People's "Half Their Size" cover story ****** me off

I just read People's "Half Their Size" cover story and it makes me so angry!  It usually just serves to make me feel ****ty about myself but this year - when I am hopefully well on my way to being half my size - it ****** me off. The byline underneath on the main page of the story is No Shortcuts! With sensible eating and moderate exercise, these inspiring weight-loss all-stars dropped a total of 770 lbs.!

Now, why did they have to say No shortcuts? Because I feel like the no shortcuts line is directed at those of us who did WLS and I want to say **** you very much to the people who think this was easy. I read the article and every single thing basically said Oh I ate smaller portions and I exercised and it melted off! Um, I'm pretty sure that all of us here have tried that once or twice. I want these people to be interviewed in a year and then I want to see where I am in a year and see who kept the weight off. 

Ugh. I think I'm in a *****y mood today.

I agree with you, it does make me think they are directing it at those of us who have had surgery. BUT and here's thing. I think to myself "they know not of what they are talking about". They have no freakin idea how this is so not the easy way out and as such their opinion is of no value to me. I read something the other day that has stuck in my mind and it may not be appropriate for here but as a person who wants everyone to like me (because I am a people pleaser and I need to fix everything) I have a hard time of letting go of things people their attitudes etc and it steals my peace, and in turn I want to eat over it. Ok I digress what I read was "The earth has (however many billion/trillion) people on it (not sure what the number was); why would you let one's opinion affect you".  Hmmm, I must of needed to hear that, because every day since then it pops into my head.

Hugs to you and we will have a fantastic 2016!!!! Lorna

They will all have their weight back a year from now and there will be a new bunch of all-stars.

I have always agreed with people who tell me I took the easy way out.  I tell then that the hard way just did not work for me.  Taking the weight off is the easy part, maintaining is what is really hard, even with surgery.

They claim only 5% of people can keep the weight off without surgery, but I have never known anyone who did not gain all their weight back the natural way.

I could have been one of their success stories four or five times. The advantage this surgery gave me was keeping it off. 

In past years, they have been explicit about mentioning no surgery. Maybe they're softening up.

I would buy the issue that shows all of these non surgical success stories a year later.

To me, the biggest "crime" in a story like this is the implied criticism of WLS.  It will likely prevent some people from pursuing it.  A crying shame. 

I'd buy the issue if by, "half their size" they meant that they'd been cut in half... just some torsos sitting around, wearing tighty whities or whatnot. Ha. I sound like a serial killer. 

Agree with you... it's such a dumb thing to have on the cover of a magazine. It's the whole New Year's Resolution thing, I guess. By March everyone's forgotten all about it. 

When it comes from strangers - like a paper - I just smile and think to myself.."Right.. Wait a year or 2.. I've been there, done that".

When makes me mad when I see that from people who know me, and they sassy things like "She/heis doing that - losing weight - the right way".  I am now normal weight and most people firget I had the surgery.  

At the same time, my eating is so restricted...that it is challenging in normal family/ friends setting. We no longer can attend "pizza night" ... And most southern food is so loaded with carbs that I can't even imagine having any. 

Maybe I'm weird, but when I think of "No Shortcuts", it makes me think that they didn't use those weird diets (like the grapefruit diet, cabbage soup diet, etc.), not WLS.  It didn't even occur to me that wls could be considered a shortcut; it's more of a long cut (like a lifetime) ... and sometimes literally a long cut.   I tried about 200 different crazy diets and none of them have worked long term.

They are all in the 95% regain statistics.   I believe the stats for successful long-term wls success are closer to like 50%?  I'll take those odds anyday.  What anybody else thinks about my wls is not only none of their business, and it's none of mine either.  Keeps me more sane that way.

It is most likely people confusing liposuction with a surgical procedure(RNY) that is, at best a tool to help. I think that the real tough part comes when trying to maintain weight loss. I'm fortunate now to be losing a bunch, but keeping it off is when this surgery (RNY) gets tough to do.

I think that ANY way someone takes off weight is hard as hell to maintain. I am new to this though. GOOD POST.