Link to story

This morning a story was featured on Good Morning America.  Chris Powell is a beautiful soul and I can't be grateful enough that he said he wasn't for or against weight loss surgery but he mentioned he has seen many after surgery for help with weight loss.  This is a misleading statement because his clients wouldn't be  WLS post-ops who kept the weight off.  The words that sent an arrow through my heart..."Brian was so busy focusing on altering his body that he didn't change his mind and that's where the transformation happens.  Then he got it. He learned from his mistake.  And then he said I'm going to do this the right way. I'm going to walk my dog. I'm going to start one step at a time."  I know Chris meant the right way was by making the transformation in his head but it sounds like weight loss surgery was the wrong way.

Chris made some excellent points that I've been talking about for years.

With every transformation we need to surround ourselves with people who love us unconditionally.

Find another purpose that feels much better than food ever did.  Always have something to look forward to more than food.

Most importantly he mentioned that after you quit getting the thrill of seeing the scale move and getting all those compliments, you have to find more happiness in service to others.

Where are the stories about those who figured it out the first time around after surgery?  We have to work just as hard every day to maintain our weight loss.  This isn't about me....it's about all of us who have gotten our lives back.  While some haven't kept it all off they are still 100 pounds plus ahead of the game.  Watching someone freed from their bed, wheelchair or walker is a miracle to me.  Seeing someone resolve their diabetes is a miracle.  Some of us have damaged our bodies so intense exercise isn't an option but there are still ways to move our bodies.

For years I've been writing People Magazine when they publish the issue about people losing half their weight.  They don't want my story because I had surgery and they really don't understand how many times we've lost half our weight only to gain it back.  Why can't they celebrate those who have kept it off period?  It is always funny when I hear how weight loss surgery doesn't work but the moment someone loses a great deal of weight quickly they are immediately accused of having surgery.

I want this post to be understood.  Brian is to be congratulated for figuring it out no matter when it was.  Chris knows how to teach people how to keep the weight off but I hope some day he'll learn more about our community. Please don't leave negative comments about either of them.

The cynic in me says no one wants to do positive stories on WLS because it just isn't good television.

Maybe some day....in my lifetime...the stigma will go away forever.

 

The original post can be found here.

 Thank you Lisa Lampanelli!  Yesterday I just happened to be watching an episode of Bethenny and even more unusual I was actually watching in real time.  The words were being said but my brain wasn't really comprehending.

"Weight loss surgery, lost 52  pounds,  healthy and happiness".  After I recovered from my shock I collected myself and backed it up and watched again....and again.....and then again.   Next I searched the internet because I usually know exactly which celebrities have weight loss surgery and found out she was announcing her weight loss surgery on that show!  She and her husband Jimmy both had the Gastric Sleeve 8 weeks apart.  Lisa was brave and went first.  A portion of the segment can be seen in video below.

Bethenny asked her why she considered surgery and Lisa said the doctor asked "Have you noticed that you don't see a lot of 70 year old people that look like you?" When asked about the cost (she self paid) Bethenny compared it to an expensive plastic surgery but Lisa was very quick to correct that assumption.  Lisa told her the surgery saved her life!

Lisa shared our typical story....tried all the diets on earth and lost weight initially but gained more after each diet.  One of the interesting parts was admitting she felt her emotions more because she wasn't stuffing them down with food.  It sounds like she's getting the necessary psychological support to help her deal with why she ate in the first place.

And even cooler.....Lisa didn't contact one of the diet plans to get paid for losing weight with their diet when she actually had surgery.

WOW a celebrity that just stepped out there and told it like it was.  You go girl!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BJ2fNVBdHM&feature=colike 

Original Post

In June of 2010 People Magazine they wrote the first  semi positive story about WLS and I begged everyone on the OH forums to write in so we would be mentioned and WE WERE!  You'll reognize a member's name in the picture!  They only do this on the stories that get the most email.  I just posted the following on every other place I could and I'm posting it here in hopes we can do it again.  Here's the post:

Hey guys I've been fading in and out a bit because I had some surgery but this is important so don't be surprised if you see it in more than one place. People Magazine has done a positive story about weight loss surgery regarding Carnie Wilson. Some of you guys have been tough on her but you don't realize there was no education on how to use our tool back then. I had my surgery one year after hers so I can relate. Because she went first she saved my life! We have a chance to make a difference in the history of People Magazine and hit them with enough email to bring WLS out of the closet. If we send enough email we will be mentioned in the mail bag section so I'm asking you to please send an email to editor@people.com and you can ask to be listed as anonymous if you want. Tell them how WLS saved your life, tell them how much you lost, tell them thank you for doing a positive story on WLS but tell them something to help remove the stigma that still exists at People Magazine and with many of their readers. Please pass this on to your friends and your friend's friends. Let's be a part of changing the stigma. 

ORIGINAL POST

 

Carnie Wilson is the reason I had weight loss surgery. Some of us affectionately call each other Carnie babies.  My surgery was about a year after hers.  In 2000 there was no aftercare and maybe a couple of places you could even discuss it online.  We forget how much ridicule Carnie had to endure going first and going so publicly.  The moment I heard about gastric bypass I made the first available appointment for a consultation.  I literally did fifteen minutes of research.

Now Carnie has decided to have a second surgery twelve years later and the comments under the online articles are so incredibly cruel. Not only from the "normies" (as I certainly expected) but also from the weight loss surgery community.  Revisions are very common so we should be accustomed to those. Many of us regain so we should be accustomed to that too.  At the very least if you don't have something kind to say... don't say it.  We have enough problem fighting the stigma of WLS without our own community helping.  Since I have been volunteering for many years I've noticed some particular circumstances that seem to cause regain.  In no particular order:

1. Having babies.  Almost every woman who has a baby after WLS fights regain.

2. Not being educated properly about the psychological aspects of our disease.

3. Being super morbidly obese before surgery.  It's just plain harder for those folks.

4. Being a woman. (Men have a far superior metabolism)

Carnie also has to do it in the public eye.  How well would you do if after your surgery paparazzi was there every time you left your house to record every pound regained or lost?  I would have crumbled. She went first so the process was a little easier for the rest of us and yet some of us pound her at the first opportunity.

She deserves to be happy with her decision.  I don't know anyone who is perfect enough to throw stones so let's give her another chance to be healthy and avoid diabetes.  I've never seen it in the "WLS life rules" that you don't get another chance.   I would really appreciate some support for her in the People magazine online article linked below. People Magazine has particularly not given us much of a chance because every time they publish the "Half Their Size" issue we are intentionally left out.  The cover says "no surgery, no gimmicks".  Aren't you happy to know we used a gimmick?

Thanks in advance for voicing your support.

Thanks in advance for not posting if you are against giving her support.

Online People Magazine article

We are so strong when we pull together and nothing would make me happier than People Magazine hearing us roar!

ORIGINAL POST