When I saw the below *graphic photos last week from UK news sites, I was not surprised -- and considered sharing them to the blog -- but I did not. However they have made them here to the good old US of A and it appears that this is what Mr. Paul Mason of England would desire - is publicity.
Mr. Mason was A Man Of Very Large Size. :)
He nearly reached 1000 pounds at his highest weight, and with the assistance of bariatric surgery he is now down an amazing 644 pounds and left with a massive amount of excess skin. This is obviously quite a feat -- and as a WLS patient yourself -- I am sure you can imagine the skin issues are inexplicably awful.
If you recall, (as maybe one or two of you out there in the interweb do...or not?) I started blogging (... in 2005) hoping to save any pennies I earned doing so for "plastic surgery fund!" (No, I never had any plastics.)
Reconstructive surgery after massive weight loss is not inexpensive, nor easy. I completely understand Mr. Mason's reasoning for throwing his photos out there.
And, I'm throwing them here. Maybe someone will take him on.
Recently when I saw a fresh weight loss and posted it, I was confronted with a commenter who asked me why I posted my body-weight. It is a fair question and I do not challenge her asking it, because it's been asked of me many times when I have posted my actual weight-as-a-number.
I will say that number-sharing is the norm (...or was?) in the weight loss surgery/bariatric community as a whole for as long as I have been a part of it -- and that is at least 10-12 years that I have actively read and participated in emails, groups and chats. I posted the question as a poll this morning on Facebook as well. Go answer! Come back.
Back in the hey-day of message boards we would add a line of text to our signatures (..siggies!) to signify our -
HW (Highest Weight)
SW (Start Weight or Surgery Weight)
CW (Current Weight)
GW (Goal Weight)
They would look alot like this!
Beth
HW - 320 SW - 298 CW - 151 - GW - 150
Don't judge the comic-sans.
I would go back to *my old posts circa 2003/2004 and show you, except I was banned from my message board back then, and my posts via BethLButterfly disappeared. She posted in Comic Sans at times. Her demise is why MM exists.
Number or weight sharing is. Was. Always will be? I would say that in general -- most individuals that have bariatric surgery are often proud of every single pound lost, and want to wear their "pounds lost" as a badge of honor. Some post ops are extraordinarily proud and not only wear the pounds lost, current weight, but will add things like "LBS GONE FOREVER!"
Losing weight is no easy feat, and after bariatric surgery -- it feels like victory. Why wouldn't someone want to own it -- even just for a while? I suppose when you've been 500, 400, 300, 250 lbs -- wearing a newly slimmed down self is quite a change and being able to put that number out there to the universe -- even just for a while is worth it.
Now, for me. This commenter wondered if my posting about my actual number was an obsession - let me clear it up here. No. I've always weighed myself.
Bariatric surgery and the life afterwards is ALL ABOUT NUMBERS. Losing pounds, inches, and sometimes counting calories, measuring food, and exercise. If you're a pre-op that doesn't want to 'hear that' - I am sorry - but it really, truly, is.
I absolutely understand that some people take these numbers to an extreme - and extremes are unhealthy at any level -- and that is how we get into situations like: needing bariatric surgery. Extreme caloric intake is unhealthy, an extreme sedentary lifestyle is unhealthy. We require balance.
It takes a very long time for some people to learn this: example ----> ME.
While I have always "weighed-in," I am also The Queen Of Avoidance, and as soon as I see the scale move up - I remove the scale. (That's magic, if I can't see my regain, no one else can. That is, until I SEE THE PHOTO EVIDENCE MYSELF AND SCREAM. *See below.)
So what has changed? I removed myself from the effects of negative influences -- changed my views on some things and ... GASP ...
I added ACCOUNTABILITY to my daily life. I now weigh myself near-daily, or at LEAST weekly. I check-in my food nearly every single day on a journal.
Is that obsessive? No. Why? Because before -- not paying attention led to weight regain. Surrounding myself by people with negative and apathetic views on life - brought me down.
But, recently I started paying attention - and seeing results:
My brain likes to see results, black and white, literal, on paper, in lines, to show me that if I DO X - Y WILL HAPPEN.
Because it works. (Shut up Weight Watchers.) And my little brain likes proof.
If I can see tangible results I will keep going - I will keep doing a thing if I can see a result. I do not like to work for "free - " you see. Does that make sense? Here's an example, a very simple one. I started going to the gym and doing basic exercise (...long walks on the treadmill and seated elliptical) about a month ago (...I'll check back in my Facebook check ins) and I noticed a tangible result the night before last. My leg muscles are coming back. This is enough to create a positive reaction to keep me motivated.
It's not about obsessing about a number. I don't have a goal.
It's not uncommon for those of us who have lost massive amounts of weight with bariatric surgery to have major issues with body dysmorphic disorder or problems seeing ourselves the way we really look.
Some post weight loss patients suffer terrible with body dysmorphia -- some to a much lesser degree.
But, could brains actually be different in those who have BDD?
