We’re instinctively protective of our family, and because even the safest surgeries carry some form of risk, it’s not uncommon for some patients to tell us that their spouse or parents do not support their decision to consider weight loss surgery. This can put patients in a difficult spot. They don’t want to go against the wishes of their family, but at the same time, they’ve weighed all their options and decided that weight loss surgery is the right decision for their health. So what should you do if your family isn’t supportive of your decision? We’ve helped patients navigate this situation before, and here’s some advice on how to handle it.
Getting Your Family On Board With Your Weight Loss Surgery
Every situation is different, but here are some techniques that may help your loved ones get a better understanding of why you’re considering weight loss surgery.
- Talk To Them About Your Struggles – Open up about the issues you’ve had with your weight and your attempts to lose it through other means. Nobody truly understands your journey like you do, so if diet, exercise and lifestyle changes haven’t helped you achieve the weight loss you’re looking for, let them know. Since weight loss surgery isn’t typically considered unless conservative treatments have tried and failed, you’ll be able to show them that you’ve tried many different ways to lose weight without success, and now you’re considering the surgical approach.
- Let Them Come Along To A Consultation – Oftentimes a person’s hesitancy to support a loved one who wants to pursue weight loss surgery is due in large part to their lack of understanding about the procedure and recovery. We’re always happy to let loved ones sit in on a pre-op consultation so that they can get answers and learn more about the procedure. The vast majority of the time, both the patient and the loved one leave the room with a newfound sense of confidence in the procedure and the road ahead. Invite them along for your next scheduled visit!
- Explain That It Will Still Take Work – Some people assume that patients who consider weight loss surgery are simply looking for the easiest solution, but as we’ve talked about on the blog in the past, weight loss surgery is only a small part of the equation. You’re still going to need to improve your diet and exercise more often if you want to experience the best results from your operation. If you don’t make any changes to your lifestyle, you won’t experience the weight loss you seek. The operation isn’t a magical free pass to a slimmer version of you, it’s going to take a lot of hard work, and oftentimes a loved one may have misconceptions about what it’s going to take for you to achieve the weight loss you seek.
- It’s The Best Thing For Your Health – While there is an incredibly small health risk associated with the procedure itself, you can confront anyone that is unsupportive of the operation because of its health risks by letting them know that this is going to be the best thing for your health. Weight loss surgery can help to improve your heart health, lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of diabetes, manage sleep apnea and improve so many different aspects of your health. The health benefits typically blow the potential risks out of the water, so if their main concern is your health, let them know that this surgery will be the single best thing you can do at this point to improve your health when other treatments have failed.
- You’re Going To Need Support – Finally, patients who have a healthy support system around them tend to experience the best results in their weight loss journey, so express to your loved one that you hope they can find a way to be supportive. Let them know that their encouragement or their willingness to be an exercise partner with you after surgery will help ensure you reach your weight loss goals. Let them know that they are an essential part of your recovery, and you hope that they can support that.
If you are still finding it hard to get your family to support your decision, please reach out to our team. We’d love to answer any questions or talk about the safety or effectiveness of any procedure to help put your loved one’s mind at ease. For more information, reach out to the team at The Bhatti Weight Loss Center today at (651) 368-3800.
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