It's really difficult with friends. I have a close friend who is very overweight. She's probably only a stone heavier than me but is 5 inches shorter so carries it differently. She has had health issues including gall bladder and appendix problems which the docs told her was all linked to being overweight and her poor diet. She just eats crap all day. I'm no angel and I did eat bad food, however would always eat fruit and veg with a meal, just in ridiculous portions, which when combined with the moderate crap I ate, made me fat!! She just binges on solid bad food. 2 bagels slathered in real butter for a pre-dinner snack the other day!

she eats a massive bowl of pasta with full fat pesto, chicken and bacon and considers it healthy, and will regularly have Chinese or takeaway (3 times a week) and say that she's only eaten half her meal, but when she's ordered 3 dishes, eating half still isn't great!! :-(
I've tried to diet with her before, however she sucks my motivation, and is one for sabotage. I know it's still my fault for caving in, but without the temptation I'd be fine!! :-( I've also tried to encourage her separately from my own weight loss journey, but she just bats it off and says she'll start next week. It's entirely her choice, I know this, but she's so unhappy and does spent a lot of time being upset about her weight and I'm starting to get to the end if my wits as I'm trying to help her, without being pushy. She's been single for 4 and a half years and its getting her down. She's even got to the point she has stopped washing herself properly and the house is always a bit of a mess, and smells :-( I suggested she join me in s&s the other day, she said she can't afford it, but I gave her approx £80 of my old CD stuff when I last came off it, and she never paid me for them and never used them, they just rotted :-( I'm not sure how long I can go on supporting her when she's not supporting herself...it's so difficult :-(
Anyway, the point i was making is that it's so difficult to help others, especially when they're a bit lost in terms of how they want to help themselves!! :-( your friend Would be much better doing a VLCD. Surgery is so final, and such a risk to take when all other avenues haven't been explored!!