Phoenixfire

Marella, you nailed it, THE MOTTO that I preach here and to others who ask me in real life about the reality of having and living with WLS:

I guess the rule should be that your pouch should train you, not you train your pouch -- that way, we have a better chance to be added to the TT long-term loser/winners!

From the experience of learning this one key truth over the years, and seeing it is the ONLY way to succeed, I believe this is exactly what every pre-op and post-op person needs to grasp, put into practice and be fully aware of.

To those in real life who ask me "do you think I should have WLS?" or "would WLS work for ME?" I tell them just what you wrote above. And quite honestly I know someone in particular that could NOT and would not submit to a pouch should they have surgery. They're better off without it I figure. Wouldn't you agree?

I liken this "pouch ruling you vs. you ruling your pouch" to the analogy of being a kid and having a parent control your diet, rather than being a kid eating whatever they want: i.e. bags of Halloween candy and cake for breakfast

Hat's off Marella, by jove I think you've got it!

__________________

October, 2002 - Dr. Alan Newhoff, Arizona - My Hero!
5'8" - 300/129.5/140/145 - Working to regain to my FEEL GOOD weight!
(Highest/Current/My Goal/Dr. Goal)
Highest Size: 26/28
Current Size: 6/8

Marella

Thanks Phoenixfire,

I admit that I did not have it all figured out, or at least most of it, until I read WLS for Dummies.

I am not only concerned with the initial loss, but I know that I can sabotage maintenance even now by not following orders, and then not following my guidelines, and not listening to my pouch.

In all honesty, when you watch WLS shows on TV, like on Oprah, etc., no one ever talks about the eating portion, or the responsibility portion. Because of this, most people actually think that WLS IS a 'magic bullet', that you lose no matter what... and we (I) now know, that's not true. At my first seminar, I didn't quite know this.

Would being fully aware of this change in lifestyle have kept me from having WLS... not in a nanosecond. I KNEW that I needed a change in lifestyle... WLS forced me into it... but I have the responsibility to keep it going.

... and I like the change!

__________________
~ Marella

Day 142: Crossed my knees for the first time in probably more than 14 years.
Day 157: My old bathing suit was waaaayyyy tooo big!