My 600 Pound Life?
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softblondechick wrote: »These 600 Pound People are "outlayers" on the continuum, and I think have some extreme dysfunction, mental, physical, emotional, and situational to get to that 500 and 600 Pound range.
Which is why I don't think WLS is gonna be the end all be all solution here to the problem. It is like a band-aid. The main problems for getting that way are not addressed, which is why those folks will never get it together.
I agree that the surgery is not getting to the core of why they let themselves get morbidly obese. I feel that the issues should be addressed first and foremost before even talking about surgery. That's why some of the ppl on the show don't lose weight or gain it back after the surgery because the root issue was not addressed. I personally don't think going to just 1 or 2 therapy sessions is even going to be suffice.0 -
lulufee317537 wrote: »I find it fascinating. I also liked that documentary about the man who had a face transplant.
But it also makes me shake my head. Only in America can a person be killing themselves with too much food when there are people in other countries whose children are starving. I hate that aspect of this western culture, the "I can have anything I want" culture. It's no wonder they can go off the deep end when simply being 200-300 lbs in this country is considered normal.
Also, this "fat is beautiful" attitude doesn't help. Beauty is subjective and whatever, etc. But being fat is unhealthy and we shouldn't pretend it's OK. Telling someone they are unhealthy and that they should try to be healthy isn't the same as saying they are horrible ugly people, no more than telling someone they should quit smoking is implying they are a bad person.
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softblondechick wrote: »These 600 Pound People are "outlayers" on the continuum, and I think have some extreme dysfunction, mental, physical, emotional, and situational to get to that 500 and 600 Pound range.
Which is why I don't think WLS is gonna be the end all be all solution here to the problem. It is like a band-aid. The main problems for getting that way are not addressed, which is why those folks will never get it together.
I agree that the surgery is not getting to the core of why they let themselves get morbidly obese. I feel that the issues should be addressed first and foremost before even talking about surgery. That's why some of the ppl on the show don't lose weight or gain it back after the surgery because the root issue was not addressed. I personally don't think going to just 1 or 2 therapy sessions is even going to be suffice.
There have been some unfortunate changes in the way WLS is done. It's more of a for-profit business now than ever before. Before lapro was an option, the screening was a lot stricter, including the psych screen, and very few surgeons were even available to do it. Now they pop out of the woodwork like Dr. Nick on The Simpsons, and I've seen so many horror stories in the support group I used to moderate. I get the impression there isn't nearly as much attention paid to the home environment as I had, either - if someone is living with a feeder, or a person who has a bad co-dependent relationship vested in keeping the person obese, surgery is just a lot of pain and misery that won't win in the end. That relationship has to end first.0 -
There have been some unfortunate changes in the way WLS is done. It's more of a for-profit business now than ever before. Before lapro was an option, the screening was a lot stricter, including the psych screen, and very few surgeons were even available to do it. Now they pop out of the woodwork like Dr. Nick on The Simpsons, and I've seen so many horror stories in the support group I used to moderate. I get the impression there isn't nearly as much attention paid to the home environment as I had, either - if someone is living with a feeder, or a person who has a bad co-dependent relationship vested in keeping the person obese, surgery is just a lot of pain and misery that won't win in the end. That relationship has to end first.
It's a shame isnt it. I think it would be more beneficial if they had at least 6 months prior therapy requirement before surgery. There has to be core issues (aside from those who have serious health issues that prevents them from losing) why someone allows themselves to eat and eat to the point they cant walk and/or are house bound.0 -
Everyone wants an immediate quick fix. If a person had intensive case management, team of dietician, therapist, and physical therapy, for six months, they may not even need WLS surgery.0
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softblondechick wrote: »Everyone wants an immediate quick fix. If a person had intensive case management, team of dietician, therapist, and physical therapy, for six months, they may not even need WLS surgery.
I think that therapy is key here. I don't think you can fix the problem without knowing what's broken.
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I have watch the show a couple of times. Sometimes, weightloss is all about support and environment.0
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softblondechick wrote: »Everyone wants an immediate quick fix. If a person had intensive case management, team of dietician, therapist, and physical therapy, for six months, they may not even need WLS surgery.
Very good point this ^.
