Hello! This is my first time posting in here. I've had the meeting with the surgeon, gone to a supoort group meeting and am waiting to finish all of my pre-reqs before getting a surgery date. I'm hoping to be banded in June. I just wish I had done this when I was younger. So many years wasted being too fat to do things, and hating myself. I want to enjoy being 'young' (some would debate me being young, I'm 32) before it is too late. I work in health care and I have seen the toll obesity can take on the body, and I'm terrified of ending up a type II diabetic.

So my question for you guys is, when did you start telling family/friends? I have told my father and sister who are both very supportive. I haven't told my mom yet since I don't think she will be supportive. I have told some friends, but feel slightly uncomfortable telling them. I vascilate between whether I should just not say anything at all and when I start losing weight if people ask tell them? or making it common knowledge. I've already had one friend who after I told her made the comment that she would support me, but that she felt like lap band was 'the easy way out' for people who didn't want to work hard on their weight loss.

What have you all done!?!?

I really admire everyone who has shared with others. I was banded in November' date=' have lost 100lbs incredibly fast, and the only people who know about my band are my parents because they paid for it. I'm just a really private person when it comes to my battle with weight issues, I didn't want to hear any negative feed back from anyone because I am the kind of person who would become discouraged by it. Congrats on your journey [/quote']

What do you say to people when they ask what you are doing to lose weight? I know I will run into times that I will see people that I havent seem in a while and I don't know what my response will me then... ?

What do you say to people when they ask what you are doing to lose weight? I know I will run into times that I will see people that I havent seem in a while and I don't know what my response will me then... ?

I just explain that I'm eating way smaller portions, eat more often and I work out 5x a week. Which is the true. The band only curbs our hunger, we still control what we put into our body's.. If I wanted to eat around it I totally could. I didn't want people to judge me for my band, or take any of the credit away. I worked hard for my body to get to this point, and it hasn't been easy. To be honest tho, no one has really 'grilled' me on it

I've lost 15lbs on the Pre-op shake diet. No one even questions why I'm drinking shakes. If they ask I tell them it's to kick-start my weight loss. Everyone that knows me has seen me gain and lose so many times in the past that it's no surprise I'm dieting again. Last week we joined a gym as a family. My husband, 3 children and I all go together. That's the best decision I made in a long time.

I have been telling all co-workers I usually travel with. Reason: they know how I (used to) eat and this kind of change cannot possibly go unnoticed. I told them in effect "the party is over" and have gotten back very positive feed-back. My family knows, ironically the feedback there was a bit more mixed...not because they consider it "the easy way out" but because they are worried about any complications. I would imagine once the surgery actually happens (hopefully without any issues) they'll be more excited for me...