Got snubbed at Weigh****chers

I can't even believe what happened to me today.  I decided to join WW because I wanted to have a weekly weigh in to make sure I stayed on track and maintained my weight loss.  I know that this surgery isn't a magical surgery that you can just stay thin forever with no chance of gaining weight back.  I have gained about 5 pounds - first gain I have seen in over 1 year.  I decided to take control go back to the basics just like I did right after my surgery.  I just had gotten lazy and a little too carefree with my eating habits lately.  Okay so anyway I go to WW I am very excited thinking I am doing this fantastic thing for myself and I am being pro-active with maintenance.  However, when I walked in the ladies at the front tables looked at me like I was a nut case.   One of them ask me if I knew that I was at a WW meeting?  I said oh yes I know I wanted to come and check things out and explained that I had a gastric bypass and I wanted to keep myself accountable with my maintenance.  The other lady chimes in and says that while WW could work that way that the program was designed for people who need to loose weight and that I would most likely make people feel uncomfortable being there!  WHAT? HELLO? EXCUSE ME?  I was shocked.  I said that I of ALL people understood weight struggles I mean it has to be pretty darned bad for a person to have weight loss surgery good grief.  I said that I didn't want to make anybody feel uncomfortable but I hoped I would be able to help other people not hinder them.  I was told in a very rude way that they appreciated my "stopping" by but that I needed to find another program to use for my maintenance.  I have decided after I got back to work and thought about it that I am going to write WW corporate a letter or something.  I just can't imagine that WW would want leaders treating people like that.  I mean I am so upset.  I used to get stared at and sneered out when I was over weight now the same thing being "thin" .. sheesh.  I can't win.

Oh wow, I really am not suprised by this but it is a really sad commentary on reverse discrimination. That is really outrageous. WW is a business and they should treat you like any paying (potential) customer. I think a few choice words are in order to thier corperate headquarters. Bariatric patients are a huge "niche" market for them if only they could realize this and quit being so rude.  Amazing. Molly

I think that is completely unacceptable that they treated you that way!!!!  You have just as much of a right to be there than anybody else!!!  By the weight, did they ever stop to think about their "lifetime" members?  If you have lost a large amount of weight on WW and kept it off, you can have a lifetime membership.  Sooooo, you would have to be thin at that point right????  I am sure they let those thin people into the meetings, so why not you?  I would be livid if they did that to me and I sure hope you write the corporate office a long letter about how ugly you were treated.  I hope that they teach those two WW workers a lesson!!!!!! Good for you for trying to do what is right with your weight by the way!!!! Lorri

I wish I had thought about the "lifetime" thing darnit!  You know when you are in a situation and you are just shocked and you think of all the good "zingers" you could have said after the fact.  Well that is one of them I wish I had thought of that then!  I was very blunt and told them both that I was shocked at what they were saying to me and that they should be ashamed of themselves.  I did say that I felt sorry for people like them that all they do is sit in judgement of others!  I was very mad when I left and they knew it too!  IDIOTS! Thank you for seeing that I am trying to do a good thing and not try to "slam"it in the faces of the other people there trying to loose weight.  I am so not that kind of a person.

Oh yeah  -  I've got a Lifetime membership at WW and I weigh 264!  Ha. I lost 100 pounds on WW and gained it back.  Not too many lifetime members are thin. That's why I am here.

Hi, Tink.  I am so sorry for your experience but am not surprised.  Two weeks after having my surgery, hubby joined WW and has lost 200 pounds.  My daughter then joined in her city and has lost 60 pounds.  She had talked a lot about her Dad so they wanted us to come to her group - and I was told not to tell that I had lost 130 pounds by gb.  Who would ever think you'd be made to feel like a criminal for doing something good for yourself?!?  Needless to say, my feelings for WW is very negative!!!

I am so sorry, Tink - but am not surprised.  Two weeks after I had my surgery, hubby joined WW and he's lost 200 pounds.  Then my daughter joined a group in her city and lost 60 pounds.  She wanted us to come to her group because she had told them about her dad - and I was told by her not to mention that I had lost 130 pounds w/gb.  I felt SO sad and SO unwanted - I have NOTHING good to say about WW now and, unfortunately, I think that IS how corporate wants it treated! 

I'm sure the liftetime thing is part of the issue but perhaps they don't want post-ops sitting there  discussing their surgeries at their meetings and they want to keep the focus on their program since that is where they make money by keeping people coming??? Might be interesting if WW jumps on the WLS bandwagon and comes up with a post-op plan and has meetings tailored to that target audience.  Hmmm... Good luck with your maintenance! Kathy

Tink, Congrats on your wonderful weight loss.  Did the WW people even tell you the program guidelines?  How rude of them!  It used to be that the requirement for WW membership was that you had to be at least 10lbs overweight.  Anyone who wanted to lose 10+ pounds could join.  If you met the criteria, there is nothing they could do but to let you join.  The rules may have changed, but that is what they used to be. I am 4+ years out from my DS surgery and completely understand where you are coming from.  Learning how to maintain weight after a lifetime of obesity is difficult!  So far, I have managed to stay within a 5-8 lb range, but it is hard. Best wishes and hang in there! Sharon

I am very disgusted with this and would like to add my support and contact corporate WW to give my feedback. May I ask what town it was in so they know where to direct their attention? They are touting the program as keeping off the weight and not going back, therefore that is maintenance.