Saying No to the Little Blue Cup

They say that confession is good for the soul. I have a confession to make.

In June of 2011, I turned 49 and was staring down the road at the big 50. I decided the time had come to take charge of my weight issue. So, with that in mind, I began the process of preparing to have Lap Band Surgery.


One of of the hoops I had to jump through for my insurance company to approve the surgery was to participate in some type of weight loss program for 6 months. I chose the Weight Watchers program and began to attend meetings in June. Mind you, I had little to no interest in actually working and succeeding in the program because I had already made the decision to have Lap Band surgery. I was just going through the process.

June came and went, July flew by in a summer haze, and I rolled into September with little to no weight loss because, again, I wasn’t really participating in the Weight Watchers program. Then, in mid-September, I was required to have my first meeting with the Lap Band dietician.

On that day, my life began to change.

The dietician handed me a little blue 4 oz cup and said, "That will be the size of your meals after the surgery."

What would have been my post-Lap-Band Surgery meal size

Now, that 4 oz included of your proteins, vegetables, fruit, or whatever. But only 4 oz.

Next, we discussed the many vitamins and supplements I would have to take because I would not be able to get the required nutrition from my (4 ounces of) foods.

I left that meeting and simply sat in my car in the parking lot thinking, No way, no how. There has got to be a better way.

The second requirement for the surgery was to attend a support group meeting of people that (a) had already had the surgery or (b) were, like myself, in the process of getting ready to have the surgery. This was, again, an eye-opening meeting. I looked around the room and listened to people who had lost over 200 pounds and those who had only lost a few pounds. I couldn’t help thinking, Some of these people are not very happy. Their conversation seemed to focus on what they could not have to eat. For a second time, I found myself sitting in the parking lot thinking: No way, no how. There has got to be a better way.

Over the next couple of days, I had several long discussion with my very supportive and wonderful friends, including one who said to me that, basically, I could manage my weight by choice or I could have a process done that would force me to manage my weight.

That night, something clicked in my head, and at 4:00 a.m. the next morning, I was in the gym and beginning to truly take control of my weight and health.

As of today, I have lost 54 lbs following the Weight Watchers program and exercising just about daily. I've recently completed my first 10K, and yesterday, I signed up for my first bike ride event (17 miles).

In short, I said no to the little blue cup and have never looked back.

Lastly, I want to say that this is what is working for me, and it is the choice that I made. I truly believe that weight loss surgery is the right choice for some people, and a life-saving option for many. I am one of the lucky ones who, with the support of friends and my amazing Weight Watchers leader, I was able to make a different choice.

Here’s to making it happen!

~Dexter