Results of fooling Mother nature...

[Guest guest]

Soapbox time

It is one of the " quirks " of having had surgery to lose

weight, that our own individual mental and physical make up

come into conflict.

When you can " accept " the fact that you can actually be the

person in the crowd that you always wanted to be, and that

your changes are real (and can be permanent if you don't

undermine the surgical process, but follow a life long

routine of a healthy lifestyle ), then you can really begin

to enjoy the really new you.

I can understand, the feeling of " fear " and " doubt " that may

enter into the mind of someone having had the surgery and

having seen weight loss, but feeling when will this stop and

I start gaining it all back...believe me, this is the power

of a strong mental image of ones self in conflict with a

fast physical change going on.

If you didn't go through a period of fear and frustration, I

would wonder about your future for weight loss success...it

is normal. But, believe me, as time passes

you will find that just as sure as you were able to eat your

way into obesity, you can convert your old lifestyle into a

new one and be the person you always dreamed of being and

permanently.

Between, July 13th, 1979 and September 13th, 1980 my weight

changed from 413lbs to under 190lbs (I was 6'2 " tall and

large frame). My mind was on a roller-coaster ride. I was

happy with the physical change, but I had my doubts about it

lasting....it wasn't till 1995 that I had my " tummy tuck "

performed, and that was just under 9lbs of excesss skin

removed. I lost 4 " around my waist, with that removed. The

only reason, I went through the TT was because of the

irritation that I was having with it.

Statistically, at the time of my surgery... 80% of those

havaing the gastric by-pass were female; 80% of those would

level off and then regain lost weight within 5 years of the

procedure. It was caused by, I believe, the lack of

follow-up on the patients part and not having any kind of

support group of peers that they could interact with.

So, today, I feel we have a much stronger base for success

with the results of weight loss, if we are willing to follow

the doctor's guidance, interact with others and help as we

are capable of doing.

///Bob