Losing weight through surgery-- "cheating" or accomplishment?

My opinion is any way you can lose weight and it be healthy, then go for it.  To say we've "cheated" by going the WLS surgery or taken the "easy way out" is wrong.  Whether you go the non surgery or surgery route, losing weight and keeping it off isn't easy.  For us WLS'ers we have just traded one set of struggles for another.  We still MUST eat the right way or we'll undo the help we're getting from this tool.

I thought of having wls, but chickened out.  Then, when I finally got "the nerve", our insurance had changed, and the new insurance wouldn't pay for wls.  So I'm doing it in a slower way, ala Overeaters Anonymous and Weigh****chers.  Even though wls is the "faster" way, it's not necessarily an easy way.  You still have to follow the food plan like the doctors tell you, and learn to eat in a new way, chewing everything thoroughly and eating small amounts.  That's alot of work, and it's hard, so how can wls be "cheating"? Denise Phares/kitties4

I don't think wls is cheating...but I also don't consider it an accomplishment.  I certainly don't think it is an easy way out...fear, anxiety, cost, surgery, recovery etc...  Then again, I admire the drive and dedication that those who are able to diet and exercise the weight off & keep it off...I guess I admire their life changes....which is what I'm striving for.   I didn't opt for it because I knew someone who died 4 days after getting it & I knew 2 other ladies that had it & were sick for months and months (at least 9 months).  Plus, I reached the point back in January that "this is it; all or nothing".  I'm confident that I can lose it & keep it off.  I've completely changed my views of foods & portion sizes etc... Hey Neecee, you can add me to the list of the few over 40 & over 100 lbs to lose & who succeed:-) Lisa

It *can* be an accomplishment, depending on your approach. For me, it's no different than my pre-op dieting, except with fewer calories. I don't dump, can eat anything at all, and what stops me is generally not the surgery but my own will. My choices are still all my own.