I was responding to a forum posting by someone who was having a hard time. She was wondering out loud if weight loss surgery was the easy way out. Apparently, that’s what she was hearing from people in her life. I know I have worked very hard to get to where I am today, healthy and at a normal weight. EASY WAY OUT? I don't think so. After battling obesity from the time I was 2 years old, the band finally gave me the means to win the battle. Almost 6 years later I am still having little skirmishes although I am maintaining my weight loss. Take last night for example. I made a great dinner- some salad a piece of salmon and some quinoa. I know exactly how much I can eat, but still put too much on my plate. I also knew when I was full, but continued eating past it, and was forced to pay the not so pleasant consequences of a hard stop. Why do I still do that on occasion? I don't know, but every day, with every meal I still need to make the correct choices. And every morning when I wake up I am still amazed that I am no longer fat. Face it- we all have issues with food- I definitely do, and it will continue to be a challenge for me. That's why we are all out here on line supporting each other, learning from each other. I plan to go back to basics today- everything served on a dessert size plate because that's all I can eat! What was I thinking? The point is, I wasn't...mindless eating is what got me to where I needed the band to gain some control and I am not about to let it take over again. So now you have my two cents on Banding- Is it the Easy Way Out? What do you think?

I was responding to a forum posting by someone who was having a hard time. She was wondering out loud if weight loss surgery was the easy way out. Apparently, that’s what she was hearing from people in her life. I know I have worked very hard to get to where I am today, healthy and at a normal weight. EASY WAY OUT? I don't think so. After battling obesity from the time I was 2 years old, the band finally gave me the means to win the battle. Almost 6 years later I am still having little skirmishes although I am maintaining my weight loss. Take last night for example. I made a great dinner- some salad a piece of salmon and some quinoa. I know exactly how much I can eat, but still put too much on my plate. I also knew when I was full, but continued eating past it, and was forced to pay the not so pleasant consequences of a hard stop. Why do I still do that on occasion? I don't know, but every day, with every meal I still need to make the correct choices. And every morning when I wake up I am still amazed that I am no longer fat. Face it- we all have issues with food- I definitely do, and it will continue to be a challenge for me. That's why we are all out here on line supporting each other, learning from each other. I plan to go back to basics today- everything served on a dessert size plate because that's all I can eat! What was I thinking? The point is, I wasn't...mindless eating is what got me to where I needed the band to gain some control and I am not about to let it take over again. So now you have my two cents on Banding- Is it the Easy Way Out? What do you think?

There is nothing easy about this process at all. In fact I find this even more difficult then the conventional 'diets' that I was on before I had the surgery.

Although I have only been banded for a little over 4 months I still struggle with the idea that I have to eat slower and put less on my spoon then I did before. I have paid the price a few times. I also tend to push the limits at times and wind up praying the the porceline Goddess too.

The band is a tool that can help you to achieve your goal and help you maintain your goal once you have reached it. Just because your stomach is made smaller doesn't mean that it's a miracle thing where you can sit back and watch the pounds fall off of you. If that were the case I think there would be alot less obese people in this world.

So I say to anyone that wants to call this the 'EZ way out' to walk a mile in my shoes and you will change your mind very quickly.

Not to mention when is major surgery an EZ thing?

Why do people have to be so damn mean!? Someone in my family remarked that by having WLS, I was "cheating" about six months ago, and I have not been the same since. OMG, it hurt me soooo much. And it managed to start a world war within my family and turn every relationship I have to crap. I feel like I am walking on egg shells around EVERY single person in my family. Well, except my kids and hubby, whom I thank GOD for everyday!

If this is cheating how come you have to work so hard? If it were easy, I wouldn't be able to gain weight. And when I did, I could just wave my magic band and *poof* say goodbye to those pounds! I would already be at goal!! I would be so HAPPY, people would get cavities when I entered the room!

