HELP!! I feel like such a FRAUD!!!!

 Before I had it done I didn't tell anyone, although I didn't lie if asked directly. Afterwards I make no secret of it and tell pretty much everyone. If they have a problem with it, then I don't have time for them. My life is moving forward and I could never have lost this much weight with diet/exercise alone. I have tried that over and over and it took 6 months to lose 1/2 of what I've already lost in 2 months.  I was thinking the other day how easy this was and how I really need to start exercising because I haven't really started, other than walking on my breaks.  I'm already in my "small" clothes, you know the ones you kept b/c you knew you'd wear them again someday, well that someday has come and now I'm almost anxious about what I'm going to do when they get too big!  I LOVE my sleeve!

Point well made. However, I'm not suggesting that the sleeve didn't make the journey easier - or even possible. I'm only saying that the OP shouldn't feel like a fraud by telling people that her weight loss is a result of diet and exercise because, frankly, it is.

I have done all the diets, pills, fasts and gym programs too and I have bounced up and down like a super ball. We all have. We have all also had much better success in much less time with our VSGs. That much said, I'm a firm believer that surgery, no matter what kind, is personal and private. Accordingly, if I or anyone choose not to share that with someone, it is my business and mine only. Regardless of the fact that our hunger is dramatically reduced and our stomach capacity is minimalized, ultimately the reason we lose weight is because we take in less calories than we burn. This my friend, is a diet.

So, I stand by my opinion that the OP should be proud of her accomplishment. She shouldn't feel like a fraud for telling anyone anything about her weight loss because it's exactly that, hers.

And finally, if someone did come back around later and confront her about the surgery and that she hadn't told her, well the ball's back in her court - "it was none of your business", "you made me uncomfortable because you had nothing nice to say about WLS", "I have worked super hard, and made a very difficult decision and wasn't ready to be judged", and my personal favorite, "pi$$ of you beeatch - I'm 13 and I do what I want!"

Anyhow, I'm happy and comfortable with my decision and I tell what I want to who I want. I just feel strongly that this is a personal choice and that nobody should feel like a fraud if they choose to be selective with who they share their personal and private business.

Nobody has a right to judge us but God above and the person we choose to spend our life with. I am grateful for my sleeve and proud to finally be getting healthy. And I wouldn't eat 800 burritos if I didn't have it.

Oh yeah, my post had nothing to do with feeling like a fraud or telling who what. I kept my surgery a secret from a lot of people because I felt like it was no one's business. I picked and chose who I told. At this point I don't give a **** who knows besides the people at work. They're *****es.

 A diet is merely what we intake. We don't go on diets, we have a diet. Every day we have a diet... it's not a special thing. Diets don't have anything to do with weightloss, they are just what we eat. And the fact that you have tried everything and bounced up and down does prove that the sleeve does do the work. If not, you would be bouncing up and down with this too. Granted, later on, you'll gain weight again without discipline but for these first few months-year this sleeve **** does it's thing on it's own. That's my experience.... and I'd definitely eat 800 burritos in an HOUR if I didn't have it.

I've have many people ask me how I'm doing it and I don't tell everyone WLS.

I stick with the high protein, high water, low carb and I finally got my ass off the couch answer. I've been working out 5x/week so it's not like people keep pressing me.

If it's someone I trust and truly care about, I tell them the full story. Only because I want them to be successful also.

One of my co-workers knows the full story and her boyfriend came and talked to me and he's now having VSG next month!

Don't feel guilty for what you decide to share.

It goes along with my avatar and the fact that I've never posted face pics on here that I do not feel the need to tell anyone about my surgery. It does not define me.

I have worked my ass off for the past almost 11 months and my Sleeve does not get to take the glory for the weight that I've lost.

Yes, I had the Sleeve. I also work out 6 days a week. I try to make protein first. I drink over 100 oz of water a day. I've had to find other non-food ways to deal with my stress.

My old boss saw me for the first time and grilled me about how I lost the weight. I told him I work out hard (karate/Taekwondo/Krav, also weights and walking). I eat very high protein, very low carb and I keep my calories under 1000. When I do all of those things, I lose weight.

The weight didn't just "melt off" me. So, I tend to congratulate myself for the hard work more than I do my Sleeve.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think I could have made it this far, and this is the first time I've kept the weight off this long, without the Sleeve. It is an amazing tool.

I think what you said was completely appropriate.

Of course I will have a different take on this..lol

Things have a way of always coming out at some point.The world is actually such a small place.If I really dont want to talk about it I just make a joke about it and say,my secret but it took a lot of hard work!

I just dont need something in my life that I constantly have to lie about.This is something good I did for myself,why create a situation where I have to feel guilty about something good?

And frankly,people will say what they say anyway.Who cares?I know people that desperately need this surgery and knowing about my struggle and the difference the surgery has made to my life might help them save their own lives.

But then,I am older now and dont much care anymore about what people think.

Just one thing and not to be mean or anything,but for some to say that it is the diet and exercise that got you thin is a real big self deception as all of us would still be fat if it wasnt for the surgery! It was surgery first,then diet and exercise or we wouldnt have gotten the surgery.

Slimpcikins,dont worry about this too much.Nobody really cares to much about othwr people's stuff!

I don't spend a fleas life worrying about what other people think. I've made that pretty clear on over the last year on this forum.

I don't hide the surgery, but I've also had a hysterectomy, gall bladder surgery, my wisdom teeth removed, ingrown toe nails fixed and my nose broken and rebroken. None of those surgeries define me, why should the Sleeve? Some people know about my WLS, some don't. I feel fine either way.

You have to read my entire post. There's a part in it that says that I know I wouldn't have kept the weight off this long without the Sleeve. It also says I wouldn't have lost this much without the Sleeve.

I've seen enough people come back to this forum who ate whatever they wanted and now have 20, 30, 40 lbs to lose to know that diet and exercise play a tremendous part in this weight loss. To act like they don't is just silly, imo. But, I understand your concern. Someone might think I'm saying diet and exercise work. Wait, they do work.

I hope one day she does ask you why you lied to her. I also hope that on that day you can tell her exactley why. Because she spewed a bunch of bull**** your way, without knowing her facts, or considering who she might be talking to.

I wonder if she does that in other aspects of her life...

I didn't tell anyone other than family and my close knit group of friends until I reached 100 loss, then for whatever reason I decided that enough was enough and I was getting too many questions and the loss was becoming too obvious. So, I posted a long blog that basically said "this is what I did, why and I don't care what you think" - but nicer (beauchampfamily.com - look for a post in December of 2011). I posted on Facebook. I post publicly now about it there and whereever else. It's changed my life. It's changed at least 2 of my friend's lives. That made it worth it.

Honestly, no one has said a single bad thing to me about it. At least not to my face and frankly, if they do... that's THEIR problem. I'm doing me. They can do them. I'm 37 years old, an adult and can make my own decisions.

HOWEVER, that doesn't mean that the way I do things is right for everyone. Everyone has their own journey and their own decisions and comfort level. You will find yours.

For me hiding played a big part in me being super morbidly obese.... hiding my eating, hiding from the truth... and i guess when i made the decision to become healthy i personally had to come out of hiding to save myself. I hide nothing. I told everyone anything going on in my journey and that included my WLS. 
A stygma is attached to having WLS...n hell even being fat there is a stygma.... and will always be that way until people LEARN... n how are they to learn unless you tell and be an example of what WLS really is... and that is a tool...only a tool and YOU do the hard work.

NEVER be ashamed for the decision you made... shame is something you allow another person to make you feel....n frigg the people who dont agree or understand.....