Ask the Bariatric (weight loss) surgery Guy.

In My Humble Opinion
41

Gee, it’s ‘ask the bariatric weight loss guy’ thread and he twice avoided the caloric intake question.

Also, Slacker, I’m fully aware of the caloric intake versus absorbtion capacity of bariatric weight loss guy - Hence, my question. If he said…“Oh, I eat 1700 calories a day…”, then it’d be safe for me to figure what portion of calories his body was not absorbing.

I will leave you alone. You have it all figured out. Your body is sooooo metabolicly efficient that you can sustain your weight on 2000 calories a day.

Swell.

I say, sustain yourself on 1200-1500 calories a day and lose a pound to 1.5 per week and get back to me.

With some effort, you can discover ways to eat satisfying and nutritionaly dense foods while never cracking 1500 calories.

I face the challenge and win daily, as I consume 1200-1500 calories per day to maintain my 165 lbs of body weight on my 5’10" frame that used to hold 230 lbs while I ate 3000-4000 calories per day.

As I got down to around 2000 calories, I realized I could just maintian my weight, even being ludicrously active. So, I did some research on low calorie diets, learned a little about free radicals, nutrition and such, and decided to face every day with 1200-1500 calories as the goal.

What you face are challenges, not never-moving barriers. It is still under your control. Although, we do live in a societ where excuses are validated while taking personal accountability is a dying art.

And it’s hard to adress any of this without offending anyone. But…as long as you have excused to cling to, you’ll feel better about yourself, avoid accountabilty and live miserably ever after.

Let me know when all the tests are in and we can read some report that reflects your bodies ability to maintain it’s substantial weight on 1200 calories per day.

42

FunLvnCriminal - congrats! and thanks for posting back with your progress.

Philster - I get what you’re trying to say, but you’re not saying it very nicely (to say the least) and I’m not sure this is really the thread. This is about the specific experience of bariatric surgery, not the rights and wrongs of it in terms of calories, diets and alternatives.

Maybe you should start a new thread? You obviously have experience in the issue and interesting things to say, but IMO this is turning into a bit of a hijack.

43

End of hijack… but as I bail, let me say that where I come from, a little tough love and a condescending attitude will do you well.

44

How nice for you.

45

My God some people just can’t let people be happy. Why didn’t I answer your question about intake? 2 reasons. 1st, if you conducted yourself in a manner that made me want to answer you (or stated in your tough love format “If you were worth my time”), then I would have told you reason 2. I really don’t know how many calories I eat daily. I don’t have to count them anymore. But If I had to guess, it would be around 700.

And by the way. 5’10" 230? You’ve never been obese. It’s not the same bud. But then, judging from your other posts, I guess you already knew that.
Istera: thanks. I feel great. And, You’re welcome.

46

Ya know, I think to myself, I quit smoking (2 packs a day at one point), I have left an abusive relationship, I HAVE will power.

However, some people do look at me and see obese and think lazy, no discipline, etc… attitudes like Philster’s… the last great bastion of acceptable discrimination.

I’m not ready for surgery, not yet. One more doctor supervised lifestyle change. If that doesn’t do it, then I’ll start looking into surgery.

Funlvncriminal thanks for the frank answers, and good luck, please keep us posted. Raini & Screech Owl good luck to you too, I’ll be thinking of you and asking for continued updates as well.

Peace

47

Jane D’oh: Good luck on your diet. I hope it works for you. But I do feel I have to correct you on one thing. There are 2 types of acceptable discrimination. You forgot southerners. :wink:

I was both at the same time for a while. Now I am only one. Well, maybe. I was born in Florida. Does that count? :slight_smile:

48

Raini: I forgot to give you my email address if you want it. I would love to talk back and forth about the surgery. Its brezek@bellsouth.net

Drop me a line if you feel like it.

49

The vast majority of obese people never lose weight successfully. If lowering calories and exercising were the answer then why is this true? In other words, why is it that so many millions of people can’t take these apparently simple and easy steps? Or when they do why can’t they sustain a lower caloric intake? Or why, when they do lose weight does it come back on rapidly, plus more? My great grandmother and grandmother were fat and they didn’t have TV, MacDonald’s or even cars. They lived on farms and worked hard every day of their lives. They weren’t self-indulgent and it wasn’t popular yet to eschew responsiblity for your own actions. From paintings done far in the past and and from written histories one knows that obese people have always been a proportion of the population, even when just living through the day meant hard physical labor and little to eat. Those who were born with the natural unconscious mechanism to maintain a healthy body weight are taking far too much credit and acting far too superior not to reveal that they have not truly examined this matter and prefer to remain ignorant and smug. And being obese and having some extra pounds from too many cheeseburgers are two entirely different matters. And if I hear one more idiot repeat, Eat less and exercise, like they have discovered the secret to the beginnings of the universe, I might think they have a low IQ. I guess it’s just easier to take credit for something you have nothing to do with because if statistics are true, damm few of you are getting your asses off the couch. And for the minute percentage of those who were obese (don’t count yourself unless you were at least 100lbs overweight), tell me it’s easy now and you never want to overeat. Or tell me the truth. You fight it every day of your life and if you give in you will be fat again. Does this sound normal? Do normal weight people have to do this? NO. Think about it.

50

Which kind of surgery did John Popper from Blues Traveler have? I barely recognized him on the cover of the “Bridge” album.

