Portrait of a WLS Success Story

Six years post lap-band and now 15 days after a revision to RNY, as you can imagine I've spent a lot of time thinking about weight loss surgery. I think about food and fluids, carbs and calories, risks and rewards. Sometimes I think about the bigger picture and today I started wondering about the less-obvious factors that contribute to WLS success or struggles, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. To put it another way: Setting aside the specific things you must/should do, what are some other factors that help paint a picture of WLS success? Can you help me paint a picture? I'll go first: support from your significant other or close family members helps paint a picture of success. That one was easy.

On the other hand, maybe there's also a picture of WLS struggles. Here's one brushstroke from my struggle with the band: lots of business dinners where I didn't control the menu or pace of the meal. Do you have others?

Again, I'm not asking about the specific things you did or didn't do, but about the factors that helped or hurt you along the way. If I get enough responses I'll summarize them into a list that can help others on their journey. Thanks for reading! I hope you'll respond.

Based on my personal WLS experience, and nearly five years hanging around the OH forums, here are the things I see that very successful people do-- in no particular order:

• Weigh and measure food, rather than estimating portion sizes
  
  
• Log ALL food, even in the maintenance phase
  
  
• Do not drink during meals or for 30 minutes after
  
  
• Participate in a support group (on OH or otherwise) regularly
  
  
• Weigh regularly, even during maintenance
  
  
• Take all supplements recommended by the ASMBS, and do so religiously
  
  
• Have regular bloodwork done and track values over time to spot deficiencies
  
  
• Keep carbs low during the initial weight loss phase (ideally under 25g/day)
  
  
• Exercise often, even if it's nothing fancy
  
  
• Lose as much weight as possible during the "honeymoon" phase, when restriction and motivation are high
  
  
• Stick to a diet of lean, dense protein first and foremost
  
  
• Never assume that surgery is an easy fix, or that your excess weight is gone forever; vigilance is the key to continued success
  
  
• Work with a mental health professional (therapist, counselor, etc.) to address your eating habits and relationship with food; surgery fixes our stomachs, but not our heads. Healthy attitudes do not lead to morbid obesity!
  
  
• Do not drink alcohol during the weight-loss phase, and do so as seldom as possible once reaching maintenance
  
  
• Drink at least 64oz of water (or noncaloric beverages) each day to prevent dehydration

That is a wicked awesome list Julie!!!! I could not agree more with all of those things!!

I just wanted to add in:

• Meal planning. Know what you are going to eat every day therefore you are not getting home from work "starving" and grabbing a bag of chips. Even better if you can meal plan your breakfast/lunch/dinner and snacks on a Sunday for the week then you control the portion and calories. As for going out to a business dinner/lunch, once you know the restaurant look at the menu online and see what protein options are available to you and stick to that.
• You never have to justify the food you are eating (small portions, high protein, low carb) to anyone or discuss your weight loss. People are used to us being overweight, when they see the rapid weight loss the gazillion questions come up. Up to you if you feel comfortable telling them you had WLS and if you don't want to discuss it, don't.

Best of luck with your RNY, we have many people here who are revisions from the band to RNY or VSG and have done amazing.

Those are great lists, Julie & Daisy!

The psychologist in my practice who runs the support groups says that research shows that there are a few things that contribute to long term success after WLS:

First, continuing to seek peer support--either through in person support groups or an online community.

Second, regular exercise. The exercise is, apparently, not because it really helps weight loss, but more because a person who exercises daily has a healthy lifestyle mindset that carries through to all aspects of life. You don't see too many people with a daily Twinkie habit who also have a daily gym habit...

And last, routine. He says that people who eat the same things day after day and are not always seeking a new taste profile are more likely to see food as fuel and not eat for pleasure.

totally agree on the exercise.

i am more cognizant of what I am putting into my body when I exercise.

I really like those points - the last one really resonated with me. I find food boredom tends to be an issue for me.

That last point is VERY interesting. I have gravitated to eating mostly the same things to feel in control.

Second the narrow food range. I do so much better when I eat a narrow range of food. It reminds me that I am eating to fuel my body, not because it is a celebration.

Success factors:

1 - addressing my mental health at every step of the way

2 - research, research, research

3 - consistent participation at OH

I stopped my weight loss faze by starting drinking booze again.

I will say that my drinking was a problem before surgery. Having WLS did make me realize how bad my drinking had become.

I am in AA now and go to see my therapist.

Support is one thing that is not always easy to get from others. They don't always get why we do the things we do if they have not had WLS or have had problems with food issues. Such as being a food addict.

I did do a lot of traveling after WLS. It was hard at first. Learning to change has helped.

Learning to love ourselves is one thing that was very hard for me.

One day at a time I change. I have to make sure I really keep in eye on my behaviors to not go back to my old ways.

We have to be our own cheerleader. Coming to this site has helped me. I know sharing my experience with the struggles and good things that happened in life have helped me.