Why do people consider weight loss surgery cheating?

1stday13

I don't think it's cheating, but I do think it should be a last resort. Only because you still have to eat better and exercise if you want to keep the weight loss up, so trying to do it without surgery seems more logical. Then you have the pain, time, money and risks involved with surgery. I know two people who died from getting the lapband, but that being said I would and do support any of my friends who choose WLS because it is not easy. It just isn't for me, and many MFPers (including myself) are proof that it can be done without the surgery.

Yes you are kiddo!!! I am proud to call you my friend :flowerforyou:

CorvusCorax77

I am not reading anything but the title.

Let's just say I have a lot more respect for people who do it through their own sweat and hard work.

That being said, sometimes you got a medical condition or something in which case, I don't care.

Wait, I don't care anyways.

kamakazeekim

As someone who suffers from PCOS as well I know what you are going through while trying to lose weight! I only have like 60lbs to lose so I am not in quite the same position as you but from someone who has spent years trying to lose weight "the real way" and having no success despite working 15 times harder than anyone I know, I understand the decision! Plus the quicker the weight comes off the less dangerous the PCOS is for you. PCOS is no joke and the only way to control it is to lose weight and sometimes the only way to lose weight is through surgery. So I wish you luck and I hope that it goes well for you! Just remember...view the "diet" as a lifestyle change to be a functioning female. I am still struggling to do this but when I can manage it makes saying no to processed carbs and sugar a heck of alot easier!

Enlighten me... What is PCOS??

"PCOS is an endocrine disease that affects my hormones. It is similar to diabetes, except that diabetics don't have enough insulin in their body. The insulin bonds with sugar to make energy, so you have to have insulin to live. For us with PCOS, we are insulin resistant. We make PLENTY of insulin, but our insulin receptors don't work, so the sugar doesn't recognize them and just keeps on moving in our blood stream. This unfortunately means that all the sugar/carbs that I eat never produce any energy, and instead go directly to fat." As far as the fertility aspect goes, my body produces WAY too much estrogen, which then converts to testosterone and causes me to have more body hair,irregular periods, and mood swings. I produce eggs every month like a normal fertile woman, but they never get released from my ovaries so they can travel to my uterus. Instead, they just build up month after month and the clusters of unreleased fertile eggs are called cysts. I was lucky...I've had two precious babies...nearly killed me...I'm essentially allergic to being pregnant but they were worth every second of misery!

1stday13

Its the cowards way out
when we are out here working our *kitten* off cuz we gotta lose weight- the real way

Two of my most inspiring MFP friends had weight loss surgery. I did not. They have both lost about the same amount of weight as I have.

The ONLY difference between us is that they had the surgery and I didn't. All three of us log food religiously. All three of us workout all the time. All three of us have made lifelong changes in our approach to food and fitness. All three of us have to approach every challenge with willpower and hard work. All three of us are at risk of regaining weight if we fail to retain our new habits - in fact, studies show that of the three of us, I am the most likely to fail.

We all lost weight "the real way." We all worked our *kitten* off.

THANK YOU! From those of us who have had WLS and follow the rules!

I have lost 125 pounds and kept it off for 2 years (and counting). I log my food everyday, exercise and continue to attend all recommended appointments by my physicians.

To those of you that think I took the easy way out... F YOU! I have never done anything that was so difficult in my whole life! WLS changes your life completely. I eat on a schedule, have to take vitamins, and I don't really get "cheat days", unless I want to spend the day vomiting.

It's a push in the right direction that some of us need. When you get to a certain weight, you begin to feel hopeless and that the end result seems unattainable. Not everyone is born with amazing will power. Simple as that. Some people just need the extra help.

YAY!!! for you (honestly) You are the most direct & honest person I have seen on this thread!! Thank You !!!

I_Will_End_You

I am not reading anything but the title.

Let's just say I have a lot more respect for people who do it through their own sweat and hard work.

That being said, sometimes you got a medical condition or something in which case, I don't care.

Wait, I don't care anyways.

^ What she said.

MorgueBabe

I am not reading anything but the title.

Let's just say I have a lot more respect for people who do it through their own sweat and hard work.

That being said, sometimes you got a medical condition or something in which case, I don't care.

Wait, I don't care anyways.

Since you asked.
Unless you have a medical condition that makes it impossible for you to do to old way, (i.e sweat and hard work), it's cheating.
Just like I think extensions are cheating. I grew my hair to my knees.... and everyone was always like "OOOO are these extensions?" >_<

MayaSPapaya

I highly respect anyone who has lost a huge amount of wait by eating right and excercising. That's the way I started, and the way I'll continue as its working.
However, there are some people who have tried everything, INCLUDING eating right and excercising and they're not losing weight, and their weight is so high that they have a million things wrong and could die.
I think those people deserve to have surgery and I don't consider it a cheat, as long as they remain responsible after it.
The only people I consider it to be a cheat for is those who could easily lose weight by cutting the amount of junk and acutually excercising. To wake up one morning and say "Wow, i'm fat. But I don't wait to start eat all healthy and excercising-I'll just get surgery". , that would be a cheat.

