People don't believe you

hlehmann
hlehmann Posts: 10 Member
edited November 24 in Success Stories
Many people will ask if you had bypass surgery and then tell you you're lying when you say it's just a complete life style change.
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Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    I wouldn't give much thought in to what people think.
  • NextPage
    NextPage Posts: 609 Member
    Unless there is something out of the ordinary (for example, you start eating only very small amounts of food at a time), no one is likely to think or say this. Neither I nor anyone I know who has lost weight has ever been accused of lying about how they lost weight. People are usual genuinely interested in your eating and exercise routine when you get results. Of course, if you have surgery this is your private business and you don't need to share or make up other reasons.
  • Azuriaz
    Azuriaz Posts: 785 Member
    If that happens to me I'm going to say I joined a cult and all they fed me was rice and beans for two years.

    The expression on the doubter's face will be worth every possible negative social consequence!
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Yep.
    People don't want to see that this takes hard work.
    They want the easy way out. That's why pills, mlm shakes, and all that junk is so popular. People want a quick fix. There is no quick fixes though. For long term success, hard work is necessary.
  • chatterbox3110
    chatterbox3110 Posts: 630 Member
    Yep, I've lost 154lbs and the first thing people ask is when I had gastric surgery... no-one believes I did it all on my own with just the help of MFP
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Yep, I've lost 154lbs and the first thing people ask is when I had gastric surgery... no-one believes I did it all on my own with just the help of MFP

    Wow, you have lost sooo much weight! Awesome achievement :)
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    Yep, I've lost 154lbs and the first thing people ask is when I had gastric surgery... no-one believes I did it all on my own with just the help of MFP

    Wow....well done. Mention calorie deficit to people if you really want to confuse them.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    Nobody has ever asked me if I had surgery. But, when people ask me how I did it and I say that I simply counted my calories, they often seemed amazed by that. Then they usually start talking about some special diet or pill or detox that they heard about.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    Yep, I've lost 154lbs and the first thing people ask is when I had gastric surgery... no-one believes I did it all on my own with just the help of MFP

    That's incredible. Well done.
  • Ashtoretet
    Ashtoretet Posts: 378 Member
    Most people don't know anything about losing weight, you can attempt to educate but if they still act like a jerk then cut them out of your life.
  • CactusFlower527
    CactusFlower527 Posts: 38 Member
    When you lose a lot of weight - people WILL ask you how you did it; that's just natural. The nosiest thing anyone ever asked me is that if I was losing weight because of a "health scare"... I just laugh and tell them I know people that have had health scares that still don't improve their lives! I do know these types! they would rather take an rX--cholesterol meds for example) rather than drop 50 lbs and get healthy and possibly be able to go off of them entirely. There is really no quick fix for this .. it is counting calories and being aware of EVERYTHING that you stick in your mouth .. what and how much. It isn't even "WHEN" - just expending more calories than what you are eating. No magic. No pill can do this! It IS hard work and it IS "DISCIPLINE" - until a person wants to make this change.. and REALLY want it... they will always be looking for an "Easy Way Out".
  • CactusFlower527
    CactusFlower527 Posts: 38 Member
    Yep, I've lost 154lbs and the first thing people ask is when I had gastric surgery... no-one believes I did it all on my own with just the help of MFP

    You are an inspiration to us all .. good work!
  • getitamb
    getitamb Posts: 2,019 Member
    Yep, I've lost 154lbs and the first thing people ask is when I had gastric surgery... no-one believes I did it all on my own with just the help of MFP



    Touché. Great job, girl!!
  • pootle1972
    pootle1972 Posts: 579 Member
    Azuriaz wrote: »
    If that happens to me I'm going to say I joined a cult and all they fed me was rice and beans for two years.

    The expression on the doubter's face will be worth every possible negative social consequence!


    Blooming genius
  • siluridae
    siluridae Posts: 188 Member
    Some people have no discipline and therefore assume neither has anyone else.

