Each time I am in a situation where someone notices and comments, I have the dilemma many of us who have used weight loss surgery to help our transformation have: To tell or not to tell.
I did discuss the surgery with most of my family and with my co-workers. They were the ones who would know I was gone for a week and going through recovery and with whom I wanted to be able to discuss the whole process. The rest of the world - I don't feel the same obligation to discuss it. I have lost and gained a lot of weight over the past 30 years and I didn't discuss the specifics - why now?
Of course, when asked point blank, I can't seem to manage a diversion (lie) so I explain the type of surgery I had. I am not sure if those few people have taken it upon themselves to spill the beans to others. For instance, I had not planned to tell the book club since I was not attending meetings for the several months during the time I had surgery - so I just returned about 60 pounds lighter. One member knows, I don't know if she told others.
No one in my neighborhood or grocery store or other local haunts has asked and I haven't told. I think the reality is that most people don't even realize when someone else is losing weight - no matter how quickly. At some point it registers but they don't have a sense of how long the weight loss has been in progress, so it doesn't seem unusual. I have lost nearly 100 pounds since August - in 7.5 months. But people didn't "see" it until just the last couple of months.
I don't feel embarrassed by what I chose, I just know people can be very judgemental and I am not interested in experiencing that any more than I already have in my life. I still have major restrictions on what I eat and how I have to support my nutrition, the additional tool I have used to get to this point is my business.
What is important is that you've been actively working toward health and fitness. How you got there is no one's business.
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