Before You Consider Bariatric Surgery

I got this question via email: Dear Trula, I am considering bariatric surgery because I have tried everything: dieting, exercise, not eating for days at a time, and I am still nearly 300 pounds. I am a 38 year old, 5 ft. 3 woman and I feel this is my only chance. What do you think? I have been following your weight loss and see that exercise and food management worked for you, but it didn't work for me.

Please re-consider doing this! You could die on the operating table.

You say that you have tried everything...have you gone to a counselor or psychologist to help figure out why you overeat to the point of morbid obesity? If you understood why you overeat, it may help you to stop overeating.

Some tricks to consider include eating a big salad before eating a meal. Lettuce and other raw veggies are bulk and they also expand in your stomach. You eat less fattening food if you eat a salad (sans fatty dressing of course) first. Also drink plenty of water, at least 100 oz a day. Keep all junk food out of your house. Enlist your partner and/or kids, roomates'(or anyone you share living space with) help in this. Yes, this may seem unfair to them not to have junk in the house but your life is at stake here. If you live alone it may be easier to keep junk out of the house.

If you truly feel that you cannot stop overeating no matter what, then this surgery is DEFINITELY not for you. I say this because you will still overeat after the surgery. This causes stomach tears and all sorts of painful issues that will neccessitate even more life-threatening corrective surgery.

I am not advocating that anyone go on a diet because diets SUCK and they rarely work. Why? Most people just go right back to overeating after they go off the diet. You have to learn how to eat. You have to stop overeating. If you do the surgery, and I am sure you know this, you will have to learn how to eat teeny-tiny portions of food at a meal. So if you have to learn a new way of eating, why not learn how to not overeat in the first place? Without the harm and trauma to your body? And being able to eat normal amounts of food at a time instead of tiny amounts of food at a time?

I also wonder, how long did you try everything? Of course not eating doesn't work and it's not something I would reccomend, but I don't understand how you can say exercise and not overeating did not work for you. If you have followed what I did like you say, then you know that's what I did. You will also know that I did not lose a lot of weight all at once, it was a few pounds a week at a time. You have to give your body time to resolve to the weight it's supposed to be. You did not get to be over 300 pounds all at once and you cannot lose your excess weight all at once or quickly. I started in January and here it is 7 months later and I still have fifteen pounds to go. It's gonna take months and months for you to lose that weight, maybe even a few years. I do want you to know I feel for you and will support you no matter what you decide. Good luck to you!

How Much Weight Can I lose in a Week?

Question I got via email:
Supple Mama, what is a reasonable amount of weight to lose in a week? I've only lost 7 pounds since January.

It is reasonable, possible and safe to lose 1-2 pounds a week. In a month that's up to 8 pounds. In 3 months that's up to 24 pounds. Some people, men in particular, tend to lose weight a little faster, 3-4 pounds a week. So if you have only lost 7 pounds since January, look at what you are eating. The thing that used to get me was portion sizes. For example, a portion of rice is only the size of your palm! I was used to eating a whole big dinner plate of rice at a time. I still struggle with portion sizes, which is why I am still not at my goal weight. Also don't forget to count the calories you drink like soda and even fruit juice.

With exercise, you need to move 3-5 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time. But anything is better than nothing. If you have to, break up that 30 minutes into 10 minutes chunks.