    Someone else lost weight when I am on this super great fad diet every second month then stuff myself again and don't lose any? Must be their fast metabolism, drugs, surgery or magic.
  • Karen_can_do_this
    Karen_can_do_this Posts: 1,150 Member
    I haven't lost much yet (10kgs) and whenever I say counting calories they say "no! What's the real secret? What pill, potion, diet fad did you really use?"

    I say hard work, weighing my foods, entering it into the data base ect and they still think there's some magic trick
  • When I first started showing that I was losing weight a couple of people asked me how I was doing it and I told them that I was counting calories and using an app (MFP) to do so. Their response was that they tried counting calories but it seemed like too much work. I told them at first it seemed tedious but then when I started actually losing weight it became easier. Also, since the app is on my phone that is pretty much glued to my hands, entering my food is simple because I'm on my phone anyway. Candy crush can wait 2 minutes while I enter my lunch. Lol. They just continued to make excuses. Everyone wants easy and right now. It isn't until you accept that it really is a lifestyle change and that it won't happen overnight that you can finally be successful. I knew I wanted to be hotter and healthier. I was going to get there no matter how long it took.
  • hlehmann
    hlehmann Posts: 10 Member
    Yep, I've lost 154lbs and the first thing people ask is when I had gastric surgery... no-one believes I did it all on my own with just the help of MFP

    Awesome job!
  • MacHaloC
    MacHaloC Posts: 42 Member
    I work at a hospital. When I hit about a 65 lb loss, one if the nurses cornered me to ask if I had had surgery. I guess she wanted to know which Dr. I used. I was dumbfounded.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    mamadon wrote: »
    Nobody has ever asked me if I had surgery. But, when people ask me how I did it and I say that I simply counted my calories, they often seemed amazed by that. Then they usually start talking about some special diet or pill or detox that they heard about.

    Same here. I have been asked ONCE if I had surgery, but it was a woman who refuses to change her eating habits at all and spends literally hours per week on the treadmill trying to lose weight (she's lost very little). I mentioned (in the course of facebook conversation) that I'd never actually been on a treadmill (which is true) and she private messaged me "How did you lose all that weight then!? Did you have surgery!?"

    But yeah. Usually people just drop the topic immediately if they ask how I lost the weight and I say "counting calories and eating a little differently". That is not what they want to hear.

  • kmleaf
    kmleaf Posts: 46 Member
    My son lost about 260 pounds using MFP and quite a few people have asked for his help. He has showed them how to use MFP but he found that all they really wanted to do was whine about how "bad" they were last night at dinner. Some wanted him to tell them exactly what he ate each day. He tried to explain that they could eat whatever they liked and that his tastes would probably be much different than theirs. Their eyes just got glazed over and they weren't really hearing him. He doesn't have much patience for people that just talk about losing weight but don't want to put in the effort.

    He says that I am his only "student" with any success. I am down 85 lbs now in 8 months and feel wonderful. My son saved my life - truly.

    Nobody has asked me yet how I am doing it but I work in a small office and they all aware already. Same with my friends - one of which lost a ton of weight with gastric bypass - then a full body lift and now she has gained it all back. Surgery isn't the "fix" people think it is.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Maybe we should say "yes there was surgery. I was the surgeon and I cut out all the excess food from my diet!"
  • 2bfit_2016
    2bfit_2016 Posts: 13 Member
    edited December 2015
    I've lost 75 lbs in the last 8 months. I've been offended more times then I can count regarding my weight loss. It's definitely not as uncommon as some people might think. Not everyone is going to be happy about your weight loss and that just the reality of it.

    I have been accused of lying, starving myself or eating like a pigeon but Rarely am I given credit by anyone for putting in hardwork. People expect you to say you took the easy way out and just took some diet pills or had some surgery instead of actually putting forth some effort. Everything I do or say now regarding my weight seems to spark a debate, so I've just learned that Some people are just plain jealous and envy you for what you have done. I've had to cut off certain people from my fitness goals/ plans/ progress because they clearly can't help but give back handed compliments or pass judgment.

