Diets and Insanity

I’ve been on my pre-op diet for a week now.  I’m not good at diets (no kidding! I got 100 pounds over weight by being such a good dieter!) so I’ve not been perfect but I think I’m doing OK.  At least, I hope so!  Protein shakes get kinda old very quick!

I had my endoscopy on Thursday.  My surgeon likes to take a look at things before she cut them up.  Seems like a good idea to me!  They found a small esophageal erosion but that won’t cause any problems with my surgery.  Lots of Prilosec in my future, I guess.  My biopsies taken during the procedure just to be extra sure all came back clean so more good news!

Actually, I am a pretty good dieter.  I’ve lost over 50 pounds 6 times that I remember.  The problem with dieting and losing large amounts of weight is that it always comes back and brings a few ‘friends’ with it.  The end result over time of dieting is that you get fatter and fatter until you’re hopelessly obese.  Look at the research.  It happens to everyone who tries to lose the weight this way.  It has nothing to do with will power!!!  We are not bad people because we can’t keep the weight off. 

Neither is WLS ‘cheating’!!  Is chemotherapy ‘cheating’ against cancer?  What a ridiculous question and, yet, losing weight and beating obesity with the help of bariatric surgery is called cheating.  “You should have enough strength of will and character to lose the weight with diet and exercise alone!”  This is usually said by people who have never had a serious weight problem in their lives.  They think their experience losing 10 or 20 pounds qualifies them to opine on the severe problems faced by the morbidly obese. 

We fat people need to stop listening to these ridiculous people!  Do what you need to do for yourself!  The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  Sure, I could go on another diet.  I did, as a matter of fact.  After I found out I was diabetic in 2009, I lost 40 pounds.  Then, since the first of this year, I’ve lost another 18 pounds.  Without my WLS, I can expect to regain all this weight plus an additional 10 to 20 pounds within the next 2 to 3 years.  I don’t want to weigh over 300 pounds!!!!  

So, I’m not going to be insane about my weight anymore.  I’m making a drastic change to my behavior and am expecting different results.