Guest guest Posted November 6, 2002 Report Share Posted November 6, 2002 In a message dated 11/06/2002 10:44:04 PM Eastern Standard Time, rudnicki@... writes: > the majority of us are I was not aware that the majority of grads are anemic. Please someone explain. Fay Bayuk 300/182 10/23/01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 6, 2002 Report Share Posted November 6, 2002 Dear Faye, I dont know about the majority of grads becoming anemic, but I am very distal and having to work at keeping all my levels within normal limits. I do know that it is very important to take your vitamins, minerals and drink your protein supplements if you are distal... or you risk becoming very ill within time. I am currently iron deficient anemic, and taking additional iron each day. To those I have talked with about my current situation, we are mostly in agreement that I am having a tougher time staying within normal limitis because I was so very ill before my third surgery, second revision, performed last Feb. Hang in there.. and take care Hugs, from GA open RNY 12/12/00 Revision 04/18/01 Revision 02/07/02 St wt.... 392 Cw.......187 Wt loss..-205 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 6, 2002 Report Share Posted November 6, 2002 In a message dated 11/7/02 8:44:04 AM West Asia Standard Time, rudnicki@... writes: << she says she went for a physical, finds out she's severely anemic and in doing more tests they find the colon cancer. now its no secret that she had lap band surgery in like '99 and dropped 100lbs. and so why wouldnt' she be anemic? the majority of us are. -------------------------------- The majority of us are anemic? What are the lab values that tell me if I'm anemic or not. This is the first time I've heard most of us are this way. @@@@@@@@@@@@@ but can some of the medical folks out there explain the link between being anemic and colon cancer. >> ------------------------------ I'm not a medical folk, but I just read today in " Beyond Change " that cancer can be one of the CAUSES of anemia (rather than the other way around)........... Carol A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 6, 2002 Report Share Posted November 6, 2002 In a message dated 11/7/02 8:44:04 AM West Asia Standard Time, rudnicki@... writes: << she says she went for a physical, finds out she's severely anemic and in doing more tests they find the colon cancer. now its no secret that she had lap band surgery in like '99 and dropped 100lbs. and so why wouldnt' she be anemic? the majority of us are. -------------------------------- The majority of us are anemic? What are the lab values that tell me if I'm anemic or not. This is the first time I've heard most of us are this way. @@@@@@@@@@@@@ but can some of the medical folks out there explain the link between being anemic and colon cancer. >> ------------------------------ I'm not a medical folk, but I just read today in " Beyond Change " that cancer can be one of the CAUSES of anemia (rather than the other way around)........... Carol A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 6, 2002 Report Share Posted November 6, 2002 In a message dated 11/7/2002 4:15:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, rudnicki@... writes: > I was watching 20/20 tonight as barbara walters was interviewing the > osbournes. mostly sharon since she holds the family together is ozzie's > business manager and a lot about her recent colon cancer. she says she > went for a physical, finds out she's severely anemic and in doing more > tests they find the colon cancer. > now its no secret that she had lap band surgery in like '99 and dropped > 100lbs. and so why wouldnt' she be anemic? the majority of us are. ******************************* I was under the impression that the symptoms started before the lapband surgery. Her daughter, Amy, was saying she knew something was wrong, and was trying to get her mother to go for a checkup for a couple of years before she actually did. What a family, they're so disfuntional, but so endearing, aren't they? Also, I don't think the majority of us are anemic. I know many are, but the majority? BTW, Sue, thank you for setting up the polls. in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 6, 2002 Report Share Posted November 6, 2002 In a message dated 11/7/2002 4:15:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, rudnicki@... writes: > I was watching 20/20 tonight as barbara walters was interviewing the > osbournes. mostly sharon since she holds the family together is ozzie's > business manager and a lot about her recent colon cancer. she says she > went for a physical, finds out she's severely anemic and in doing more > tests they find the colon cancer. > now its no secret that she had lap band surgery in like '99 and dropped > 100lbs. and so why wouldnt' she be anemic? the majority of us are. ******************************* I was under the impression that the symptoms started before the lapband surgery. Her daughter, Amy, was saying she knew something was wrong, and was trying to get her mother to go for a checkup for a couple of years before she actually did. What a family, they're so disfuntional, but so endearing, aren't they? Also, I don't think the majority of us are anemic. I know many are, but the majority? BTW, Sue, thank you for setting up the polls. in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 For what its worth, I am anemic, compounded by recent pregnancy and birth. So I have to watch my levels of iron and B12. I know for me that with ANY health