Wls....a Bad Name!

[gowalking 10,790]

@dylanmiles23

I saw that episode w/reuben studdard and Wendy Williams's lap band advice.

She also said that the band was not working for some other political official guy up north, who has not lost a ton of weight in a short time.

so announcing to the world that you're on any diet plan or surgery automatically places you under the spot light. From then on out, you're on Weight loss Watch

If you don't lose, they judge you, if you don't lose it fast enough, they judge you..

if you lose too much, or too soon, they judge you..

even my very own partner has his opinions, he shld keep to himself...

Reuben Studdard shouldn't be talking at all about taking the easy way out with WLS. He could use a little intervention himself. The politician Wendy was talking about is Chris Christie..the governor of New Jersey. He used the same surgeon as I did....and no...I've never seen him sitting in the waiting room for a fill...LOL! Anyway, I haven't seen any recent pics of him and it's true..the pics I have seen don't show a huge difference between Christie's before and after shots, but if he is struggling...it just goes to show you that anyone, public or private, can find WLS challenging.

[peedie12 29]

I am not embarrassed to tell ppl I have WLS but they all think it was a quick fix, they don't know how you still have to eat right and exercise, I am 75lbs down!!!!

I just celebrated being banded a year !!!!

[SandyM 1,956]

I am not embarrassed to tell ppl I have WLS but they all think it was a quick fix, they don't know how you still have to eat right and exercise, I am 75lbs down!!!! I just celebrated being banded a year !!!!

Same here

[lisacaron 5,075]

Gov. Christy came out with the news that he was banded on the same day that my hubby was in getting his band 3 days after I had my surgery. I remember sitting in the surgical waiting room listening to all the media and press about it.

You would think it was a Watergate scandal the way everyone was talking about it. I was proud of Christy at that moment. Here is a man who is intelligent, and has a nice position in the community in public office and though I'm sure he wanted to be private about it, was not afraid to advocate for the over weight.

I admired the way he didn't let his weight sway his political aspirations and I applaud the way he has chosen to take some control over his issue to better his life for his family and community.

He has to do it all under public and media scrutiny. You know people are looking more then they are listening right now. They want to SEE did he lose why isn't he losing what's going on is the band a failure or is Christy the failure?

Those of us that choose to share that we have had WLS might endure some of those same questions and if you are uncomfortable hearing them from your mother in law imagine how you would feel if you heard them screamed from TV screens, magazines and newspapers?

No weight loss surgery is an easy answer, it takes hard work, and 100% commitment to make it work. For some the weight melts off after surgery only to come back again before hopefully it's gone for good. For others it comes off slowly never to return again. Still for some, there are issues and failures of surgical procedures and/or compliance on the part of the patient and the weight is never lost.

It is not our job to judge, it is our job to support and encourage. Not just others but ourselves. To be bold enough to go for surgery to go through the required testing and the recovery and all of that proves that we have the fortitude and we CAN do it. When things don't work the way we want or expect them to, we lose some of our fortitude and we forget how strong and committed we were when we first set our feet on this path.

We want to sit back and let the band or the sleeve or the RNY do the work for us, but it is WE who must do the work. Those tools are there for us to help catch us when we fall, so that we are not broken this time with our tools we can get back up, heal the hurts and keep striving forward.

If we expect to just sit there, if we are going to wallow in our misery no matter what that is at the moment. Stress, discomfort, illness, sadness what ever. If we are going to wallow in those things, we are going to be stuck and we are going to sink like we are in quicksand. Our WLS tools help us to pull our heads above it and out of it but we have to put them to use. We can't just sit back and expect it to happen.

We are a community of WLS patients, and together we can help support ourselves and each other. Take a moment and remember how you felt as you first set your feet on the path to WLS. Find that courage and conviction and let that motivate you today! Share your story with others, and ask them to share theirs with you, and motivate each other!

Hearing Gov Christy admit to having the lapband and his reasons for doing it and watching him stand tall in the public eye for good and for bad helps to motivate me. It takes me back to the beginning and helps me view my progress in hindsight giving me the opportunity to learn from and correct mistakes I have made as well as to plan my next steps as I move forward in my weight loss journey.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Well said, lisacaron.

And speaking for myself, I see a big diff in Governor Christie's before and latest pix that I've seen. He was a VERY big boy.

November 2013 article and pix at http://www.buzzfeed.com/hunterschwarz/chris-christie-pre-lap-band-surgery-vs-chris-christie-today

Edited December 12, 2013 by VSGAnn2014

[Sharpie 3,306]

I have told my family of course and close friends and anyone else who ask... I am not ashamed of taking control of my health.. I am. not ashamed to utilize weight loss surgery ... I am not ashamed to admit defeat.. when all other programs, pills, gimmicks , etc. failed I researched my options.. I am not ashamed that I now have a "life"... my mobility and health were worth it. I also have discussed the surgery with other obese friends.. They have asked my advice and I am happy if it helps one other person get healthier and live a better life. Anyone who thinks it was the easy way.. should try it.. lol.. as everyone else has said.. weeks of liquids, gas pains and having to go have fills is not the easy way... being aware of what you are eating and how fast and chewing enough and not drinking with meals is part of the deal... but I would do it over again to get where I am now....