Have people told you that you're brave?

I've been very open about my surgery and the number 1 response has been wow, you're brave. Which is pretty awesome but I never thought of it that way. My husband's aunt who is now 70 and has lived with obesity all her life said I was braver than her. 

I just got to the point where I didn't want obesity to be part of my story any longer. 

Edited for typos

My primary care physician has told me that. But has seen all my medical issues go away, and in best shape I have been in many years.

Maybe he just misses seeing me almost every month?

I had a bunch of people tell me that, and it really surprised me. Nothing about it felt brave to me. If I had operated on myself with a pen knife, that would have been brave.

I just took it as a positive comment and filed it away. It still seems peculiar though.

Peculiar is the word I was searching for. :) 

My MO sister has said that several times... and added "I could never give up food"...  kind of the point.  I think you just either get to a place where you are committed to making a change, or you don't.  My sister thinks giving up food would be the end of the world.  With a certain mindset,  it is, I guess.

This is my husband. To him, giving up what he loves to eat, and being able to eat as much of it as he wants...that's just too much for him. For me, I was willing to give up whatever, if I could just manage to do it!

To me, I don't think of it as giving up what I love. I think of it is just being able to have self control and eat it in smaller amounts than what I have ever eaten before.

We are brave.  We have committed to making a very drastic change to our lives.  No matter what they say, this is not reversible.  Many of us will live with dumping or food intolerances.  

BUT:

We will also live at a healthy weight if we follow our plans.  We will have more energy.  

We are changing our lives.  For most people that is brave.

I did hear it from quite a few people as well.  It seemed like they were either very afraid of surgery OR they couldn't envision the food breakup (most people in the first category).  It really surprised me, but I guess my fear of dying early from obesity overcame everything else.  

I have heard from several people how brave they think I am for having WLS.  I tend to agree with them.  Most people are afraid to make good decisions about their health, and they would rather ignore unhealthy habits than correct them.  They'd rather eat a burger and a shake or buy a candy and a soda instead of having to tell themselves no.

The tell ourselves "no" is what makes it brave.