WLS is the easy way out

[justhere4theshow 462]

It breaks my heart that our methods are belittled and discounted as "easy". Why are people so congratulatory toward people who do it "the hard way", and so completely dismissive of anyone who has had surgery to lose weight? I guess what it comes down to is pure ignorance. I have a cousin who clearly sits in judgment of me for using drastic measures, when she just "eats no carbs and chases her kids around". She's a size 2, and many years ago had a severe eating disorder. So, I don't think she has a healthy relationship with food any more than I do. Oh, and she calls it "forced compliance" when people have surgery to control their eating habits. Maybe I like "forced compliance". I also like the idea of being successful without having to starve myself for the rest of my life to maintain a healthy weight. I clearly need therapy for my many emotions tied up in food, weight, self-image, and my decision to use drastic measures. I asked my nutritionist for a referral, so I am working on it. This is clearly a life-altering path to take, and I feel it was the right decision for me. It really sucks that we are written off as weak and incapable of self-discipline. We are warriors, and this takes WORK. I'm glad we have each other.

[xoxococojay 842]

Honestly the only thing the surgery does is FORCE Portion Control. It's entirely up to you to make proper diet choices and workout and also maintain the weight loss after the fact. It's still just as hard. And you have to be even more strict with wls because certain foods will make you ill. I got so frustrated by hearing that too. That's one of the many reasons why i didn't tell very many people. I made the mistake of telling one of my "fat" friends and that was her exact response, "oh you're taking the easy way out". No i'm not. I'm doing something about my weight to get healthy because everything else has failed me. She has no clue how much effort we put in. Ignore people like that. They have their own issues and insecurities regardless of their size.

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[TexasguyEP 56]

I've been considering this surgery for about 15 years... It is not something I just jumped into... Yesterday, because of many stressors in our life right now, my husband lashed out at me and told me " You're just taking the easy way out, If you would just TRY and commit to 3-4 years of really hard work you could do it on your own!"

Uh, um.... I wanted to lash out, to tell him where the bear went in the woods... But I prayed and thought about it for a couple of hours. In the end I wrote him a letter, and attached testimonies from Dr and patients, along with research. At about 10:00 last night we finally talked.

He understands what I'm going through, and He reminded me of all the stress we have been under. He said he still feels that way and is not a proponent of WLS, but he supports me in my choice. He told me to schedule the surgery and we will get through it.

I'm still sad at his response. I know it is stress, But I have been praying on my own and together with him. I know this is the best and right thing for me.

My date will be February 7th, at Bariatrix FL with Dr. Amit Taggar.

I know God is BLESSING me daily! I know He will walk with me! I'm ready!

Amen

[summerset 5,265]

We all have to endure surgery, recovery, possible complications, liquid diets, learning what we can eat, exercise, track all food and liquids, cut back on social drinking, possible endure corrective surgery and recovery and finally maintain all that we accomplished, with the work WE did.

What you've listed here is exactly the same as with "conventional dieting", except the recovery phase. Ever heard of Optifast? I didn't do it but compared to the length of their liquid phase, the surgical liquid phase pales in comparison.

Compared with what I have endured with dieting in the past I'd choose surgery over and over again (but I admit that I had a easy recovery with almost no pain at all).

As for plastics: even if one chooses not to have surgery to lose weight, plastics might be necessary.

I understand that surgery is no breeze (I've had it myself after all) but it sometimes seems to me that there is so much emphasize on the "hard work"... as if obese people weren't allowed to "take the easy way" because they have to "pay for their sins". The sad part about this is: even obese people seem to think this way and emphasizing all this "hard work and commitment" sometimes seems like a kind of justification. I also think that people are making their lives harder as they need to be by telling themselves that "they have to work hard".

I'm not saying, that there is no work and commitment involved after WLS - but is it really as hard as it was with conventional dieting? If you do think so, why? Because I think not having to battle constant hunger because of Portion Control or having to fill up on disgusting low-cal food and feeling full, but somehow empty nevertheless is a blessing and takes out a lot of the hard work.

Is there work involved after WLS? Of course. There are slider-foods etc. after all. Is it "as hard as before"? I don't think so. Because if it was "as hard as before" - why get surgery in the first place?

[mrsNilla 304]

We all have to endure surgery, recovery, possible complications, liquid diets, learning what we can eat, exercise, track all food and liquids, cut back on social drinking, possible endure corrective surgery and recovery and finally maintain all that we accomplished, with the work WE did.

What you've listed here is exactly the same as with "conventional dieting", except the recovery phase. Ever heard of Optifast? I didn't do it but compared to the length of their liquid phase, the surgical liquid phase pales in comparison.

Compared with what I have endured with dieting in the past I'd choose surgery over and over again (but I admit that I had a easy recovery with almost no pain at all).

As for plastics: even if one chooses not to have surgery to lose weight, plastics might be necessary.

