Permitters and Restrictors.

 

Post by Geneen Roth.

Video - Vision is Vital: Challenging Falsely Acquired Thoughts

• Deciphering between the truths of others can cloud our ability to see our own reality.
• Holding onto the things that weigh us down can create debilitating physical FAT and emotional Falsely Acquired Thoughts (F.A.T.) Change the brain, change the body, and find out how to fight F.A.T. for real. Presented by Merrill Littleberry, LCSW, LCDC, CCM, CI-CPT, a licensed psychotherapist and understands the debilitating effects of emotional and physical weight.

#thebiggestloser - Rachel at the Live Finale - Too far? A post for the WLS community.

As a disclaimer, I have always watched The Biggest Loser casually as someone might watch The Super Bowl for the commercials. I enjoy making digs at the product placement, the commercials, etc. This pleases me #broughttoyoubyziploc #subway #extragum #whomever

This year, however I was taken in a little more, sucked in, even after saying things like:  "I'd never watch that crap," and "How dare they publicize weight loss competitions!"  I am sure I have said MANY choice things over the years about this (...and other shows) as an online weight-loss blogger, even as product pitches aligned with this show were tossed my way.  I still watch for the product placements.  I also watch for the exercise -- WHAT?!

This year, I started a (...word warning) "journey" nine years after I started my massive weight loss path.

I began exercising in earnest.   I dropped some lbs and gained muscle.  I have endurance!

I found that The Biggest Loser gave me some "Actual Motivation" if only for ideas of What To Do To Move My Butt.   It's the reason I tried the "Jacob's Ladder," guys.

Or, even just for a frame of reference in body-size for someone like me: a former morbidly obese individual whom had been 320 lbs now 144-150 lbs and maintaining my bodyweight while learning to create health, and gain muscle and make exercise a habit.  If you have not been living in a 200, 300, 400 lb body - you must know - the body dysmorphia that comes along with the change from your super-morbid or morbidly obese self to your "normal" self can last for years.  It may not be until you see another person whom is "wearing" your "body" size when you realize what you look like, and only sort of.

That said -- The Biggest Loser's winner, Rachel.  And please remember that I can only relate to what I know to be true, and to what I see in relation to the hundreds of women (... and some men) I read about daily in my weight loss groups for bariatric surgery.  

She went too far, and sometimes that happens.  

I hope that it was simply because she was pushed to far for the "trigger" of money -- and will find balance in health. 

It happens in our bariatric-post operative patients all the time, and the thing is:  bariatric patients don't have the temptation of a quarter million dollars hanging over their head like a dangling carrot as thin-spiration.  It takes a lot less sometimes for a person to be triggered to lose too far.  Some women (...and men) are pushed by a bad photo, cruel word, or emotional disturbances. 

In the weight loss surgery world, we have a hard time with talking about weight.  We don't like to talk about "how much weight is too much to lose."  We don't like to discuss "too far," and we say things like "well, you called her fat, now she's too thin and you hate her for it."

No.  It's not that.  You/we really have to stop thinking that way.  It is just the same as having bariatric surgery WAS for YOU.  It was supposed to be about your health and saving your life.  There is not a stitch of hate in the words.  It is out of concern for the person, and the people watching:  like our daughters and sons.  

Going on The Biggest Loser was about stopping this person's journey through morbid obesity and saving her life, and getting healthy again.  However, dropping to an underweight body-weight and publicizing this for all of us on TV and creating this huge social media #thinspo out of it -- is WRONG.

Where were the trainers, Biggest Loser Team, producers, etc. when she hit the red flags?  Where was the psych team?  Where is her help?  Is this really just about prize money and not health?

 

I think that says it all.

You failed, @thebiggestloser

 

Fat Letter on Halloween night - No Candy For You, Kid! Added video with interview -

A woman, Cheryl, in Fargo, North Dakota has decided to take Childhood Obesity into her own hands on Halloween, and pass out this letter --  What?!  

Yo, lady -  it's not our business.

Pass out toys.  Shut off your lights.  This letter makes you a tool.    Then again, I think this whole thing is a prank for radio station PR now that I have had a day to look at it.

Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

THIS! Are you an emotional eater?

Trigger warning - Aspire Assist Aspiration Therapy - Sucking vomit out of a tube for weight loss.

"Losing weight shouldn’t take the fun out of life – dinners out with friends, a glass of wine with dinner, or a home-cooked meal with your family. With the AspireAssist, there are no burdensome restrictions on what and when you can eat and drink. Continue to eat the foods you love – and as you start to lose weight, gradually learn how to make healthy choices to match your leaner, healthier body!"