And so the heck what if it is cheating!? If people who love us see us healthy and happy, why do they care if we "cheated" to get that way!? Seems to me it shouldn't make a difference. I think people just get jealous. Jealous that we got up off the couch and did something to improve ourselves. They didn't. So they're poo-pooing what we've done to make themselves feel better. And I'm sick of it!

Yea, right, we cheated. And this is friggin' easy, pshaw. If you believe that, I've got a bridge out here in Tucson I can sell ya real cheap!

It always irks me when people come up with negative comments when they see a friend/relative have positive results. Easy way out?!? I think staying fat would have been the "easy way out".

I have been on and off of diets since I was 7 years old. If just dieting alone worked for me, I would not have needed WLS. I have lost the same 50lbs at least 10 times over. So giving up and staying fat would have been the "easy way out".

As you know, there is nothing easy about this process, so you should tell those naysayers to kiss your skinny lab-band butt!!

Many people suck. Call me a cynic, but I am playing the odds. Whether it is an opinion about your weight, your hair, your faith or your politics, everyone has an opinion. Some of those stances seem to be protected nowadays but many are open for harsh and direct scrutiny from any clown-shoe that has the stones to pop off about it. Fact is, people who do that are normally living in a hell of their own and simply take shots at others to make themselves feel better.

If there was an easy way out, who would NOT take it? This journey is not that, but the patent stupidity of taking a shot at someone who is taking steps (drastic in this case) to become more healthy is sadly not a surprise.

I was on a plane trip a few years ago and doing the "I wonder if the person next to me will be a big person or a small person," dance. Turns out, on that flight, I was unlucky. When it was my turn to board, there was a lady in the middle seat who was at least as large as I was (at the time, about 400lbs). As I stopped at the seat, she exclaimed, "Oh no. I knew it. I knew it before I got on the plane. this is NOT going to work." So I stood there and waited for the Flight attendant to come and assist in a resolution. the I explained the situation and the Flight Attendant asked the lady to move to an unoccupied aisle seat a row over. When the man in the middle seat heard that, he exclaimed, "The hell with that. I am not going to sit here with half of someone else on me for 4 hours! That is not going to happen!"

So here we sit. Anger. Stupidity. Rudeness. This was coming from all directions. I was more annoyed by the guy for some reason, so I said to the flight attendant that if the other passenger was upset, i would gladly take that seat. As I am a 6' tall and very large guy, all of a sudden, that idiot shut up. I reminded him that he paid for conveyance, not real estate and by popping off he made an ass of himself. I also mentioned that his cologne level could be deemed inappropriate by most humans but nobody was crying about that.

An off duty Flight Attendant stepped up and switched seats and resolved the whole issue, but the moral to the story is that people, quite often suck. You started this journey to be a better you. Healthier. Happier. More able to participate in everything, most of all, your own life. So to naysayers or others, let them live in their own misery. Use it as motivation and if you are as direct as me, remind them that while you can lose weight, they probably can't stop being an ass.

The LapBand…Is it the Easy Way Out…Who Cares if it Works!

I can’t believe how much this topic comes upon the forum…”is the LapBand the easy way out…”

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/banded-living-ez-way-out-111243/

I am sure like most things there are as many opinions as there are people. I guess the net-net of my thoughts is who cares if it works. I love the help I am getting with the band and I don’t really care that I got help…I am getting the results I and looking for. Yes, I still have a long way to go, but I am half way there. I have not been under 300LBS in 20 year so I love taking the easy way out for those that want to call it that. Some people will get it and support us, some will not care one way or the other and unfortunately some will be ardently against the band. Unfortunately, this vocal group of detractors tends to be those closest to us…in many cases. It is fairly easy for me to be caviler, since I have a very thick skin and my immediate family talked me into doing the band. However, I continue to be amazed how much hardship others go through. I really do hate that fact so many people get so much resistance to helping themselves.