stress I must be diligent with my vitals... As an added note, since I upped my protein intake (proscore100) I have dropped all pregnancy weight gain (18 lbs) plus another 22 lbs the first four weeks after giving birth. So I am back to losing weight again, after 2 1/2 years, wahoo! J.J. Medial Lap RNY May 10, 2000 Tricare, Navy Dr. Spencer 300/185/160 Baby Girl by C-Section 9/12/02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 For what its worth, I am anemic, compounded by recent pregnancy and birth. So I have to watch my levels of iron and B12. I know for me that with ANY health stress I must be diligent with my vitals... As an added note, since I upped my protein intake (proscore100) I have dropped all pregnancy weight gain (18 lbs) plus another 22 lbs the first four weeks after giving birth. So I am back to losing weight again, after 2 1/2 years, wahoo! J.J. Medial Lap RNY May 10, 2000 Tricare, Navy Dr. Spencer 300/185/160 Baby Girl by C-Section 9/12/02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 > I was under the impression that the symptoms started before the lapband > surgery. Her daughter, Amy, was saying she knew something was wrong, and was trying to get her mother to go for a checkup for a couple of years before she actually did. What a family, they're so disfuntional, but so endearing, aren't they? *** she had lap band in '98 or '99 but for the last 2yr. was sick and wouldn't go to the doc. they finally convinced her to. i think for " US " that no medical care, bloodwork, etc. for two years is a nightmare waiting to happen. > Also, I don't think the majority of us are anemic. I know many are, but the majority? *** OK, I'll take back my majority and just say Many of us are anemic. we could do a poll but how many would really take the time to answer it? just the anemics probably. anyhow it seems that no one is exempt from being anemic - not a short proximal as I was and still became anemic by 6mo.post op, not post menopausal women as there are many on the list and not men. seems like some folks get so anemic they have to do injections and IV even. I suppose its no different than carbonate working for some folks and no protein supplementation working for some folks. we know what 8 vits are no longer absorbed at the duodenum once it was bypassed and theoretically we should have to supplement those 8 - iron being one of them. sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 > I was under the impression that the symptoms started before the lapband > surgery. Her daughter, Amy, was saying she knew something was wrong, and was trying to get her mother to go for a checkup for a couple of years before she actually did. What a family, they're so disfuntional, but so endearing, aren't they? *** she had lap band in '98 or '99 but for the last 2yr. was sick and wouldn't go to the doc. they finally convinced her to. i think for " US " that no medical care, bloodwork, etc. for two years is a nightmare waiting to happen. > Also, I don't think the majority of us are anemic. I know many are, but the majority? *** OK, I'll take back my majority and just say Many of us are anemic. we could do a poll but how many would really take the time to answer it? just the anemics probably. anyhow it seems that no one is exempt from being anemic - not a short proximal as I was and still became anemic by 6mo.post op, not post menopausal women as there are many on the list and not men. seems like some folks get so anemic they have to do injections and IV even. I suppose its no different than carbonate working for some folks and no protein supplementation working for some folks. we know what 8 vits are no longer absorbed at the duodenum once it was bypassed and theoretically we should have to supplement those 8 - iron being one of them. sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 >> explain the link between being anemic and colon cancer. << colon cancer, even in its pre-cancerous stages causes bleeding. It can even be microscopic bleeding (amounts too small to be seen by the normal eye). I'm sure many of us have heard of or have had a colon cancer test in which a very small amount of stool is tested for blood. This is the link to the anemia. Blood loss in the stool leads to the anemia. If you have heard about colon polyps - which can lead to colon cancer, they can cause bleeding (which can lead to anemia). As a physician, one of the first things we are taught to think about in an adult with anemia (after menstrual bleeding and other gyn sources in a female) is a GI (gastrointestinal) source - hemorrhoids, colon cancer, or now (with easier access to prevacid, tagamet, etc) less likely ulcers. doc carolyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 Maybe not the majority, but many. This is because the positioning of the bypass causes us to malabsorb iron as well as the other things we malabsorb. Thus causing anemia. doc carolyn > the majority of us are I was not aware that the majority of grads are anemic. Please someone explain. Fay Bayuk 300/182 10/23/01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2002 Report Share Posted November 7, 2002 I was watching 20/20 tonight as barbara walters was interviewing the osbournes. mostly sharon since she holds the family together is ozzie's business manager and a lot about her recent colon cancer. she says she went for a physical, finds out she's severely anemic and in doing more tests they find the colon cancer. now its no secret that she had lap band surgery in like '99 and dropped 100lbs. and