Cheated?

I have been reading posts where friends, family, and strangers have used words like "cheating" or "taking the easy way out" when talking about a person losing weight with WLS. There is nothing "cheating" about it at all. In fact, it takes will, determination, conviction, and the desire to lose the weight that is of dangerous proportion. It is not easy at all. Anyone who is over a year out can tell stories of the nights, the days, the hours, the minutes, the restaurants, the meals, the sweating, tears, etc. It was not the "easy way out" nor was it "cheating". At least once a week my body somehow reminds me of where I have been and what I must do. It isn't easy, but we learn to adjust and cope in order to live a healthier life, and in some instances to just live period. Just my 2 cents worth. We are brave and determined, and for that we should all pat ourselves in the back. We deserve everything we have. We cheated at nothing. The "walk a mile in my shoes" phrase applies here. Many would not be able to! Hugs to all, Missy.

Luckily I have not had any negativity in my recovery. I have actually had many of my support group praise the committment and dedication they have seen and mentioned that they didn't think they could have done it. Definitely, not a walk in the park!

Given that the alternative would have been something like locking me in a bathroom for a year with nothing bu****er and vitamins I have to say it is the easy way out. The fact that it is relatively easy does not mean that it is easy in an absolute sense.

Hi Gordon! Happy belated anniversary!

Oh, and thanks. Just saw the Dr and he thinks I'll be ready for TT in 6 months. Would be weird to not have a gut.

Missy, I think WLS is as hard as any diet I was ever on; the difference is I went through major surgery to get an incredible tool created inside me, and have spent every single day of the last 31+ months learning about, working with and caring for that tool. I have to wonder if there was a surgery that got people to stop smoking or stop drinking excessive alcohol or stopping drug use, would it be viewing with as much sensationalism and negativity as WLS sometimes has? I rather doubt it. In fact, I think it would be applauded as forward thinking, progressive! And I think one of the reasons why is that we ALL eat but not everybody drinks, smokes or uses drugs, and I think people who don't battle weight simply have no clue why it's such a problem. They just don't understand that this is a DISEASE, whether it's one we could possibly control without surgery isn't the entire point. I've been lucky not to have met with any direct criticism for having WLS, but then I also haven't told many people. It was obvious to those who don't know that I changed just about every part of my lifestyle and I believe they just contribute my success to that. And how right they are!!! I wouldn't be where I am today with out all the other efforts I've put into this. Any way..this, like many other things in life, we have to just let roll off our backs. We can choose to be influenced by it or not. Ann

A friend with a drinking problem put it quite well. When we first met after I was down 100+ pounds, he said "If there was a surgical procedure that would have cured my alcoholism, I would have performed it myself with my own knife!" We should be thankful that such a "cure" exists for us! Nowhere Man/PH/Jay

I have had mixed responses from the co-workers, but by and large people have been very positive. When the occasional person raises the "cheating, easy way out" stuff, I just tell them I regret to have lost so much weight, depriving them of the additional a$$ to kiss. Once they figure out what I said, they usually say no more. I really don't care if others agree or disagree. I am the one who will either fail or succeed in course that I have chosen. My only obligation to them is to be a good steward of the financial resources that my employer expended to pay for the WLS. Collectively, they paid for this, so I better make it stick, eh? Nowhere Man/PH/Jay

Hi Missy!! After what I went through shortly after my FIRST surgery...I have made it known that the first person to tell me, to my face that I took the "easy way out" will get punched right in the mouth. I can only hope is someone I already dislike!!! I agree with you 100%!!! Keep up the good work...Cap'n K-Man

Losing weight through WLS was easy as falling off a log. Even the recovery period and pain levels were roughly the same, as I broke my wrist when I fell off the log Sure, surgery was a tough choice. But the deal I made in choosing surgery was that I would accept the risks, pain, and discomfort ALONG WITH easier, quicker, and longer lasting weight loss. There is not a single thing I did post WLS, either physically or mentally, that I did not have to do on every diet plan I ever undertook. Really, it was EASIER than every other diet program, because controlling my portion size was/is now not an issue. For the first several months my appetite was generally non-existant, so making 'good' food choices was not much of an issue. You can only put so much food into a 1 ounce pouch no matter how little willpower you have. "Cheating?" I've never had anyone accuse me of this. I guess that would be a perspective thing. If the rules of life are that you deal with the cards you are dealt, then I guess Yes, I did cheat in that through surgery I changed the cards. However, MY rules of life allow surgery for many things I still have extreme admiration for those that have been able to lose weight solely through diet and exercise for they obviously possess a willpower that I lacked. As with so many things, we all approach this differently. Tek