I have some thoughts about this and here are my thoughts:

1. Is the band the easy way out…I have to say YES, I do think that the LapBand makes things easier…and I am glad it does…and I don’t care that it is easier. I have been much more successful with the band than without it. Let’s face it. if this was easy we would not have decided to use the band. Does that mean that it is simple and does not take work? Obviously the answer is no. It takes focus, patience, following the rules and persistence to make the band work, but it has been easier than trying to do it on my own.

2. Is the band the easy way out…some same NO, it is not the easy way out. You still have to do the same work for Pre-op, surgery, post-op, controlling what you eat and exercise. You can each Ben and Jerry’s all day and the band will not work. To me this is a question of perspective. As I said above, this one of many cases, where my opinion really does not matter. It is about what you feel. The problem is you will never convince those who have not been fat and been stuck in a fat body. They can’t really understand, and most of the detractors don’t want to comprehend the challenges.

There are myriad reasons why some folks will think this is the easy way out. They are jealous, they are cruel, they are misinformed, they don’t want to see you change, they only feel better if others are worse off than them, they have low self esteem, they are afraid for you regarding surgery, they heard bad things, they read an article that said XY&Z and the list goes on. You have to do the pre-op alone, the surgery alone, chose the right foods alone, exercise alone and live with the choice alone. All of us who have had the band were required to make these choices alone and that is the key. In the end the choice to change and be better is done alone. Others might help and support, but only you can make the changes so ignore those who would hold you back, belittle you or otherwise hamper you from being everything you want to be in this life.

If it is, I'll take it every day of the week and then some and who really gives a crap if some idiot thinks it is the easy way out. If it works for you and you are successful with it, then that is what counts. If it is easier to park closer to the Mall if you are going to have bags to carry do you park far away just so you can say it was harder? I could go on and on with that but you get the idea. It isn't about what is easier for me. It is about making a lifestyle change that I can be successful with and be proud of.

What's good for the goose might not be good for the gander. Personally I don't care what others think. I am in this for me and no one else. Something work for others that don't work for me. I have to agree with what others are saying, if this is the easy way out then I will take it everyday of my life because it's working for me and I am the happiest and healthiest I have been in a VERY long time.

People in my family used to say it was the easy way out until they see just how much work I have to go through everyday to live my new lifestyle. Now the funny thing is everyone is coming up to me asking me what they should be eating because they want to lose weight.

Point is don't listen to what everyone else says. If you are happy with the decision that you have made, if it's working for you, then be happy. Everyone that has had the band is here for you. We will all tell you that there is nothing easy about this process.

Easy way out?!? I think staying fat would have been the "easy way out".

Ha! So very true.

I actually do think the lap band is the easy way out and cheating.

Then again, so is using a match to light a fire instead of rubbing twigs together.

I'm going to use all the tools available to me to lose the weight I gained. If other people lose or maintain weight with just exercise, or strict diets, or prayer, I don't care. This is working for me and it would be really stupid for me to stay fatter longer just to show I could do it, or to set myself up for failure.

I'll use what works, thanks.

Hmmmmm, ah, yeah, it is to some degree. I lost weight with minimal effort and I maintain it with minimal effort. If you call running five times a week and doing bootcamp twice a week minimal effort.

Foodwise, i dont have to think about what I eat and I didnt have to to lose. I just lost. I adjusted my habits as I went but honestly, I didnt find it hard. I just eat less than i did, not really different. Perhaps I was lucky that I did eat fairly healthy, just way too much.

But why does that have to be some sort of moral judgement? What sort of idiot would overlook an easier solution than starving on stupid diets for the rest of their life?

As far as I can see it, my diet and eating habits now are as effortless as the next (thin) person's - meaning I can and do overeat at times and need to use some self control not to do that too often. If I have a tool that makes that possible for me, who has the right to say that I dont deserve that as much as the next person?

Something was broke - whether physical, pscyhological or moral and I fixed it. Nobody would expect me to walk around with a broken ankle, would they? So why not fix obesity?