    Keep ur head high and limit those certain people from knowing too much about your fitness related goals/progress. It's better for them and for your own sanity, trust me!

  • trossk2
    trossk2 Posts: 50 Member
    edited December 2015
    I seem to be the exception. My experience with people asking has been mostly positive, though I don't word it as calorie counting. I explain that I had absolutely no idea how many calories were in what I ate, wrote down 3 of my regular days, totaled up the calories, compared it to what I should be consuming, said "Holy 5h1t!", swapped some of the really bad stuff for less bad or good stuff, proceeded to log using the myfitnesspal app from then on, and boom I'm losing weight without a structured diet. One person downloaded the app on the spot.

    Saying you're counting calories when you mean using mfp is like saying you're going to a park when you mean a Six Flags Amusement Park. Equally true but vastly different experiences.
  • aubned92
    aubned92 Posts: 64 Member
    I've had mostly positive reactions to my weight loss but occasionally I get "but where is your extra/loose skin?" :o Like that confirms weight loss and like I'm need to put it on display. Oh well.... Their problem not mine.
  • Madux1818
    Madux1818 Posts: 307 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Maybe we should say "yes there was surgery. I was the surgeon and I cut out all the excess food from my diet!"



    I like it!

  • BodyByBex
    BodyByBex Posts: 3,685 Member
    NextPage wrote: »
    Unless there is something out of the ordinary (for example, you start eating only very small amounts of food at a time), no one is likely to think or say this. Neither I nor anyone I know who has lost weight has ever been accused of lying about how they lost weight. People are usual genuinely interested in your eating and exercise routine when you get results. Of course, if you have surgery this is your private business and you don't need to share or make up other reasons.

    I can't help but feel that my personal experience, and the experiences of others on this thread, has proven this generalization false.

    I keep getting told by a coworker "You don't know any good place to eat because you're ALWAYS on a DIET."
    Nope. Not a diet. Lifestyle change. And I went out to Chili's last night, and their beef enchiladas were fantastic. (He doesn't need to know that I only ate half and the rest was shared between family members when I got home)
  • joinn68
    joinn68 Posts: 480 Member
    edited December 2015
    I am pretty sure it is equally hard to maintain after gastric bypass surgery. Surgery is a means to an end. Given the number of repeat MFP-ers I don't care what anybody does for weight loss if they don't learn the skills to maintain afterwards (I raise my hand as a repeat gainer).

    How often have you encourage people to stop diet, eat the same things they like but lower amounts (yes sometimes much lower and very occasionnally) and they came back the following day with "this diet", and after you've lost 20 lbs they came back with "this program", and after you've lost 60 lbs they are promoting "this product". Half the time they've talked to you during your weight loss you were prepping/cooking your food or going/coming back from a workout. And yet they make it seem like you've lost weight overnight with some occult means.
  • NextPage
    NextPage Posts: 609 Member
    NextPage wrote: »
    Unless there is something out of the ordinary (for example, you start eating only very small amounts of food at a time), no one is likely to think or say this. Neither I nor anyone I know who has lost weight has ever been accused of lying about how they lost weight. People are usual genuinely interested in your eating and exercise routine when you get results. Of course, if you have surgery this is your private business and you don't need to share or make up other reasons.

    I can't help but feel that my personal experience, and the experiences of others on this thread, has proven this generalization false.

    I keep getting told by a coworker "You don't know any good place to eat because you're ALWAYS on a DIET."
    Nope. Not a diet. Lifestyle change. And I went out to Chili's last night, and their beef enchiladas were fantastic. (He doesn't need to know that I only ate half and the rest was shared between family members when I got home)

    I guess I move in very polite circles. I'm not saying that I have never heard any rude comments but they have been the rare exemption (about me and others). I am willing to acknowledge that other people may have inappropriate comments as a common thing - makes me thankful for my own experience, for sure!
  • sobiakhatoon
    sobiakhatoon Posts: 128 Member
    Nice thread
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