Dumb A** remark.....

So I was getting gas today and the girl at the station says WOW you look great-- what did you do?  So I figured what the hell....and told her I had lost some weight then I had WLS......her reply- oh ya cheated huh?

I looked at her and said no- didn't cheat-- kinda hard to cheat with a major surgery- and just so ya know its not easy either....

really took me back......what do you say to that?  I am sure others have heard it-- but I have been VERY private and it took a lot for me mentally to say that to someone.....

 You did great! You told her the truth and sometimes the truth hurts. People like this lady is uneducated in what it takes to totally change our lives. This is not a quick fix, it is hard work to keep at it. Change happens all the time even after loosing weight. Congratulations for speaking up. 

People that say that have never been in our shoes!  Or if they are in our shoes, they are too scared or in denial to do what we did!!  You were right to tell her you had WLS, you need not be ashamed of it!!  I tell anyone that asks!

Just to share, I told one of my customers I was having WLS on Mon.  He said "oh, I can help you lose weight.  You don't need to do that.  All you have to do is watch what you eat and exercise."  Hello....BTDT!!  I was soo mad!!  I had to walk away!

When I joined my gym and told them that I was wanting to start exercising again before RNY, they told me I didn't need to do that.....I just needed to hire a trainer through them.  Some people are just ignorant.  It hurts though and I understand the courage you had answering her question truthfully.  I have not had my surgery yet but I have already received a very mixed reaction from the few people I have told.  The people who say that you took the easy way out have no IDEA how this struggle has been for all of us.  For 30 years I have struggled and continue to fight this damn demon even as I write this (the chocolate is calling me!).  One day, you will answer that question and you may save a life......helping someone else on their journey to health.

Blessings to you.......

p.s.  I still do not know what I will say to jerks like this..... 

Ok.......a quick disclaimer.......I know what I'm abouut to say is not a "popular" opinion amogst WLS folks!  It IS just my opinion....

I have yet to be told that phrase everyone loves so much.......BUT I have thought it....pre AND post-op....not in the way she meant it tho.....

Several years ago I experienced my best friend having this surgery.  I knew she needed it and I was happy for her.  I was worried about her long term success because she honestly didn't see ANYTHING wrong with her food choices she was making at the time.  She told people she "worked hard" to LOSE the weight.......I was irritated by that......because IMHO LOSING the weight isn't exactly HARD....If I'm being honest it's pretty darn EASY......where the hard comes into play and what makes having WLS NOT EASY is the care we have to take to stay healthy AFTER the weight is lost.....Now I'm not saying that EVERYONE just sheds all of thier excess weight without some degree of work......wether it is in searching high and low for healthy meals that don't make us sick, or finding that perfect protein drink, and of course there is ALWAYS making sure our vitamin and nutrient levels are above par......so yes there is a certain degree of HARD to what we have to do.......

What people who have never had surgery don't understand is that just like everyone else we have to work harder than non-WLS folks to stay healthy and keep our weight off.......so here is what I intend on saying to ANYONE who says I took the easy way out.......

Yes you are right on a certain level....was it easy for me to take off the weight.........YES.......BUT I couldn't take off the last 15lbs without working just as hard as anyone else......which is where most people are at in this world and MOST people have a difficult time taking off and keeping off that 15lbs......Let me tell you about why it was so EASY for me to lose those first 80lbs......I malabsorb everything I put into my body......I have to take a minimum of 5 different supplements daily........some of those I have to take 3 times a day.....for the rest of my life.......which is NOT EASY.......I also have to work out just as much as everyone else in the world if I want to KEEP the weight off......so if you think what I did to lose the weight was easy I won't disagree with you.....I will tell you this tho.........I WORK HARDER THAN YOU AND MOST PEOPLE YOU KNOW TO KEEP THOSE 80 LBS OFF!

BTW........My best friend has put about 40lbs back on........she eats the same stuff she ate before surgery and can't understand WHY she can't lose the weight......that's why I'm honest with myself about the process I went through.....I know I didn't work hard to lose those first pounds...but I know I'm working harder now than I ever have in my entire life to keep them off!

You handled the situation well!  Ignorance is the enemy and we must educate people!

I myself am not public with my surgery either.  

I  never previously thought it was cheating or taking the easy way out.  I have never been so sick in my entire life as I have been the past 3 months.  The refluxing, lactose intolerance, taste aversions, and ketosis sensitivity kick my butt on a daily basis!  One of the above is always rearing its ugly head.  This is the hardest thing I have ever done, and I still can't get it right.

Take it with a grain of salt.  Everyone has their own opinion...doesnt mean she is right.

I would have just looked at her and said "You say that like it's a bad thing".

LIKE, LIKE, LIKE........

thanks everyone.......
It just took me back- I have not hidden anything but I have not yelled it from any rooftops either....It just took me back that someone was so insensative.....but hey life goes on and I will keep losin......