Beginning my journey - ThinnerTimes

Meredith · 01-10-2005, 06:12 PM

I'm just beginning my journey, and I have a question that I was wondering if anyone could help me with. I know that gastric bypass surgery is the right thing for me and I've heard people say that others think it is the "easy way out". Dieting for me is IMPOSSIBLE so in some ways I do feel like this is, not only the "only way out" but the easy way too. Why do you say it's not the "easy way out"?
Thanks
Meredith

bridgetgirl · 01-10-2005, 06:16 PM

" What's the logic in doing something the hard way? " He he or how about this one... " Why do you care how I lose the weight, losing the weight is whats important."

You'll ge alot more than this I assure you..... welcome to the board!

bridgetgirl · 01-10-2005, 06:20 PM

I found an article that I had copied and put on here about this very subject... here it is, I hope you enjoy!

FIND YOUR VOICE IN THE NEW YEAR
Ever walk away from a conversation that made you really mad? And, worse, you thought of just the right things to say two hours later?

In the course of daily life, people make comments, offer suggestions, or are just downright rude when it comes to issues of food, body size and appearance. And, those commenting always have “your best interests at heart.” You know when a zinger is coming. It usually begins with “Now, I’m only thinking about you….but don’t you think…..?” Or, “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but……,” or even worse, “I’m just telling you this for your own good…..” Ah, don’t you wish you could eliminate those hurtful remarks that are “for your own good?” You probably can’t stop them, but you can protect yourself.

Make a list of the kinds of things people say to you that really set you off. Then, come up with a set of your answers to the most frequently asked, annoying questions (FAAQS). You can use humor. You can be sarcastic. Or, as you’ll see below, you can simply ask the person why they’re asking. Be prepared. Rehearse your answers. In other words, stop being a target for everyone who wants to tell you how to live your life.

Here are some suggestions:

“How much weight have you lost?”
Possible replies:
“Why do you ask?”
“That’s between me and my doctor.”
“I’m not focusing on that and would hate to see you worry about it.”

“Isn’t having WLS taking the “easy way out?” <---- all over this one
Possible replies:
“Why do you ask?”
“What is the value of doing something the ‘hard way’?”
“Yeah, major surgery is always the easy way.”
“Should you be eating that?”
Possible replies:
“Why do you ask?”
“I am allowed to eat anything I choose.”
“Eating what?”

“Are you going to gain all your weight back?”
Possible reply:
“Why do you ask?”
“Probably. Want to go to the all-you-can-eat-buffet with me tonight?”
__________________

Phunchaser · 01-10-2005, 06:22 PM

Risking one's life while undergoing major surgery is definitely not the easy way out as far as I'm concerned!

Meredith · 01-10-2005, 06:31 PM

When I first heard this I thought it was a dumb statement because of all of your reasons, plus, this is for a lifetime, there is no going back like there is with dieting. What's so easy about that??? But then I started wondering if maybe I wasn't getting all of the imformation and there was more difficulty than I was being told. So I thought I would ask.
I have another one for you...
People don't seem to talk too much about the emotional aspect. To me this seems like the BIGGEST part. I'll be giving up my comfort, my rewards, my friend! Isn't the emotion of food difficult to learn to do without?
Thanks
Meredith

Dara · 01-10-2005, 06:59 PM

Meredith:

Welcome to the forum. You can feel confident that you will receive some kind of response to any question you pose here. We try to "tell it like it is" and still offer never-ending support to our fellow members.

As to your question about taking the "easy way out" with gastric bypass surgery...

If electing to have major abdominal surgery—opened from breastbone to belly button (in my case) and reworking the entire gastric system--is the "easy way out," then I'd certainly like to see the "hard way out"! I think I would safely rate gastric bypass surgery right up there with Jenny Craig and Atkins. Last time I heard, they don't require hospitalization!

Okay, I will stop with the sarcasm and get serious.

There is no such thing as a “sure thing,” "cure all," or “easy way out” for obesity. Gastric bypass surgery can be a wonderful tool, if used wisely. But, at some point post-operatively, we still had to address and retool our old bad habits and food choices. We could not simply go back to all of our bad eating habits, abuse our “tool,” and expect our weight loss to be permanent. It is a lifelong commitment that certainly includes weight loss and the resolution of life-threatening illnesses. However, it is also a commitment to a changed lifestyle and improved eating habits. In addition, we agree to lifelong physician visits and supplemental vitamin and mineral intake to try to ensure no ill effects from the malabsorption that accompanies the surgery.

I have said this before…I wish I could have lost weight another way. I tried, but the best I could do was become a serial yo-yo dieter. Lose 90 lbs...gain 100 lbs. Lose 50 lbs...gain 70 lbs. At 48, I was tired of it and my health was suffering tremendously.

I think almost all of us on this forum perceive our surgery as a “last resort,” after all other avenues failed. Thankfully, the surgery was available to us because it saved our lives.

I hope this sheds some light on the subject. In addition to asking questions (and we like questions), I would encourage you to read all of the sections on the forum. I think you will find the answers you are seeking there.

Meredith · 01-10-2005, 07:17 PM

I agree that this is not the easy way out but I was concerned that I was getting a rosey picture. But from what I've read people say that the pain and the trauma of changing this lifestyle is all worth it. The results make it worth the effort and that's what I'm so excited about. I guess I feel that dieting and experiencing the YO-YO cyle is so defeating and agonizing that going this route and then learning to stay there is much easier. I just want to understand it all going into it because I deal with things better when I'm expecting it.
Thanks so much!

Meredith

Dara · 01-10-2005, 07:43 PM

Meredith:

I hope I didn't present a negative picture of GBS--I was trying to give you a real picture. I truly believe it saved my life and changed it forever. As many others have said, I would have the surgery again in a heartbeat.

I would encourage you to research GBS fully and think about it seriously. I researched it and thought about it for five years before I made the decision to go ahead. I knew when I was wheeled into the operating room that it was the best thing for me. I am a new person today, and it is because of GBS.

Whatever your decision, I wish you good luck in your journey.

newbetterme · 01-10-2005, 11:28 PM

When I first told my sister I was having the surgery she too thought it was the "easy way out". She mentioned it to a few people who knew someone who had the surgery and she read all my information.

She realized that this was not a quick fix nor was it "easy" and i would forever have to pay attention to what i ate and how much i ate as well as take my vitamin and all my supplements.

Right before surgery she told me that she was happy that i had decided to take control of my life.

People who refer to this as the "easy way out" havent really learned all the lifelong commitments that we have signed up for, and we do them willingly and happily.

paulinacervantes · 01-10-2005, 11:35 PM

i dotn know why people see gbp as the easy way to lose weight , because for me its not been easy. and i dont see any major surgery being an easy way out of any sort of problem, but anyways i have a "friend" that started dieting and excercising about 1 month before i got my surgery. i guess to get ahead of me on the weight loss, but she is always saying that she looses the weight like and it is hard for her, and it makes me feel bad, but also think about it gbp patients also have alot to go trough...