The thing with weight loss surgery is people think it's a fix all solution. What it really is is a tool to assist in weight loss. It is used to make weight loss more acheivable.
I had to lose half of myself to be healthy. I had to lose 140 lbs, at least, in order for me to get to a healthy weight. Last year, I prayerfully decided to have gastric sleeve surgery. I had that surgery at the end of July last year. I have lost 100 pounds. I have started exercising because I feel a lot better about myself. I have chosen to count calories and keep track of what I eat in order to reach my final goal. Due to the surgery weight loss, I am closer than I have ever been, even before when I spent months dieting, eating healthy, and exercising throughout most of my teen, young adult, and adult life. The real issue in my life was portion control. Sure, I could eat healthy food, but I'd eat lots of it.
There are a lot of folks who gain all their weight back years after the surgery. This is due to many things: wrong eating choices, constantly overeating and thus restretching the stomach, ect. I work to keep my portion sizes to a cup or less. You have to work to get accurate amounts of protein and vitamins and water in. And you have to be desiring weight loss for the right reasons.
I always use to say that if someone didn't like me due to my size it was their problem. This, in and of itself, is true, yet God asked me a simple question: Are you happy? And my answer was, no. I wasn't happy being morbidly obese and feeling tired all the time. I have tried many, many diets and failed at them all, ultimately, because it isn't about dieting, it's about changing your entire lifestyle.
Bariatric surgery only has you lose 70-80% of what you're overweight. So, I have reached that part of my weight loss that happens without an effort. Most people stop there and are content. Others push toward their goal. That is what I am doing. My goal is 140-155 pounds. I am currently 186, the lowest I have been in over ten years and I am happy.
I think the last thing I will add is for people to be careful about judging those that opt for bariatric surgery. It doesn't make a person weak to have this surgery, it doesn't make them any less successful or less worthy of celebrating every pound lost. A lot of people that do not struggle with obesity do not realize how losing weight for some is virtually impossible without something like the surgery to assist. Once you lose the weight that comes off as a result of the surgery, you are encouraged to reach the final goal because it is much more manageable. 40 pounds is more acheivable for me than 140. I am excited and moving forward. I prayed about it and really sought God's counsel before I went forward, and I suggest you do the same if you are considering the surgery. The surgery has also reversed and removed Diabetes in those that have had Diabetes and had the surgery! So, there are many benefits, but you must be doing it because you desire to, not for anyone else, and because God has affirmed it, because then the nay-sayers you meet (and there will be some) will have no ground to stand upon, and you will be confident that you will succeed. Also, be sure you have a strong support system. A lot of people don't want you to change because then they are comfortable to remain as they are. Change, especially drastic change, challenges us to strive to be who God truly wants us to be, and in fear of that, some may attempt to sabotage you or bring you down. If you have one or two very supportive, strong people for this, you have enough. Focus on those relationships to help you succeed. This is true without surgery as well, with a lifestyle change and exercise. It's true for everything.
Feel free to e-mail me if you'd like. I wasn't originally going to share so much. Sorry the post is so long.