I was just talking to my therapist when it dawned on me that "bariatric surgery is just like marriage".

1. You spend time looking forward to the day you get married and lose some weight in order to fit into the dress/tuxedo. / Pre-op weight loss

2. Wedding day! The happy day comes when you actually get married and walk down the aisle! / WLS surgery day!

3. Afterwards there is a honeymoon both directly after and during the next year. Everything is new and fresh and you look forward to (almost) every day.

4. You now live together and have to get along for the long run. / Your stomach has changed forever and you have to learn and keep up good eating habits.

5. Now you have actually realized your goal of growing old together, but still need to put in the work to keep the marriage going. / You need to keep up the good habits and work that got you to where you are.

So what does this really say about marriage and bariatric surgery?..."Marriage/WLS" is not only about the wonderful "Wedding Day/Surgery Day", but about what comes before, during, and after. You have to keep putting work into it in order to make it successful. If you had problems before that day or develop them along the way, you are going to have problems afterwards as well. If you think that if you "only getting married / only having WLS" will make things ok then you haven't looked beyond that goal.

Now, I want to know what you all think? I am no expert (on anything) and would love to hear what you all think.

Edited April 26, 20197 yr by Krestel

That's a good analogy.

Sounds like a perfect analogy!! There’s days I want to throttle him but I never regret my decision. ?

Great analogy! I think I will steal it!

?

5 hours ago, Krestel said:

I was just talking to my therapist when it dawned on me that "bariatric surgery is just like marriage".

1. You spend time looking forward to the day you get married and lose some weight in order to fit into the dress/tuxedo. / Pre-op weight loss

2. Wedding day! The happy day comes when you actually get married and walk down the aisle! / WLS surgery day!

3. Afterwards there is a honeymoon both directly after and during the next year. Everything is new and fresh and you look forward to (almost) every day.

4. You now live together and have to get along for the long run. / Your stomach has changed forever and you have to learn and keep up good eating habits.

5. Now you have actually realized your goal of growing old together, but still need to put in the work to keep the marriage going. / You need to keep up the good habits and work that got you to where you are.

So what does this really say about marriage and bariatric surgery?..."Marriage/WLS" is not only about the wonderful "Wedding Day/Surgery Day", but about what comes before, during, and after. You have to keep putting work into it in order to make it successful. If you had problems before that day or develop them along the way, you are going to have problems afterwards as well. If you think that if you "only getting married / only having WLS" will make things ok then you haven't looked beyond that goal.

Now, I want to know what you all think? I am no expert (on anything) and would love to hear what you all think.

Wow , that makes so much sense . I'm still in the honeymoon phase right now!

Only thing I might add is you will start looking good to opposite gender/ easy snack and junk foods. They will try to see if you'll weaken and let them back in Your Life. Do NOT listen to them , you have come so far, done so much, and you're happier and healthier now. You can, if you want, say thank you for the compliment but I'm staying faithful for life to stomach. We have too long a history now to throw it all away!??✋

12 hours ago, Frustr8 said:

Only thing I might add is you will start looking good to opposite gender/ easy snack and junk foods. They will try to see if you'll weaken and let them back in Your Life. Do NOT listen to them , you have come so far, done so much, and you're happier and healthier now. You can, if you want, say thank you for the compliment but I'm staying faithful for life to stomach. We have too long a history now to throw it all away!??✋

Aha, the temptation of having an affair!

Yeah but a bag of potato chips, a Box of Cheezits, RoldGold pretzles, I no longer to have an affair with you guys. You weren't good for me before, why should I trust you now? Out Out Out and take your Bio- Pop brother in law with you, I am no longer giving you House Room. Leave quietly or I will put you in the dumpster out back!

On 4/27/2019 at 7:29 AM, Frustr8 said:

Yeah but a bag of potato chips, a Box of Cheezits, RoldGold pretzles, I no longer to have an affair with you guys. You weren't good for me before, why should I trust you now? Out Out Out and take your Bio- Pop brother in law with you, I am no longer giving you House Room. Leave quietly or I will put you in the dumpster out back!

You go girl!