AmyRN2009

Well said Jim, many cowards do hide behind a computer!

Its the cowards way out
when we are out here working our *kitten* off cuz we gotta lose weight- the real way

And here we go with the ignorance. Its a freaking tool lady. Just like your treadmill, elliptical, MFP. Use it correctly or fail! And its easy to judge when your hiding behind a computer.

Siege_Tank

Enlighten me... What is PCOS??

Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is an endocrine disorder in women. While some women can have Cysts on their ovaries, not every woman with PCOS have them.

The principal features are anovulation, resulting in irregular menstruation, amenorrhea (absence of a period), ovulation-related infertility, and polycystic ovaries; excessive amounts or effects of androgenic (masculinizing) hormones, resulting in acne and hirsutism(excessive hairiness in women); and insulin resistance, often associated with obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol levels. The symptoms and severity of the syndrome vary greatly among affected women.

Where PCOS is associated with overweight or obesity, successful weight loss is the most effective method of restoring normal ovulation/menstruation, but many women find it very difficult to achieve and sustain significant weight loss. Low-carbohydrate diets and sustained regular exercise may help.

Missjulesdid

I want to know who made the rules about what is cheating and what is not.. When I became obese, I was never given a rulebook for losing weight so how can I possibly be cheating???

For me, I had the VSG surgery. I actually lost 70 pound prior to surgery but the thought of continuing like this basically miserably hungry for the rest of my life was more than I could bear so I had the surgery to reduce the size of my stomach and make it easier to stick the amount of calories my body needs.

I still have to log my food every day and track my calories and macro nutrients.. I still have to exercise. But the weight loss surgery is DEFINITELY make it easier to control my portion sizes.. I still have to eat the "right things".. I mean if I wanted to, I could down about an extra 2,000 calories of pure junk foods, which I'm sure is how some people fail with their weight loss surgeries. Really all the weight loss surgery has done for me is given me a little boost so that I am not miserable when eating small portion sizes.

Is it less difficult for me to eat controlled portions and stay within my calorie limits after the surgery ABSOLUTELY. Is it "EASY" HECK NO!.. it's just a bit less hard! If it was easy, I wouldn't be on MFP every day maintaining my accountability!

Also, nearly everyone who has WLS will lose some weight, But those who use a program like MFP, and EXERCISE daily are usually the ones who lose the most weight and keep it off. The WLS helps us, but it sure as heck doesn't lose the weight for us.. at least that's not how it works for me!

Siege_Tank

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAeuChXAMKk

Clip of Kelso from Scrubs summing up my sentiments PERFECTLY.. LOVE this episode

AmyRN2009

You asked a loaded question, and some of the 'holier than thou' crowd decreed from their high throne the fallacy of your choices.

1: Do not worry about the opinions and judgements of others. They damn sure dont care about yours. There is only one real opinion that matters and thats the bella in the mirror. You do whats right for you.

2: Its better to have WLS surgery and gain your health back than to continue to remain unhealthy with a foot in the grave. Its not about which tool you use to get healthy, its about getting healthy. If you need to use this tool, then by god use it.

To the anoited posters out there, go have a smoothie and shut the *&^% up.

Ciao, Madcow

Love this and how you worded it!!

melindasuefritz

becaus e we are out here losing weight the real way

avababy05

I don't think there is anything about weight-loss surgery that is easy.

But I do think there is something to be said for learning how to make necessary lifestyle changes. Surgery doesn't change your habits. I know MANY people who have had one form of bariatric surgery or another, and I can only say that ONE of them has kept the weight off. Some of the others tried for a while, but eventually they all thought of their smaller stomachs as a safety net, and I firmly believe it is because they never learned how to eat properly or maintain an active lifestyle before they went under the knife. They had surgery, the weight fell off with little effort on their part, and they weren't equipped to maintain that loss.

I'm not trying to discourage you. You may very well have a great handle on your diet and exercise habits. But to be perfectly honest, if you are looking for reassurance or confirmation that you're doing the right thing from strangers on the Internet, I'm not sure you're in the right mental state for a surgery of this magnitude.

