No Easy Way Out....

So, I'm super in debt. I've been on the no fun budget and rocking it for a few months....and it's gotten easier. But, tonight thinking about it I just felt overwhelmed. I wanted an easy way out.
So, I got to thinking about cashing out my 401K and paying off my debt...an easy out. But, factor in the taxes and penalties...you've taken all that money out for nothing. You only end up with half of it. Truly, it would be cheating. If I keep doing what I'm doing- I'll be debt free in 2009....I just want to be debt-free NOW!

D pointed out that I didn't get into debt overnight....therefore I can't get out overnight. It takes time. It's a process.

The same can be said for weight-loss. We didn't get fat overnight....and we're not going to get healthy overnight either. It's takes time. Wanting it instantly seems completely irrational.

Now, speaking of easy fixes....let's chat about gastric bypass. I am personally SUPER against it. The only time I am OK with it is if the person is literally in a life or death situation. I know 4 people who have had gastric bypass surgery - only 1 was "morbidly obese"...and all 4 of them not only changed who they were as people (and I don't mean in a good way), but lost a ton of weight only to gain some/most of it back.

Gastric bypass is a quick fix. Cut your stomach into a 1/3 and eat a shot glass of food...perfect! There's also a lot of gross side effects - and scars. In the end, you look like Frankenstein. It's just disturbing.

One of the people I know who had it done was in her late twenties, we'll call her Monica. Monica was the classic fat girl - pretty face...meh body. She is about 5'5" and when we met she weighed 300 pounds. She was married to a doctor - and had a perfect life on paper....minus the weight. I thought she was shy yet really sweet. Right after we met, she had gastric bypass. A few months went by before I saw her again - and I could tell she was different. She was more outgoing, cheerier. Oh, and she looked great! By the end of 10 months she was a size 4. From a size 26 to a size 4 in ten months. WOW! But, in that time she had become a different person entirely. She started cheating on her husband, and she became incredibly vain. I didn't even know her...it was sad. She once showed me her scars - from both the surgery and the skin removal afterwards. It was frightening. Inside of both arms, both legs, her back and her stomach.

She looked gross. It didn't seem worth it to me. Eating shot glasses of food....tons of stitches...and for what? A broken marriage and a body built by Frankenstein?! No, thanks.

I've had more than a dozen people tell me I should consider it - including a random stranger and a VP at the company I work at. It seems like everyone thinks the easy way is the best way...that says something about our society.

When I get to the end of this proverbial weight-loss road...I want to be the same person as when I started. Sure, people will look at me differently - and my relationship with food will be different....but I refuse to change my ideals. I won't take the easy way out.

Love,
*S

PS- These opinions are mine, and mine alone. I don't expect you to agree - and if you've had the surgery and it helped, kudos.