Hey gang,
I wanted to touch on a topic that I'm certain that most, if not all, of you have encountered along your journey. That would be the countless number of people that either have horror stories about their Aunt Jenny's neighbor's Cousin's surgery, or the people who encourage you to "just eat less & exercise". Now, I can't speak for anyone but myself, but if I could just eat less & exercise, I would not be signing up for surgery of any sort. Do people really believe that we would sign up for a procedure without doing research, weighing, no pun intended, the risks, and trying to lose weight without surgery before reaching this point?? If I could lose a pound for every ignorant,callous, or generally assanine comment or question I have recieved, I would not need to go forward with surgery. I do realize that there are risks involved, that there is no guarantee of success, and that not everybody has the same results....and yes, I will still be moving forward. Why, you may ask, because it's still a better al;ternative to immobility, disease & especially an early death. I am not angered by such people, merely amused, they do nothing but feed my fire.For those who look upon weight loss surgery as "cheating", I truly feel sympathy for you as a human being. The fact is that I will not wake up and be skinny, I will work my tail off for what I want. That means a post operative world of eating right, plenty of exercise and being in tune with what my body needs. When I complete my first Tough Mudder, or half marathon, I will be way to tired to remember that I "cheated". If anyone else has encountered these people, you have my ear, tell me your story!

There are some people who do not understand how painful or uncomfortable it is to be hungry. Few ever miss a meal and some are lucky that they can consume 2500+ calories a day and never gain an oz. Or, they eat 2000 calories and feel completely satisfied. How lucky they live in 2014! 10,000 years ago they would have been the first to parish during the first famine that came along.

I heard the same song and dance too. While researching WLS I stumbled upon several sites where non WLS members were allowed to comment on how lazy I was and how they lost weight by walking 2 miles a day and "eating right". "Eating Right"!!? OMG, if I ever hear that again from someone I'm going to PB all over them

Exactly 2much, some of the skinniest people I know, are also the unhealthiest.

I don't like that people that haven't lived as an overweight person, think that you have to eat 3 pounds of bacon and 5000 calories at every sitting to become that way. I can write the book on diet and exercise, and I can follow these rules, but my body does not cooporate with these rules. We are all different, some have metabolic issues, immune issues, and some us, like myself can eat clean and exercise 6-7 days a week and lose 1 pound per month. My body is notorius for plateauing for very long periods.

Another thing is the BMI chart....at my smallest weight, I rocked a size 10, weighing in at 173lbs. I was not healthy by the BMI chart, however, if I lost any more weight, I would have looked anorexic. I am a big girl, but at that size, you could see my ribs, clavical bones, and hip bones.

My surgeon asked me my goal weight at my first appointment, and I told him 155, and he shook his head and said 175. Well, he hit the nail on the head.

I try really hard not to listen to the haters. Unless they walk a mile in my shoes, they don't have room to talk. And yes, any WLS is such a big step to make....it was not something I took lightly. I did my research, and still have to put in hard work.

Edited May 13, 201412 yr by Weeviegurl

No matter which wls you chose - it's not a walk in the park. There's a lot that you have to give up, but It's a lot better than being obese. People that are thin definitely don't understand, because it's not their thing/ their vice. Everyone has one, ours is food. Everyone here has tried and tried on their own and had to resort to wls.

Wls isn't cheating it's a chance at a better life. Some people are not ever going to understand, just keep your head up and know that you've made the right decision for you!

I don't care what other people think.....I had to do what was right for me and mine....

I have attempted every diet under the sun, and failed miserably....and because of that my health was suffering and I am certain, as was my Dr.'s, I would probably be dead today.....

Instead, I am at a normal weight, excellent health, and can run circles around people younger than me...

I'm 62 years old, play on a softball team with guys 10 years younger, and I'm the fastest guy on the team! (and one of the better players)

So, cheating??? What is that??? I just don't see how the term applies to something that can and will change their entire life for the better....

Was it easy? In my case, YES...it was the easiest thing I could have ever done, and still is today, wish I saved some time and did it a lot sooner.........for me dieting was difficult, an everyday "White Knuckle" struggle until I could not hold on any longer and would throw in the towel and totally fail, gaining all the weight back, and then some.....

