QOD 6/30

Hi there to all my friends, I have been busy like most of you guys so I have not had time to post. I do come in and look around and try to answer some of the posts. I took the day off for a funeral on my ex-husbands side of the family, . I have not seen any of his family in quite some time. I have not seen my ex either. Nobody knows that I had WLS. My life is kind of private when it concerns them. I am feeling quite anxious about seeing all of those people, I am half the person I was 6 months ago and hope to know how to react to some of their stupidyand questions. My question for today is.... How do you answer people who are not close to you when they ask you about your sudden appearance being so different? Thanks guys for any input you give. I hope I will be cool,calm, and know how to react to this..... Wish me luck . I think I will just them off,and keep a smiling. Have a great Wednesday.... Lorraine

Just smile and thank them for noticing all your hard work and leave it at that. If they keep asking what you did, just say you worked hard at getting it off. Eventually, they will get the idea that it's none of their business, and you will be doing it gently. I had a person who kept asking and I didn't want her to know I had surgery for personal reasons so I told her it was mostly a good menu plan and exercise. Then I excused myself and walked away. Just don't let them get to you. Nona

Hi Lorraine- Depending on how I feel that day or about the person, I will either simply say "I had surgery" and leave it at that or as the previous poster stated, simply say, alot of hard work and dedication. Most people that I work with who I didn't want to know, found out thru the lovely grapevine. My company is about 300 people and I think they eventually all found out. Some that didn't know think I'm doing the at work Weigh****cher program we have. If I were in your situation, I would answer "Thank you for noticing- lots of hardwork and decication." Have a good day! Kathy

I was in your situation this weekend. Unless my in laws haven't told me the truth...THEN the IN LAW relatives DO NOT KNOW I had surgery on the other hand my MOTHER IN LAW told all of her friends/co-workers (mostly one in the same) at Wal-mart. I really don't mind people knowing that I had WLS and IF I lose weight and look good then I can be an ambassador for this surgery. I congratulate those people that can do it the old fashioned way but we all know that there are less of those people that succeed. I am not embarassed at all that I lost weight by having surgery. I wouldn't say I am PROUD of it but I don't mind telling people. Some people just say that I look great/I didn't recognize you etc...IF they ask how I do it then I say --- I had weight loss surgery and explain anything they want to know. PEOPLE need to be educated. IF they don't inquire as to what my secret is...then I just nicely say THANKS and leave it at that. I don't offer it up first! Anyhoo at the party this weekend---none of the relatives asked how I had lost the weight...they just said I looked good. My husband's Aunt didn't recognize me! BUT none of them asked so I didn't offer up the details. However, my MIL's co-workers (1 in particular) asked about it a lot. I really don't mind talking about it at all. Usually people comment on the fact that I wasn't big enough. NOT sure how big they think you need to be but oh well! I easily have 120 lbs total to lose. I set my own goal at 110. I am now at -71. 39 more to go.

I pretty open so I just let them know I had WLS and then answer the questions that follow. I am proud of who I am and am willing to share my experiences. I find it keeps the rumors down and also educates people at the same time. Darrol 450/312/?

Good morning Lorraine! I think that I would just say "hard work" afterall, even with the surgery, it IS indeed a lot of hard work making the right food choices, getting in your water, taking all of your vitamins etc. You are making this work for you which proves that you have done a lot of hard work! Maybe you will get lucky and the people you really don't like will not recognise you! Tracy

I'm just too honest. Even when I encounter strangers and something prompts them to ask me about my way of living, etc., I am open about having the surgery. I have really never gotten a negative comment. Sometimes I have to explain some things, or a lot of times a person will mention knowing someone who had the surgery, etc. You really never know how someone is going to react and I am always positive about my experience. It's part of who I am just like someone who had clogged arteries having an angioplasty or something to make them healthier. I am more sensitive about how much I weighed in the beginning, etc. though. Christy 336/187/140

Hi guys, I live in a small, rural, rumor town and sometimes just don't want people knowing all my business. According to who it is, I just say that I changed my whole way of eating (no lie there) and a whole lot of hard work (no lie there either). Usually if it is someone who I know is struggling with a weight problem, I will gladly share about WLS. Mostly the whole town knows my husband's ex wife died from DVT to the heart with complications to RNY shortly before I was scheduled to have the surgery. So I got all the "I can't believe you are going to do that, what if you die too?" and that kind of turned me away from being so open and up front. It was too much time and effort on my part explaining that she didn't actually die from the WLS, that she could have been having her tonsils out and it happen. My mother just tells anyone she can find to and I don't like that. I have found that when you tell people you had WLS, they think it is the easy way out and this way of life is certainly not easy. It is the hardest thing I probably have ever done in my life. Anyhow, Lorraine, just smile real big :, flaunt your gorgeous slim body and hold your head up high. If they are going to talk, give them something worthwhile to talk about. Okay,, I am a bit of a rebel. Have a great day! Staci

I am so excited I tell anyone who asks. It is a huge miracle in my life and I am excited to share it. I don't know what people really think about it but they don't say negative stuff to my face. I kind of feel like it keeps me honest for people to know and I wnat to prove it is indeed a miracle. Alice

I think you can always be honest when you say "committment and hard work". I am not ashamed that WLS was my choice but not every one needs to know, right? luvitsunnyv