so why wouldnt' she be anemic? the majority of us are. but can some of the medical folks out there explain the link between being anemic and colon cancer. perhaps there is none, its just her random testing that in her case linked one to the other. makes me wonder what kind of aftercare/follow up she has had since surgery........... sue I saw the program too, and wondered the same. Might be that she had accompanied rectal bleeding, and didn't mention that. More than likely she did..if her cancer was that advanced. Also wonder how much care she was taking of herself....since she seems to be the ..umm...caretaker in that " family. " Ozzie's brain is so fried that he goes into a panic thinking of being without her. Sad. Regards~ ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- Jacque -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* www.jacquemiller.gasupusa.com Discount Gasoline! Save 21% with a Costco-like membership! Ask me how! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 In a message dated 4/15/2003 9:58:12 AM Central Daylight Time, kathsspace@... writes: > My only point is that just because someone mentions personal > responsibility is not a reason to jump to a conclussion. We don't > even know what the story is about. ------------------------------------ I DID say I'm waiting till I see the show to complete the letter! If you had heard the advertising for the show, you would get the idea that this is going to be one colossal blame-fest. But I'm waiting 2c if that's the case. There are many reasons for morbid obesity. Some of them have to do with choice and some of them do not. The tendency of the " normal " world is to lump us all together, and point the finger at us all and say " you did it to yourself. " You are apparently one of those lucky ones who got to where you were by choice, and so by choice, could undo what you did. Doesn't always work that way for all of us, and much recent research has proven that to be true. Please don't YOU jump to conclusions either and hop on the " blame the fat gal " bandwagon until the program has aired. Carol A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 Maybe it's just me, but why in the world would you start a letter before even seeing the show. Talk about jumping to conclussions. Am I the only one who take complete responsibility for my being fat? I did make a choice to not be fat, the choice was made by way of WLS. I can also make the choice to be fat again by eating my way back to my former weight. My only point is that just because someone mentions personal responsibility is not a reason to jump to a conclussion. We don't even know what the story is about. KathyM > Stossel can be a real jerk when it comes to > anything involving health issues. I figure he's > obsessed with weight and image. > > Another case of someone who has never had a weight > problem telling the rest of us how to live. > > Jerk > > Connie > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 15, 2003 Report Share Posted April 15, 2003 UH-OH.........I feel ALOT of dialog is about to immerge !Should lead to some interesting reading-----let me pull up a chair.BJ in Va phxkath kathsspace@...> wrote: Maybe it's just me, but why in the world would you start a letter before even seeing the show. Talk about jumping to conclussions. Am I the only one who take complete responsibility for my being fat? I did make a choice to not be fat, the choice was made by way of WLS. I can also make the choice to be fat again by eating my way back to my former weight. My only point is that just because someone mentions personal responsibility is not a reason to jump to a conclussion. We don't even know what the story is about. KathyM > Stossel can be a real jerk when it comes to > anything involving health issues. I figure he's > obsessed with weight and image. > > Another case of someone who has never had a weight > problem telling the rest of us how to live. > > Jerk > > Connie > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 I saw the program last night which expanded on the whole theory that addiction is a choice not a disease. With regard to food addiction and compulsion to eat, which I had prior to WLS (and can still get on a role with if I eat the wrong foods) I can definitely say that being overweight was not a choice I made. I am glad that I have been able to have WLS and am granted the chance to be " normal " whatever that is. As long as I stay in touch with my body and don't overeat, I will stay healthy. I have lost 70% of my excess body weight since my 1/8/02 BPD/DS surgery and for my goal, have 30 lbs. more to go. I have started back on my protein shakes as of yesterday and from reading the posts on the group, feel very motivated and hopeful that this last 30 lbs. will come off. Does anyone have some good ideas for non-dairy protein shakes? I am severely lactose intolerant and have trouble with some of the whey content in many of the shakes. Thanks to all on the group who have helped me by their posts. Barbara in MD(Barbara Helene, not Barbara Jean LOL!!) Message: 17 Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2003 23:31:04 EDT From: tuesdynite@... Subject: 20/20 Well, did anyone have time (amidst the Easter/Passover preps) to catch the Stossel report on obesity on 20/20 Friday night? Anyone have a comment? Carol A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 I didn't miss it. I saw it. The url u posted is pretty much everything that was covered in the 20/20 segment on obesity. This quote in