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I’m headed back into the office for the first time in 18 months and I am 60 pounds lighter. Not sure why I am so nervous but I guess I’m not sure what to say about my weight loss. No one at the office knows I had WLS. And you can’t really tell over zoom. Thoughts?

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I am 7 weeks post-op and have lost around 45lbs from my highest weight. Recently, I saw some friends I hadn't seen since well before I started losing weight and who do not know I had WLS. They immediately noticed and commented on my weight loss, which made me terribly uncomfortable. They of course asked what I was doing and I simply stated I'm focusing on high quality Protein and frequent, small meals because that's what my body seems to like best (all true). Then I quickly pivoted and asked how they were doing, blah blah blah. People LOVE to talk about themselves. Give them the chance, and they will run with it.

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if it's been 18 months, I bet a lot of "normies" would believe you if you said you lost it on your own. That's over a year, so.... My first year or two out I told normal weight people that I was working with a dietitian, low carbing, and exercising like a fiend. Skinny people believe that schlock. I was honest with other obese people, though. But yea - after 18 months, it would be entirely believable by most people that you did it via diet and exercise, since that calculates out to 3-4 lbs per month

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I ran into someone I used to work with & I was 42kgs (92lbs) lighter & they never said a word. I was a bit amused but some people don’t want to mention things they consider so personal like your weight. Or they’re just super unobservant 😆😆.

You could just say you’ve taken the time not being in the office to change how you eat & be healthier which is true & change the subject if you want.

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16 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

if it's been 18 months, I bet a lot of "normies" would believe you if you said you lost it on your own. That's over a year, so.... My first year or two out I told normal weight people that I was working with a dietitian, low carbing, and exercising like a fiend. Skinny people believe that schlock. I was honest with other obese people, though. But yea - after 18 months, it would be entirely believable by most people that you did it via diet and exercise, since that calculates out to 3-4 lbs per month

"Skinny people believe that schlock"9b5.jpg

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I don’t plan on anyone knowing I got the surgery. My husband and my youngest kids that are still at home will know but that is it. I feel personally like it’s no ones business and plan on telling them I changed my diet and eating habits - not a lie you do. People get liposuction, boobs done, tummy tucks, fillers and botox etc and don’t tell people so why should this be different. Just my thoughts and me personally. I do respect those who go on YouTube and share their journey, it has helped me a lot but not something I personally would do. So exciting to show off the new you!!!

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I'm with @catwoman7 - Joe Schmo gets told I'm protein-first and calorie-restricted (believable, and these days my calorie count is 1000-1400 a day, which is strict but not "omg you're gonna starve"). But other obese people get the truth. And the one person who found out and then confronted me for lying got, "Given how you just reacted to the idea of the surgery, are you surprised I didn't want to tell you?"

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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