Okay, I feel like mentioning something. We are so good at being politically correct, us sleevers. Maybe it is because we spend so much time defending our decision to people who don't understand, so we get good at downplaying how much being not-fat would change our lives for the better.

I'm always seeing people write, "I know being thin won't mean life is perfect" or, "I know just being thin won't bring happiness". Well I am coming out of the closet - Being average or thin is GOING TO BRING ME A LOT OF HAPPINESS!!!! :confused1: And being average or thin IS going to solve a LOT of my problems!! I just posted to a thread about your top 10 reasons to get VSG. I read everyone's reasons and then posted my own and that's what got me to thinking - gee, without all these problems, life IS a lot better. We say "if only I was thin", FOR A REASON. Because being not-fat will vastly improve our lives. There, I said it. I get that there are issues for all of us that don't go away just because we fit in with society but at least we will be focusing on those, and not those PLUS our weight. Please don't flame me.

Flame you? I applaud you!

Yes, life is a thousand percent happier at goal. There are some things that being thin won't change, but being healthy and feeling good about yourself is worth a million dollars to me!

I'm not even halfway to my goal and I am happier already! I feel healthier, I have more energy, I'm looking forward to going out to be able to wear nice clothes...I know it won't solve all my/our issues,and as you said GB it won't bring world peace, but it sure does make life easier!!

I completely agree with you.

It may sound weird, but my life is ALREADY better, and I haven't even had surgery. Why? Because I finally have a plan, and a way out. I know things won't be perfect, but they're bound to be a damn sight better than they are now. I can't wait.

Dave

Okay, I feel like mentioning something. We are so good at being politically correct, us sleevers. Maybe it is because we spend so much time defending our decision to people who don't understand, so we get good at downplaying how much being not-fat would change our lives for the better.

I'm always seeing people write, "I know being thin won't mean life is perfect" or, "I know just being thin won't bring happiness". Well I am coming out of the closet - Being average or thin is GOING TO BRING ME A LOT OF HAPPINESS!!!! :001_smile: And being average or thin IS going to solve a LOT of my problems!! I just posted to a thread about your top 10 reasons to get VSG. I read everyone's reasons and then posted my own and that's what got me to thinking - gee, without all these problems, life IS a lot better. We say "if only I was thin", FOR A REASON. Because being not-fat will vastly improve our lives. There, I said it. I get that there are issues for all of us that don't go away just because we fit in with society but at least we will be focusing on those, and not those PLUS our weight. Please don't flame me.

Hi Globie, am back now. I completely agree with you. I wanted to get all this and maybe have guys look at me again, I mean really look not just look. It has made my life so much better in all ways. And I am now really healthy too, touch wood. It's great to be accepted in society as a normal member, at least till I open my mouth that is.

Jane x

I don't think anyone that has made it to goal, or close to it would flame you. I know that my core personality has not changed since losing weight, but I sure as hell don't feel the same as I did pre-op.

Hell, life is pretty fabulous as a skinny bitch. I love it, and won't lie that most of the issues I dealt with being fat are GONE ! ! !

For the love of everything holy, I rode a mechanical bull! ! ! I couldn't have lugged my huge, mammoth body up there to save my life pre-op. I can roll around on the floor and wrestle with my husband, and dogs. The best part is that I don't have to waddle my way up back to my feet. I can walk around the mall for hours, and never have to stop to take a break, or let my knees rest.

Sure, I have my little quirks about my body, but at least I have zero issue fitting into normal people clothes, and I'm not scarfing down enough food for 3 people when I'm out with friends.

Not being the fattest girl in the room is an amazing feeling, and more importantly, not feeling like everyone is judging me because of my weight is the best feeling in the world.

I'll shout it from the rooftops that being skinny has made my life so much better in so many ways. Maybe some of it is shallow, maybe it's not what people want to hear or accept, but I challenge anyone that flames you or me or anyone else that agrees to really think back to their pre-op weight and admit that they were perfectly content being fat, and the only reason they had surgery was to be "healthy". I had surgery for many reasons, healthy (mental and physical), I want a baby, I wanted to feel like a normal person, and not have food control me. AND, a huge reason is because I was ready to wear clothes that didn't look like they were made by a tent maker! ! !

