helenah

Firstly hi all, I'm new here. My name is Helena. Just a little backdrop - I'm 37 years old, from the UK. I'm 5'9 and weigh 270lbs/20 stone. I talked to my local doctor recently about getting weight loss surgery and then I few weeks later I suddenly get a letter through telling me that an appointment has been booked with a bariatric surgeon in a few months time! If I'm approved I will be getting the surgery done on the NHS which means I essentially don't have to pay for it. That sounds like a blessing. But of course now I'm freaking out, being the massive coward I am I have been binge watching vlogs and from everything I'm hearing - whilst the end result is great - I don't know if I want to or even if I CAN go through the operation. For many reasons. Firstly I have never been operated on. I've never had children so don't know what childbirth or a c section feels like. I've been pretty blessed, aside from a herniated disc I had a few years ago, I've managed to live a pretty pain free life. The second thing might sound a little bit selfish but in my 30s I grew to accept myself as a bigger person. Whilst I hate the size that I am I feel like I don't really care about getting down to my ideal bmi and that I would be perfectly happy being 220lbs or if I'm really lucky 200lbs (I told you, thats gonna sound selfish). I can live with a heavier me. Ideally I just want to lose some weight. But by some I don't mean 10lbs, enough so that I can lose a few dress sizes. Many years ago I lost just one dress size and felt amazing, so much more confident. But that was in my 20s and achieved from pretty much a starvation diet (about 700-800 calories a day, only lasted a few weeks and of course eventually put it all back on). I won't be able to do a starvation diet in my 30s, don't have the willpower now. So I want to keep the surgery option as my last, last, LAST option (without sounding ungrateful) but so far all the success stories I've heard of people who have lost roughly 50lbs-70lbs or more is that it was achieved through some sort of surgery. Do you honestly think its achievable to lose the weight naturally within a year (I need to lose it within a year) or do you think I should just prepare myself for the surgery?? Sorry if you think its a stupid question, I'm just kinda lonely with no one else to really turn to so I kinda need to get this off my chest. If you think it can be achieved naturally could you tell me what diet/weight loss plan I should opt for? Thank you for listening x

Thank you! I’m definitely not ruling it out completely.

Thank you!

That’s great. How did you manage to lose it naturally??

Thank you so much for all the answers. catwoman 7 - you’re totally right. So much more goes into it than imagined. Over the years I would lose 20lbs and then regain it. No idea why I never stick to the diet that’s working for me Summerset - haha you’re right, a WLS forum was probably a weird choice for my question but it was the only forum I could think of at the time. Jeanniebug - yes I am planning on still going to the appointment. You’re right I’ve also heard that the waiting list could be up to two years and that they might put you on a weight loss program first. That would be so ideal. pintsizedmallrat - two things did work for me in the past. Kettlebell workouts and intermittent fasting (mainly OMAD) but I just very stupidly gave up after a month of trying. I think my bigger problem is I get lazy and stop. No idea why. I’m gonna try combining the two soon! Summerseeker - Wow that’s amazing, 10 stone on slimming world! Perhaps I should join them.

ahh good point...

thank you so much!!

Thank you sigh, how did you lose the weight the first time?

Hi Terry, what diet did you use to lose the 100lbs the first time??