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What are you telling people?



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There are very few people irl that know about my surgery. Now that I have lost almost 50lbs it is showing and when I see someone I haven't seen in a while they all ask "What diet are you doing? You look great! etc...." I know they are trying to be complementary however I am very uncomfortable telling people I am not that close with and prefer not to discuss it. I am so uneasy lying to people - it is just not in my nature. A friend of mine who had LB surgery said she tells people she is/has "done everything she possibly can to lose weight" and that is where I have been going with it these days....but that doesn't always work. People seem to want to know WHAT specific plan you are on.

What do you tell people?

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After all the failure of diets, etc. I am proud to say I had the lap-band surgery. Frankly even with the band we are eating healthy and living right. I simply add that line as well that I'm eating properly as well. Be proud, you have paid for it and are living it and maybe it will help someone else that is in need! Also, thank them as you must look good!!

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I tell everybody that I had Lap Band surgery. I'm not worried about what they think, especially if it isn't someone I'm particularly close to. I have had quite a few people ask more about it, for themselves or someone they know. If I can help someone, that's even better.

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I tell everyone that I had the surgery, I don't care who knows or what they think about it.

If I were in your position, I would tell the truth in that you are being very careful about what you are eating, taking in only X amount of calories and not exceeding X amount of fat or carbs and you are exercising X amount of times per week, and it is really working for you. It is technically the truth, you are just omitting that you had surgery to help you do that :)

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I tell everyone also. But you can always say it's eating smaller portions of healthier foods. I mean all the band does is force Portion Control.< /p>

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That is a great reply Ezma..it IS the truth after all :D

In my own experience, the best way to bring myself out of an addiction(food or otherwise,) is to be honest with everyone about my point of view. I quit a 15 year smoking habit by letting everyone I know, they were extremely supportive, and at least tried to understand how I feel.

I am at a point in my life where I know that as a mother of two I will never look 20, anymore. I am okay with that, but I can be the best 34 year old I can. I deal with the public everyday, they see me changing too. When I get compliments, I let them know exactly what time it is. I have worked extremely hard, and will continue to do so. If i can inspire just one person to get help for their food addiction, then it will be a talk well worth the effort. The only time I have been ashamed, is when I declined to do anything about it...wrapped up in my pity, and embarrassing my kids.:eek:

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I haven't told many people either, including my mother, who is very judgemental. When people ask how I'm losing weight, I tell them, "There's only one way. Eat less and exercise more." And that's the truth! It's nobody's business HOW you are managing to do that, and you aren't lying to anyone with that response.

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Its funny that you put this thread up. I haven't lost more than 5 pounds in abou 2 months and people are just now noticing (I guess it keeps me positive at this point), but anyways I tell them that I upped my protien, lowered my carbs, and got an eliptical. All that is true. I don't feel like I'm lying. I personally can't tell people out of embarassment that I let myself get to the point where I had to have weight loss surgery. I also feel very uncomfortable when people ask how much I've lost. I usually just say some out of that same embarassment.

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Yes, sometimes when people ask me how much I've lost, I'll say "More than you'll ever get me to admit to," and I laugh. That way, they know I'm not offended, but that I don't think it's any of their business.

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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. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • 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💪
      · 0 replies
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