I need some opinions

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/4/04 1:42:30 PM Central Standard Time,

mary.widick.hek5@... writes:

> Not sure I'll ever be 100% happy, but have had tummy tuck and even a

> revision which looks

> awesome. Here is my dilema - I am still wanting to lose 20 lbs and the body

> will not cooperate. I work out 5-6 times a week and for the most part eat

> right. People tell me I don't need to lose any more but I weigh more than I

> must look. I am even considering taking Xenedrine or HydrocyCut to see if

> they would help.

-----------

,

I was sitting here at the computer when you message came through and

immediately felt like I needed to reply

Here's what I hear you saying:

You have a goal to lose 20 more pounds. You are not sure, however, that it

will make you 100% happy. People you trust are telling you that you do not

need to lose any more weight. You are exercising for your health.

In my opinion, the first thing you need to look at is whether or not

this is a reasonable goal to consider pursuing.

Is there any medical reason that you should lose 20 more pounds? Is your BMI

outside the normal range or is your body fat percentage too high? Is there

20 pounds of " fat " left that you can afford to lose, or is a great deal of this

" excess " 20 pounds tied up in excess skin? Can you achieve a weight loss of

20 pounds without taking your calorie count to a dangerously low level?

If it's a reasonable goal, then, look at whether or not it is

something YOU want to undertake. Will it make you feel better -- either

physically or

emotionally? Are you willing to either increase your calories burned or

decrease your calories consumed in order to achieve the goal?

If it's reasonable, and you want it, then look at how you're going to

do it. I would imagine that almost everyone on this list has used some type

of diet pill, either over the counter or prescription, in the past. And yet,

here we all are ... we had to have bariatric surgery in order to succeed. If

the pills had worked for us, we wouldn't be here. You want to know if they

would be " safe " for you to take. Well, there just isn't a SAFE and EFFECTIVE

diet pill out there -- if there was, hell, we would have all heard about it by

now! Many of the drugs we " thought " were safe have turned out to not be. Many

of our list mates have permanent heart damage due to prescription drug

combinations that our doctors truly believed were " safe. " Several people

throughout

the country have died from using Ephedra -- thinking that since it is a

" natural herb " it MUST be safe. Poisons are natural as well as man-made.

In my opinion, you should RUN the other way from the diet aid section

of the drug store.

You may find that losing an additional 20 pounds is a worthwhile goal

and something that you can achieve through a lot of hard work. Or, you may

find that your body refuses to move any lower than you currently are unless you

literally starve it.

Try to look at WHY you want to lose the extra 20 pounds. I know for

me, I have a secret desire to have the number on the scale say a certain thing

-- but, my head tells me that there is no logical reason to pursue that desire

as it will be pretty much meaningless in the whole scheme of things. Oh, but

how I understand the lure of a little number on the scale!

Beth

Houston, TX

VBG - Dr. Srungaram

05/31/00 - 314 lbs.

11/01/02 - Abdominoplasty

11/29/02 - 160 lbs.

5'10 "

[Guest guest]

I am just about to celebrate my two year anniversary. I have lost

175 lbs and am semi-happy with how I look. Not sure I'll ever be

100% happy, but have had tummy tuck and even a revision which looks

awesome. Here is my dilema - I am still wanting to lose 20 lbs and

the body will not cooperate. I work out 5-6 times a week and for

the most part eat right. People tell me I don't need to lose any

more but I weigh more than I must look. I am even considering

taking Xenedrine or HydrocyCut to see if they would help. Has anyone

else tried these? Do we absorb them and does anyone know if they

would be safe for me to take? Any help someone could give me would

be appreciated.