Melting Mama: Weight Loss Peers.

Posts categorized "Weight Loss Peers."

11 June 2013

A Tongue Patch For Weight Loss

A tongue-patch to lose weight.

No, really.

"Dr. Chugay has recently begun performing a revolutionary weight reduction procedure, which he has dubbed the Miracle Patch. This patch, when surgically applied to the tongue, produces a means to lose weight never before offered by other surgeons.

During a reversible procedure that takes less than an hour, the patient is fitted with a custom patch for the tongue which makes chewing of solid foods very difficult and painful, limiting the patient to a liquid diet. Under the direct supervision of Dr. Chugay and his staff, the patient is put on an easy to follow liquid diet, fulfilling all of their nutritional needs while at the same time minimizing caloric intake and maximizing weight loss results.

Recovery is rapid; and patients are typically able to return to work the following day."

I am intrigued and disturbed at the same time.

As a woman who had her stomach and intestines altered to lose more than 170 pounds I will not judge much (?) the above procedure's level of "OMG YOU DID WHAT TO YOURSELF!?!" because I have heard it all.

But how is this accomplished?

The doctor takes a piece of mesh - the material used to repair abdominal hernias - and attaches it to your tongue. Heck, you may already have this stuff inside you. (Half my family does. We're all patched together.)

This is supposed to make eating now so. unpleasant. that. you. stop.

You have surgical hernia (repair?) of the tongue. (I see other uses for this. Today. Yes.)

I am not a psychologist, but I am a bariatric patient of nearly ten years and professional watcher of post op bariatric patients. (That's my disclaimer, it's all you get.) Rapid weight loss by behavior modification of "Eating! Now Very Difficult And Painful!" can lead to some severe psychological eating issues later on.

Certainly if you're following the "rules of the tongue patch" it should work -- as as very low calorie liquid diet would. But, add in the benefit of making food no longer a pleasant experience, you might as well add the cost of your therapists bill too.

Sigh.

Posted at 09:09 AM in Weight Loss Peers., Weight Loss Surgery, What the hell? | Permalink | Comments (1)

03 June 2013

A new uncharted territory.

Welcome, Beth, to somewhere you've never been before - .3 point to a normal BMI.

145 lbs at 5 ft 3.5 = 25.3 BMI = something I have never seen as an adult.

Posted at 09:39 AM in Weight Loss Peers., WLS Success Stories., WLS Support | Permalink | Comments (2)

Technorati Tags: bariatric, diet, exercise, long term, regain, rny, weight loss

30 May 2013

Win An All-Expenses Paid Trip To #YWM2013 - JOIN US!

In 77 days 63 we descend upon Phoenix. And I cannot wait. No, really.

From the OAC -

YOU ARE INVITED to join us for the 2nd Annual Your Weight Matters National Convention, taking place this year in Phoenix, AZ, August 15 – 18 at the beautiful Arizona Grand Resort & Spa!

“Rise to the Challenge” with the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) in Phoenix, where you can learn from the country’s leading experts and arm yourself with the knowledge to better manage your weight and your health!

The Your Weight Matters National Convention is the largest National meeting dedicated to providing evidence-based strategies for individuals impacted by excess weight and obesity, proudly brought to you OAC. As a National non-profit organization, the OAC is dedicated to helping the millions of Americans impacted by excess weight and obesity through education, advocacy and support.

The OAC’s National Convention is a 3-day educational event designed to bring together all individuals who struggle or are concerned with weight-related issues. The entire weekend is dedicated to presenting a comprehensive agenda, comprised of diverse topics that are designed to help any individual who has ever had a concern about their weight. We bring-in the country’s leading experts on weight and health and give you the RIGHT tools to be successful in your lifelong journey with weight.

Would you join us? Please do.

The OAC invites you to “Rise to the Challenge” and have the opportunity to win an all-expenses paid trip to the 2013 Convention in Phoenix.

Caesar demands - asks...

If you refer 10 or more registrants to the 2013 Your Weight Matters National Convention, you will be entered-in to a Grand Prize drawing for an all-expenses paid trip to the Convention! The individual whose name is drawn will receive airfare, three-nights hotel stay and a Full Event Registration. Participants must recruit a minimum of 10 registrants to be eligible to enter the raffle for the Grand Prize.

All individuals who refer at least one registrant will be entered-in to a Runner-up drawing for a complimentary Full Convention Registration and a free OAC Membership (or renewal). You will receive one entry into the Runner-up drawing for each registrant who indicates that you referred them to Convention.

SO DO IT ALREADY. Here is the form - Download Convention_Recruitment_Contest_2013

GET ENTERED! GET THERE. We want to see you!

(If you have not watched this - DO - embed the words inside your brain - that little dance - can you? Would you?)

Have you already registered for #YWM2013? (GO YOU!)

If you HAVE?

Please please please shoot the OAC a quick email to convention@obesityaction.org and provide the name of the individual that recruited you to attend. Because, they get a shot at winning the trip - and that's super-helpful. The more the better.

Spread the love. And see you at #YWM2013!

