My 600lb Life

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  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    psychod787 wrote: »
    By dropping calories and getting some weight off helps shrink the liver. An oversized liver can interfere with the surgery.

    In the UK version of this show, they go on a two week (I think, it has been awhile since I watched) milk diet. Basically, a fast, but with two pints of milk a day. They say it shrinks the liver, but it doesn't seem like there should be anything special about milk, vs just choosing a random fad diet.
  • Ddsb11
    Ddsb11 Posts: 607 Member
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    concordancia wrote: »
    psychod787 wrote: »
    By dropping calories and getting some weight off helps shrink the liver. An oversized liver can interfere with the surgery.

    In the UK version of this show, they go on a two week (I think, it has been awhile since I watched) milk diet. Basically, a fast, but with two pints of milk a day. They say it shrinks the liver, but it doesn't seem like there should be anything special about milk, vs just choosing a random fad diet.

    WTH 🤢 I would love an explanation for that.
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,365 Member
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    kiwilimeade wrote: »
    I wonder how closely monitored they really are. From what is shown, the first month or two of their journey the people on 600lb life are often living in a different state than Dr. Now and don't move to Texas until they are ready for the surgery. I suppose they might be set up with a more local doctor to help monitor them in the interim, but I wish they would show that in the episodes if that is the case.

    I think Dr. Now is well aware that there is no need to monitor them because not one is going to adhere to the 1200 calorie limit or even close. When they come in for their first weigh-in and fail to meet their target, you'll often hear him say that if they had stuck to 1200 a day they would have lost (substantially) more than the goal he gave them. He usually estimates their actual calorie intake at a much higher level based on their demonstrated weight loss.

    In the older shows they used to send a dietician to the home to give them some education about food choices and I don't see that happening any more. I don't think it's realistic to assume that any of them have the knowledge to make appropriate choices, particularly around portion sizes, nor that they can they can learn all that from reading the material he gives them.
  • kiwilimeade
    kiwilimeade Posts: 14 Member
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    @ythannah very true. I wish they would do the dietician support again.
    I remember an episode where the woman claimed 3 or so times that she lost that reading material describing the diet and that's why she kept failing LOL
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,365 Member
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    kiwilimeade wrote: »
    @ythannah very true. I wish they would do the dietician support again.
    I remember an episode where the woman claimed 3 or so times that she lost that reading material describing the diet and that's why she kept failing LOL

    I remember that one! I think in the end she decided that Dr. Now's weight loss expectations were too aggressive and that losing 2 pounds a month was "right" for her, she knew her body the best.

    I rarely see any of them measuring or weighing their food though. Maybe along with the diet sheets he should be handing them a $20 food scale.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,535 Member
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    ythannah wrote: »
    kiwilimeade wrote: »
    @ythannah very true. I wish they would do the dietician support again.
    I remember an episode where the woman claimed 3 or so times that she lost that reading material describing the diet and that's why she kept failing LOL

    I remember that one! I think in the end she decided that Dr. Now's weight loss expectations were too aggressive and that losing 2 pounds a month was "right" for her, she knew her body the best.

    I rarely see any of them measuring or weighing their food though. Maybe along with the diet sheets he should be handing them a $20 food scale.
    Me too. Denial is a strong excuse for many of them who just can't seem to lose the amount they need to before surgery.
    What's always been so interesting to me is how people who KNOW they are at high risk for losing their life (and that includes people like skyscraper climbers, daredevils, etc.) still walk the line. It may not be till they face near death that they would ever really change. Shows how strong endorphins can be.

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  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
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    I kind of wish they’d give more of the details on the successes. A positive incentive for motivation of others.

    Too many episodes showing Two months later, and they lost 10 pounds, or gained. And of course “I followed the diet, I don’t know what happened “. It’s sometimes depressing to watch, I can only imagine how depressing it must be for the people themselves.

    I’m currently watching season 8 episode 10. I’m going to start watching the Where are they now, shows after this season and skip season 9 after reading some of the comments here.
  • amber5151
    amber5151 Posts: 51 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Huh, I wonder what's going on with this season. Is it current - during the pandemic?

    Yes I believe so, some have been shown with masks. There hasn't been a single success yet. I think 2 men looked like they were on their way to possibly working in the right direction, but most this season have failed
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,158 Member
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    BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    concordancia wrote: »
    psychod787 wrote: »
    By dropping calories and getting some weight off helps shrink the liver. An oversized liver can interfere with the surgery.

    In the UK version of this show, they go on a two week (I think, it has been awhile since I watched) milk diet. Basically, a fast, but with two pints of milk a day. They say it shrinks the liver, but it doesn't seem like there should be anything special about milk, vs just choosing a random fad diet.

    WTH 🤢 I would love an explanation for that.

    From the NHS:

    “Liver shrinkage diet (LRD) is a diet based on low energy (calories), in particular low in carbohydrate and fat.

    By following a liver shrinkage diet, your body will be forced to use up the stored carbohydrate (glycogen) from the liver. The glycogen and a quantity of water will leave the liver, and therefore liver will shrink and become softer, more flexible and easier to move during surgery.

    During laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery the liver has to be lifted out of the way to access the stomach lying beneath it. Most people needing bariatric surgery have a large, fatty liver which can cause difficulty for keyhole surgery.”

    There are options other than the milk diet - Slimfast is one of those options, or a very low carb, low fat, low calorie meal plan. I can see, though, that the milk option is probably the one recommended by the NHS as it’s super simple to understand for patients who have already demonstrated a lack of knowledge around food behaviours.

    I read this and I can't stop thinking about how I soak beef liver in milk to make the flavor milder when I cook it. I know, I know, I know it's not the same thing, but now that's stuck in my head.

    I used to watch this show a long time ago. I didn't know it was still on! I always want the people to do well and then I'm so sad when they almost never do.

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