I'm telling EVERYBODY about my weight loss surgery. I know everyone has to make their own decision but here's the reasons I came to mine. First off it seems like it will be so much easier to tell the whole truth. Second- I want to help other people in my everyday life understand how much this surgery can help someone instead of having it stigmatized. Third- EVERYONE already knows. Believe me. Any time I was at work, when someone had a weight loss procedure done and didn't tell anyone or claimed they were working out and eating, right, after they left the room people would say, " Why don't he/she just tell the truth?" "It's obvious he/she had surgery ". People are not stupid. Especially ones you've worked with for years. Is it anybody's business? NO! Not at all. That's why I absolutely agree and see why some choose not to tell. It's your own business so you have every right to keep it to yourself. This is just my decision.

I have told people. I would be concerned if a friend suddenly started losing a lot of weight so I would rather let them know I am alright. Everyone needs to do what is comfortable for them.

I've also told everyone. I understand why some people would want to keep it to themselves, as some see it as the easy way out....little do they know. I just don't really give a you know what what anyone thinks though.

22 hours ago, justmetj said:

I'm telling EVERYBODY about my weight loss surgery. I know everyone has to make their own decision but here's the reasons I came to mine. First off it seems like it will be so much easier to tell the whole truth. Second- I want to help other people in my everyday life understand how much this surgery can help someone instead of having it stigmatized. Third- EVERYONE already knows. Believe me. Any time I was at work, when someone had a weight loss procedure done and didn't tell anyone or claimed they were working out and eating, right, after they left the room people would say, " Why don't he/she just tell the truth?" "It's obvious he/she had surgery ". People are not stupid. Especially ones you've worked with for years. Is it anybody's business? NO! Not at all. That's why I absolutely agree and see why some choose not to tell. It's your own business so you have every right to keep it to yourself. This is just my decision.

My same sentiments...it worked for me.

I started off not telling many people but the more time that goes by the more people I find myself telling about it. Of course, it's also getting a little more obvious and I'm not gonna lie or mislead people I know about it plus I'm sure they'll find out eventually anyways. I don't really care what they think I'm just pretty private about stuff (although I did start a youtube channel to document my changes and be a reminder for myself!) Never thought I'd do that!

I tell people and if I forget to, my 11-year-old daughter tells them....ugh. I am a pretty transparent person but my daughter telling her friends parents wasn't in my plans. I've had people that I don't know very well asking me how I'm doing after surgery. Anyone I'm close to knows.

1 minute ago, Brenttx said:

I started off not telling many people but the more time that goes by the more people I find myself telling about it. Of course, it's also getting a little more obvious and I'm not gonna lie or mislead people I know about it plus I'm sure they'll find out eventually anyways. I don't really care what they think I'm just pretty private about stuff (although I did start a youtube channel to document my changes and be a reminder for myself!) Never thought I'd do that!

Good for you! I'm also a private person. I don't even have a Facebook account. But the stress of worrying about who I've told or not told and who they've told or not told (because they will tell) would be too much. That's great you've started a YouTube channel! Not only are you helping yourself you're helping many others that are going through this process of being our healthiest selves.

1 minute ago, KMac2018 said:

I tell people and if I forget to, my 11-year-old daughter tells them....ugh. I am a pretty transparent person but my daughter telling her friends parents wasn't in my plans. I've had people that I don't know very well asking me how I'm doing after surgery. Anyone I'm close to knows.

Kids, ya gotta love them. I have two of my own so I can relate to the shock you feel when they blurt out something like that...LOL.

I tell people. The way I see it, it has become a part of me, and who I am. I don't really care who knows, but I can understand why someone would want to keep it to themselves.

I'm telling EVERYBODY about my weight loss surgery. I know everyone has to make their own decision but here's the reasons I came to mine. First off it seems like it will be so much easier to tell the whole truth. Second- I want to help other people in my everyday life understand how much this surgery can help someone instead of having it stigmatized. Third- EVERYONE already knows. Believe me. Any time I was at work, when someone had a weight loss procedure done and didn't tell anyone or claimed they were working out and eating, right, after they left the room people would say, " Why don't he/she just tell the truth?" "It's obvious he/she had surgery ". People are not stupid. Especially ones you've worked with for years. Is it anybody's business? NO! Not at all. That's why I absolutely agree and see why some choose not to tell. It's your own business so you have every right to keep it to yourself. This is just my decision.