This is actually something that bothers me about the show. They go meet with the doc, they get the surgery, and most of the time their emotional issues are never addressed, so they fail. I guess the idea behind giving them the surgery is that they're at death's door and it's supposed to be a last ditch effort, but I really think Dr. Now should immediately be referring them to a therapist before he gives them the surgery to make sure their heads really are in the right place.
The hospital I work at has a weight loss surgery department - it's one of the things they specialize in. I work in the lab, and a few of my coworkers have had the surgery, and something they were REQUIRED to do was counseling sessions before they could have the surgery.0 -
I watch a lot of TLC shows (my mom watches that channel a lot so it's just on a lot in our house). My 600lb life makes me kind of sad, because of how so many of the people have gotten to that point, despite a loving support system. There's no reason for it in most of the cases. On the flip side I also watch my Big Fat Fabulous life and it makes me sad for other reasons. Her story in general doesn't, because she owns her situation, and she is such a positive role model for bigger girls, but because she is not lazy, she tries so hard, and works out so much and it just makes you realize that looking at a fat person isn't always as it appears. So many people judge us because we are fat without knowing our circumstances, and I watch her and know exactly how she feels. It's really hard to be positive and live life with eyes on you in disgust because they think they know. I applaud the bravery of the people on those shows, just as I applaud the bravery of everyone who puts themselves out there on this website. It's hard, and remember only he who is without sin can cast the first stone.
Just wanted to point out that MOST of the people on this show DID NOT have a healthy support system. The majority (and I've seen most of the shows - missed last week's) have a strange family dynamic, other family members who are obese and often, had a lot of misery (not always sexual abuse, of course) growing up. They always seem to have a codependent relationship with at least one family member and sometimes, it's more than one. And many feature family gatherings that involve food, food, food, food and more food. They also seem to feature lots of family takeout with the family not even sitting at the table, but rather, stuffing everything onto paper plates and sitting and staring at the TV while eating, and in one I remember a parent feeding the infant fast food.
Not being facetious or sarcastic as I believe your intentions were good here, but there is no way, no how any type of healthy living surrounding the growing-up and usually, current system of family in any of the shows I've watched. As for support, sometimes that support is in family members continuing to sneak in food to the obese person, sometimes it's an actual healthy form of support (rarely from a family member, sometimes from a friend - and pretty often, against the strident objections of at least one other person, sometimes more) and sometimes there's deliberate attempted sabotage, such as Gareth, the husband who jeered constantly at his wife and shoved fast food in her face in an effort to get her to overeat again.
I believe I've seen at least three shows that involved a mention of another family member also receiving the surgery. In one case, the wife got the surgery after the husband did. In another it was the sister and I can't remember the specifics of the third one.
Although these people's lives (and eating) ARE, indeed, in their own hands, I just don't see that there's a healthy support system overall in any of the shows I've watched so far except from others who have seen the light and are scared because the person might die (following years of no attempts at support, generally), and as for "there's no reason," gosh, there are dozens of reasons. Not excuses. But reasons? Oh for sure.
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Did you see the episode where her father made her a healthier breakfast or lunch (I forgot) but she insisted on what she had made for herself which wasnt a healthy choice. Then she proceeded to eat her sandwich along with what her father had made for her.
I think this might be because overall there seems to be a huge, and I mean HUGE element of control going on here. That is just so frequent. "You're not going to tell ME what to eat." Even if the person speaking is the one who made the decision to lose weight. I believe the "control" thing may be a factor across the gamut of the weight gain/loss experience. It just seems such a common thread.0 -
I watch a lot of TLC shows (my mom watches that channel a lot so it's just on a lot in our house). My 600lb life makes me kind of sad, because of how so many of the people have gotten to that point, despite a loving support system. There's no reason for it in most of the cases. On the flip side I also watch my Big Fat Fabulous life and it makes me sad for other reasons. Her story in general doesn't, because she owns her situation, and she is such a positive role model for bigger girls, but because she is not lazy, she tries so hard, and works out so much and it just makes you realize that looking at a fat person isn't always as it appears. So many people judge us because we are fat without knowing our circumstances, and I watch her and know exactly how she feels. It's really hard to be positive and live life with eyes on you in disgust because they think they know. I applaud the bravery of the people on those shows, just as I applaud the bravery of everyone who puts themselves out there on this website. It's hard, and remember only he who is without sin can cast the first stone.
