runs... 

I was home by myself and could not even get any water in me... I honestly thought I would die in that bathroom......

That was followed by severe 12 hour long RH... My blood sugar would go up then drop...over and over... My body was full of insulin and any sugar - proteins. I ingested - it would just go to nowhere... 

My muscles - gut and the leg muscles - were really hurting for at least 2-3 days after. I get nausea now just smelling tiramisu. Or donuts. But I never ate a donut post op RNY.  Or more than 1/2 tsp of ice cream. 

after making a few "stupid choices" and hurting all over - eating junk food is no longer a pleasure. Because I remember that night I almost died in the bathroom... sitting on a toilet with a trashcan in front of me..  in severe pain.. and I was not able to do anything about it...

eating too much or to fast hurts - just hurts.  And I don't like the pain - So I don't do that. 

Before RNY I could eat and eat and eat some more...  now - not so much. I had wings (dry rubbed) for lunch today. I was able to eat 5.  I was full.  

I often make more slider foods now (stew, chili, etc.) so I can eat more and get enough proteins on days I have a "small pouch days" 

So far in my life, surgery is the only thing that's given me the space and motivation I've needed to straighten my head out.  Everything else felt short term, I guess due to surgery's permanency I realized that I actually needed to fix my brain if I wanted to live up to having my guts hacked up.  

I decided to go with RNY surgery after looking at the science.  It is more than just portion control or the band would work just as well.  That is part of it but only part.  Studies have shown that RNY surgery does interesting things to the hormones that deal with hunger and the storage of fat.  Not permanently but that is why they think you have the ~year honeymoon phase before the hormones get back into gear.

You will have to eat less.  Other studies have shown that people who have been obese will need to eat less calories at their goal weight than a person the same size and activity level who has never been obese.  This is were portion control can help, as long as you aren't eating small amounts of the wrong foods.

The 2 best diet programs (WW & JC) result in 3% to 5% sustained weight loss after 1 year. Weight loss surgery will lead to 60 to 80% of excess weight loss. If you are 100+ pounds and have any health issues it's not impossible but it's certainly not a practical treatment plan to just diet and exercise.... tell him to read this ;) http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2015/09/life- after-weight-loss-surgery-q-a_7.html written when someone asked me a similar question.