I couldn't agree more!

Everyone has to reach their own conclusion on this depending on their community/circle of friends. I told my husband, my two teen daughters and my best friend. My sister and my mother didn't know and still don't. I have been losing weight and gaining weight all my life. I told work I needed to have an abdominal surgery and would be out for a few days (I work from home 3 out of 5 days so it didn't affect the office much). If people ask how I've lost the weight, I tell them a very high protein diet with no white flour or added sugars and that I drink close to a gallon of water a day. I tell them how I work out for an hour a day, minimum, seven days a week.

Now, at 2.5 years out, there are a whole lot of people who never knew me at my old weight and others who knew me then who don't recognize me now (and I'm fine not letting them know who I am).

But I knew neither my sister nor my mother would be supportive. I didn't need that while struggling to make my decision and in the first month or so after surgery. I am a private person.

55 minutes ago, Diana_in_Philly said:

Everyone has to reach their own conclusion on this depending on their community/circle of friends. I told my husband, my two teen daughters and my best friend. My sister and my mother didn't know and still don't. I have been losing weight and gaining weight all my life. I told work I needed to have an abdominal surgery and would be out for a few days (I work from home 3 out of 5 days so it didn't affect the office much). If people ask how I've lost the weight, I tell them a very high Protein diet with no white flour or added sugars and that I drink close to a gallon of Water a day. I tell them how I work out for an hour a day, minimum, seven days a week.

Now, at 2.5 years out, there are a whole lot of people who never knew me at my old weight and others who knew me then who don't recognize me now (and I'm fine not letting them know who I am).

But I knew neither my sister nor my mother would be supportive. I didn't need that while struggling to make my decision and in the first month or so after surgery. I am a private person.

You've done amazing on your weight loss journey and it's obvious that keeping unsuportive people out of your weight loss journey has worked for you. You are truly an inspiration!

Everyone has to reach their own conclusion on this depending on their community/circle of friends. I told my husband, my two teen daughters and my best friend. My sister and my mother didn't know and still don't. I have been losing weight and gaining weight all my life. I told work I needed to have an abdominal surgery and would be out for a few days (I work from home 3 out of 5 days so it didn't affect the office much). If people ask how I've lost the weight, I tell them a very high protein diet with no white flour or added sugars and that I drink close to a gallon of water a day. I tell them how I work out for an hour a day, minimum, seven days a week.
Now, at 2.5 years out, there are a whole lot of people who never knew me at my old weight and others who knew me then who don't recognize me now (and I'm fine not letting them know who I am).
But I knew neither my sister nor my mother would be supportive. I didn't need that while struggling to make my decision and in the first month or so after surgery. I am a private person.

I agree. To each, his own. My weight loss is nobody's business. Its more freeing to me to not have the conversation about my health. Im not ashamed that I did something good for myself, but for me, its a private medical issue that I dont feel like discussing. The fact is, is that we all had/have an eating disorder, where we had to make a life threatening/saving decision to cut a perfectly good organ in order to get our health under control. Im sorry (not sorry) but for me, this is not a Yay! Yay! Yay! celebration so "lets go tell the world" type of a deal. I admire and respect those who choose to tell ppl in order to educate and help others, which is their personal choice. But for ME, im not happy that i had to do this at all. Im only happy that this was an option and it is changing my health for the better and increasing my chances to live longer and decrease chances of acquiring preventable diseases. When I have children, I swear I will do everything in my power to teach them by example how to live a healthier lifestyle all the way around. At least the foundation will be established by me. What they choose to do as adults will be their choice.

I told everyone too. It just felt strange to not tell the truth when people ask how I did it. Plus I had some relatives who are overweight and wanted to be a positive influence.

To date, three people have had the surgery because of me and are very happy.

That makes me feel good!

I tell anyone who asks. My ID photo is old so it comes up a lot too.

My manager at my old job site got the bypass before me and he's the one who encouraged me to at least look into it as an option. Dude did me a huge solid with that and if I help anyone else out the same way then it's just paying it forward.

I don't mind telling people. I used to be very open, but now I'm more selective. Mostly because people just don't understand. The thing is, we DO have to eat right and exercise, and a large part of our success or failure rests on us doing the right things -- the same things anyone trying to lose weight would do. When you tell people you've had surgery, they immediately assume you're not doing the work. It's annoying. So it depends on whether or not I'm in the mood to educate people.