^This

AmyRN2009

Ok... so I was overweight since age 4 and was always active and was morbidly obese for 20+ years of my life. I'm SURE you're right that I could have lost weight without surgery. Definitely makes sense!

wow relax. This wasn't your thread to begin with. OP asked people for their opinions. For someone to be getting all bent out of shape over it is silly. :drinker:

Edited to add...please refer to the bolded section of my last reply btw:

You can be on a clean/healthy/filling 1200 cal a day diet and be active without cutting your body open. Save the hospital stay, the anesthesia problem, the recovery from surgery. BOOM! You yourself said you had gained all of your weight back anyway the first go-round. I'm sure you could have lost it without the 2 surgeries. It's just my opinion. It doens't change the fact that you are having success after the 2nd surgery and are continuing a healthy lifestyle.

I acknowledged the fact you were successful and you still get all bent over my reply. This is why people have attitude on these forums...I can see why many people just ignore the mess in here. smh

Opinions are like *kitten* everyone has one... And just because you use some anal whitening cream doesn't mean we don't know your full of ****! It's okay to laugh its gods way of letting you know you're Alive!

josarahm

If your co morbidities are high ie the complications of obesity-Joint pain, diabetes, hypertension, then weight loss surgery is often the best route. Obviously it requires a lifestyle change. Lap band surgery has a high weight return rate becuse people re stretch, Full gastric bypass is radical and gives you life long issues. The sleeve is currently the best option research wise and it does have the effect that gastric bypass does in that it takes away hunger. It is not really a profitable surgery for hospitals so they really do it because of high demand even though it is costly to have done. My husband is considering surgery but our insurance only covers lap band which his surgeon has said will be the sub optimal choice for him. I am hoping he waits and may not need it if he gets on track.

ladymiseryali

becaus e we are out here losing weight the real way

So the weight lost through surgery is fake? That's a neat trick.

metacognition

This is just my opinion, and I'm not trying to be a jerk. But I'm going to be honest. I regard weight loss surgery with suspicion for all but the most extreme cases.

"I have followed a doctor supervised diet and exercise regiment for over a year. My PCOS is making it impossible for me to lose weight. I've seen and endocrinologist and several other specialists and all are agreeing that it is a good idea if I have weight loss surgery because it will change my hormone composition. "

I don't mean to question a doctor, but just how is stapling a person's stomach, removing their small intestine (god forbid), or attaching a plastic band to the stomach going to help someone lose weight when the desired effect is the same as being on a diet - a reduction in calories? How is this surgery going to change your hormones? I assume that it doesn't, and the hormonal improvement occurs from a reduction in body mass.

A lot of people go to their doctors, get a general diet plan, follow it limply and don't see the desired effect.
IF you are not losing weight on your doctor supervised diet, monitor your calories as close as you can and cut them further.
Exhaust every option. Your body does not violate the laws of thermodynamics, and eventually you must hit a deficit.

IF your body is comfortable with what you are feeding it, you have to make it uncomfortable by eating less or buffering those days with exercise - more intense if you can safely do it. Lots of people have genetic disorders that hinder weight loss. Patients with Prader - Willi syndrome require about 600 - 800 calories per day to maintain their weight. They must follow a monitored eating plan for their entire life. But they CAN maintain a healthy weight or lose weight. And they don't get stomach stapling as a therapy.

My view is that the surgery is excessive, expensive, invasive, and unnecessary. What you are trying to do can be done without the surgery and it's not harder to do. People go to all sorts of drastic lengths to lose weight, feeling that they need it - and 99% of the time they do not.

As for the effects of surgery, do you know about the 5% of patients who experience serious complications? I don't know what type of weight loss surgery you are considering, but do you think it is going to be sustainable if the intestines can't digest the same amount of nutrients as before? Do you think it's going to stay off if a person loses weight extremely fast, resulting in huge losses to lean muscle mass? Are you willing to do heavy weight sets two or three times weekly to hold onto muscle tissue, assuming you are not too weak to do the exercise (drastic calorie cuts will affect your lifts) ?

IMO you have everything in your power to change your life and it doesn't cost anything. You can do this, but only if you want it. ~ Advice end ~

bpotts44

PCOS does not preclude you from losing weight, but you just need to be very disciplined about your intake. More disciplined than the rest of us, but it is possible. There are serious disadvantages to getting the surgery, like a real possibility of death and other serious complications. If you are willing to make a complete lifestyle change you can get the weight off without surgery and have a much higher quality of life afterwards. You are also young. I would seriously reconsider and try to see if you really gave it your absolute all.

Sapporo

Snobbery, people thinking they are better than someone who gets WLS surgery done because they lost weight the "right way" or some such nonsense. That is why they consider it cheating. People like to feel better about themselves so they put others down.
To each their own, it doesn't matter if anyone else on here would get WLS or not, what matters is what you want to do for yourself.