DOES ANYONE ELSE LIE?

I was wondering if anyone else lies about how much weight they have actually loss? When people ask me I usually tell them less than what I have really loss. I am so embarrest about how much weighed before surgury. I figure if I tell them the truth and they can see I still have at least 100lbs to go they would freak. My coworkers know not to ask, I told them I would tell them when I am at goal. But I have people from the grocery store, neighbors etc, asking me this personal question. They only people who know the truth are you guys and my husband. Has anybody else had this problem and how did you deal with it. Thanks, Lynn

Hi Lynn, I certainly understand your feelings, and sometimes I get a little nervous when people ask me that question also and when they ask, how did you lose the weight? I have to say, though, that I have never lied about how much weight I have lost, but I do get embarrassed as I am telling the truth. I try to think of how far I have come and focus on that and try to be proud when I say that I have lost 185 pounds. On the other hand, though, I have lied to some people in the sense that I leave out the part that I had WLS. It really depends on the person and their motives for wanting to know details. If I feel someone is just being nosey and will probably go talk about me behind my back, then they don't need to know, but if someone seems truly interested and is considering surgery themselves or knows someone who has had it, then I tell them. But still, for some reason, that is a bit embarrassing too. But in the long run, despite having surgery, we still have to do the things everyone else has to do to lose weight - make good choices, eat right, and exercise. It's a good question, though... makes you think. Take Care, Tanja

Hi Lynn, Your post totally caught my eye. It made me think about how I'm so wishy-washy about sharing my wls experience with others. What I mean is...one minute I want to tell everybody I meet that I had the gastric bypass surgery..the next minute, I feel like I have to apoligize for not being as successful as I "should be" at 7 months out. And I AM embarrassed also that I still have so far to go to get to goal. I had my first appointment with my chiropractor..He didn't know me from adam..yet I found myself telling him about my surgery and overly explaining to him that I know that i am still fat..but I am trying to get my life back...he probably thought to himself.....What???? and as my teenager tells me..."too MUCH information MOM" geeez, when am I gonna learn to just keep my mouth shut..instead I should just and make no appologies to anybody!!! I also don't like to talk about my weight loss with my heavier friends who compliment my weight-loss...I know they are watching me...and It just seems like I'd be bragging if I tell the truth to them..yes, I must be HugsGinger

I totally understand that, I find that reasonable. I had to take 2 weeks off from school and I told everyone I was having my galbladder removed. LOL they were all comforting me with "It's nothing, my ____ had it removed" "I had it removed" "It doesn't hurt at all" "The scarring is minimal" Then when my teacher was talking about having her galbladder removed, she came up to me and said "I hope I didn't freak you out, it's honestly nothing to worry about." I tried not to laugh hysterically! I had my galbladder removed a year ago!!!! I just didn't want to tell them because people that are of normal weight would never understand. I didn't want to tell ANYBODY. But as my family started to leak the information, people have been really supportive. Mind you, I haven't even told my best friend - who I've known for 14 years! I tried to tell my brother my weight, but I couldn't - I was soo ashamed. I started by saying "I weigh 500 pounds." No. I really don't. "I weigh 400 pounds." No I really don't. BUT I'm not going any further!!! Perhaps when I lose some weight I'll tell them - maybe it will motivate me to keep losing weight. I don't know. Hope this somehow helped?!

Hi Lynn, This is my motto: I am not where I ought to be, BUT Thank GOD I am not where I used to BE. I'll tell you right now, my highest weight was 360lbs, and when I weighed that much, I did not tell ANYONE Now that I am 313lbs PRE-OP, thats a total of 47lbs lost, I blast it to the world what I weigh. I can remember weighing 313lbs, 299lbs, 275lbs, and 240lbs and I would not tell a soul. But when I got to 360lbs, I got embarrassed and ashamed of myself for letting it get this, rephrase, that far. People always see what you gain, and they reminded me EVERYDAY. Now that I have lost, they go...."Um huh....I dont see where you lost", But I do and thats all that matters. Frankly, it is NONE of their bidness, on how much you lost. They just want to find something negative to say. Keep up the good work girl....and Stay Blessed... Nissah.....360/313/???/180 12 days and counting......

Sadly, yes. I am way too embarrassed to let people know that I have lost 100 pounds and have nearly 100 to go. Most people who are close enough that I dont mind them asking, I tell the truth to... but some of my friends have asked and I just throw out some vauge response or sometimes, just a random number. I dont know why. I guess the embarrassment is one part. Also, my best friend asked and I told her the truth; I have lost about 100 pounds. She responded with "Oh, I bet you are so tiny now, blah, blah, blah" Then I had to tell her I still had about 100 before I am at goal and then there was an awkward silence. This was with my BEST FRIEND. I assume she just didn't realize how overweight I was. I mean, sure, she saw me, she knew... but since she has been thin her whole life, she couldn't really grasp the higher numbers that I am dealing with. So, that has kind of deterred me from having to share the truth. Anyway, yes, I have lied. I guess its not the best thing to do, but it gets me through some otherwise very uncomfortable conversations. Take Care, Mary

I think that even if you are close friends, if they're tiny - it's likely that they don't realize exactly what you are going through and they can't possibly grasp the number. I haven't even told my best friend of 14 + years that I had the surgery!

WOW, I didn't realize that so many of you could relate to me. It makes me fell so much better. Your right thou thin people cannot relate to our numbers. I think that waiting until I get close to my goal, then blowing the people I care about with the numbers is the way to go. I really appreciate having all of you to talk to. Since you are the ones that really understand. Thanks so much, Lynn

Hey lynn, Just for the record, you are under no obligation to tell anyone how much weight you've lost or that you've had weight loss surgery unless you want to. It's your private business, and no one elses; and for someone to ask you (esp a casual aquaintence) is extremely rude and callious. I do not tell people that i've had WLS ...it's my business...i do not tell people how much weight i've lost...thats my business. When people ask how i've lost the weight.... i tell them the truth...low carb diet and exercise (so i leave out the little part that my intestines have been rearranged to let me malabsorb 80 percent of the fat i eat and 50 percent of the protein). When they ask how much i've lost, I tell them bluntly that is private information i care not to share or ..how much do you think i've lost works well too. Most people will never guess how much you really lost. I've lost 158 lbs since January (138 since surgery in feb), and to be honest when people guess they usually guess btwn 30 to 50 lbs...lol and thats right i have lost 50 lbs (plus anohter 108 which they don't need to know about). anyway what you tell people is your business.....but as for me i'm all for pulling the star jones. scott

Dear Lynn, I too don't tell people how much weight I've lost, but I will tell them what percentage of excess weight I've lost. So instead of saying I've lost 137 lbs., I'll say I've lost 53% of my excess weight. That is, of course, if I feel like telling them anything. It's truthful and it's suitably vague. Sally