particular really incensed me: " Schaler, author of Addiction Is a Choice, disagrees: " These people are playing or pretending to be helpless. If they want real help, they need to confront the fact that they're lying when they say they can't do something that they can do. " Schaler says we're stronger than we think, and that overeating, smoking and other so-called addictions are all things we can choose to control. Our genes are not in charge, he says, we are. Schaler says people may process food differently because of their genes. But, he says, " 'The activity of eating is not controlled by a gene.' " ----------------- I do not consider myself helpless and I have spent an entire lifetime (I'm 61) proving I'm not helpless. I've gone on diet after diet and have lost hundreds of pounds over the years. But at some point, some DEMON would possess me and make me eat my way back up again to an even higher weight. And I do mean demon. I remember describing it to people just that way, that SOMEthing just seemed to take me over and make me eat even if I didn't WANT to eat. I successfully kicked a 3-pack-a-day smoking habit in 1989 after a half dozen attempts that never " took " permanently. I had smoked for 35 years. To THIS DAY, I will at times of stress, chew on toothpicks and straws as substitutes. Maybe I wasn't addicted to the nicotine, but I was certainly addicted to having something in my mouth, and apparently still am. But I think what this proves is that some people can be strong about some things and not necessarily about others. One thing that's missing from the summary of the segment on obesity is an opening quote from one of the belly dancers, who said that she'd never found anything that worked for her to keep the weight off once she'd lost it. Like me, she'd lost and regained and lost and regained many times over her life, and each regain ended her up heavier than ever before. And that is my biggest criticism of this " study " -- that Stossel never addressed that issue of obesity, that people do exercise their strength at times and do lose weight, but are not able to hang on to the loss. When someone finds the secret to conquering that problem, I think the problem of obesity in general will be conquered. Is there even ONE person on this list who has never tried to lose weight? There are a lot of things that cause us to " choose " to eat rather than control our eating. It's a lot more complex than this program makes things out to be. Carol A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 I didn't miss it. I saw it. The url u posted is pretty much everything that was covered in the 20/20 segment on obesity. This quote in particular really incensed me: " Schaler, author of Addiction Is a Choice, disagrees: " These people are playing or pretending to be helpless. If they want real help, they need to confront the fact that they're lying when they say they can't do something that they can do. " Schaler says we're stronger than we think, and that overeating, smoking and other so-called addictions are all things we can choose to control. Our genes are not in charge, he says, we are. Schaler says people may process food differently because of their genes. But, he says, " 'The activity of eating is not controlled by a gene.' " ----------------- I do not consider myself helpless and I have spent an entire lifetime (I'm 61) proving I'm not helpless. I've gone on diet after diet and have lost hundreds of pounds over the years. But at some point, some DEMON would possess me and make me eat my way back up again to an even higher weight. And I do mean demon. I remember describing it to people just that way, that SOMEthing just seemed to take me over and make me eat even if I didn't WANT to eat. I successfully kicked a 3-pack-a-day smoking habit in 1989 after a half dozen attempts that never " took " permanently. I had smoked for 35 years. To THIS DAY, I will at times of stress, chew on toothpicks and straws as substitutes. Maybe I wasn't addicted to the nicotine, but I was certainly addicted to having something in my mouth, and apparently still am. But I think what this proves is that some people can be strong about some things and not necessarily about others. One thing that's missing from the summary of the segment on obesity is an opening quote from one of the belly dancers, who said that she'd never found anything that worked for her to keep the weight off once she'd lost it. Like me, she'd lost and regained and lost and regained many times over her life, and each regain ended her up heavier than ever before. And that is my biggest criticism of this " study " -- that Stossel never addressed that issue of obesity, that people do exercise their strength at times and do lose weight, but are not able to hang on to the loss. When someone finds the secret to conquering that problem, I think the problem of obesity in general will be conquered. Is there even ONE person on this list who has never tried to lose weight? There are a lot of things that cause us to " choose " to eat rather than control our eating. It's a lot more complex than this program makes things out to be. Carol A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 --On Tuesday, April 22, 2003 2:12 AM -0400 Tuesdynite@... wrote: > I didn't miss it. I saw it. The url u posted is pretty much everything > that was covered in the 20/20 segment on obesity. That's pretty pathetic - what a piece of fluff! > This quote in particular really incensed me: > > " Schaler, author of Addiction Is a Choice, disagrees: " These > people are playing or pretending to be helpless. If they want real help, > they need to confront the fact that they're lying when they say they > can't do something that they can do. " > > Schaler says we're stronger than we think, and that overeating, smoking > and other so-called addictions are all things we can choose to control. > Our genes are not in charge, he says, we are. > > Schaler says people may process food differently because of their genes. > But, he says, " 'The activity of eating is not controlled by a gene.' " > ----------------- Very smug sounding, isn't it. Maybe it isn't controlled by a single gene - but I'm betting there is probably some combination of genes that when you add them all up equate to food addictions or a propensity toward super-efficiency at retaining calories. Not to mention that dieting seems to throw people's metabolisms really out of whack in what would appear to be an almost a permanent way. It's like this person just decided to ignore volumes of research to the contrary when he made his little proclamation. > I do not consider myself helpless and I have spent an entire lifetime > (I'm 61) proving I'm not helpless. I've gone on diet after diet and have > lost hundreds of pounds over the years. But at some point, some DEMON > would possess me and make me eat my way back up again to an even higher > weight. And I do mean demon. I remember describing it to people just that > way, that SOMEthing just seemed to take me over and make me eat even if I > didn't WANT to eat. I feel the same way - I consider myself a very strong person who has overcome many forms of adversity in my life. I have been successful at everything I have attempted - with the one exception of losing weight and keeping it off (well, that and bowling ;o). I lost it time and time again, but then I just couldn't maintain it. I was an anorexic in high school - obessively keeping my caloric intake to a mere 300 calories a day for nearly a year and exercising every chance I got - when I wasn't sitting in class or sleeping, I was running or doing sit-ups. My health suffered from it, but you know how much I lost? About 2 lbs a week, if I was lucky. But no, it's not genetic. It was my fault for eating too much and not moving enough, right? Bullhockey. > One thing that's missing from the summary of the segment on obesity is an > opening quote from one of the belly dancers, who said that she'd never > found anything that worked for her to keep the weight off once she'd lost > it. Like me, she'd lost and regained and lost and regained many times > over her life, and each regain ended her up heavier than ever before. And > that is my biggest criticism of this " study " -- that Stossel never > addressed that issue of obesity, that people do exercise their strength > at times and do lose weight, but are not able to hang on to the loss. I think that is the real issue - there is the person who gains 5 lbs from overeating on a cruise, and then there are people who struggle with over 100 lbs of excess weight - apples and oranges, in my book. Part of me wishes that people who are so smug about " just eat less and move more " be cursed with morbid obesity so they truly understand that it's not just that simple. But then, I wouldn't wish MO on my worst enemy. Sally 298 (BMI 49)/-117/181 Goal: 150 lap RNY 7/10/02 Dr. Quinlin/Pittsburgh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 --On Tuesday, April 22, 2003 2:12 AM -0400 Tuesdynite@... wrote: > I didn't miss it. I saw it. The url u posted is pretty much everything > that was covered in the 20/20 segment on obesity. That's pretty pathetic - what a piece of fluff! > This quote in particular really incensed me: > > " Schaler, author of Addiction Is a Choice, disagrees: " These > people are playing or pretending to be helpless. If they want real help, > they need to confront the fact that they're lying when they say they > can't do something that they can do. " > > Schaler says we're stronger than we think, and that overeating, smoking > and other so-called addictions are all things we can choose to control. > Our genes are not in charge, he says, we are. > > Schaler says people may process food differently because of their genes. > But, he says, " 'The activity of eating is not controlled by a gene.' " > ----------------- Very smug sounding, isn't it. Maybe it isn't controlled by a single gene - but I'm betting there is probably some combination of genes that when you add them all up equate to food addictions or a propensity toward super-efficiency at retaining calories. Not to mention that dieting seems to throw people's metabolisms really out of whack in what would appear to be an almost a permanent way. It's like this person just decided to ignore volumes of research to the contrary when he made his little proclamation. > I do not consider myself helpless and I have spent an entire lifetime > (I'm 61) proving I'm not helpless. I've gone on diet after diet and have > lost hundreds of pounds over the years. But at some point, some DEMON > would possess me and make me eat my way back up again to an even higher > weight. And I do mean demon. I remember describing it to people just that > way, that SOMEthing just seemed to take me over and make me eat even if I > didn't WANT to eat. I feel the same way - I consider myself a very strong person who has overcome many forms of adversity in my life. I have been successful at everything I have attempted - with the one exception of losing weight and keeping