I just read this really obnoxious article about a woman who lost a couple hundred pounds with gastric bypass and she was whining about how it didn't fix all the problems in her life. I found myself wanting to punch a hole in computer screen and bonk her forehead on her monitor! First, which magical leprechaun were you expecting to come fix all your problems when you weren't fat anymore? Did you think the universe was punishing you because of your obesity? That's ludicrous! If you lost weight to fix all of your problems then let me be the first to say, "Sorry, Charlie!" and buy you a box of HoHo's. Weight loss, when taken as a journey, can help you find a truer, purer version of yourself. I, however, am fundamentally the same person. I still don't like to do dishes (sorry, Steve!), I still have the same dorky sense of humor, and my bank account is still Donald Trump's waking nightmare. What has changed is how I feel about what I'm doing with my life. I feel a sense of accomplishment. I feel a little bolder and little stronger. Each day that I win my battle with weight is a day I feel proud of. I also have learned the value of people who love and support me. My mom and dad have rooted me on every step of the way and tell me frequently that they love me and are proud of me. My mother-in-law made weight loss fun and attainable by doing it along-side me and always and untiringly supporting me through the process. My husband cooked almost every dinner I've eaten on this journey and always kept my goals in mind. My siblings have pushed me by doing some of their own weight loss and competing with me in physical challenges.
I would never say that I am against bypass surgery. I understand that, for a certain group of people, there are few other options. However, I think that far more people have the surgery than actually have to and many are sucked in by the "quick fix NOW" mentality of our society and don't want to work for change. Working your way through the changes is what makes them meaningful. Figuring out, little by little, habit by habit, what works and what doesn't is what makes weight loss last as well. I'm not a weight loss snob. I recognize that I will struggle with my food issues for the rest of my life. However, I am a stronger person because I know how to and I know I CAN overcome them.
Earl Nightingale sums up my feelings on our quick fix society the best:
“Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.” - Earl Nightingale