I understand that surgery is no breeze (I've had it myself after all) but it sometimes seems to me that there is so much emphasize on the "hard work"... as if obese people weren't allowed to "take the easy way" because they have to "pay for their sins". The sad part about this is: even obese people seem to think this way and emphasizing all this "hard work and commitment" sometimes seems like a kind of justification. I also think that people are making their lives harder as they need to be by telling themselves that "they have to work hard".

I'm not saying, that there is no work and commitment involved after WLS - but is it really as hard as it was with conventional dieting? If you do think so, why? Because I think not having to battle constant hunger because of Portion Control or having to fill up on disgusting low-cal food and feeling full, but somehow empty nevertheless is a blessing and takes out a lot of the hard work.

Is there work involved after WLS? Of course. There are slider-foods etc. after all. Is it "as hard as before"? I don't think so. Because if it was "as hard as before" - why get surgery in the first place?

I can only speak on my behalf, but rny is harder for me than "normal dieting".

I was always able to lose weight, but couldn't maintain my results. I lost more weight on my over 2 month pre-op diet than post-op. I developed a stricture, I dump on carbs really easily, my pouch is grumpy as can be.

But, I'm really hoping to be able to maintain this time. That's why I decided to do this.

Nilla

[Itsmytime23 50]

There's always going to be NAYSAYERS!! We know it's not easy so who cares what they think!! I compare this to people who say having a Csection is the easy way thru childbirth to somehow diminish our joy. There's no medal at the end for HOW you get there - only VICTORY for doing it!! So good health to us all - We are not alone!!

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[summerset 5,265]

I can only speak on my behalf, but rny is harder for me than "normal dieting".

I was always able to lose weight, but couldn't maintain my results. I lost more weight on my over 2 month pre-op diet than post-op. I developed a stricture, I dump on carbs really easily, my pouch is grumpy as can be.

Complications really stink. As I already said, I admit I had an easy recovery (not that an easy recovery is something bad, or something I should be somehow ashamed of but I think it changes perspective on things).

I'm one of the people who had a hard time seeing the scale go down. I was absolutely surprised when another kg was gone even though I wasn't able to exercise much because of my shoulder (still having problems) because even walking or running hurts after a while, let alone biking.

I never thought maintaining weight after I reached a low with the GB was that hard before the fill needed to be removed though I never got to BMI 25 or lower. I needed to pay some attention but it definitely wasn't the obsessive self-control horror I went through before WLS.

I think now I need to exert about as much self-control as many non-obese people need to exert when they reach the age of 40 (that's the impression I have when talking to other people) and in my view that's ok but I don't know how it will be a few years down the road since my MGB is a fairly new one. I did ok maintaining with the GB, that gives me hope for the MGB future.

[trenth 48]

Haters gonna hate. But since we are on the subject of haters... Lets see where they are in 10 years and how much they gained back.

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[B-52 7,113]

Everyone is different....for me, dieting and trying to lose weight and continuing to fail time after time...now that was hard.

WLS was a last resort, and I can say that after the first few months that were very frustrating with thoughts of failure and it all being a big waste of time and money, it has been easy as it can be ever since...don't even think about it that much anymore, and the word "Diet" is not something I do not consider or will probably ever do anymore.

[pvechiola 195]

Was just watching GMA (Good Morning America) they had two girls who lost a lot of weight and were half their size. I guess they're featured in People's Magazine because they had the editor on there and they asked why they choose those particular girls. Her response was because they lost weight the hard way no surgery no gimmicks. It really upset me to hear that because it feeds into the idea that surgery is the easy way to lose weight, but if only they knew the dedication and hard work we put in as well. I wish people would educate more before opening their mouths about anything. I don't know why it has to be a competition anyways as to who lost weight "naturally" and who got surgery. Either way you lost the weight, you're getting healthy, no way is better than the other. Okay rant over lol

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No rant you're exactly right

[SharBear617 146]

My annoyance about that editor saying that is almost palpable right now, wow! Agree with many others who've said it doesn't matter how you lose weight as long as you do and maintain it. Ugh....and even if it is "easier" with surgery (which I strongly feel it has not been), so the frick what! Even Water, the most powerful force in nature will always follow the path of least resistance....jeez!!

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[SharBear617 146]

Sorry, but one more thing....I gave birth to my daughter the "natural" way without surgery, but had my twin sons via c-section....does that mean my sons don't really count, cause they were born via surgery?!

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[erica_ozzy73 241]

If some think it's the easy way out who cares...

nothing wrong with the easy way out.

The only ones that say that are the ones that aren't over weight or have never had a weight problem or don't have issues with being fat..

The easy way out lol...

oh lord I had 3 c sections and it certainly wasn't the easy way out like some people may think!...

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[Hazel_eyez 173]

I agree! I work hard as h*ll post-op. I workout 6 days a week and I am very disciplined with my diet. As I tell people it doesn't matter how you do it because it all comes down to the same thing diet and exercise.

[4MRB4PHOTO 3,900]

"WLS is the easy way out"......said no WLS patient, ever.

Bull riding can also be interpreted by someone who never rode a bull as "easy". All they think you need to do is stay on a 1,500-2000 pound, bucking, angry animal for 8 seconds using only one hand to hold a rope