it off (well, that and bowling ;o). I lost it time and time again, but then I just couldn't maintain it. I was an anorexic in high school - obessively keeping my caloric intake to a mere 300 calories a day for nearly a year and exercising every chance I got - when I wasn't sitting in class or sleeping, I was running or doing sit-ups. My health suffered from it, but you know how much I lost? About 2 lbs a week, if I was lucky. But no, it's not genetic. It was my fault for eating too much and not moving enough, right? Bullhockey. > One thing that's missing from the summary of the segment on obesity is an > opening quote from one of the belly dancers, who said that she'd never > found anything that worked for her to keep the weight off once she'd lost > it. Like me, she'd lost and regained and lost and regained many times > over her life, and each regain ended her up heavier than ever before. And > that is my biggest criticism of this " study " -- that Stossel never > addressed that issue of obesity, that people do exercise their strength > at times and do lose weight, but are not able to hang on to the loss. I think that is the real issue - there is the person who gains 5 lbs from overeating on a cruise, and then there are people who struggle with over 100 lbs of excess weight - apples and oranges, in my book. Part of me wishes that people who are so smug about " just eat less and move more " be cursed with morbid obesity so they truly understand that it's not just that simple. But then, I wouldn't wish MO on my worst enemy. Sally 298 (BMI 49)/-117/181 Goal: 150 lap RNY 7/10/02 Dr. Quinlin/Pittsburgh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2003 Report Share Posted April 22, 2003 --On Tuesday, April 22, 2003 2:12 AM -0400 Tuesdynite@... wrote: > I didn't miss it. I saw it. The url u posted is pretty much everything > that was covered in the 20/20 segment on obesity. That's pretty pathetic - what a piece of fluff! > This quote in particular really incensed me: > > " Schaler, author of Addiction Is a Choice, disagrees: " These > people are playing or pretending to be helpless. If they want real help, > they need to confront the fact that they're lying when they say they > can't do something that they can do. " > > Schaler says we're stronger than we think, and that overeating, smoking > and other so-called addictions are all things we can choose to control. > Our genes are not in charge, he says, we are. > > Schaler says people may process food differently because of their genes. > But, he says, " 'The activity of eating is not controlled by a gene.' " > ----------------- Very smug sounding, isn't it. Maybe it isn't controlled by a single gene - but I'm betting there is probably some combination of genes that when you add them all up equate to food addictions or a propensity toward super-efficiency at retaining calories. Not to mention that dieting seems to throw people's metabolisms really out of whack in what would appear to be an almost a permanent way. It's like this person just decided to ignore volumes of research to the contrary when he made his little proclamation. > I do not consider myself helpless and I have spent an entire lifetime > (I'm 61) proving I'm not helpless. I've gone on diet after diet and have > lost hundreds of pounds over the years. But at some point, some DEMON > would possess me and make me eat my way back up again to an even higher > weight. And I do mean demon. I remember describing it to people just that > way, that SOMEthing just seemed to take me over and make me eat even if I > didn't WANT to eat. I feel the same way - I consider myself a very strong person who has overcome many forms of adversity in my life. I have been successful at everything I have attempted - with the one exception of losing weight and keeping it off (well, that and bowling ;o). I lost it time and time again, but then I just couldn't maintain it. I was an anorexic in high school - obessively keeping my caloric intake to a mere 300 calories a day for nearly a year and exercising every chance I got - when I wasn't sitting in class or sleeping, I was running or doing sit-ups. My health suffered from it, but you know how much I lost? About 2 lbs a week, if I was lucky. But no, it's not genetic. It was my fault for eating too much and not moving enough, right? Bullhockey. > One thing that's missing from the summary of the segment on obesity is an > opening quote from one of the belly dancers, who said that she'd never > found anything that worked for her to keep the weight off once she'd lost > it. Like me, she'd lost and regained and lost and regained many times > over her life, and each regain ended her up heavier than ever before. And > that is my biggest criticism of this " study " -- that Stossel never > addressed that issue of obesity, that people do exercise their strength > at times and do lose weight, but are not able to hang on to the loss. I think that is the real issue - there is the person who gains 5 lbs from overeating on a cruise, and then there are people who struggle with over 100 lbs of excess weight - apples and oranges, in my book. Part of me wishes that people who are so smug about " just eat less and move more " be cursed with morbid obesity so they truly understand that it's not just that simple. But then, I wouldn't wish MO on my worst enemy. Sally 298 (BMI 49)/-117/181 Goal: 150 lap RNY 7/10/02 Dr. Quinlin/Pittsburgh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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