I had the sleeve done on 12/14/10. I told no one but my mom, my hubby and 5 close friend (who all live away). I chose NOT to tell anyone else because I did not want to have to hear all the negativity that usually comes with WLS. When it comes to time to eat with the extended family, I always involve myself with the kids and no one notices that I do not eat (we are usually a larger group also, so it is easily done). However, I am in a pickle of a mess because next week, I have a friend that is coming to visit from CO. She does not know about my surgery and I know that she is going to ask why I am not eating much. What do I tell her? I am not ready to tell her that I had the sleeve. She is also going to want to drink and I don't know what to tell her. How can I answer her questions with out revealing that I had the surgery?

When I was first out of surgery and back in work, people asked me the same... 'Oh Coops, that isn't much!', 'You'll never survive on that' and 'Why aren't you eating that?' bla bla bla... in the beginning I said that my lunch time food was calorie controlled and that i HAD A BIGGER meal in the evening, at home with my family... it worked in work and now no one bats an eye lid!

With regard to the drinking... do you mean alchool? To get out of that one I usually drive... works everytime :-)

If you haven't seen her in a while she is also going to notice your weight loss. So you could just say you have changed your eating to attempt to lose weight by cutting your portions in half and focusing on protein and lower carbs. You could say you eat like 6 small meals throughout the day instead of 2-3 large ones. I am pre-op but that's actually what I've been doing to prepare myself for much smaller portions post-op. It's helped me lose weight, but also my family is now accustomed to me eating a lot less.

On the drinking, I don't know other than just ordering 1 drink and sipping it all night, If she notices just say it's all about making healthier choices. You are just choosing not to eat or drink a lot. The more normal our lifestyle changes become to us, the more normal they become to others.

The only problem with that is that she is staying with me. So she will be seeing what I eat sigh....

You could say you've got an upset stomach/are feeling slightly off color and can't eat much.

The only problem with that is that she is staying with me. So she will be seeing what I eat sigh....

Everytime I try to explain to someone that i'm on a restricted calorie intake or that i'm not able to eat that much, they immediately ask me if i'm on the "500 cal HGC diet"...

Honestly, there have been times when I just give up and say "yep, that's it, 500 cals per day"

Maybe that might work......

Well if she is staying if you, you can always say "I had something before you got up" or "I ate a snack while you showered" if she asks - but since she will notice your weight loss, the only questions you may get are "How'd you do it? You look great!" And in that you can say "Eating smaller portions and using the tools available." If she asks what those are you can always say "Writing what I eat and things like that."

If you are like most of us here, you have been on some kind of diet for most of your life, and she has probably heard you say so a number of times. I would tell her that you are on a physician-supervised weight loss plan and because it is working so well for you, you do not want to cheat. You are not lying to her.

I've been keeping my WLS under wraps too, and I just tell people I'm on a strict diet, and that's how I've dropped the weight I've dropped recently. My people aren't too nosy though. That vague explanation is typically enough for them.

Going out to eat is so hard - the waitstaff always asks if i hated my meal... and it makes me feel a little bad, until I realize that with my doggie bag, I have more meals in my hand than I'll ever eat.

I have only told my hubby and my Mum, we had our 1st weekend satying with the in-laws, who do not, and will not ever know about my WLS at about 2 months post op.

They were so delighted by my weight loss that they thought I was being REALLY strict with myself when I had a fraction of everyone else's portions.

The other thing I do is for a couple of days up my Protein shakes, and tell folks I'm largely doing a Meal Replacement diet, then when I do "indulge" in some solid food I can honestly say that due to my new diet, and the fact I haven't eaten a normal sized meal in over 3 months I just don't have the capacity for more than a tiny ammount now.

Hope it helps, so far I've managed a hen weekend and a weekend with the in-laws with no awkward questions.

It certainly helps that anyone who knows me will have seen me do dozens of extreme diets before, so mostly folks just humor me and expect the fad to have passed by the next time I see them!

Good luck.

I have only told my hubby and my Mum, we had our 1st weekend satying with the in-laws, who do not, and will not ever know about my WLS at about 2 months post op.

They were so delighted by my weight loss that they thought I was being REALLY strict with myself when I had a fraction of everyone else's portions.

The other thing I do is for a couple of days up my Protein shakes, and tell folks I'm largely doing a Meal Replacement diet, then when I do "indulge" in some solid food I can honestly say that due to my new diet, and the fact I haven't eaten a normal sized meal in over 3 months I just don't have the capacity for more than a tiny ammount now.

Hope it helps, so far I've managed a hen weekend and a weekend with the in-laws with no awkward questions.

It certainly helps that anyone who knows me will have seen me do dozens of extreme diets before, so mostly folks just humor me and expect the fad to have passed by the next time I see them!

Good luck.

I love that expression "hen weekend"- can tell you are most likely from England when I hear that!