My Secret History

It doesn't matter if you don't share most folks' opinions about fat people if you don't SPEAK UP. Having been fat, you should have the courage to speak up for all of those who have not been fortunate enough to have had gastric bypass surgery.

People can be so rude sometimes! It's difficult enough to pour out your soul in this article about something that stil causes you pain and still... based on the comments below, I'm amazed at how cruel people can truly be. Thank you for sharing.

People can be so rude sometimes! It's difficult enough to pour out your soul in this article about something that stil causes you pain and still... based on the comments below, I'm amazed at how cruel people can truly be. Thank you for sharing.

To Megan,
You should be so proud of yourself!!!!

hmmm ... life is not fair .... I have a giant nose

Wow, I can't even imagine why someone would post such a venemous and judgemental comment. Ms.Northrup, I say kudos to you for doing whatever it took to take control and become healthy. I would not say that she 'messed with' the operation - I am guessing that a large amount of research and careful thought went into it. And to maintain her weight she has to now work at it like the rest of us.

I'm glad you are thin - but abhor the way you did it - that operation is nothing to mess with as it is so often fatal or leaves medical problems.

awesome article, my husband has had chronic pain for seven years. In that time he has gained an extrodinary amount of weight ,not by his chooosing. Even family members refuse to understand the hurt it causes when they suggest that diet and exersice would help his back. If hre could he would. He was so active and thin when we married and this has all put such a strain on him but it not by malingering that this has happened yet somehow people feel that he is somehow responsible just because of his weight. Awful cruelty that we show eachother. Keep writing, you are good.

While I was a thin kid, I, was overweight for a good part of my adulthood. Once my metabolism slowed down, I was an easy mark for all the extra pounds, as my eating habits did not change! Beginning at age 40 or so, I lost approximately 85 pounds by changing how and what I eat and exercising religiously. However, I am aware that as all the ads disclaim, my results are not typical.

The food industry overall makes eating well difficult at mest.

That said, I am this side of neurotic about what I eat. I write it all down! How much I exercise is important to me. What size clothes I wear. All of it. I can't say that I react any differently to overweight people now that I am no longer overweight. What I can say is that, like Megan, I look at old photos of myself with complete disgust. And like Megan's mom, my reaction to my old self greatly saddens my husband who loves me no matter what I look like. It also upsets my son who never cared about anything other than I am his mom. We have to be careful not only of how we treat other people, we have to remember to be kind to ourselves. Without that, how can we possibly be kind to anyone else?

Wow, it never ceases to amaze me the amount of ignorance people possess about obesity. It's simply because we eat too much? Really. Well, gee. Thank you. I am so enlightened now. I have found the answer to the question that has been eluding me for the last 30 years of my life. You are brilliant! Make sure you let us know when you get your Nobel Peace Prize for ingenuity.

Now let's looks deeper into this shall we? Obesity is a multi BILLION dollar industry with all of the programs, pills, and surgeries out there. People are willing to RISK THEIR LIVES on a daily basis by ANY MEANS NECESSARY to lose weight. I am sure you, previous poster who so eloquently said "put down the turky leg", have even tried to lose that nasty 10 lbs that just eludes you. So, if it is as easy as that, just eating less and exercising, than why oh why do some people feel surgery is the only answer, including superstars? The so-called "perfect people" of our society? I will tell you why, because the DIETING and exercising isn't working for us. NEWS FLASH, it is not that easy. Obviously. So save your judgment for somebody else.

For all the fantastically perfect people who had such vicious and hateful comments to make about anyone who is overweight, please be sure in the future to post your height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, a standard layout of your blood chemicals, your alcohol, prescription and non prescription usage...etc etc. So when we reply to your knee jerk reaction to someone's weight we can reply with an equally judgmental and small minded comment based solely on your personal and medical issues.
Being obese is a fantastic and rare entry in society, we are the one group of people who have something wrong with us which is displayed on our sleeve all day long. I imagine if everyone wore their disorders on their sleeve I think it would be a much different debate here.

Megan, don't try to speak up next time, do it. Being a silent participant in prejudice is just as bad as being an active participant.

All right, Hey it's about time I found someone who believes the way I do. The food industry has alot to do with obesity in America, I could go on and on about what they have caused and continue to do. Just go to school one day and look at the junk that they feed our kids. Highly processed garbage, not to mention all the soda machines, and candy and crap they are allowed to spend money on in school and during school because they can go off campus during lunch.. Then they've taken away some of the sports programs, or at least they have made it so that it's not mandatory for kids to participate in Phys. Ed. I too was an obese child at school and made fun of and no matter how hard I tried, I still could not get the weight to stay off. I still fight it even with the surgery, not not as hard, because now it is a little easier since the surgery. Take care and enjoy your new life, because afterall it is new.

Obesity is caused by the food industry, which lacks in ethics, morals and taking their responsibility. Providing unhealthy food should be a crime. I hope vegetarianism and healthy eating habits spreads in America, both for people's health but also to limit your carbon footprint.

Please speak up and remind those around you that being fat doesn't make someone less of a human being. Now that you are thin, don't worry, they will not hold it against you. Never hide the truth. You will feel better if you don't. Good luck and enjoy your new way of life.

go girl, but next time step up and speak up when someone says something about obese people. I, too had gastric bypass. Even though I'm not quite as small as I'd like to be, I still have feelings for the people I see everyday who are where I was 5 years ago. Every chance I get I let people know that's where I came from, Then I get out the pictures for proof. So next time, don't be afraid to let the idiots know who you really are.

Go girl. I too had gastric bypass. However I am still a little larger than what I'd like to be, I feel so much better health wise, but, I want to cry for the people that are still where I have been. Thanks for stepping up and out, but when someone is making rude comments, don't let you thoughts and feelings go unheard.