Most of the people I know and see regularly know that I have the band. I decided to tell my closest friends and well, now everyone knows. Unforunately, one friend told her mother who has a BIG, BIG mouth. This is just fine, but now I am starting to get ticked off with the way many of these people react to me. Comments like, "oh, you can't eat that", "should you be eating that", don't even look at the snack table, you can't eat that stuff", "what are you doing in the candy aisle, bad girl", "do you want the potatoes that come with the meal you ordered", "are you ALLOWED to eat that"......I could go on and on. I need some suggestions as to how I should deal with these types of comments since they are starting to drive me nuts.....

Thanks in advance.

Wow becky, seems like you have it really hard.

Don't worry though, people who make dumb comments only make them because they are ignorant.

I remember our first potluck dinner at work back in July. I was dreading it so much cause I thought everyone would be watching what I ate and how much. Well, I was right. They watched me like I was so sideshow freak and made some of the dumbest comments. I ended up leaving the table in tears.

Aww Becky, I'm so sorry that happened to you... some people just suck!

I know your not going to believe me BUT!! I am really a shy person. It takes ALOT for me to say something to some one who is out of line. BUT !!! just push me over that edge and WHOMP! you better go change your underware.

When people would stare at my sister (she was over 400 lbs at one time) it would piss me off to no end. I mean I felt so much rage and hurt inside. Most of the time I would hold off but there were a few times when I just couldn't stand myself so I went up to them and said "AND WHAT THE *F* ARE YOU LOOKING AT." GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!!

But really, the best thing to do is kill them with kindness

Take the higher road- In a very happy confident voice tell them-

"Thanks for your concern, but I am really far luckier than most others. The REALLLLY GREAT THING about the lap band is that I CAN EAT ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING I WANT AND NOT GAIN WEIGHT!" (so there are a few details you leave out, you don't have to explain any that to them).

Then give them your best and sweetest smile as you walk away (with a loaded plate that you can slyly dump into the trash as soon as it is feasable).

You want to let the commenters know you are in control and whatever they say is not going to matter to you one way or another. If they are "well-meaning" or not if you feel hurt, angry, or rude then they get their little thrill. Don't let them have it and then they feel foolish.

Have fun with it!

Anu