I am 27 months out and am still surprised at how people don't get it. Some people have asked me what I do and how I eat because they want to loose weight also. Well of course I can relate and I want to help. But I know that sharing what and how I eat is probably not going to help them, because they are missing the SURGERY part of it along with 2.5 years of vigorous research and help from a Bariatric Registered Dietitian who I still see. I preface everything by telling them that the surgery was a game changer and I could not have done it without surgery and that I still see my Dietitian. But they go right past that part. Like it is inconsequential while the truth is the opposite. Anyone else have this reaction?

Yes, indeed surgery is the key factor. One of the things that I have recognized over the years of being in this game is how little dietary style influences ones weight loss after surgery. Back in the good ol' days 20-30 years ago WLS patients were often advised to just "eat like you always have, just less...." and that generally worked quite well - for the year or so, give or take, that they were losing. Maintaining that loss was not so successful with that approach, obviously, as they never changed what got them into trouble in the first place, and they often regained just as they did when doing diets in the past, though usually somewhat more slowly owing to the restriction that they had.

Back when low fat diets were "in", people did just as well with their WLS as they do today with low carb and keto diets being the big thing. The important thing is developing good long term eating habits that one can maintain forever, and none of the popular fad diets do that for most people, and they tend to regain when they get tired of the diet.

It still feels like wls is this big secret. I have met so so few people outside of my program who have any idea what it is and how it works. And it is sad to me when I see someone who is clearly being greatly impacted by their weight in a negative way. A person who might benefit like I did. That is one of the reasons why I am open about my surgery and my journey. Wish there was a better understanding in general so more people could benefit.

2 hours ago, IveGotThePower said:

It still feels like wls is this big secret.

Maybe because too many patients are keeping their WLS a secret and are telling people about "all the hard work and good dietary habits" that brought their weight down? If more people would be completely honest about how the surgery was the big game changer instead of talking about it "being only a tool" and it's "still incredibly hard work", the general population would be more informed.

Sometimes I think WLS is still be seen as this "dirty, little secret" that has to be hidden in the back of the closet.

ABSOLUTELY!!! Yes, surgery was THE key for me. I had tried just about everything and had even priced out having my jaw wired shut! Sad but true.

I am now 4 years post op, straight Keto and have been since I had some regain about 2 years out. I'm 4 years out but I fell off the wagon for about an entire year before I got my senses straight again (plus some depression, job change, move, back to grad school, loss of parent, etc).

In my new job role, people only really knew me with most of my regain on me. So to them, since I went Keto I've lost TONS of weight. In reality, I really have only last all of my regain (45 lbs). But again to them, it's a lot. They all want to know my exact plan, and my exact workouts etc.

I always preface by saying "I'm a bariatric patient...", but most dismiss that as minor detail.!!!!! What gets my goat the MOST though, is when they say to me "well don't you just wish you would have skipped the surgery and done keto instead"? really? The surgery saved my life, literally. And the science behind bariatrics confirms that I would have really never had a chance at successfully losing my weight on my own, keto or not.

4 hours ago, mi75 said:

ABSOLUTELY!!! Yes, surgery was THE key for me. I had tried just about everything and had even priced out having my jaw wired shut! Sad but true.

I am now 4 years post op, straight Keto and have been since I had some regain about 2 years out. I'm 4 years out but I fell off the wagon for about an entire year before I got my senses straight again (plus some depression, job change, move, back to grad school, loss of parent, etc).

In my new job role, people only really knew me with most of my regain on me. So to them, since I went Keto I've lost TONS of weight. In reality, I really have only last all of my regain (45 lbs). But again to them, it's a lot. They all want to know my exact plan, and my exact workouts etc.

I always preface by saying "I'm a bariatric patient...", but most dismiss that as minor detail.!!!!! What gets my goat the MOST though, is when they say to me "well don't you just wish you would have skipped the surgery and done keto instead"? really? The surgery saved my life, literally. And the science behind bariatrics confirms that I would have really never had a chance at successfully losing my weight on my own, keto or not.

THANK YOU! So, it's not just me. It's like they totally missed the point even though we threw it right out there in front of them. I've been so open about it, but these reactions make me question whether it's a waste of time. Sometimes I think, just smile and say "fruits and vegetables" or something simple that they can process. And no, I do't believe for a second that I could have skipped surgery and done this myself either. Not ever.