Having doubts! please give me some insite

Hi,
I'm Tara , I have been a member of this site since 09 but just started using it recently. I'm still trying to figure it out.
I started my WLS journey Oct. 14Th. I have tried many diets and exercise plans and FAILED miserably. So I did some research about WLS and decided to look into it further. I am now rounding towards the finish line, only about 2 months to go for insurance approval and misc Dr. appts. I am a healthy fat girl.  Since my first surgeon appointment I started Kick boxing. I LOVE IT! my trainer is awesome and she"gets it" . SINCE I really started going in December I lost 20 lbs.this is the first workout in my life that I have LOVED.
 My coach also host a 4 week biggest loser challenge. She is kind of like training with bob and Jillian and she is there for you 24/7 no matter what time of day to talk,answer question, and get your mind back on track. she also helps with the nutritional end of it too. Her challenge started 9 days ago and the most some one has lost is 10lbs so far and the least someone has lost is 6.  seeing this happening to other people is making me think. I can do this, I really like my work out, so why not try the next challenge (April) but now I am doubting surgery.  does anyone have any incite they can give me?? has anyone else doubted the surgery ?

 My 2 cents on this is that if you are enjoying working out and seeing results, and have a support structure, then do it that way.  You wont have any limitations of surgery this way.  If I was able to work out and lose weight, I would have gone that route.  

If you do decide to work out, I would say not to work out.  I have read some people start that way, schedule the appt, and then stop working out as they think they will lose it with surgery.  

Good Luck with whatever you decide!  

It's entirely possible to lose the weight with diet and exercise, but ...and here comes the big but! Your chances of keeping it off are minimal.

I can't recall the exact stats but I know that it's less than 10% of people keep the weight off, compared to something like +50% of people who have WLS.

I speak from personal experience, I lost over 100lbs with just D & E, but then gained it all back and then some!

Now I've lost over 200lbs...This surgery has saved my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Everyone doubts getting it, but most don't regret it.

Just my 2 cents...

I appreciate the" 2 cents" of both of you. I like to hear more reason to do it/ not do it. I have time. This isn't a decision I have to make over night. I have time, but I am also the kind of person that feels like she has o make a decision ASAP. I am trying not to let it eat at me. I will still finish the rest of my appointments, and I will still be doing my workout. ( I  seriously LOVE kickboxing!) and see where I am when the time comes to make the final decision. I wish you guys the best of luck in your WLS journey. keepup the fantastic work!

Have you posted on the work out board yet?  the exercise and fitness forum part of OH.  There are a lot of people that give out some great advice, and you might be able to find a workout partner as well.  And find someone close to you who has gone thru the surgery and could give more of an insight into working out only and working out after surgery.    

I for one am kind of jealous of you being able to work out liek you are with kickboxing.  I tried going before surgery and was not able to last in the spin class thta I tried.  But I am definatly gaining more endurance and will be doing the classes soon!   

 Hi Tara, 
I too am going through the same thing you are, waiting on insurance approval for WLS and working on losing pre-surgery weight with diet and exercise. I've managed to lose about 10 lbs in the last 2 weeks and started to have doubts about if I really needed to go through with WLS. 

The thing I came to realize as one of the other posters said was that if by some chance I could manage to lose all the weight I needed to (almost 150 lbs), what are the chances that I could maintain that weight loss? And not just for a year or two. I'm 30 years old. I'd have to try to maintain that loss on my own for the next 40 years perhaps. And realistically it would take at least a few years to lose all that weight through diet and exercise. There's no guarantee that I could stay the course I'm on for the next couple years. After all, life has a way of ruining our best laid plans. 

The truth is that we are the size we are because our bodies and more importantly our relationship with food is fundamentally different from that of normal sized people. Even after great weight loss, you never stop being a fat person, your just a fat person in remission, ready to expand at a moments notice. Your body is programed this way and more importantly so is your mind. 

As I've heard many others say and myself have accepted, WLS is a tool to help us reach and more importantly maintain a healthy weight for the rest of our lives. Keep doing what your doing, and keep enjoying it. But sit down and have a serious conversation with yourself about who you are and what caused you to become the size you are. The idea of "surrendering" control of your weight to surgery just isn't accurate. No more so than a diabetic "surrendering" control of his blood sugar to medication and insulin. It's not about about control, it's about doing what's best for you now and for the rest of your life.

Just my two cent, for what it's worth. Good luck and God Bless.

I think most people's potential for long-term success with diet and exercise alone is tied in to the depth and breadth of their weight issues.

If this is the first time in your life you've ever struggled with your weight, then I would say try diet and exercise because whatever it was that caused you to gain weight isn't a long-term, recurrent issue that's kept you fat for most of your life... it's an isolated incident.

If, on the other hand, you've been struggling with obesity since you were a kid, then I think it's still possible to pull it off with diet and exercise, but in addition, you should consider adding in therapy to help you with the behavioral modification WLS would help you with.  You'll also want to consider the statistic that for people with long-term weight issues who have 100lbs or more to lose, only 3% are successful with keeping it off for 3 yrs or more. 

For me, I've tried and failed and diet with exercise (even WITH a therapy component) for the better part of my life, so I know the forced behavior modification that comes with WLS is what I need to be successful. At one point, I got down to within 30lbs of my goal... and then gained it all back, plus 100 lbs more.  It was heartbreaking to say the least, but that's how I know that I have no control over my complusions and need a physical limitation that'll keep me on track.

Good luck with what

Thanks Jaun.
I appreciate everyones "2 cents".  I am still weighing out my options. I don' think im too worried about keeping the weight off if I choose to not do surgery. Even with surgery you can put the weight on. I gave myself a true test over the last week. I was on vacation and I made decent ( not perfect) food choices and walked a total of 30 miles in 6 days. I came home and weighed myself and lost weight. I finally realized where I go wrong. Now it's just about keeping on the right path with or without WLS.
My kickboxingh trainer is very good at helping me stay on track. she has been helping me with nutrition and my next step with her is the 4 week challenge. what it is, is a strict diet plan and a special intense workout  before and after kickboxing classes and 2-3 mile run/walk on days that we are not working out with our KB routine. I am still going to go through the motions of what I need to do for surgery. But if by the time I have a date for surgery, I fall below the criteria (BMI) needed for WLS then I kow I just need to keep up the hard work I am doing. 
Good luck on your journey.