A word to the wise

Since I have started thinking about and researching weight loss surgery (specifically Lapband), I have encountered some different reactions from people. I have been super sensitive to the way people view weight loss and obese people. Aside from the majority of people in my life, here are some negative things I have heard:

"You may as well give up all the food you enjoy because a guy I know had it and is miserable!"
"There are so many risks...you could DIE!"
"Your life will never be 'normal' again"
and, the best one of all....
"surgery is the easy way out. Just diet and exercise."

I wanted to shed some light on the issue for those who aren't so sensitive to the overweight population.

- You do NOT have to give up the foods you love! You just eat a lot less of them!
- You're right...there are risks. But if I don't get the weight off, I'm going to die anyways. The risks of being obese are much worse than the risks of the procedure itself.
-My life will be normal...it just won't be the same. And that's a GOOD thing!
-Park here for a moment. Anyone who calls weight loss surgery the easy way out obviously knows nothing about it, and has never read about it at all. Talk to someone who has had it. Google it. You will find out VERY quickly that it is nowhere near easy! 2 weeks of a pre-op liquid diet (that's PRE op...while I'm still hungry!), then months of baby steps from clear liquid diet to full liquid diet, then chicken in a blender (aka pureed foods) followed by soft foods, and finally to "normal" foods. Not to mention the pain and sickness of the surgery itself. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. So, if you think it's easy, look it up. I'd say the fact that i am acknowledging my problem and that I am prepared to do something so drastic says I'm a pretty strong person, because no weakling could handle it.

People are cruel and mean, and there are many people out there who have always been a size 6 (or, if their life has been really tough, they may have had to work to lose a whole whopping 20 pounds before...and they seem to think it's just as easy to lose 150lbs). For those people, please don't judge. Many things cause weight gain...not just food. And it's not as easy for some as it is for others. If you have never struggled with obesity (let me clarify....being more than 100 pounds overweight...) before, then you have NO idea what it's like. So, please have some patience.