Fat Lady in a Thin Body: WLS Patients Feel Like Imposters

Every weight loss surgery patient I've met said they at sometime during the weight loss experience felt like a fraud. A fraud is someone who pretends to be what they are not, an imposter. Given this definition, of course we feel like a fraud! Almost overnight we become the exact opposite of what we have been for many years. We are in fact a fat person masquerading in a thin body. Of course we feel like a fraud!

Weight loss following gastric bypass is so fast and consistent; there is no time to pause and become familiar with ourselves as our size diminishes and our health improves. So, while the body adjusts to its new healthy weight, our mind is slow to catch up. It still sees a fat person and this smaller body is alien and unknown. It is an imposter. A disguise. A fraud.

Be assured, this phase of fraud is normal and consistent among people experiencing rapid massive weight loss, it is part of the transformation. Be comforted knowing feelings of fraud will pass. As we become familiar with our down-sized dimensions the haunts from our morbidly obese days will pass. If a bariatric patient after several years of successful weight maintenance rapidly regained the weight they would feel as much a fraud in their new super-sized body as they did in their newly trimmed body. Feelings of fraud are certain to result when a change is as rapid and effective as gastric bypass weight loss.

For many patients, a different feeling of fraud is manifest when others start to notice and comment about the weight loss. In addition to managing our own feelings of change, we must manage feedback from others, much of which is unsolicited. Patients who have kept their surgery private feel fraudulent when they answer "I'm losing weight by eating less, controlling my sugar and fat intake and exercising" all of which is true. Patients who speak openly about their weight loss surgery may be told surgery was easy way out of obesity. They may hear about surgeries gone bad, get the warnings about regaining the weight, and be treated to a host of other myths. This feedback can cause us to feel fraudulent.

One weight loss patient said it best: "what I find both interesting and sad about bariatric patients: we are ashamed when we are fat, and we are ashamed when we do something about it." It is not fraudulent to be medically treated for a disease that is killing you. The weight loss surgery patient who accepts this as fact successfully overcomes feeling like a fraud. That patient celebrates the miracle of modern medicine and a second chance at living.

I used to tell my husband, "I'm nothing but a fat lady masquerading in small clothes." He didn't like me to talk that way about myself and asked, "if your best friend succeeded at losing weight ? by whatever means medically available to her ? would you talk to her the way you are talking to yourself? If your best friend were treated for a life-threatening disease with the best medical science has to offer would you say she was a fraud for undergoing that treatment to save her life?" He made an excellent point.

I no longer feel like a fraud, but I miss the wonder and awe that was associated with the newness of rapid and massive weight loss. During that time I was shocked to see my own reflection and awed by the little clothes that fit me. I studied in wonder every body part, the way it moved and felt and looked. I counted my ribs and rolled my fingers over my hipbones ? I'd never felt that before discovering the miracle of the human skeleton. Nowadays it's all commonplace: this is who I am. It is no longer a surprising shock. I no longer feel like a fraud.

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.com - Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often.

family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..
In The News:

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.
San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.
FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.
Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.
Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.
Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.
The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.
Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.
Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.
Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.
Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.
The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.
OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.
Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.
LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.
Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.
Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.
Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.
MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.
The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Your Weight Loss Problem: How To Cure It By Watching Movies Or Reading Books!

I don't know anything about you but if you're anything... Read More

Anorexia - a Game of Control!

Low self-esteem produces a game of control. It causes a... Read More

Negative Calorie Foods FAQs

What is negative calorie effect? Whatever food we eat,... Read More

Cycle Your Way To Weight Loss

Of all the possible exercises there are to help you... Read More

Malnutrition Causes Obesity

Axiom Number One - Nourish your body.Probably the most important... Read More

Supersizing America

For some of us, food is warmth and love. We... Read More

5 Tips For Weight Loss

Are you ready to lose some weight? Perhaps you're surfing... Read More

Weight Loss: Keeping Your Results Over the Summer

Having just returned from a week of basking on a... Read More

Milk: The Weight Loss Drug

Lose Weight - Grab A GlassIn childhood, we heard it:... Read More

Weight Loss: Why Do 98% of People Fail on a Diet and How to Avoid this Easily

Everybody knows that 98% of dieters fail. But do you... Read More

Feeling Tired? Cant Lose Weight? Tap Into Protein Power!

You're always hungry right? The last thing you have time... Read More

A Holistic Approach to Weight loss & Fitness

World Health Organization has observed that obesity has now reached... Read More

Weight Loss Problems ? Or is it a Self Image Problem?

Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More

Fidgeting: The Natural Weight Loss Diet

It's now official. The simple act of fidgeting can mean... Read More

Mesotherapy vs. Cellulite For A Knockout

In the battle to look good, there's a cosmetic treatment... Read More

Will The Real Fitness Hormone Please Stand Up!

New Medical Research shows high-intensity exercise can increase the body's... Read More

The French Fry: Weapon of Mass Destruction?

Americans have their French fries, the British have their chips,... Read More

Personal Space: Life After Lap-Band Surgery

Have I become invisible or are people just aiming right... Read More

Weight Loss and Diet Programs - The Real Skinny on What Works Best!

Have you ever wondered with all the weight loss programs... Read More

The Right Way to Eat for Better Health and Weight Loss

Did you know that how and when you eat is... Read More

The Diet Demons

As the dieting phenomenon grows, with a new "diet guru"... Read More

Law of Attraction Resolves Diet Controversy

Who'd have thought healthy eating could be so controversial? Lunching... Read More

Loose 10 Pounds by Drinking Water?

Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot of... Read More

Empowerment and Self-Control - What it Really Takes to get Control of your Weight

Chant the following each day, several times. They are mantras... Read More

Is Pain Stopping You From Losing Weight?

If you are overweight and suffer from pain in your... Read More

residential cleaning services Deerfield ..