Just wanted to point out that MOST of the people on this show DID NOT have a healthy support system. The majority (and I've seen most of the shows - missed last week's) have a strange family dynamic, other family members who are obese and often, had a lot of misery (not always sexual abuse, of course) growing up. They always seem to have a codependent relationship with at least one family member and sometimes, it's more than one. And many feature family gatherings that involve food, food, food, food and more food. They also seem to feature lots of family takeout with the family not even sitting at the table, but rather, stuffing everything onto paper plates and sitting and staring at the TV while eating, and in one I remember a parent feeding the infant fast food.
Not being facetious or sarcastic as I believe your intentions were good here, but there is no way, no how any type of healthy living surrounding the growing-up and usually, current system of family in any of the shows I've watched. As for support, sometimes that support is in family members continuing to sneak in food to the obese person, sometimes it's an actual healthy form of support (rarely from a family member, sometimes from a friend - and pretty often, against the strident objections of at least one other person, sometimes more) and sometimes there's deliberate attempted sabotage, such as Gareth, the husband who jeered constantly at his wife and shoved fast food in her face in an effort to get her to overeat again.
I believe I've seen at least three shows that involved a mention of another family member also receiving the surgery. In one case, the wife got the surgery after the husband did. In another it was the sister and I can't remember the specifics of the third one.
Although these people's lives (and eating) ARE, indeed, in their own hands, I just don't see that there's a healthy support system overall in any of the shows I've watched so far except from others who have seen the light and are scared because the person might die (following years of no attempts at support, generally), and as for "there's no reason," gosh, there are dozens of reasons. Not excuses. But reasons? Oh for sure.
Something to wonder about in terms of the show - are people in these horrible co-dependent relationships simply more likely to get into that super-morbidly obese category, therefore there's an abundance for the producers to choose from, or is it that people in that category are more likely to want to be on a tv show, or are the producers intentionally self-selecting the worst of the worst relationships for the sake of good tv?0 -
I watch a lot of TLC shows (my mom watches that channel a lot so it's just on a lot in our house). My 600lb life makes me kind of sad, because of how so many of the people have gotten to that point, despite a loving support system. There's no reason for it in most of the cases. On the flip side I also watch my Big Fat Fabulous life and it makes me sad for other reasons. Her story in general doesn't, because she owns her situation, and she is such a positive role model for bigger girls, but because she is not lazy, she tries so hard, and works out so much and it just makes you realize that looking at a fat person isn't always as it appears. So many people judge us because we are fat without knowing our circumstances, and I watch her and know exactly how she feels. It's really hard to be positive and live life with eyes on you in disgust because they think they know. I applaud the bravery of the people on those shows, just as I applaud the bravery of everyone who puts themselves out there on this website. It's hard, and remember only he who is without sin can cast the first stone.
Just wanted to point out that MOST of the people on this show DID NOT have a healthy support system. The majority (and I've seen most of the shows - missed last week's) have a strange family dynamic, other family members who are obese and often, had a lot of misery (not always sexual abuse, of course) growing up. They always seem to have a codependent relationship with at least one family member and sometimes, it's more than one. And many feature family gatherings that involve food, food, food, food and more food. They also seem to feature lots of family takeout with the family not even sitting at the table, but rather, stuffing everything onto paper plates and sitting and staring at the TV while eating, and in one I remember a parent feeding the infant fast food.
Not being facetious or sarcastic as I believe your intentions were good here, but there is no way, no how any type of healthy living surrounding the growing-up and usually, current system of family in any of the shows I've watched. As for support, sometimes that support is in family members continuing to sneak in food to the obese person, sometimes it's an actual healthy form of support (rarely from a family member, sometimes from a friend - and pretty often, against the strident objections of at least one other person, sometimes more) and sometimes there's deliberate attempted sabotage, such as Gareth, the husband who jeered constantly at his wife and shoved fast food in her face in an effort to get her to overeat again.
