Hi! I'm new here,& considering getting the balloon. I was wondering what (if anything) you told your family & friends about your weight loss? Did you choose not to say anything, and attribute it to better eating/exercise?

Thanks!

I have always been very open about my WL. If someone says something I always tell them how I did my WLS to lose weight. I have always thought honesty is the best policy and if I can help one person out it will be so worth it. But it is a personal choice to say or not to say. Have a great one!!

Hi! I'm new here,& considering getting the balloon. I was wondering what (if anything) you told your family & friends about your weight loss? Did you choose not to say anything, and attribute it to better eating/exercise?

Thanks!

Here's the thing...you can tell people anything but if you lose alot of weight in a short period of time, they will know you've had some type of bariatric surgery. Simple as that.

I hid it initially, apart from a couple of good friends but then I told everyone prior to surgery, especially if they asked why I would be *out of action* and afterwards if they asked how I had lost the weight.

I have been fully supported by friends, family and workmates. Only one asked if I couldn't manage to lose weight with dieting. My 5 minute stare with raised eyebrows answered her question lol.

Kate

I told family and close friends, but that's about it

some day I will tell everyone, maybe when I am in maintenance. but for now, I have only told parents, daughter & son-in-law, and 1 friend. no siblings or work or anyone else. I absolutely do not want to hear anyone's opinions on the topic of WLS, or have anyone watching what I'm eating or keep asking me how much weight I've lost so far. Even when they mean well.

For years I had been anti WLS. Once, I found out about the sleeve, I opened my mind a bit more. Especially because I have always been vocal about my opinion, I felt it was necessary to be open and honest with everyone. I figured if I was open and honest about it, I controlled the dialog. It was the best decision I have ever made. It opened up a whole world of support that I would've never known existed.

I have been a weight loss blogger since 2009, so my prior stance alienated a lot of my readership, but since then, I have really become a safe place to people with all kinds of struggles (not just weight). I feel like my relationships with people are stronger and closer because I have let them into my world and they have invited me into theirs. I know that not every situation is the same, but the people who will talk about you after WLS are talking about you prior to WLS.

They don't matter, the only thing that matters is being true to yourself.

The weight loss with the balloon is not as dramatic with traditional WLS, so it is not quite as obvious, and the balloon does not require the same down time. In other words, you don't "have" to tell anyone. I only told a few people - family and friends who were closest to me (I didn't even tell my boss). The rest I just told that I was doubling down, being very structured about and committed to my weight loss efforts ... which was true! The reality is that the balloon will not work unless you are really committed to the process, and the plan that you follow with the balloon can be just as effective without the balloon, if you follow it as diligently (I have continued to lose weight post-balloon, following the same plan ... so my journey has been seamless to those around me). In other words, tell who you want, what you want, and nothing more. If you choose to tell everyone - great! If you choose to tell no one, that is completely fine too. It's totally up to you. :-) Best wishes!