Dear Octane People, Thanks for making this. This product works for me. I am able to use this pretty effortlessly after using the treadmill for an hour -- and I am NOT complaining yet.
<3, The new girl at the gym with excess skin who does not enjoy flopping it all around.
When I post this image, it's a big deal for me. This indicates that Beth Has Been On The Treadmill For An Hour Almost Every Day 9/10 Days. I also don't typically chart my activity unless I do something on purpose so - this is "doing something on purpose."
I am trying to make a habit -- to create a new habit -- to learn to enjoy exercise before I develop complete loathing for it. Because it isn't that I hate exercise, I don't. I just don't enjoy many of same things that others LIKE to do and I am not cut out for a lot of the things that many of you might enjoy.
For example - I will never be a long distance outdoor runner. It just won't happen. I can't run outdoors, unsupervised. Why? I am an uncontolled epileptic and likely to dash into traffic. I can't swim alone for the same reason, nor can my kids. I can't kayak. I can't use a bike. Nor can I take my kids on bike rides. Yeah, yeah. It sucks. Whine whine. LOL.
I CAN walk briskly on a treadmill with a safety clip on - with people around me. (10 times, 10 hours. 3/5-4 miles each. I haven't fallen.)
Nobody needs to know I am a high-fall risk. (Even though I am.) I take two medications that cause "dizziness" and "sleepiness" among other things.
I CAN walk with the family away from the road, in the woods, trails, etc. I can hula hoop. I can roller skate! (I just did.) I can take classes at the gym when I can GET there. I've been lying to myself about all the "can'ts."
David B. Sarwer, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry and Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania as well as Director of Clinical Services at the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders. He received his B.A. in 1990 from Tulane University, his M.A. in 1992 from Loyola University Chicago and his doctorate in clinical psychology in 1995 from Loyola University Chicago.
Clinically, Dr. Sarwer is the Director of the Stunkard Weight Management Program and is actively involved in the Bariatric Surgery Program at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He conducts behavioral/psychological evaluations of patients prior to surgery. He also treats individuals with eating or other psychological concerns after bariatric surgery. Dr. Sarwer provides psychotherapeutic treatment to persons who have body dysmorphic disorder or other appearance concerns -
Dr. Sarwer needs to immerse himself in our WLS community forever thankyouplease, or not, because we have the BODY DYSEVERYTHING -
Body Image Researcher David Sarwer Debunks Hollywood Myths http://huff.to/RHjGnH
Myth 1: The fatter you are, the worse your body image.
Q. People assume that weight gain and bad body image go hand in hand, and yet, that assumption doesn't reflect the truth. What's the truth about weight gain and body image?
A. There's typically very little relationship between someone's objective appearance and their subjective body image. Individuals who are the most objectively attractive will sometimes have very negative body images, and individuals who are less attractive will sometimes show relatively little body image distress. [That said,] as the American population has gotten heavier, we are perhaps a little more accepting of full-figured body presentations in public. Ten to 15 years ago when we talked about the body image of overweight individuals, the focus was: "Isn't it unfortunate that people who are overweight feel like they need to camouflage their appearance in big, baggy clothing." Now, the discussion has gone 180 degrees in the other direction: "Why are overweight individuals wearing inappropriately form-fitting and revealing clothing?"
Myth 2: Losing weight is the best way to boost body image.
Q. You've written that weight reduction is the most popular form of body image therapy. But is it the best way to boost body image? What do you have to say about that?
A. A number of studies have shown that as individuals lose weight, even very modest amounts of weight, they show improvements in body image. At the same time, a lot of people after weight loss, including the more dramatic weight loss we see with bariatric surgery, still have a good degree of residual body dissatisfaction. There are limitations to how much weight you can physically lose. Perhaps the best way to address this [residual] dissatisfaction is learning how to think and behave differently.
Myth 3: Gastric bypass surgery cures body image woes.
Q. Clearly, bariatric surgery decreases weight-related health problems, but what about body-image woes? Is it reasonable to expect gastric bypass, among other surgical weight-loss procedures, to boost body image?
A. With all bariatric surgery procedures (gastric bypass, the sleeve, the banding procedure), the average weight loss is somewhere between 25 and 35 percent of an individual's initial body weight. Individuals typically reach those weight losses within the first 18 to 24 months after of surgery. With those weight losses, there are typically significant improvements in things like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease within the first year or two after surgery. But before patients reach the largest percentage of weight loss, they report significant improvements in body image. As patients are losing weight within the first three to six months after surgery, they report significant improvements in body image. The caveat: after they've lost weight, some patients complain about the loose, hanging skin. That's probably a big reason why more than 50,000 Americans every year turn to plastic surgery after massive weight loss.
Myth 4: Liposuction, tummy tucks and other shape-altering surgeries transform body image.
Q. The hope is that liposuction, tummy tucks and other shape-altering surgeries will transform body image, but is this hope well-founded? Do these popular procedures actually boost body image, or do they leave people feeling just as bad, if not worse?