With the Aspire Assist Aspiration Therapy System, you can STILL EAT the foods you crave!  Want that half-gallon of ice cream?  Feel free to dig in!

Nom those noms!

Just twenty minutes after your meal -- you can discreetly withdraw a portion (OF VOMIT) of your partially digested meal THROUGH YOUR ABDOMEN and dispose of it without the hassle of you know:  lower digestion,  fecal production and weight gain!

I thought this was an article from The Onion.

It's not.  It's for real.

Jezebel -

Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway, a machine that exists to stop people from walking, has teamed up with Aspire Bariatrics (that name — shudder) to apply for a patent on a pump that will suck food and beverage straight out of your stomach and rids it from your intestines/life.

Please hold me again.  I'm a Bariatric Patient that is FUCKING TERRIFIED by the thought of giving people the opportunity for controlled bulimia.  I am still wary that this can't be for real -

The Aspire Assist Aspiration Therapy System works by reducing the calories absorbed by the body. After eating, food travels to the stomach immediately, where it is temporarily stored and the digestion process begins. Over the first hour after a meal, the stomach begins breaking down the food, and then passes the food on to the intestines, where calories are absorbed. The AspireAssist allows patients to remove about 30% of the food from the stomach before the calories are absorbed into the body, causing weight loss.

To begin Aspiration Therapy, a specially designed tube, known as the A-Tube™, is placed in the stomach. The A-Tube is a thin silicone rubber tube that connects the inside of the stomach directly to a discreet, poker-chip sized Skin-Port on the outside of the abdomen. The Skin-Port has a valve that can be opened or closed to control the flow of stomach contents. The patient empties a portion of stomach contents after each meal through this tube by connecting a small, handheld device to the Skin-Port. The emptying process is called “aspiration”.

The aspiration process is performed about 20 minutes after the entire meal is consumed and takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Because aspiration only removes a third of the food, the body still receives the calories it needs to function. For optimal weight loss, patients should aspirate after each major meal (about 3 times per day)  GAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! initially. Over time, as patients learn to eat more healthfully, they can reduce the frequency of aspirations.

Top 50 Emotional Eating Blogs - cue thud and human puddling.

I found this list  of the "Top 50 Emotional Eating Blogs 2012" through a blog I found via fitbloggin' this year.  This. list. is. amazing.  I'll share half - you can visit the link for the rest. 

1. Life with Cake â€“ Greta Gleissner is a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders. Life with Cake is a personal blog about her recovery from an eating disorder and includes advice about addressing urges to eat emotionally.

2.  Karen C.L. Anderson â€“ Karen C.L. Anderson writes about what happens after achieving “weight-loss success”. She talks about self-acceptance, how to truly feel your feelings, and eating mindfully.

3. The Begin Within Blog â€“ The Begin Within Blog is a blog for individuals recovering from eating disorders. The blog covers a wide range of topics from binge eating to intuitive eating to kindness and compassion.

4. Savor the Blog â€“ Savor the Blog expands on the themes found in Savor, the popular book by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung. Many of the posts are about mindful eating, while others address the emotional reasons we make our food choices.

5. A Weigh Out â€“ A Weigh Out is a blog written by a number of contributors — all of them professionals in the field of nutrition, emotional eating, and eating disorder therapy. While some of the posts are personal reflections by the coaches and therapists, a number of the posts include advice about addressing emotions in our lives that can affect health — and diet.

Virtually Anorexic

Virtually Anorexic -

An alarming number of young women are using dangerous pro-anorexia websites that encourage users to "starve for perfection," according to a new study.

This - is even prevalent in the WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY COMMUNITY.  

Shocking?  No.  Not at all.    

You must realize that so many bariatric patients are ED patients in recovery (...or not!) and some many are seeking to be accepted and to get acceptance of their behaviors and ...

A LOT OF IT IS NOT OKAY.  

Related articles

Body image MYTHS - DEBUNKED! WLS will CURE MY BODY IMAGE WOES!

25% Drink 16% Calories Via Alcohol Daily.

My Child is Searching About Anorexia, What Do I Do?

Pro-anorexia websites highlight the dark side of the internet

Hundreds of pro-anorexia websites urging young girls into competitive dieting

Pro ana? what is it really?

Review - Before & After, Second Revised Edition: Living and Eating Well After Weight-Loss Surgery

Oh. Yes. She. Did.

Hold the Press Releases, Suz!  

How do you go from not paying your taxes, failure to ship orders since 2011, closing your store, foreclosure, shutting down all communication to... THIS?

Beautiful as I am ...

