What do you say when they ask...

 What do you say when your friends ask you if you should still do the surgery when you have already lost weight on the required 6 month diet?

I've lost almost 50 lbs since last january. Now that I'm looking at my dr consult appt to schedule my surgery I've been getting a lot of people asking if I should still do the surgery. This is the most weight I have ever lost.

The surgery is what has been keeping me motivated and I'm really looking forward to a new tool to help me keep going. I still have about 50-70lbs I would like to loose.

Did you experience this with your friends/loved ones? What was your reply?

We've all been down that road and about all you can say is yes I can lose this way but I can't keep it off so that's why I am having the surgery to continue to keep it off. Some will get it others won't all you can do is stay on track with your journey and let them worry about their own life.

As Hislady says!

I lost 50lbs, in fact more, many times! But I never kept it off. Many if not most people who get weight loss surgery are serial dieters, sorry, WERE, serial dieters! 50 off, 55 back on, 50 off, 60 back on, 50 off, 70 back on! Result, overall constant increase.

Kate

I agree with Kate and Hislady. I have lost the weight of several people.  But gained it all back, plus every time. I can only go by the vets on here that THIS really works AND lasts.  I do know that when I travel, even if I don't always make the best choices, Band still keeps me from eating to much of whatever I have. Good Luck! 

Hi there! 

You just outlined reason #672 of why I told practically no one about my wls..  I have a low tolerance for people asking me personal questions about my weight, household, other personal choices.

Have a great journey!

Yup Lisa,
Only my VERY immediate family knows, and thats because theyre banded also...I plan on keeping it that way!

 Thanks for the replies! This really helps. I think I've really just been stuck on what to say and this gives me some answers to give.

It doesn't bother me when they ask, more I just like something to say back. LOL

Pretty much all have you just helped me clarify what's in my head and heart into words. Thanks!

Losing weight and keeping it off are two completely different things! The chances are very slim of actually keeping it off a significant amount of weight without WLS. My band has never worked, so I am extremely fearful of that! Hope you have better luck with yours!

Losing the weight on your own is hard, so congratulations!  The challenge is keeping it off.  I've never been able to acheive what you have without my band but as I understand the statistics, only about 15% of people that lose weight by dieting alone keep it off.  It's just too hard to count on willpower alone over time.  You will still be dieting (changing what you eat by making better food choices) with the band but it will help with hunger control and portion size, (at least it does for me), and that's what's allowed me to maintain my WL for over 2 years within 10 lbs.

Keep doing what you're doing and don't worry what others say.  If you've done your homework and made this decision based on what you feel is right for you, then what they say shouldn't matter.  There comments and questions are hopefully driven by concern but unless they've walked in your shoes they'll never understand what it's like to be obese.

Best Wishes,
Lisa O.

So true, I had a 2 week period of eating healthy to shrink my liver but had worked out and lost close to 25 lbs and everyone was like, you don't need the surgery. I had lost 40 lbs in 2 mths from depression before and saw how fast it comes back so I knew it might not be permanent so I had the surgery and lost 100 more lbs in a year and I've never felt better. I put on like 20 lbs but I'm working to get that off and considering that I'm 2 yrs out that is understandable. I can't really say the band had too much to do with it though, it was alot of will power and exercise. However, I will say that having any weight loss surgery forces you to really access your weight because there are so many people that hold you accountable because they know how far you were willing to go to lose the weight and there are alot of folks just standing back ready to call you failure. So, I work hard to keep the haters from having the opportunity to tell me they told me so. Having bariatric surgery forces me to be sooo much more responsible Its almost like being a celebrity who has to maintain a certain look because people are so eager to dog you out.