I believe I've seen at least three shows that involved a mention of another family member also receiving the surgery. In one case, the wife got the surgery after the husband did. In another it was the sister and I can't remember the specifics of the third one.
Although these people's lives (and eating) ARE, indeed, in their own hands, I just don't see that there's a healthy support system overall in any of the shows I've watched so far except from others who have seen the light and are scared because the person might die (following years of no attempts at support, generally), and as for "there's no reason," gosh, there are dozens of reasons. Not excuses. But reasons? Oh for sure.
Something to wonder about in terms of the show - are people in these horrible co-dependent relationships simply more likely to get into that super-morbidly obese category, therefore there's an abundance for the producers to choose from, or is it that people in that category are more likely to want to be on a tv show, or are the producers intentionally self-selecting the worst of the worst relationships for the sake of good tv?
It could be both. Certainly having been "trained" in an environment to seriously overeat, to maintain unhealthy relationships despite one's instincts and so on are going to push one into the direction of way more overweight than the average overweight person (because these person ARE still in the minority). OTOH, there does seem like there's an abundance to choose from, but how many people have been profiled? Like a dozen, maybe 15? That's still a tiny percentage of the U.S. overall.
As for the self-selecting, naturally, the producers are going to want the most sensationalist platform possible. Train wrecks will always be a draw for a producer who's hoping for $$$ rather than simply $$. Again, that's why I dislike the first portion of the show and often skip over it, looking toward the part I do really enjoy, which is (more often than not) the losses, the successes and victories, the happy faces, the self-pride and the knowledge that this CAN be done, one way or another.
But let's face facts. I can't really see, personally, how anyone can get to 600 lbs. and NOT be leading a (comparatively) strange, uncomfortable and usually very very emotional, unhappy life. (I could be wrong. I actually don't personally know anyone who's even 400 lbs. so perhaps there are 600-lb. people out there who lead happy lives and have no issues other than eating.) I don't know that the producers necessarily have to look at a pool of hundreds of 600-pound people in order to eventually find one who's leading a life that is going to look sensationalist to viewers (though they probably do, as I imagine they get more submissions than they film and air shows).
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lulufee317537 wrote: »lulufee317537 wrote: »I find it fascinating. I also liked that documentary about the man who had a face transplant.
But it also makes me shake my head. Only in America can a person be killing themselves with too much food when there are people in other countries whose children are starving. I hate that aspect of this western culture, the "I can have anything I want" culture. It's no wonder they can go off the deep end when simply being 200-300 lbs in this country is considered normal.
Also, this "fat is beautiful" attitude doesn't help. Beauty is subjective and whatever, etc. But being fat is unhealthy and we shouldn't pretend it's OK. Telling someone they are unhealthy and that they should try to be healthy isn't the same as saying they are horrible ugly people, no more than telling someone they should quit smoking is implying they are a bad person.
Ugh!! Seriously...that attitude really is hurtful, and in my mind it's just a way for people who have nothing going for them but their weight to feel superior by putting others down.
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There have been some unfortunate changes in the way WLS is done. It's more of a for-profit business now than ever before. Before lapro was an option, the screening was a lot stricter, including the psych screen, and very few surgeons were even available to do it. Now they pop out of the woodwork like Dr. Nick on The Simpsons, and I've seen so many horror stories in the support group I used to moderate. I get the impression there isn't nearly as much attention paid to the home environment as I had, either - if someone is living with a feeder, or a person who has a bad co-dependent relationship vested in keeping the person obese, surgery is just a lot of pain and misery that won't win in the end. That relationship has to end first.
It's a shame isnt it. I think it would be more beneficial if they had at least 6 months prior therapy requirement before surgery. There has to be core issues (aside from those who have serious health issues that prevents them from losing) why someone allows themselves to eat and eat to the point they cant walk and/or are house bound.
You mentioned Angel - I was worried about the outcome of her surgery when she lost 165 *before* getting the procedure and they noted that she was basically not eating at all.
I did think it was really backwards that she didn't see a therapist until way later in the year. Because you can see her getting thinner...but you don't see her smile until after therapy. That girl was really depressed.
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lulufee317537 wrote: »lulufee317537 wrote: »I find it fascinating. I also liked that documentary about the man who had a face transplant.
