Hunting and Gathering

I am amazed at how much I DON'T know about obesity. We all have a story as to why we gained weight. I won't bore you with mine. I'm finding out about this dreadful disease and the long term results. It's frightening.
I also realize that there is a difference to being over weight and suffering from the disease of obesity. At some point in my life, I was over weight. Diets worked. WW actually worked for me several times. When it seemed to stop working for me it added to an already low self esteem. I felt like a failure. I did everything right, followed the plan, increased exercise as much as I could with a bum knee. With each pound I gained it seemed a new ailment would crop up... I was in a downward spiral, no doubt about that. More weight, more pain, less tolerance etc. etc....
I didn't like hearing my new doc call me morbidly obese. The truth hurt big time. But I am grateful to him. When I told him I was trying hard to lose the weight because I realized my legs were tired of carrying around two people, he asked me a very profound question, "How long have you been dieting?" OMG!!! What a wake up call.... Years, many years that's how long. The diet was successful, the weight loss wasn't. I lost hundreds of pounds over the years and over time gained it back and then some each time.
I remember once talking to a dear friend at pool side. We compared alcoholism to food addiction...He was way ahead of his time in that comparison, especially when he said "an alcoholic can stay away from his demon,You can't stay away from food..."
Now after years and years of study they recognize obesity for the disease it truly is.
The Harvard School of medicine did a long term study which showed that 90% people having Bariatric surgery maintain at least 50% of their weight loss, while only 5% of dieters in the same category. That's not to say ALL dieters need bariatric surgery. In fact, it is a long study program to even find out if you are a candidate.
Part of the process is to attend meetings. Both group meetings, where by-pass people and Banded people answer questions...and post -op meetings. Post op-meetings are separate so if you want to gather info, you have to attend all...which I did. I also joined an on line group. The people are all painfully honest, which is a good thing, because this is serious stuff.
It almost becomes an obsession...I want to learn as much as I can. This could all be for nothing, because I can be turned away at anytime...by anyone of the team of doctors. But the education I'm getting is worth it.