I haven't updated people on this very much, but I recently decided to seek the gastric bypass surgery known as Roux-en-Y. I have gone to a informational meeting with the local surgeon, and he explained many things. Obesity is a disease and needs to treated as such. Also, for the morbidly obese, there is a 95% failure rate(weight lost staying off for at least 5 years). Faced with those odds, I decided I needed help. I just returned from the surgeon's appointment, and I've got the ball rolling. In five weeks I need to see a dietitian, have blood-work done, and visit a psychiatrist. I'll be setting those appointments up today. The surgeon said I would have no problem being approved, and that I need to have this done. Frankly, I believe him.

I also have to start losing weight, starting as soon as possible. I was told to pick the diet that worked best, and that was the Atkins diet. I don't exactly have the money to do it, so I either have to seek alternative diets or alternative funding. The point is to just lose the weight now up to the surgery and after that I won't worry about gaining it all back. I'm even looking into Slim Fast because the surgeon says it does work if I stick to it.

If anyone else has ideas for losing weight(not necessarily keeping it off) please let me know.