But it also makes me shake my head. Only in America can a person be killing themselves with too much food when there are people in other countries whose children are starving. I hate that aspect of this western culture, the "I can have anything I want" culture. It's no wonder they can go off the deep end when simply being 200-300 lbs in this country is considered normal.
Also, this "fat is beautiful" attitude doesn't help. Beauty is subjective and whatever, etc. But being fat is unhealthy and we shouldn't pretend it's OK. Telling someone they are unhealthy and that they should try to be healthy isn't the same as saying they are horrible ugly people, no more than telling someone they should quit smoking is implying they are a bad person.
Ugh!! Seriously...that attitude really is hurtful, and in my mind it's just a way for people who have nothing going for them but their weight to feel superior by putting others down.
I tried to adopt this attitude for a while and it didn't work. I didn't feel beautiful. My body was ponderous and hard to move around, I wasn't graceful, couldn't cross my legs and my skin was awful. Just didn't see, nor feel, the beauty. It had nothing, absolutely zip to do with being "hot" or wanting to attract men or even just being accepted overall. It had everything to do with the fact that beauty truly does come from within - and unhappiness and bad health just don't necessarily translate to beautiful, at least for most people. Even if I had looked like a million bucks to other people at 220, I would have lost the weight anyway because what good is it to have someone else think you "look" just great, but inwardly to feel like you're dying?
I'm still quite overweight, but with the loss I've had so far, the grace is back, my body "working well" is coming back, and I'm feeling the beauty again.
Now the attitude that five or ten pounds above one's ideal weight is ugly, "fat" and unacceptable - that IS hurtful. But there has to be a happy medium in there somewhere. I do feel we need to adopt the attitude that bodies of different types and sizes can be beautiful, without swinging totally to "...which means being morbidly obese, unable to function well and having significant health issues is beautiful." Isn't there an in-between? Why does it have to be one or the other?
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Now the attitude that five or ten pounds above one's ideal weight is ugly, "fat" and unacceptable - that IS hurtful. But there has to be a happy medium in there somewhere. I do feel we need to adopt the attitude that bodies of different types and sizes can be beautiful, without swinging totally to "...which means being morbidly obese, unable to function well and having significant health issues is beautiful." Isn't there an in-between? Why does it have to be one or the other?
I think what really bugs me is that it's part of this culture where everyone co-owns every female's body. Nobody's telling guys this stuff, because men are not valued based on how much other people want to have sex with them. Women, however, are de-valued based on their size alone, NOT the fact that they might have health problems or struggle with daily life, it's solely because they have failed to live up to their social obligation to be attractive.
Telling someone they're beautiful means "I see past your sexual desirability", it doesn't mean "knock yourself and eat a billion Twinkies". So claiming that is what means, to me, is a complete tell that someone is just being an a-hole.
But that's just me lol...
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tracyannk28 wrote: »Italian_Buju wrote: »tracyannk28 wrote: »Have ya'll noticed that a lot of these women are blaming their weight on prior sexual assult/sexual abuse/child molestation?
I get a little irratated when I hear that because (sadly) I know victims of these awful things and none of them weigh 650 pounds...I feel like they're using it as an excuse and I find it offensive.
You really need to educate yourself on this matter.....I am not saying that to be rude, I am being dead serious....
I already apoplogized for my ignorant comment.
Again - I am sorry my comment was offensive. I truly didn't mean it that way. I know 4 victims of sexual abuse - 2 rape survivors, and 2 that were victims of molestation as small children (one from a family member, one from a neighbor). I can only go by what I have experienced personally.
If you look, I posted this several hours before you admitted your comment was ignorant
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Drives me nuts that the person(s) living with them...brings the very foods in that is making the person ill into the house.
I do use it as a motivator. I have been concerned that watching these cases...normalizes that (600 pd) size to my eyes.
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yes i have watched it. Some episodes have motivated me and also made me feel sad. I think to myself thank God I never got that bad but then I think why didn't I stick to a diet and keep it off when I first started.
One thing MFP has taught me is that I do not need weight loss surgery and a quick fix is not the answer. consistently monitoring what I eat and being accountable is the only way to be successful and never give up on myself0
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