nborz

I've gotten a LOT of flack from bypass patients about my band choice...just ignore her snotty butt lol and tell her you have to work VERY hard because you went with the option that doesn't remove your gut to cheat the food you put in your mouth. (sorry)

I was reading a post from a fellow bandster who is having trouble with a "friend" who is jealous and lashing out about her weight loss. Of course, we all know the phrase people like to use when they are passing judgment:
You're taking the easy way out!
Well, let's put aside for the moment that being banded is hardly easy, nor does weight magically fall off. I would argue that it is, in fact, EASIER (or why else have your body cut open and a foreign object placed inside?).
Here's my question: So what? So what if it's easier? So what if it's easy? Why the heck is that bad? The band is a piece of technology that makes work easier (or, even makes it possible, period) than it was before. We, as humans, have invented millions upon millions of pieces of technology to make our lives and our work easier. It's what we do.
Driving a car or even riding a bike with gears is taking "the easy way out" when you have two legs and can walk. Yet I don't hear too many people willing to give up their gas guzzling, environment and natural resource draining cars so they can "do things the right way".
Look, people who have this attitude are not hard to read, they have a simple motivation that isn't at all about you and completely about them: They want to judge you for being fat (which equates to lazy), and feel superior for not being fat (or feel comfortable because they are also fat and you make that ok by your very presence).
It isn't about YOU. It isn't about your health, or your well-being, or your self-confidence. It's about how your changing size affects the individual and either their need to feel comfortable or their need to feel better than you as they sit in judgment. if it were about health, as people always claim when they stand loud and proud in their open prejudice against "disgusting" fat people, then they'd all be more than happy to have everyone banded, losing, and healthier by any means. Don't let them fool you that this is concern about you and your health. It isn't. It is about THEM.
So here's my answer. So what if I'm taking the "easy way out"? It's a way out, period. So bring on the easy.

It is hard. It was the hardest part for me hands down. What I started doing was making some Soups (like my chicken tortilla soup) and eating the broth which was so much more flavorful than the canned stuff. I would also make smoothies with vanilla yogurt and a few frozen berries, that was also yummy. Cottage cheese was allowed on my liquids so I started adding other flavors to it to spice it up a little.
I have to say though I am not sure I would have done as well as I have done so far if it weren't for the "detox" from the carbs that I went through during this phase. It REALLY helped me a LOT with not having cravings so much once I went on real foods. Infact many things became too sweet! Good luck you will get through it just hang in there.

If your not in pain, and your do to be banded on 4-1-11 I would get banded, then have the tooth done..You will be on pain meds, and if they pull the tooth, well it's like killing 2 birds with 1 stone
Good Luck with the Decision.
Shirley.

I started my pre-op liquid diet on Feb.23 for 3 weeks. 5 Glucera shakes and 3 glasses of milk per day. I lost 23.5 pounds and had my surgery on March 16th. I have lost 11.5 pounds post-op ( 1 week). I am still on full liquids for anothe 2 weeks, however, have absolutely no hunger or appitite. At this point I am forcing myself to eat to try and get some Protein in me. What is encouraging is I have already lost 35% of my weight and really haven't started the process as I am still healing. Having said that, I found the 3 week pre-op diet a big challenge - not easy. Good luck as you start your journey.

Certain family members are very judgemental and i dont feel that i need to be the topic of everyone's conversation behind my back. In addition, both of my parents are very active, athletic, not over weight, and basically have no clue what its like to be 100 pounds overweight. Also, i have heard comments before about wls from my family members and they are not positive comments. I will most likely tell them one day, but not right now. My family tends to be very "gossipy" and i am sure i give them enough reasons to talk about me already. Lol.

I guess both of my degrees are fake since I didn't go to a "real school". Oh, Crap!
I should ask for a refund and stop paying on my student loans immediatley!

Shirley, please quit giving these crack pots the satisfaction of trying to make you look stupid. I do not care about your grammar. I think many feel the same way. I think it's perfectly appropriate to post in caps when you are upset. You owe them no explanation.
I'll apologize now for any spelling or punctuation errors, your highness, doctor of the universe. Oh, should I have capitalized any of that?
Yeah, I'm a smart a.. but I have no respect for people who don't give respect.

My grammar is excellent - occupational hazard. Nothing amiss with my post - not sure what you are referring to. Perhaps it is how you changed my post above to give the impression of an error. Go back and look at what I initially posted - it may not be the best sentence that I have ever constructed, but it is grammatically sound and correct.
I write for a living and hold advanced degrees in English and in Education. Yes, you may call me doctor. Sorry, I do not general spout my education, but I wanted to explain the position that I am coming from. And before someone goes there, the Masters is from a top 20 and the PhD is from an Ivy. Real schools - very expensive too.
I find it so interesting that people pipe up and jump in, yet fail to assert a valid point or actually find anything wrong with what I am writing.
So very interesting to watch this unfold.

Seriously? A spelling lesson for someone who is incredibly upset and seeking answers to very REAL problem? That's what I call rude.

WOW!! ARE YOU FOR REAL?? Way to encourage! Hope no one treated you like this when you needed encouragement or asked questions! Everyone's journey is different! No two people are going to loose/gain weight the same. And a little FYI for you: this is completely NORMAL after surgery.
You really need to think about your reply and how it was not appropriate and that you need to man up and apologize!!

How can you go through all of this, actually let someone cut your body open and then the first two weeks not have the willpower to stick to your diet? Maybe you should have got RNY....
Not trying to be mean but you should have found the willpower before you got the surgery IMO...

You are so right. There are several kinds of posters who respond to post from struggling posters. They are:
1) The successful, know-it-all. It worked for me because I followed all the rules. And if you follow the rules it will work for you. The band is only a tool ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
2) Those who think the poster just needs some " tough love" and they're just the ones to give it. No apologies here.
3) The stupid poster who says things like - I am so sorry you are struggling. I've never really had any problems myself. I lost 50 lbls the first month without a fill and 100 lbs. in the next three and can eat most foods but in smaller quantities.
4) The resident "doctor" who tries to explain in clinical terms how the band works and why it should work for you if you only do the right things.
And then there is the poster who actually can offer some sympathy and good advice in a way that would be well received. They offer several concrete suggestions that the poster can try. We need more of these types of posters.

Yep, there's nothing like someone who's NEVER had a weight problem tell you how to solve yours....Ugh....