I'm not afraid to admit it....I suck at any self discipline and will power.....and I do not have what it takes....

So, I needed surgery to do what I could not do...to physically "Fix-alter"" something enabling me to regain my health, my self esteem, and my sanity and my life.....

It is coming upon 4 years soon.....all those critics are long gone...most people, including myself sometimes, forget I was ever fat at one time.....so it all comes out good in the end when you finish this weight loss and get on with a normal life....

Cheating? That's insane......I had a heart attack a few years back, resulting in surgery to "Fix" a condition that would ultimately kill me.....and it did save and change my life....was that Cheating????

or should I have stuck it out and do what all heart healthy people do...diet and exercise, and sooner or later I will get there...(maybe.)

I smoked 2 packs a day for 30 years...no question, I had to quit...tried and failed at everything same as in trying to loose weight....finally I went on a drug program to quit smoking...have not smoked in 10 years now.....Was That Cheating? Am I any less of a person for not doing it the hard way?

Loosing weight, stop smoking....OK..I cheated and took the easy way out Guilty as Charged!! (last resort) ...WHO CARES!!!! LOOK AT ME NOW!!!!!!

Where are those critics now??? I'm thinking of one in particular, and she does not say much...however, at

a restaurant a few weeks back, we all went out to dinner, all she could say was "You're allowed to eat that?" or "That's allowed?"

One thing these people will never understand...It's NOT A DIET!!!! BTW, her and her husband are dieting (again) to loose weight for the summer....in inside I'm smiling because I know they will fail...eventually...they do this (and fail) at least twice a year.....

B52 you said it all. I have a few so called friends who are always questioning how I can eat this or that and I just tell them I am not on a diet.. They are really baffled about that. One in particular is a so called expert on diets. She claims you have to eat very little meat and brown rice or some nonsense. I don't even argue with her, I just shake my head yes and move on. Now she has decided since I had to drink Protein drinks in the beginning that she will do that to lose weight. I still have a few pounds to lose but am getting there slowly. My health was teetering on disaster when I decided to take the "Easy Way" out and have weight loss surgery. It wasn't easy by any means but It was the best decision for me. I do not care what other people have to say about it and I am living my healthier thinner life just fine.

toooo busy (living my life and riding harleys) to listen to those ignorant people rant/ramble on and on (about band makes your feet fall off and cousin zeek didnt lose a pound and one WLS is better BS)...call it cheating, call it a new life, call it whatever....but this ole gal calls it getting your life back and getting healthy......

That word "just" really gets me. If you would just stick to WW, if you would just not eat after 8PM, if you would just walk more, if you would just eat protein for breakfast, if you would just stop eating out, if you would just not have alcohol, go off wheat and dairy, just, just.......well if they would just shut up and deal with their own lives, their own bodies. I've dealt with mine and I'm so grateful I did because I did just everything and got nowhere. Now I'm just living and happy, happy.

I see that I have a lot of friends here that have walked the same road, good to know. I have watched my Wife deal with the haters for the last 2 years, obviously not everyone, but more than enough. I'm always taken aback when people who seem of rather high intelligence spout of some nonsense when it comes to weight loss surgery, or weight loss in general. Personally, I enjoy engaging them, nothing gets my blood flowing like verbally laying out someone's ignorance. I will use thenm for fuel to feed the fire.

At first you will hear everyone's thoughts on wls being this or that ... negative or positive whichever. Then after you have had wls, you will hear "should you be eating that?" or "how much weight have you lost" - so the comments really never end.

There's a lady at my work who is about 50, she's beautiful and in great shape - she looks like she's 30.(I live in Miami where plastic surgery is just an every day thing.) She honestly just has good genes, she has never been overweight. Every time she sees me she asks - how much weight have you lost? what kind of exercise are you doing? oh, you are still on the treadmill? you need to work out more? OMG ... I'm like, I'm doing the best that I can. She comments that I look great, but that I need to do this or that.

No matter where you are in your weight loss journey there will be people out there who are going to comment. Either they are like: "you need to lose weight" then you decide on wls then they are like: "wls blah blah" .. then you lose weight and they say things like "should you be eating that" or "that's all the weight you've lost". SO - you never win ... do it for yourself