A. After cosmetic surgical procedures, patients do experience improvements in body image.[1] The primary catalyst for a cosmetic procedure is dissatisfaction with a part of their appearance -- with their nose in the case of rhinoplasty, their love handles in the case of liposuction, or their breasts in the case of breast augmentation. After surgery, the vast majority report improvements in their physical appearance and their body image. In some cases, however, patients may be dissatisfied because of complications or scarring. In other cases, it may be they had unrealistic expectations about what the surgery was going to do. Somewhere between 5 and 15 percent of patients suffer from body dysmorphic disorder. They're preoccupied with a relatively slight defect in their appearance. Those patients typically don't report improvements in their body image after undergoing cosmetic surgery.
Myth 5: Breast implants boost body image.
Q. One of the most surprising things I've learned from your writing is that there's an increased suicide risk among women who get breast implants for cosmetic purposes. I know you're not saying the surgery causes suicide, but what have you concluded about body image and breast implants?
A. Seven studies throughout the world have shown an increased rate of suicide two to three times greater among women who have undergone cosmetic breast augmentation. (These studies were looking at women who get breast implants for cosmetic purposes, not for cancer.) The reasons are not particularly well-articulated, but it's likely that these women have preexisting [mental illness] that is not picked up by the plastic surgeon or not even recognized by the patient herself. One of the strongest predictors of a subsequent suicide is a history of psychiatric hospitalization. These women already have a history of significant mental illness that is returning some time within years after the cosmetic procedure.
Jean Fain is a Harvard Medical School-affiliated psychotherapist specializing in eating issues, and the author of "The Self-Compassion Diet." For more information, see www.jeanfain.com.
Gasp! A...gym? I know, I already heard about it via Facebook... "No. way. you. did." We really did!
"What's wrong with you, Beth?!"
I know. Two wild and crazy things in the span of one week? Are you mad?
No, not really. Not... much?
I realized when we were on the Obesity Help Cruise that I don't mind exercise -- when I'm in a gym.
Why? Because, I've got distractions galore: via TV, music, and Other People Around Doing The Same Thing. Certainly the fact that we were staring OUT INTO THE CARIBBEAN helped a little itty bitty, I am sure. Even walking the track outdoors was no trouble at all. Again -- I was distracted by pretty things.
At home -- I rarely follow through with exercise via treadmill because I start zoning out at the wall -- and think about Getting Off Of This Thing and ... ANYTHING to GET OFF OF THIS THING -- HOW ABOUT LAUNDRY? You said the toilet is clogged? I'll be right there! SQUEE!
And I do. I'll make it 15 -20-30 minutes and quit. But, in the context of a gym where you're surrounded by folks trying not to quit -- it's easier. Maybe it's just me! (I know it's not.)
This means we've been tossing around the idea of signing up the whole family for a gym membership.
As much as I would like to just get up and go early in the morning by my SELF, it will never happen since I am not driving anymore. We were members of one or two gyms years ago -- right after we both had weight loss surgery -- but at the time we were living with family for a while and it was easy to take turns going. Now, not so much. We would have to go as a group (which can be a big freaking deal...) because there isn't any swapping off anymore -- and we don't have babysitters.
We would have to go at night or on the weekends -- which will end up being whatever teenagers that will GET UP AND GO and somehow wrangling the younger two into a class at the same time.
I pretty much realize that it's impossible AND totally worth it, simultaneously.
My ten year old was bouncing off the walls in there: "I SO want to DO THIS, I could take swimming lessons, and I could do THIS and then we could do THIS!" My 13 year old didn't complain, and I saw him eyeing the weights like "I could do this."
The frugal MM says it's a waste of money, because she is all too realistic and know what happens when people buy gym memberships. And those who buy memberships that can't really get to the gym more than 1-2 times a week? Huge waste of disposable income. Suze Orman would SLAP YOU IN THE FACE. "Go play outside you morons." I know she'd say it.
But as Dr. Phil says, "How's that working for you?"
Um. It's not. It never really has. I have a hard time just getting up and going because my preferred exercise is walking outdoors -- and since I have random seizures -- I'm fearful of walking alone.
The sometimes Motivated MM knows it's worthwhile if it GETS US MOVING because moving is the goal, and what matters and who cares if it's $$$.$$ a month? And she also saw herself in the full-body mirror without Slimpressions AT THE GYM and wanted to jump on the treadmill immediately. Then I realize How Motivating It IS -- if I came home and posted about all the good things I would do - and the benefits I'd get from working out - and how many potential people might be motivated too?
PS. And the bizarrely analytical MM already did the math and realized that it's about .88 cents to $1 per day per person in the family for such a membership, and that doesn't seem like much at ALL, but when she considers that might only be used once a week some weeks -- it seems like a lot more -- and WHAT IF WE DON'T GO AT ALL?! Yes, I have to make it worthwhile or I won't bother. So there's that.
Oh, I suppose I should add the cost of the protein shake I HAD TO have on the way out? That would really... uh... add up.
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