Did we take the "easy way out" with WLS?

Very well stated Fish.  I've never heard it explained that way, I may 'borrow" it next time it comes up, if you don't mind. 

 Dayum Fish, that was just plumb eloquent, my man.  You shore do orate well when you've a mind to.   Well said, brother!

I been told that I got a mouth purtier than a $2 ***** but I didn't take it as a compliment at the time.

I damn sure got on my soapbox there for a minute didn't I. Thanks for the kind words.

First of all, I'm amazed at JFish's post.  2nd, I didn't take the easy way, rather, I took the only way.  I couldn't do the exercise they do on that show.  Heck, I was winded just walking from one room to the next.  My doc suspected I'd be Dead if I didn't have the WLS.  Because of the problem with the severe lymphedema in my right leg, I had difficulty getting clearance for the surgery and I literally begged to have it.  I was a very high risk patient even without many comorbidities but this surgery saved my life!

Great Post Boner, way to stimulate conversation. Can't improve on what's been said. I'm simply grateful God has provided skill to those that provide this life saving technique. Rocky Top

IMO, the only one that can answer this is the person that had the surgery. 

I know quite a few WLS folks and a couple that have had a relatively easy and painfree journey.  They had been unsuccessful with other WL methods, and since they considered their WLS journey to be a success, they thought it was an easy way out.  But again, IMO, nobody can make that determination for you.

EASY

Hell I'd give anything for it to be easy. Constant vigilants on vitamins and proteins. Lab tests deficiencies flabby skin emotional issues

If this is easy I hate to see what people think is hard

 I will be the first to say HELL YES IT WAS THE EASY WAY OUT! And now I can't put words into other ppl's mouths but everyone who has had the surgery even with some complications should be able to say that the weight they have lost has been supremely easy relative to the amount of ass moving they would've had to do without the surgery in the same amount of time. We all owe our surgeons a great debt of gratitude really because otherwise without this surgery many, if not all, of us would not have been able to lose as much weight in as short of time. Hell I've lost 111 lbs (as of today actually, down to 234lbs) in a little over 6 months and I've almost literally done nothing in the way of exercise because of various medical situations (mainly a back problem that is aggravating the absolute **** out of me). Now who can tell me that I would've lost 111lbs in 6 months without doing any exercise (and continuing to eat like I was) if I HADN'T had the surgery? NOBODY! I would've probably GAINED another 50-80lbs as a matter of fact. But anyway, I'm definitely able and quite comfortable in saying yes I needed help and yes it was relatively easy once I received the assistance. And the trade off was a little nausea for a while, can't eat very much at all anymore, don't have hunger pangs but very infrequently, lose tons of weight really quickly, can move much better, breathe easier, sleep deeper, and just overall feel better...I'd say that was a pretty damn good trade with the surgery. So in short, if you don't WANT to say that it was easy for you then that's fine, but we all know it really was the easy way out no matter how you want to say it, all we had to do was lie on a table under anesthesia for a couple of hours while a surgeon rearranged us and then bam 6 months later we're a pretty good size slimmer than we were. Those who are still quite morbidly obese have the right to say that it was the easy way out because look what they have to do in order to lose weight. 

1) Constantly fight the hunger in their stomachs and in their minds.
2) Never FEEL full and satisfied.
3) Work their ASSES INTO THE GROUND to try to lose just miniscule amounts of weight.
4) Have extreme trouble even exercising because of the vicious cycle they are in with being overweight and then eating large amounts of food and whatnot. 

So really we do have it easy, at least for a while. I have no problem with saying that I took the easy way out, but as another poster said "it was the ONLY way out." 

Sorry for the length but this was a great post Boner and it really should be addressed by everyone who is considering having this surgery to note that it really will change your life quite quickly and with relative ease to how it would go if you didn't have the surgery. Take my cousin for instance. Meghan is 20 years old, about 5'4" and weighs approximately 175 pounds. Now that's not HUGE and she really doesn't look bad; however, she is overweight for her size and she struggles every single day with food choices and struggles to even lose one pound. She would definitely say that we have it the easy way and I agree with her. I will even go as far as saying even if I could've lost all of the weight through diligent hard work I wouldn't want to because it would almost certainly come right back on because just because you work your butt off to lose the weight doesn't mean it will stay off because you still have that large stomach to put food in and it never feels satisfied. 

Anyway, I'm finished now, I just get steamed up with this stuff. Don't lash me too hard!

I don't think we took the easy way out. A couple seasons ago there was a guy, Pete Thomas, who was on there and lost a bunch even after he was booted off. I saw him speak at a local community college and he spoke down about the surgery. I spoke to him after and defended the surgery. Why? Because I have still had to work my butt off to lose the weigh****ch what I ate, and have to continue to do these things to maintain it. Just like they do. The only difference? We did lose it quicker because of the surgery and not having to dedicate our lives to just exercise and diet for several weeks. I got my life back and still worked. Both sides still have the mental issues, and I would love to see where some of them may be in about 5 to 10 years. I think many will be successful, but there will be some that will put it back, we all know that. We have been there, lose it, gain it, lose it, gain it...