Posted at 07:45 AM in Adversity, Advocacy, Body Image, Childhood Obesity, Conferences, Contests - Giveaways, Events, Fundraising, Health., Helping Others., Motivation, OAC, Obesity., Support Groups, Weight Loss Peers., WLS Success Stories., WLS Support | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: blogger contest, obesity action coalition, win, your weight matters convention, ywm, YWM2013

23 May 2013

Carnie Wilson Speaks At WLSFA 2013 Las Vegas Luncheon

Posted at 07:39 AM in Addiction, Transfer Addiction, etc., Adversity, Verbal diarrhea., Weight Loss Peers., WLS Horror Stories., WLS Revision, WLS Success Stories., WLS Support, WLSFA | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: Carnie Wilson Speaks At WLSFA 2013 Las Vegas Luncheon

20 April 2013

THIS! Are you an emotional eater?

Posted at 07:12 PM in Body Image, Eating, Eating Disorders., Health., Helping Others., Weight Loss Peers. | Permalink | Comments (3)

Technorati Tags: eating, emotional eating, geneen roth

18 April 2013

Study - Expectations for weight loss and willingness to accept risk among patients seeking weight loss surgery.

Just a warning, this is NOT a pleasant Rainbow and Butterflies study for those in the early or research stages of weight loss surgery.

Study -

Expectations for weight loss and willingness to except risk - JAMA -

Importance Weight loss surgery (WLS) has been shown to produce long-term weight loss but is not risk free or universally effective. The weight loss expectations and willingness to undergo perioperative risk among patients seeking WLS remain unknown.

Objectives To examine the expectations and motivations of WLS patients and the mortality risks they are willing to undertake and to explore the demographic characteristics, clinical factors, and patient perceptions associated with high weight loss expectations and willingness to assume high surgical risk.

Design We interviewed patients seeking WLS and conducted multivariable analyses to examine the characteristics associated with high weight loss expectations and the acceptance of mortality risks of 10% or higher.

Setting Two WLS centers in Boston.

Participants Six hundred fifty-four patients.

Main Outcome Measures Disappointment with a sustained weight loss of 20% and willingness to accept a mortality risk of 10% or higher with WLS.

Results On average, patients expected to lose as much as 38% of their weight after WLS and expressed disappointment if they did not lose at least 26%.

Most patients (84.8%) accepted some risk of dying to undergo WLS, but only 57.5% were willing to undergo a hypothetical treatment that produced a 20% weight loss.

The mean acceptable mortality risk to undergo WLS was 6.7%, but the median risk was only 0.1%; 19.5% of all patients were willing to accept a risk of at least 10%.

Women were more likely than men to be disappointed with a 20% weight loss but were less likely to accept high mortality risk.

After initial adjustment, white patients appeared more likely than African American patients to have high weight loss expectations and to be willing to accept high risk.

Patients with lower quality-of-life scores and those who perceived needing to lose more than 10% and 20% of weight to achieve “any” health benefits were more likely to have unrealistic weight loss expectations.

Low quality-of-life scores were also associated with willingness to accept high risk.

Conclusions and Relevance

Most patients seeking WLS have high weight loss expectations and believe they need to lose substantial weight to derive any health benefits.

Educational efforts may be necessary to align expectations with clinical reality.

/end study

NO SHIT, REALLY?! Go back and READ IT AGAIN.

Now go read this: http://www.drsharma.ca/how-much-are-people-willing-to-risk-for-bariatric-surgery.html

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN TELLING YOU?! Please. START. LISTENING.

Posted at 07:29 AM in Studies, Surgical Weight Loss Methods., Weight Loss Peers., Weight Loss Surgery, WLS Success Stories., WLS Support | Permalink | Comments (1)

Technorati Tags: boston, Expectations for Weight Loss and Willingness to Accept Risk Among Patients Seeking Weight Loss Surgery, risk, study, weight loss surgery risk, WLS

17 April 2013

Regain After Weight Loss Surgery.

Left - Fitbloggin' 2012 Right - This Week - Lost the regain - Also, 3 pounds to my lowest weight.

Several years ago, a woman messaged on a weight loss surgery forum and told me that my weight chart resembled a roller-coaster and that she wanted to "help me get control." After a quick Google search -- I noted she was seeking a new client for her weight loss surgery coaching business and dumped her "friendship."

Friends do not pay friends to help them lose weight, maintain weight loss or to help them lose regained weight after weight loss surgery. If you are paying someone for your friendship, it might be time to redefine that friendship -- just saying. I suppose this changes if your friend happens to be a weight loss professional? But how often does that happen -- and how many weight loss professionals would potentially destroy a friendship with aligning with your weight loss journey?

Um. No. A professional would NOT.

Weight loss is personal.
It is something you choose for yourself when you are ready.
Weight loss is not something you can be talked into - nor shamed into.

Regain after weight loss surgery is also a very touchy subject. Countless bariatric patients go through it -- and less want to talk about it. But it seems like everyone wants to sell "us" something to fix it.

Let me repeat -

Weight loss is personal.
It is something you choose for yourself when you are ready.
Weight loss is not something you can be talked into - nor shamed into.

Yet it seems like the larger community wants "us" (the regainers) to feel shamed for regaining and wants to sell us another quick-fix.

Let us discuss: Regain is common. How much? Some is very typical. Sometimes even a lot of regain is normal. You do not have to be sold into another diet, quick-fix, or scam. You need to remind yourself why you had weight loss surgery to begin with --

...for your HEALTH.

Some good links on regain -