Friends and Gastric Bypasses

I guess everyone is different and has to make their own choice about how to lose weight...

It's funny how you make friends - I met one of my really good friends on a womens forum called 'Handbag' about 6 years ago. She messaged me about the fact we both worked in I.T, we started exchanging emails and 6 years later, she is a big part of my life. We've seen each other change an awful lot - She's divorced her Husband, we've both got different jobs, we've been on holiday together and got drunk together... and we take the mick out of each other most days.

She also had a gastric bypass in December - It wasn't a short process, e.g. she didn't go to the Doctors and they said 'Sure, we'll schedule you in next week', she had to meet certain criteria, lose a certain % of body weight through healthy eating and also go to group counselling so she could address the actual issues that were causing her to put on weight - she did all of this and after a year or so, she actually underwent the operation. 

Since the Operation, she's lost over 5 stone and has gone from a size 26 to a size 18 and she looks amazing, she's still not at her goal weight, however she's been really strict about what she eats and I have to say, I admire her. I know a lot of people say 'It's a cop out, it's an easy way of losing weight', however seeing what she's been through, I don't know if that's really the case. 

One of the other things I really like about her is the fact that she isn't a 'bypass bore', she isn't obsessed with it, so doesn't talk constantly about what she can and can't eat, but accepts it's part of her life and is pretty flexible about where we go and what we do. 

Anyway, tonight I met her in Reading and it was great to catch up - she started a new job a few weeks ago and is having a tough time of it. She's also suffering from hair loss, which is apparently a common side affect of the gastric band - something I didn't know until she underwent the operation. We decided on Pizza Express and both had salads - I had the same as I had on Saturday, the Superfood salad with double chicken (more protein and actually fills me up!). We had a nice chat, mooched round the shops and I'm now sat in my 'cow onesie' all snug on the sofa. 

Another day healthy eating and my motivation remains high :-)