ARE YOU A BARIATRIC B.A.S.E. JUMPER?

Mar 02, 2011

People fear a lot of things. Heights. Tight spaces. Water. Elevators. Spiders. Large Crowds. Parties. Public speaking. The list of phobias is endless. But, in the world at large, not everyone shares the same fears (snakes, flying, leaving the house) — unless, of course, they are members of the weight loss community. In that case, we are pretty much all terrified of the same thing: WEIGHT REGAIN.

With all phobias, there is a basis of truth to the fear. In other words, it is reasonable to fear that you can die in a plane crash, get bitten by a poisonous snake, or get stuck in an elevator. That stuff does happen. But, does that mean you should never fly, hike a mountain trail, or ride the elevator in a tall building?

Some would say, “Yes.”

But what about the fear of weight regain? How does one insulate against that “inevitability?” It’s not like we can go through life avoiding food; we MUST eat.

Exactly how do people deal with phobias? Many believe that the only way to overcome something you fear is to face it head on. If you are afraid of heights, jump out of an airplane; if you fear spiders, touch a tarantula. If you hate public speaking, join Toastmasters. But, some people take things to the extreme. Some people actually TAUNT fate by going beyond what would be considered safe or normal. Some people believe that the only way to FEEL alive and to prove that they fear nothing, is to push everything to the extreme.

Consider B.A.S.E. jumpers (Buildings, Antennas, Spans (bridge) and Earth (cliff). When asked WHY they do it, BASE jumpers typically say they do it to feel more alive. They want to come face-to-face with death, and live to tell about it. To the average person, this sounds like craziness. Why would anyone tempt fate to feel more alive?

Well, consider weight loss surgery patients who push the limits of their pouch just to feel more “normal.” These people will try a piece of cake, or eat french fries, or munch on a hamburger, just to see how far they can go.

Maybe these people could be considered Bariatric BASE jumpers. Where the acronym stands for: Bingers, Anorexics, Snackers and Eaters.

Let me explain…

The Bingers will mindlessly eat when they aren’t hungry. They’ll eat the wrong things and they’ll eat far too much of it. For most, the net result is a dumping session, followed by guilt, regret, remorse and recommitment to “never do it again.” Could it be argued that Bingers do this to prove that their pouch still works? To conquer weight regain by doing the very thing that will cause it?

The Anorexics severely restrict themselves from food, because they believe it’s better to put NOTHING in their pouch, than to eat the WRONG THING. Unlike true anorexics, they eat — but they don’t get enough protein and they don’t take their supplements. So, they come face-to-face with malnutrition, just to prove that they can survive.

The Snackers spend their day grazing. Their poison will vary, depending upon the day. On special occasions (birthdays, holidays, Tuesdays), they might eat “just one chocolate chip cookie,” or “a little piece of SEES candy.” They might consume an entire bag of potato chips — slowly, or they’ll pick at a slice of pizza. They rationalize their behavior by saying that they don’t eat too much at one time, so it’s okay. They flirt with disastrous regain, but it doesn’t happen all at once, so the dangerous behavior continues.

Finally, there are the Eaters. Now, I’m not talking about NORMAL eaters; I’m talking about those who make the wrong food choices, but do it in very small amounts, to give the illusion of being healthy. As long as they eat a small bowl of ice cream, or a junior size hamburger, it’s “okay,” — but the behavior makes the eater feel dangerously close to being normal.

I think it’s fair to say that we all find ourselves in these positions occasionally — some of us, more than we’d like to admit. So, how do we face our fears of weight regain without tempting fate by “flying without a net?”

Sadly, most will not recognize their risky behaviors and find themselves on the wrong end of the scale again. They’ll be the ones who poke a stick in the snake hole, drive too fast without a seatbelt, swim with the sharks….But others — and I hope to be counted among them — will find a way to conquer their phobia, while retaining a healthy respect for what it represents.

Weight regain is real and the likelihood of it happening is considerably greater than getting struck by lightning. But, just as you wouldn’t hold a metal rod up in a rainstorm, you must respect the rules of living a healthy lifestyle.

Flirting with disaster will only lead to disaster; it’s just a matter of when, not if. I don’t plan to live my Bariatric After Life in fear, but I do believe I must be willing to respect SOME limits, in order to live a life with FEWER ones.

Are you a Bariatric BASE Jumper? Do you push the limits just to see how far you can go? I know that I am guilty of all of these things — some, more than others — but I believe that recognizing my problem and formulating an escape plan will be my saving grace.

Through the help of my therapist, Jim, I am working on my “binge” triggers, and trying to diffuse the “need for speed.” Most of the time, I feel pretty good about my progress, and when I don’t, I just pick myself up and start over. And the next time? I’m using a ‘chute 

Originally Appeared on: GastricBypassBarbie.com – Copyright 2/4/10 - All Rights Reserved

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