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Anyone have advice on telling teenagers about the sleeve?



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I've seen a lot of posts on here about how to tell friends, family, co-workers, etc. about getting bariatric surgery, and most of the replies recommend being open, which I think is great, however none of the posters I've seen have been in my age range and I worry about getting different reactions since I have younger/more immature friends. I'm 18 years old, and am scheduled to be getting the sleeve in around three months, a bit after I get out of my freshman year of college. I'm pretty short (5'3) so any weight loss I experience tends to become visible very quickly. But I am terrified to tell my friends, all of whom are very thin and tend to be judgmental towards fat people (while constantly assuring me--at 5'3 and 220 lbs-- that I'm "not fat"), and I really don't want to tell them. I'm excited to get the surgery and change my life, but just keep wishing that I had oblivious friends (I don't). I will have a couple of months after the surgery before I see most of my college friends when school resumes, since I live far away from them. Advice?

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Hi! I am 21 years old and am having surgery in less then 2 weeks I told my closest friend and haven't and probably won't tell anymore. I am telling them I am going on a dr suprivised metabolic diet. Which isn't a total lie. I am in the same boat that mine are skinny and don't understand. I hope all goes well!

Lynnlee

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Don't tell them. If someone asks later, just say you went on a high Protein, low carb diet. It's no ones business but yours.

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Im 21 & I was sleeved march 24th. I told my closest girlfriends and my family. I went out for the first time and was asked soooo many questions. Meanwhile while I wasn't out with my friends everyone was asking where I was. So when I went out people were saying you lost weight blah blah I just told them I've been working out, watching what I'm eating & no drinking (why I haven't been out with friends to the bar) everyone understood and believed me. It's no ones business!!! I just think if I gradually show my face out people will think it's happening naturally with a diet & exercise!

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    • Theweightisover2024🙌💪

      Question for anyone, how did you get your mind right before surgery? Like as far as eating better foods and just doing better in general? I'm having a really hard time with this. Any help is appreciated 🙏❤️
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      1. NickelChip

        I had about 6 months between deciding to do surgery and getting scheduled. I came across the book The Pound of Cure by Dr. Matthew Weiner, a bariatric surgeon in Arizona, and started to implement some of the changes he recommended (and lost 13 lbs in the process without ever feeling deprived). The book is very simple, and the focus is on whole, plant based foods, but within reason. It's not an all or nothing approach, or going vegan or something, but focuses on improvement and aiming for getting it right 80-90% of the time. His suggestions are divided into 12 sections that you can tackle over time, perhaps one per month for a year if a person is just trying to improve nutrition and build good habits. They range from things like cutting out artificial sweetener or eating more beans to eating a pound of vegetables per day. I found it really effective pre-surgery and it's an eating style I will be working to get back to as I am further out from surgery and have more capacity. Small changes you can sustain will do the most for building good habits for life.

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        That sounds awesome. I'll have to check that out thanks!

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