Indeed Tiff, indeed! Yes to all that! I have worked hard to acheive the life I have now, the education, the job, the experiences. So I feel confident in saying that yeah, "if only I were thin" really does cover a lot of my problems! And I too am willing to say hey, I want to wear trendy fashionable beautiful clothes and super big clothes JUST AREN'T any of those things. They aren't. And no matter how much fat-acceptance I preach and practice, there are some styles that do not look good on a fat body. Yes I want deeper things; a return of physical strength and flexibility, fertility, regain my physically adventurous spirit. But I'm also willing to admit that I want to be admired for my attractive shell, want some satisfaction on those evil bitches who had skinny asses in high school and never left our hometown, and to have my Pretty Woman moment .... all the times that I was treated as invisible or worse if I dared to darken the doorstep of a skinny girls store ...

"You work on commission right? Big mistake, huge! I have to go shopping now!"

My God, yes. I do feel like a different person. A much nicer one, because I'm so happy in my own skin. I love being this thin (ie. normal BMI). Nobody who hasn't been obese can probably understand the difference. I was always healthy, even at BMI 40+, but moving around was something of a chore. Now it's pure joy.

Heck no I haven't even lost all the weight I am going to lose and I am barely 5 1/2 weeks out and I can tell you I see things looking up. Can it make you happier HELL YA. Will it solve SOME problems FOR SURE. Will it pay the bills? Well maybe if you turn it into some carreer (work that pole JUST KIDDING) but who knows the added confidence may motivate you to try for that promotion...or leave a job your comfortable at and get out of comfort zone and make more dough. The possibilities are endless when you make healthy changes in your life.

I think in another thread someone who had high BMI but no comorbidities asked if she was a healthy large person should she be having surgery. I challenged her to just ask herself if it will improve the quality of her life. I think for all of us the answer is yes. The answers are personal and it may mean something different for each person.

So yes it can make your happier, stronger and possibly more fullfilled.

No flames here! There is no question that being fat -- especially being a fat woman, and especially being a fat older woman -- is horribly stigmatizing in this society. And getting out from under that stigma is just frickin' priceless!!

I just have to say, love this thread, love my sleeve and I'm just starting my journey!!

Okay, I feel like mentioning something. We are so good at being politically correct, us sleevers. Maybe it is because we spend so much time defending our decision to people who don't understand, so we get good at downplaying how much being not-fat would change our lives for the better.

I'm always seeing people write, "I know being thin won't mean life is perfect" or, "I know just being thin won't bring happiness". Well I am coming out of the closet - Being average or thin is GOING TO BRING ME A LOT OF HAPPINESS!!!! :001_tongue: And being average or thin IS going to solve a LOT of my problems!! I just posted to a thread about your top 10 reasons to get VSG. I read everyone's reasons and then posted my own and that's what got me to thinking - gee, without all these problems, life IS a lot better. We say "if only I was thin", FOR A REASON. Because being not-fat will vastly improve our lives. There, I said it. I get that there are issues for all of us that don't go away just because we fit in with society but at least we will be focusing on those, and not those PLUS our weight. Please don't flame me.

You go Girl!!!!! That was well said! I agree with you and if you think that is a bad thing to say, wow I want you as my friend! :confused1:

I don't see why anyone would flame you and I don't consider any of that to be part of being PC. I haven't had my surgery and I already know it will make many things easier. I will spend less on clothing, have more energy, I will spend less time beating myself up, and yes, I will make more money. I have missed a lot of jobs because they chose the less qualified skinny girl. I do know that being skinny won't fix me being bad with money or my addictive personality though. So yes, being skinny will fix a lot but not everything.

My food bill has gone down to nearly nothing.

You know what is sad is, I have this desire when I see people out and about, at the mall, etc. and I want to shout out and tell them all about al WLS . I want everyone to be this happy.

Ya know, I look forward to buying cheap clothes. It's ironic, because the really beautiful fashionable high quality clothes only come in size 12 or less, really size 10 or less, but it is also the regular/thin women who can buy the cute cheap clothes. Ours are cheaply made, yet expensive. I look foward to buying a cute cheap little cotton dress at some store like Forever 21, or even buying fabric cheaply because I don't need 5 yards of it.

I AGREE with everyone! I basically did surgery because I was concerned about my health, but now that I've lost 45lbs, I feel FREAKING AMAZING! I can't believe how much better I feel, the places I want to go, the things I want to do now and how proud I am of myself! Never did I think I would feel this AWESOME after surgery. When I had my 3 month follow up appointment, I cried while telling the doctor how he has truely changed my life and I see him as my angel! I kept gushing and gushing to him! Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY! I have to stop myself sometimes, because I too want to stand on a table and tell the whole world how wonderful I feel and that perhaps this might be an avenue for them if they wanted! It's REALLY HARD not to talk about it with everyone I meet! It's just crazy! But a fabulous CRAZY!