51

Everything I’ve seen only refers to “gastric bypass” which, I believe, is kinda generic. The short description given by the article authors seems to be compatible with Roux-en-Y (passing some of the stomach and going straight for the intestine). This is different from some of the other weight-loss surgeries. Plus, it’s the hottest thing since sliced bread with the bariatric medical community.
I would like to see a picture of John Popper now.
Also, everyone, know that I am following this thread if you have any questions for the SO of a person going through surgery. I will answer whatever I can.

52

2 months

Well, its been two months and here I am. 48 pounds lighter and not a thing that fits me right. lol. Still going good. The only problem I’ve had is heart burn. I’ve never had it before so I guess that its a side effect from the surgery. I think I’ll live though.
296 lbs when I decided to have the surgery. (Jan 02’)
275 lbs when I had the surgery (Mar 20 2002)
227 lbs 2 months post op. (May 20 2002)

I can’t believe that I have lost 69 lbs in 5 months.

:slight_smile: :smiley: :cool:

53

I am now lighter then my (lied about) weight on my driver’s licence which says 220. I am now 219 pounds. This is about 2.5 months post-op. Thats 56 pounds since I had the surgery.

:slight_smile: :smiley: :cool: :slight_smile: :smiley: :cool: :slight_smile: :smiley: :cool: :slight_smile: :smiley: :cool: :stuck_out_tongue:

54

Wow, that is a LOT of weight in just 2.5 months. How is your skin doing? I’m too old to lose that fast. I would have about 25lbs of skin to remove after the weight loss. It has taken me almost 10 months (as of June 22) to lose 72lbs on a low calorie diet. My skin is sagging a little, but I’m Hoping (hoping!) it will shrink as time goes by. This is why it’s better to do it when you are young. If the only side-effect you have had is heartburn, that is wonderful. So… how is it being (almost) skinny again? I don’t feel like everyone is looking at me with distain and pity. Once, last year, I stayed in the house for three weeks straight. Now I go out every day. Did you mention your goal earlier? Remind me what you want to weigh. Well, I think it’s just great. Congrats!!!

55

3 weeks? Pshaw I often go a month or more without going outside.

I have started a thread in MPSIMS about WLS… I’m going to be having the DS not the RNY, hopefully this summer. I am so excited!

56

Well, since it has now been two months (as of june 10th) since my surgery…i thought it was time to give you all an update.

I feel wonderful!!! I spent 2 weeks doing that plateau thing that they warned me about, but now the scale is moving again. I have lost 35lbs, and in taking my measurements i am 24.5 measureable inches smaller than i was 2 months ago! I am down 2 clothing sizes, and have already gone on one shopping spree! I was going to wear my ‘fat’ clothes for as long as i could, thinking that there really hadnt been that much of a size change in my body…but…when i went into that store and needed to keep going down in size to get something that fit right, i figured it was time to get some new clothes.

I have a new addiction…its called “THE GYM”. I go atleast 5 times a week, mostly to do cardio, but I am also doing some weights to tone.

Im not sure if i left you the website for the surgery that i had done…so i’ll leave it again! its www.weightlossurgy.com Check it out…i know its in canada…but hey…if you live here…the great thing about it is…its covered by healthcare!!!

Anyways…best i run…i have all this energy now that i never use to have, so i need to put it to good use! I think my lawn needs mowing or something!

Cheers! :smiley:

57

I know its been a while folks, but here is the 3 month update. Sorry it’s late. I am now down to 210 pounds. That much anticipated 200 mark is inching ever so closer. Everything is still going great. Still no problems, even more energy and I am even getting my speed back (playing softball for the company team).

HOWEVER, I had my first bout with the dumping syndrome. OMG. It is awful. I never want to go through it again. I can tell you one thing. I don’t touch foods with high concentrations of sugar anymore. I know how much I can and can’t have and I will NOT have too much again.
FunlvnCriminal - 65 pounds and counting.

58

Ooooh, dumping - not a good idea. At all.

When I shop, anything that has sugar listed within twoinches of the word “INGREDIENTS:” does NOT go in the shopping cart.

Little story about reding ingrediants, by the way: Went shopping the other day, and thought about getting some dried fruit - small, non-sugared (I can handle the natural sugars better than the added stuff) and chock full o’ vitamins, right? Cool.

So I find a bag that said "Dried Plums"with a pretty picture of some ripe purple plums all covered in morning dew. Very enticing photo

Ooooooh, I haven’t had plums in such a long time. Got really excited, tossed them into the cart and went on my merry way, paid for everything, checked out and lugged everything to the car. Sat behind the wheel and grabbed the package for a little snackeral on the way home (damned long commute and I was hungry).

Ripped open the package and stuck my hand in the bag just as I read the ingredients…

INGREDIENTS: Dried plums (prunes).
:eek:
:smack:
Prunes.
I bought prunes.
I bought freakin’ prunes.

At least they were healthy. And so I was I for a couple of days.

59

FunLvnCriminal—thanks for starting this thread. I’ve been seriously considering WLS for a while now. I read Carnie Wilson’s book (loved it), and right now I’m waiting to see if the insurance will approve it. If so, I’m going to move forward.

Congrats to all who’ve taken this step, & way to go!

60

I’ve been approved! My insurance called me today to tell me that they approved my Duodenal Switch surgery. I far prefer it in concept to the Roux-en-Y after researching both.

(you can see www.duodenalswitch.com for info if you are curious)

I should have my surgery in mid-september. I’m so excited!!