MomOffTheBench
Why You Won’t See Me in "Half Their Size"
Feb 08, 2026
Every January, I see the same thing on the grocery store racks. The People Magazine "Half Their Size" issue. I see the smiling faces, the "before" photos of people who used to look like me, and the headlines about "Grit, Determination, and Dieting."
But here is the play they won’t run: The Surgery Story.
For years, People has leaned into a specific narrative. They want the story where you just "ate less and moved more." They want the story that makes it seem like a 300-pound loss is just a matter of choosing kale over cake.
I’m calling foul.
I am currently 488 lbs. My goal is 190 lbs. That is nearly 300 pounds of "armor" I am getting ready to shed. And I am using a tool called the Duodenal Switch (DS) to help me get there.
To the editors at People: Why is my story—and the stories of thousands of bariatric patients—not "inspirational" enough for your cover?
Is it because surgery isn't "natural"?
Is it because you think we took the "easy way out"?
Let me tell you something from the perspective of an athlete and a coach: There is nothing easy about this. Surgery isn't a "cheat code"; it’s a medical intervention for a life-threatening condition. It takes more discipline to manage a post-DS diet, hit 100g of protein a day, and navigate the mental "mirror lag" of losing 300 lbs than any fad diet I’ve ever tried.
By ignoring surgery success stories, you are telling people at my weight—the 400+, 500+ lb warriors—that our path is "less than." You are making people feel ashamed of using the most effective tool available to save their lives.