Question:
Do your jolly genes come in fat cells?
I have been told that I might loose my jolly self if I loose weight with this surgery. Some people have become so serious after they loose weight. They say they are happier but don't seem like it. I don't want to loose my jolly genes! Has anybody been told they are different (more serious) after surgery? — Diane S. (posted on October 4, 2003)
October 4, 2003
I'm really hoping that my jolly genes will resurface once I've had my
surgery ! Seems since I've gotten heavy that I've gotten too defensive and
serious and not able to have as much fun---so; gosh, I hope not!!!!
— Margo M.
October 4, 2003
Yikes! This is exactly the argument that Al Roker's agent used to try to
talk him out of having WLS! You are who you are. I think many people lose
the "jolly" because they were hiding behind it when they were
large. There's a social expectation that, in order to be accepted, fat
people must be jolly. So, many of us take on that persona. If you are
truly a happy and outgoing person, then you will continue to be. If you're
"jolly" because you think you're supposed to be, then you might
lose that aspect of your personality. People display "happy" in
many different ways--jolly is only one of them. I am a basically happy and
optomistic person, and have been no matter my weight, but I would never
describe myself as jolly. In fact, in periods of my life where I was
closer to normal size, people have observed that I seemed more out-going
then. This is another one of those individual things.
— Vespa R.
October 4, 2003
Hi - I like your question because it was the same question a lot of my
family and friends had, especially my mother. She was worried that I would
lose my personality, in particular my sense of humor, if I lost the weight.
Not that she didn't support me, she just wanted "me" to stay the
same. I told her as far as I could tell my sense of humor did not reside
in my big ole giant butt so I thought I would be okay. It did give me
"tons" of material though. As I was losing I probably was a
little quieter than before because I was so focused on my goals and
achieving them. Now that I've lost the weight I've been told that I'm the
same old Traci . That, in fact, is how people who haven't seen me in a
while recognize me. They always say that had no idea who I was until I
opened my mouth and talked. The personality is the same, but with much more
energy and I seem much, much happier which, of course, I am. The only thing
I have to be really careful about is fat jokes. I used to make a lot them
at my own expense and sometimes I forget and still do, but no one seems to
find it all that funny coming from this little version of me. So I would
say no, you wont lose your jolly genes when you lose the weight. People
will find you healthier and happier and more confidant with yourself. Good
luck to you on your weightloss journey. Traci - 8/15/01 426 -- 10/4/03 135
— Traci H.
October 4, 2003
I am not as jolly as I was before...and you want to know why? Because I am
busier. Between shopping, and working harder and more (because I finally
got the promotion after I lost the weight), and having more "quality
time" with my hubby if you know what I mean, and taking some classes
because now I feel like I can go with being made fun of...I've simply run
out of time to be superficially happy around other people just so they
aren't disgusted to be around me. The fact is...before I had this surgery,
I wasn't even living...I was just making other people happy. Don't know if
this helps or not.
— thekatinthehat
October 4, 2003
I'm much more outgoing and smile waaaay more now than I ever did pre-op.
It's not necessarily that I'm happier, I've simply got more reasons to
smile.
— [Deactivated Member]
October 4, 2003
There are no jolly genes in fat cells. Our emotions are from our brains
and we can control much of that. Most everyone I know is happeir now that
they have lost weight. I know I am much more happier, laugh more and more
fun to be around now and my self esteem has gone thru the roof. Anyway, I
read an article one time that said that the jolly fat person is a myth.
They hide behind laughter and all is usually not as alright with them as
they try to make you think. Better to laugh than to cry and let people
know your true feelings.
— Delores S.
October 4, 2003
Hi Denise- Only Santa Claus has his jolly jeans in his fat cells, LOL.
The rest of us will (hopefully) be much happier after WLS. That's why they
have to keep feeding him all that (whole) milk and cookies. Good Luck, Mea
:o) P.S. I was just as goofy as a slightly overweight teenager as I am
now as a MO adult :o)
— Mea A.
October 5, 2003
Geeezzzz....I hope that doesn't happen. I agreed to give up the extra
padding and this nice shelf I have holding up my boobs but not my funny
bone! I always tell people the reason I gained so much weight was to have
a place for "my girls" (breasts) to sit down! Some of my fiends
think I'm in the wrong profession and tell me I should be a stand up comic
- my response is usually - I would if they would let me sit down to do it!
Now, when someone asks me, "Hey, what's shakin'?" I tell them -
most of what's BEHIND me! lol Anyway, I fugure the weight loss and surgery
will give me opportunites for new "material". Humor, for some,
can be a way for people to deflect pain, unwanted attention, diversion,
etc. Maybe the people you know that now seem more serious were using humor
to protect themselves and now they don't feel the need for "humor
armour"? Just a theory. Humor can be a great addition to the healing
process, a great stress reliever, and I think it keeps you young. So, I
hope the funny bone doesn't accidentally get removed during your surgery or
mine (10/13) - if it does, I'm getting a refund! Good luck and take care.
Hugs, hugs and more hugs!
— Deborah F.
October 5, 2003
I don't know about jolly being stored in fat cells, I was very funny when i
was a size six....I have always had a quirky sense of humour and always
used laughter as my best defense. I think that I am more shutoff being
heavy and less happy and carefree. Even though I still like to cheer people
up, I just am not going out to interact with other people. So I don't think
I even seem like the jolly person to my neighbors who never see me. So I
hope I will go out more when I start shedding some weight and can get
around better. And be more Jolly.
Lisa (lap/rny 10-23-03)
— Lisa H.
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