I remember once when Oprah had lost a lot of weight...she heard that people were saying things like "Well, she's rich, it's easy to lose weight when someone cooks all of your food and does everything for you." She was talking about it on her show and basically said...she was the one who had to make healthful dietary choices every day and refuse her beloved Ruffles potato chips. Her wealth didn't do that for her. And she is the one who had to get her butt on the track and walk every day. She couldn't pay someone to do that for her.

I think it is so similar when people say that VSG is "the easy way out." We are the ones who have make sure that every morsel we put in our mouths is good fuel for our bodies and resist head hunger. The surgery doesn't do that for us. We're the ones who make special holiday meals for our families and then don't partake in most of it. The surgery doesn't do that for us. We're the ones who go to the gym even when the weather isn't good or we feel like going to bed early instead. The surgery doesn't do that for us. We're the ones who keep drinking (and drinking and drinking) Water when part of us would rather hang out with our old friend Diet Coke or Frozen Margarita. The surgery doesn't do that for us.

And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, the surgery is a tool, but I still feel that we own and deserve every hard-earned victory we see on the scale and every NSV. If others don't understand that, it's okay. I know that I haven't taken the easy way out, but I also know that what I'm doing is an investment in something very important--me. And that's something that money definitely can't buy.

Dear momtosix. I am sorry if I appear rude. You say you don't believe anyone NEEDS wls. Your wrong. I was on a diet at the age of one. Yes, that is one. I have struggled with weight all my life. I have tried about every diet out there. Then I became diabetic. 3 drs told me my body has lost the ability to lose weight. I needed to STAY on a diet to maintain. Not to lose. I no longer had that capability. WLS was the ONLY answer and hope out there.

If you have never been more than 30 lbs over weight you do not know what it is to struggle with weightloss. You can not and should not be judgmental of your husband or anyone else who needs to lose weight.

Deciding to have this surgery and going thru all the test has been very dramatic for me. Imagine having your right arm amputated. Well, I had my stomach amputated. 85% of it anyway. That was not easy to deal with. Did I want wls. NO. Did I need it to prevent blindness, dialysis limb amputations? You betcha. Was this the easy way out? NO. Do I like only being able to eat 3 oz of food while others are enjoying a meal? Did I enjoy making my husband a batch of brownies yesterday knowing I can't have any? Try going to the movies and smelling all that pop corn. This has been the biggest sacrifice I have ever done. It is also the hardest thing in my life that I have ever done. (outside of burring my sister.) I needed this surgery to live. I know it was the smartest thing I have done. I hope you never have to go thru this.

When I first read this I was pissed off and offended- HOW DARE YOU SAY NO ONE NEEDS WLS?? But I kept reading and I think i understand where you are coming from. Of course, if I had only 30 lbs to lose, I wouldn't request, or be approved for, this surgery. But I don't-I need to drop anther 80 lbs to avoid diabetes, heart issues and eliminate the chronic pain from fibromyalgia. I'm tired of waking with neck, shoulder, back, hip, knee and ankle pain. I just had foot surgery and realized if this weight doesn't come off now, it never will. I'm only 51. I want to see grandkids. I want to not worry about whether I'll have a good day or bad day at work--I'm on my feet all day. Weight watchers didn't do the trick, OTC remedies didn't work. And clearly self-control didn't work. Now, I have no real hunger cravings--I can look at pizza, Cheetos, Chinese food--all my faves--and think "meh".

For me, 11/3/14 was my second birthday, and I am delighted that I did this for ME. My husband has been supportive and gets excited every morning when I tell him what the scale says! It's a tool. A drastic one-which is why there are so many hoops to jump through just to be approved. But it's a tool that works, and works for life.