People that have no idea.....

I have a quick question that I am sure ALOT of you have come across.  How do you respond nicely to someone that says " So you choose to take the easy way out,   instead of eating right and exercising." THis has come from someone skinny and has never had a weight problem.   I wanted to be nice and didnt know quite how to answer that. Any suggestions???

Well, I'm not banded yet, but I think I will tell people " I never thought this was the easy way out. It still requires a complete lifestyle change. It just gives me the tools I need to accomplish my weight loss goal." Maybe that will help? Hugs~Joni

Joni had the perfect reply. I have been banded for almost 10 days now. I would tell them it's not easy. It is a tool to aid in the weight loss. You do have to do the work and it is a complete lifestyle change. You have to go threw the surgery to. It is not easy. Also tell them they wouldn't understand because they have not experienced what we have.  Carrie

I would tell them that you are eating right and exercising. Tell them that just those two things alone work wonders if you only have 5 or 10 pounds to lose, but they aren't miracle workers for the morbidly obese. They are just a tool, just like the surgery is a tool, and when they all work together, you get to be skinny the rest of your life

Thank you all for all your words of wisdom!

I would say, "I used to think the same thing..that this surgery was a cop out and easy. Since having it, I have learned it is not. It's not a cure. It's a tool to help me be successful to get the weight off faster so that I can get healthy. It's not easy. It's very hard. It was drastic. You are fortunate that you don't have to go to such extremes, and I hope you never do. For those of us who do, we know that this is a lifetime commitment to good health."

I go with the philosophical (yet somewhat snarky) "trying to explain this to someone who has never had a weight problem is like trying to tell someone how to ride a bicycle.  Please just be aware, there is nothing easy at all about WLS"

Why do you care what they think?  This was an informed decision made by both you and your doctor.  Ask this "lovely" person why it matters to her how you get healthy.  Some smart aleck statements aren't worth getting steamed over.  She is obviously very ill informed and a tad on the obnoxious side.

HAPPYCAT, Welcome to Oklahoma OH and Weight Wise. You have chosen an excellent surgeon. Best of luck to you on your new journey, Rita

people that would say something like that have some kind of nerve. This is not the easy way out at all. The stress and fight many of us have just to have the surgery. The many risks we take having the surgery. The complete lifestyle change for us and our family. If they have never had to deal with wt problems then they had it pretty easy.