if you ask the typical WLS person they will tell you that they did it for thier health, family, etc. and while this may be true I am wondering how big a role vanity had in your decisions. I will admit that my vanity was the final straw that helped me to make my decision.:rolleyes

Honestly, it didn't play that big a role. I don't think I would have done the surgery just for vanity.

That said, I'm enjoying wearing smaller clothes, and having people tell me I look better. It's a nice side-effect!

YES.

As a single woman, vanity had a big part in me having surgery.

It's H E L L to be single and obese as a woman, no matter how attractive one is.

For many women being obese means fewer available men, and being treated like you're invisible is really hard on anyone's self-esteem.

I'm smart, funny, fashionable and attractive. But guess what? My weight made it harder for people to realize it. I was toooo cute to be soooo fat.:phanvan

So, my long diet history (WW in grade school :cry ) got me approved, but vanity spurred me to finally get help for a long time weight problem.

So I wanted to look better, buy/wear more fashionable clothes and I'm unapologetic about it. My weight meant I got less interest from men, affected my career, and made it hard for me to live the life I aspired to have.

Losing weight doesn't solve all life's problems at all - but many parts of life are much easier when I'm not obese.

If that's vanity, than so be it.

Health was my first concern. Vanity came right in there behind it. I looked awful, I couldn't breathe. I couldn't walk fast enough to keep up with others. I was a burden on myself and those around me. It sucked! And having been a very petite 118lbs upon graduation, I KNEW I was a fiesty, vibrant, cute girl inside and for some reason had built myself a cocoon to cover up in. ME - I did it and I had to get some semblance of her back or I was going to die.

For me the vanity issues are a nice side-effect, and influenced my decision but did not make my decision.

I had to list my top 3 reasons for my pshychologist.

1. Preventative health measures.

2. Wanting to have a baby, and wanting to carry without added risk of complications

3. Quality of life

#3 being very broad.

VANITY!! Definately. I wish I could say Health, that would make me seem a lot less shallow, but I haven't had health issues, so it was of no concern to me. I was like Leatha, the small girl I used to be was trapped inside. I used to love being the center of attention, flirting with all the boys, now I hide in the background hoping nobody sees me.

I am not going to say vanity didn't play a role in my decision, but it was definitely not at the top of my list. For the first time in my life, I was starting to feel lousy all the time and I knew it was because of my weight. My back hurt all the time, I had no energy, etc. I went for my annual physical and based upon some of my complaints, they did some tests and one of the results was that I was borderline diabetic. My grandmother had diabetes and I remember watching her give herself injections. I did not want that to be me. So, health and quality of life were my primary reasons, but, I also want to look good and feel attractive too.

I got tired of not having the same size of pants, everytime I went to shop I had a bigger size, until I could not find that size no more in the Department stores.

Also suffer from being hot, always sweating.

Since lap band I suffer from being cold.

For me its vanity, the health aspect is an extra perk. For now i just want to look normal and like Eric be able to shop in the regular stores.

The main reason I got the band was for more mobility and to enjoy life. And to be able to chase around the kid I wanted to have. Vanity did not play a big role in getting the band but as I lost more and more the vanity did rear its head quite a bit. Now my desire to lose more weight is about 70% vanity, 30% for athletics/sports.

I'm also single and VANITY was #1 for me in my decision. I never, ever dated before. It's embarassing to tell this, but I had never been on a real date until last year. A few months ago I really started dating - REALLY started dating. I mean, like sometimes more than one date a day. And NOW I'm dating the most incredibly good looking, funny, smart, active, religious, gentlemanly man I've ever met. It's shocking the heck out of my family - LOL. Oh yeah, vanity was #1 for me.

But as a side-note, I really am getting into sports in a big way. I'm running a marathon in June, and bike EVERYWHERE I go. I got back from Guatemala last week where we hiked up a volcano to 14,000 feet, slept at the top and hiked back down the next day, kayaked all day, biked all day, and did so many other things that I would never have dreamed of doing when I was over 300 pounds. This band has changed my life.

Health was my priority. But now that I am dropping - I am starting to care more about how I look and what I wear. It's nice getting the comments from co-workers saying I look good.

Great question! you should make this one a poll!

For me, even tho i have several co-morbidities, and i told my dh that it was for health reasons , it really was all about vanity for me. I wanted to get the admiring looks that i used to get, and to wear nice clothes and heels, and i wanted to wear a swimsuit again.

definitely vanity for me - I'm in very good health (the past 6 months of pre-op tests have proven that!) but I have a LARGE family history of heart disease so first I quit smoking (almost 16 months now- yipee) and decided to do something about the weight - of course I had all the failed diets - in the course of 10 years of dieting I gained 60 -70 lbs so I really needed help. I had gotten so I HATED clothes shopping and felt like I was wearing the same thing over and over - just different colors. BUT the biggest thing that made me decide to do this was my face. Clothes can hide the fat and rolls but when I look at pictures of me 30 lbs thinner I didn't have the FAT face - and though it sounds conceited I've always been pretty and my looks have helped me in all aspects of life. I liked being pretty and even my daughter who's 20 said mom you are so pretty but when you lose this weight you will be beautiful again. I know my husband misses his beautiful wife (he loves me and would love me no matter how fat I got) but I just can't stand the sight of me - I cringe when I notice how the fat in my face has distorted my looks and I can't wait to have the surgery! My journel is titled "trying to find the real me" because I feel like a thin person trapped in a fat body. I was 103lbs when I got married, granted I was only 17 but even after my first baby(when I was 23) I still only wore a size 3 - after 3 babies I was an 8 - Needless to say I don't want to weigh 103 again, my goal is a size 8 - whatever weight that will be - if its 150 then great - if its 130 I'll know when I hit 150 LOL - so my future health is a major concern but vanity is the #1 reason.

I would go with vanity, self esteem issues. I had just had my 2nd son and was huge and didn't see how I was going to have the energy to take care of my kids. I also didn't want them to be embarrassed of their mom when they started school. Fast forward 3.5 years and can honestly say vanity. I'm single now and boy i'm so glad I did this. I look and feel so much better about myself and have so much energy to take care of my boys.

Ana

Good question.

I told every one I was doign it for health reasons, but it's really vanity...and I'm married...it's not because I'm out there to snag a man, but mostly for my self esteem...for people to stop looking at me when I go into a restraunt, or when I go shopping for clothes with my sister, people give me that look like we don't have your size...get out. I'm sick of that. I want to be able to buy all the cute fashionable styles, and if I plan to go into business like I want to...(I have a BS in business management) then I'm sure it will effect me to some degree. Just like NewSho said...