I have heard this from numerous people when I tell them I am having a vertical sleeve gastrectomy.

"So if you know you will only be able to eat half a hamburger for the rest of your life, why don't you do just that?"

How do you respond to this question????

I know that I probably only should eat the half of the hamburger but it never stops me from eating the whole thing. What are your responses to people who are so very skeptical of the procedure and try to convince you it isn't the right thing to do?

Need some advice...

Thanks!

I wonder if those people have ever had weight problems...

I honestly don't know how I would respond to that. Thankfully, I have not (yet) come across that kind of response.

Actually, yes - she does have a weight problem - it is my mother!

She states she hates to see me go through this procedure to come out the other side regretting the decision and not being able to eat and enjoy life.

Hilarious, I know.... She just doesn't get it....

I actually asked myself that today. I have the surgery tomorrow and am getting nervous. I told myself - "Because I won't just eat half or small portions. I've been trying to do that for years, but still end up eating more than I should and look where that got me."

I have heard this from numerous people when I tell them I am having a vertical sleeve gastrectomy.

"So if you know you will only be able to eat half a hamburger for the rest of your life, why don't you do just that?"

How do you respond to this question????

I know that I probably only should eat the half of the hamburger but it never stops me from eating the whole thing. What are your responses to people who are so very skeptical of the procedure and try to convince you it isn't the right thing to do?

Need some advice...

Thanks!

My response would be, "If I could do that, don't you think I would, genius?"

Actually, yes - she does have a weight problem - it is my mother!

She states she hates to see me go through this procedure to come out the other side regretting the decision and not being able to eat and enjoy life.

Hilarious, I know.... She just doesn't get it....

I would not give my earlier reply if the person asking is your mother!....sorry about that!

My response would be' date=' "If I could do that, don't you think I would, genius?"[/quote']

This.

Simple, honest and to the point.

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I would not give my earlier reply if the person asking is your mother!....sorry about that!

Pretty funny! Mother or not I still think that is a great response. Even my mother should know better...

The truth is, I asked myself the same question two years ago and decided not to have the surgery. I thought, well if I have to make that radical of a lifestyle change, why not just do it on my own? Two years later, I realized that I had completely wasted two years and was heavier than ever. It is much easier said than done. I am glad I finally had the surgery. I just had a dinner party tonight and enjoyed it just as much as I would have if I had eaten all the tasty food I prepared. (I only ate the protein and the vegatable I prepared and a tiny bite of Texas Sheet cake) It was just nice to be with friends for a girls night out. It was also nice to have a tool to help keep me from eating the leftover Texas Sheet Cake after everyone left!!

Some people that I told were like why get the surgery why not diet and exercise.....really hard to get someone who does not have a food addiction to understand. Its even harder to get someone who has never been obese to understand. I just tell people if I could stick to a diet I would...but I can't. Even today a month out of surgery I struggle.

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I had my surgery July 9th and I did not tell my family that I was going in for WLS. I told them I was getting a hernia repaired. My husband and in-laws and best friend are the only ones that know about what surgery I was having.

My mom was always big until about 10 years ago when she started working out 3 hours a day and only eating veggies and taking weight loss pills. She has never understood about my binge eating disorder and has always pressured me to lose weight while sending me home with leftovers.

Don't worry about what other people say, just do what is right for you!

I have heard this from numerous people when I tell them I am having a vertical sleeve gastrectomy.

"So if you know you will only be able to eat half a hamburger for the rest of your life' date=' why don't you do just that?"

How do you respond to this question????

I know that I probably only should eat the half of the hamburger but it never stops me from eating the whole thing. What are your responses to people who are so very skeptical of the procedure and try to convince you it isn't the right thing to do?

Need some advice...

Thanks![/quote']

I would just say that this surgery helps me not feel deprived when I stop at only half. That is the hardest part about dieting and why long term success rates are so low so this surgery gives me the extra assistance that I need to eat less and not feel like I am starving myself.

And to mom I would say that I am just not as comfortable as you are being this size! Passive-aggressive at its best.

I had pretty much the same response from my PCP, he always preached "eat less, exercise more...it's that easy". I am pretty sure the man never heard one word I ever said to him.

Hopefully, your mom will see how healthy and happy you are and will have more positive comments!

Best of luck.

When I was doing the pre-op liquid diet, my boss said to me that I looked great and just proved that I could lose weight and I haven't had the surgery yet. He asked me to reconsider having the surgery. A few other people in my office agreed with him. I brought to their attention that I hadn't had a morsel of food for two weeks, only nutritional drinks, that is why I lost the weight. I obviously cannot continue to live my life without food! Then my boss says to me that I have been able to show such discipline with the liquid diet, I should postpone the surgery and try to apply that same discipline to healthier eating and exercise. I know he and my friends at work meant well, they really did. They just don't get it. If I could have done this, I would have done this over the last 20 years that I have had a weight problem. I feel I made the mistake of being completely open about my intentions to have surgery. At the end of the day, who cares what anyone else has to say. This is my body, my life!

We all came to this decision either because our bodies were screaming at us, we were done with feeling like melted pudding pops...or we were just plain tired of losing a battle with food. I had that question the other day, and I told the person to flash back the last decade as my friend. Extreme bootcamps, working out like a crazy person, health issues, a few months of depression, not going out and when I did, feeling like a elephant in a room. Then I said, this is a TOOL, it isn't going to magically fix anything. I will still need resolve, this procedure is the least complex of my options. I don't want to die at 43 like my grandmother did of a diabetic coma.

I gave it to her from my perspective, not to be mean, but to just say hey, I am an adult, I have thought of both paths 1. the let's waste another two years fighting with the urge to eat and eat irresponsibly (my path behind closed doors thus far) or 2. that will let me be an active grandma, and dance on the beach with my husband, and watch my kids get married. To join the stuff I have been too embarrassed to join. i.e. bellydancing , to join a baseball and soccer team next spring, oooh maybe even rugby. To join ladies night at the golf course and not care what the snotty stepford moms group thinks in our tiny village cause frankly, those women ARE MEAN! lol

This is one of the most important commitments you are ever going to make! A commitment to YOURSELF! I have been married for 11 years now, and this is the first thing I have ever really done for myself. It is bat sh@t crazy scary....but hold your head high, there is no shame in reclaiming your independence from food and starting your life the way YOU want! Best of luck! Just keep positive!

Thought about your question all night.... I have said it myself it for years.... tried crazy and healthy diets only to gain all the weight lost back and more. So at this point about a month from my surgery, I honestly have said... ""If I could do that, don't you think I would?" Add to that if there was a surgical procedure that could help an alcoholic or drug addict would I tell them to keep trying to resist without it? That is what people are doing to tell me to try to do this diet/weight loss with out the help/tool the sleeve offers.

Another thing I have done is, as I told the few I have told about my decision to get the sleeve, I have stated first, "I am not asking for your opinion or approval, I have made a decision and you are one of the few people I trust enough to tell about it....."