Hi, first of all I don't know anyone personally who had gastric bypass. But my good friend has 2 ladies in her life and one of them went for the bypass and it didn't work. I don't know why these don't work, but that's what my friend shared with me.

This friend of her's who probably weighed 350, my friend guesses went to a weight watchers support group and something just snapped and it hit her. She has taken off 150 lbs to date and still wants to lose 50 lbs my friend says. This friend has had plastic surgery for all the loose skin etc. So that is one story.

The other day I got my hair cut. I've been going to this new gal over 6 months now and in the last 3-4 months, this almost 50 yr old has taken off over 50 lbs. She was close to diabetes and took control of her life. She eats no WHITE foods....has cut out junk foods and we know what those are and eats little meals thru the day. No more sitting down to huge meals. She is so HAPPY and everyone supports her and applauds her.

Now, the 45 yr old hairdresser in her "room" WAS probably 350 lbs. It's interesting the weight is the first thing one sees. This woman has taken off about 87 lbs to date. Again, eating no WHITES, getting junk out of her life and eating small meals thru the day. The other day I saw how pretty this woman is.

Both these younger gals go to a gym almost daily and walk a lot. I don't think they deal with other health issues that keeps them from moving.

Now for me and I went to a gym all my life, walked a LOT and since advanced OA and hip job mess, I've S L O W E D down so much. I hardly walk much at all and do have a recumbent bike in my living room and peddle slowly. Realizing how things have changed for me and so much inactivity now, what I did was stop bringing all BREAD into my house....None for over 6 yrs now. Every now and then I'll buy a little personal size pizza just to satisfy that carb fix. I was buying too many whole foods bulk cookies and STOPPED that about a month ago. We have to take control and realize what we are doing. I don't have diabetes and don't want it so that is on my mind at this later time in my life. I'm 77.

I don't know your story but wanted to share some recent stories from people in my life.

Oh, my daughter went thru some major issues in her life which included prescription drugs, and thru all her misery put on probably 70 lbs to her very svelt body that she and everyone in our lives knew. After a rehab stint, she joined Jenny Craig and this worked for her, she took off a lot of that added weight. She and her children are very much into nutrition and mostly alternative health now but it took a lot of down time and wake up calls.

Hope some of this helps and again I don't know what you have done on the weight issues over your life. Hope you find your answers. Caroline