With my Atkins book in hand I laugh at that 1% LOL

But seriously, that is the reality. People, and even successful weight losers, find it hard to grasp tat maintenance is the hardest phase of all.

That's why i started the Atkins diet - because I can maintain this thing dammit!

We will always have an impaired metabolism.

This is why I see WLS as an effective way for some people to control their weight. As much as I am against it personally, I can see the definate advantages for public health.

If I had a choice I would get the band, which in Australia, in the vast majority of Weight Loss Surgeries.

My wife wants the surgery. I want her to low carb. She won't give up her soda, because she is addicted to sugar. I've read however that you can't drink soda after the surgery because of all the bubbles from the carbonation. If I could only get her on the diet and break her sugar addiction I'm sure the weight would fly off.

I don't know about the bypass surgery, but the band doesn't allow soda. I can take a few sips (I still love diet coke) but that's it. There isn't room for all those bubbles. Those few sips require some privacy because that carbonation has to come up quickly.

Here's a link to a LA Times follow-up article about two siblings who had WLS:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/l...1,7135581.story

It has a mention of a charity for donation of extra tissue:

"...flesh was whisked away in coolers to the airport, en route to the nonprofit Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation in New Jersey, which plans to purify and reuse the inner layer of the skin for hernia, pelvic and other reconstructive surgical procedures."

That was an interesting article Betnich. And the flesh donation angle was new.

Every time I read one of those WLS account, I realize that it's basically a method enforcing a low-carb diet.

So it's really a crime if the person hasn't actually tried to lowcarb before submitting to surgery.... especially young people.

My mother had the banding surgery done a few months ago. She lost 22 pounds right away and then began gaining a few back. So it has been tightened. I think she has begun to lose again.

However, my problem with it, is that she has not really learned to eat differently. She refuses to learn what a carb is, and to stay away from them. She still eats more than she should, and then suffers from it.

I have triied to give her info. I even gave her DANDR over a year ago and asked her to read it. But she does not read labels, even if I am around and I point out to her the lower carb options, she will still buy what she wants.

The frustrating part is that my father has diabetes now and is requesting low carb items. So she has someone to support her in doing it, if she will try. Then the other part that frustrates me are when my husband and children and I are around her. She still cooks tons of carbs and wonders why we don't eat it, or I don't let my kids eat it. Dinner should not be meat, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and a salad with a sugary balsamic dressing on it. So my husband and I will often cook, that way we get our food and they eat something tasty. My father appreciates it.

I do hope that she will figure things out and I will continue to tell her info, but you can not force that up on another person. So yes, I think that there should be some training in low carb eating.

yes.....I'm sorry that your mom is being so thickheaded......this is where the PCP or the surgeons should be doing a better job of educating their patients and weeding out those who will not change their eating habits after surgery.

If you do not change your point of view about food after the surgery, what good is it?

I agree except that it's really not the surgeon's job to educate the patient. All those other professionals leading up to the surgery are supposed to do that job. Unfortunately that includes a lot of traditionally educated nutritionists indoctrinated in the low fat religion.



I can't speak for anyone else but the surgery has helped me manage things when I can't be reasonable in my eating. Periodically I am too depressed or too manic to manage the food. The band forces a limit on the volume. So far I've come through those times without really gaining anything. Once I get back with the low carbing the water lost usually takes me back to where I was before. Otherwise, I would continue to gain despite a valiant effort when stable.

I do not see it as the surgeons responsibility, but she does have a doc she sees. And I think she is given info, she just does not take the time to figure out and learn what that info really means.

We went camping and she goes in to buy snacks, my son comes walking out with peanut butter and cheese crackers, and she has 2 boxes of cheezits. I informed him infront of her that he was not to eat the crackers. He said no problem. So I went in and bought my kids packages of nuts to take in the boat. I already had string cheese and apples.

It just drives me crazy. They are going out of town with my parents later this summer, I am to write a list of things they can not have. So maybe that will help her see what is acceptable and not. Who knows. At least my son is old enough to understand and does comply with my wishes. My dd is not so ready for it...she will ask for the sugar if given the chance.

Willful ignorance is really frustrating, especially when it impacts your kids.