[Elladorine]

I've definitely heard about it happening to many, but last week was the very first time it happened to me; someone actually asked when I'd had the weight loss surgery. After saying that I hadn't, they wanted to know if I was on phentermine, which diet center I go to, etc.

Is it so hard to believe you can get results from being aware of your calories, watching your portions, and focusing on healthy food? Makes me wonder what kind of reactions I'll get once I reach my goal.

[mandalinn82]

LOL, yes, the question.

They always look so disappointed when you say you're just watching what you eat and exercising - like you've let them down! It's so crazy!

on having lost enough to get the question!

[Lyn2007]

Oh I got some odd questions too when I was down in the 2-teens last summer. And they really don't like it when you say you're just eating less and moving more. They always look insulted. Or like you are hiding your secret!

[FitGirlyGirl]

Yes, I love it when they look at me as if I'm hiding some secret from them. If I did have a secret I would certainly tell them in order to help them be healthy. I haven't gotten the surgery question since my loss had been pretty slow due to my giving up for about 3 months, but I am starting to get questions about strange pills and things since it has sped up.

[Onederchic]

Hehe

[FitGirlyGirl]

I got so annoyed with THOSE people that I forgot to say congrats Sirenity on losing enough to get the question.

[TJFitnessDiva]

lol yeah the first time I had that asked and the seriously bummed/skeptical look they gave me was a little bit funny and annoying!

Once one asks get ready for more of the same

[aphrodite]

"The ELF diet - Eat Less Food"

[rockinrobin]

I had somebody actually "test" me last week. An acquaintance of mine, we were at a mutual friends party. She started telling me about her "friend" who needs to lose weight and how the friend was thinking about WLS. And then she kept saying to me that she should maybe have her friend call me and I could talk to her. Because maybe the friend would want to do it my way. I was a little slow that night and finally realized she was trying to get me to confirm that I had weight loss surgery. It was weird. When I finally figured it out, I was a little annoyed with what she was trying to accomplish. It was even odder that one of my dearest friends was with me, who knew exactly how I got the weight off. She was also taken aback. But in the end it came out that I overhauled my eating habits. I really didn't want to play into her hands. I should have left her hanging and wondering. Whatever. The "friend" has yet to call me.

There's nothing wrong with WLS if that's what you choose to do. But I do wish more people would realize that they too CAN lose the weight sans surgery. There ARE other options. It IS possible to have horrendous eating habits (that would have been ME) and get rid of them by totally and completely overhauling your lifestyle. By DECIDING to lose the weight. It doesn't take some miracle. We're ALL capable of it. We've all got the ability. It bears repeating, because I for one didn't always know it - WE'VE ALL GOT THE ABILITY. Each and every one of us.

[srr728]

People just love drama and dirt. Id lift up my shirt and have them look for scars congrats on your loss girl!

[Meg]

You're lucky that you get asked "the question". People just assume that I had surgery without even asking. Even doctors!

[Suezeeque]

When I lost 130 lbs mucho years ago, there was no WLS available so people would come up to me and ask if they could talk to me. Then they would pull me aside and ask me how I lost the weight, as if there was some magic diet. A few people treated me like the messiah. I really believed in Overeaters Anonymous then and would refer them. Since, I've moved on, but for some people it's a real miracle.

Now, the various surgeries have been advertised all over TV, the IRS has recognized it as a deductible medical expense, Blue Cross pays for it, and AMA says it is the only medically approved (aside from diet, etc.) weight loss treatment. And the program Big Medicine has really promoted surgery as the ONLY way to lose weight permanently. I might agree with them if I don't keep it off this time; but I'm not ready to accept that yet. Starting at 9years old when my mom had me on a diet, I've loss and regained probably hundreds of pounds. My reasons now are different (health) so maybe I'll finally be able to change for good.

The bottom line is that the industry has managed to convince people that surgery is the answer. Doctors don't see long term success so I guess you can't blame them. but, if you read the stats on the by-pass, they are not good in the long term. When I was in Georgia at a weight loss spa, I met a woman who weighed 400 lb and had had a by-pass 7 years prior. She used to reguritate her food if she ate too much at once. Gross. But, she had obviously learned how to circumvent her surgery. that was enough to convince me, plus a little reading, that it's not the answer.

Until medical science has a better option this seems like the only answer for a lot of people. My son's fiance had the lap band and after two years is still losing weight gradually. She's lost 60lbs and kept it off. We'll see.

[Rainbow]

No one's asked me that yet - but I was going to the toilet a lot at my parents' hous e(due to trying to drink a lot of water) and my mum asked me if I was taking a tablet I later realised she thought I was taking slimming pills I had one person thinking I'm terminaly ill because I've lost so much weight too and a lot of the other mums at teh school gates have been giving my strange looks so I guess they're thinking I've lost weight some other way than exercise and calorie counting

Most people just ask how I've done it hoping for some miracle cure for their extra pounds - when they ask how I've doen it they're OK when I say calorie counting but don't look so impressed when I tell them I've been doing an exercise dvd 5 or 6 times a week Guess they don't want to hear they have to exercise

Well done on losing so much 100lb COngratulations

[annie175]

It's called public assumption.

[rockinrobin]

Originally Posted by Meg

You're lucky that you get asked "the question". People just assume that I had surgery without even asking. Even doctors!

I have had numerous, numerous people just "assume" it. They launch right into and speak to me as if I've had it. Eating healthy and exercising doesn't even CROSS their minds. Not for a second.

Originally Posted by Rainbow

I had one person thinking I'm terminaly ill because I've lost so much weight too :
)

Yup. I've had this happen to me many times as well. First they tell me how great I look and then they go on to say in a hushed tone, "everything's okay though, right? you're feeling good? nothing's wrong with you, right?" "Actually, I've never been better. Feeling FABULOUS!!!." I'm indeed the picture of health and I've got the doctors' visits, the energy and everything else to prove it.

When seeing someone who's lost a large amount of weight, surgery and terminal illness comes to mind for many (most?) BEFORE eating well and exercise. No wonder more then 1/2 the country is overweight or obese.