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

In my case, at my age, it was all about health. I used to run, be active and had a good BMI but a series of events (and my own food issues) led me to gain a ton of weight and now I can't climb stairs without getting winded, I feel sluggish, no energy and have lots of wierd musculoskeletal pains. I HATE being like this. I also have hypertension, bad cholesterol and mild/moderate osteoporosis. Im staring at diabetes. So, it's definitely a health thing for me. I gotta get serious about my body at my age if I want to have any quality years left.:sick

Cheers,

Susan

vanity? not exactly.

Once I was leaving on a camping trip and my husband rebuffed my attempt to give him a little hug and a peck. I was shocked and then realized that there were other moms there and he was embarrassed of me. Since then I've noticed he and my kids ignoring me frequently in public.

I am a civil engineer and I have to compete with other engineers to get good projects. I never get projects that haven't been passed up by all the other engineers. It has been suggested to me that it is the way I look.

I am an embarrassment to myself, my family, and my employer. I feel so exposed and mortified.

Is that vanity?

All of the above. Vanity : because I was always one of those women who women hated and men loved because I was so pretty, I never lacked for male companionship, and I loved going out, I had a very active social life. Now, I spend a lot of time staying home because I refuse to buy any bigger clothes, and my self esteem is shot to hell. Health: because my right knee is beginning to ache, and my blood pressure is starting to edge up. Family: I have a family history of heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and of course, obesity. Career: Because as has already been stated, the world we live in is very image conscious, and if you do not look the part you are not going to get the job.