Beautiful as I am May Faith Photography - Click for FULL SIZE

Leslie Carpenter, owner of May Faith Photography in Vancouver, WA, created this powerful photo on Saturday, August 11th. Carpenter said, "I did this from my heart. I did this so every woman, every girl will know it is OK to BE YOURSELF. Be beautiful as you are." Her photo has gone viral in only 3 short days, with the goal of having the original image shared 10,000 times. 

"Will you stand up against bullying?"

Read more: http://www.wild1075portland.com/pages/kristina.html?article=10343745&fb_comment_id=fbc_10150987259776230_22403889_10150988286866230&comment_id=22403889#f31b4a765faf588#ixzz23i9ygFFV

 

If You Want to Lose Weight But You Aren't -- Why?

Millions of us go on diets and have weight loss surgery each year, but sometimes (often?!) do not have the level of success we expect.  Why is this?  Honestly, this article I lifted from Huffington Post via author Margaret Paul, Ph.D is a tough read.  It makes me squirm a little, which probably means there's a bit too much truth in it and we should all go buy her books.

Just saying.

Huffington Post - 

The answer is, as much as they say they want to lose weight, there is something they want even more -- something that is in direct conflict to weight loss.

Ouch.

If You REALLY Want to Lose Weight - (And, we do, don't we?!  Why is it so HARD?!) via Huffington Post

20/20 Interview Confessions

I am aware that I did not share the details of the interview with 20/20 this week in my previous post about the show.  I wasn't purposely keeping anything from you, in fact I wished I had documented the process as it happened, but I only had a phone and it happened so. very. fast.

Year End Gift Matching for NEDA

Sharing from NEDA -

When it comes to fighting eating disorders, the National Eating Disorders Association is your friend, your ally, and a valuable resource. Contribute your year-end gift now and it will not only do a world of good, but also will be matched by Board member and founders, Don and Melissa Nielsen. This is your last chance to have your gift doubled in 2011!

Donate now:

• Give $20 and it becomes $40
• Give $50 and it becomes $100
• Give $100 and it becomes $200
• Give $500 and it becomes $1,000
• Give $1,000 and it becomes $2,000
• Give $10,000 and it becomes $20,000

We are so grateful on behalf of all of those who will benefit. Your gift helps to fund the NEDA Helpline, a safe place to call for those taking their first steps toward recovery. Contributions also support our NEDA Navigator program, providing support to family members new to an eating disorder diagnosis. And, in just two months we will be hosting the 25th Anniversary NEDAwareness Week, the largest eating disorders education and outreach effort in the country.

In short, your end of the year gift will provide individuals and families affected by eating disorders with the resources and support they need. For them, you are truly providing the greatest gift of all... hope.

Give the gift of hope today.

Wishing all of the NEDA family a happy and healthy New Year,

The National Eating Disorders Association

 

Update on Malissa "'The surgery might have saved my life, but I wish I'd never had it done."

In December of 2009, I wrote a blog post about Malissa Stone, an obese teenager from the UK who had weight loss surgery and was quite miserable with her results.  Now, to be fair, the article was from was seems to be a rag magazine and she was likely paid for her story, so it was dramatic.    Who's to say how much of it was truly real?  Right?  

She appeared as any of us with massive weight loss might, d e f l a t e d.  

The gossip magazine has done it again with another dramatic article. This time she's rail thin, carrying all of her excess skin with no body fat, apparently deep into a full-fledged eating disorder.  How much of this story is legit, I don't know.  Especially since part of the article calls her surgery a band, and another part, a bypass.  But I also refuse to write it off as most of the community will, by either blaming HER, the 'tool,' or the magazine.  Shut up.  I assume that she was paid a lot of money for these photos.

She's still human, she's still one of us.

Warning - This could be a little graphic ...

Addicted to Food, "Welcome to Treatment" - FULL EPISODE

I am finally sitting to watch this tonight. PS. I wasn't aware that there were two WLS patients on this show.

OWN's Addicted to Food

From the Oprah Network, "Meet Tennie McCarty and her eight new clients at Shades of Hope, a Texas treatment center specializing in eating disorders. Addicted to Food airs Tuesdays at 10/9c, only on OWN."

Did you WATCH? What did you THINK?

Curiously, I noticed on Facebook, several of my peers mentioned that they got the the insane URGE to EAT during this show.  How does that make you feel?

I did not watch. I have a hard time with "reality" shows -- that aren't realistic.  I am looking to see if it's online, though.

" Now we've started a real discussion about this. That's a healthy thing. Always investigate any program and get your questions answered fully. Don't buy into a promise that is without proper credentials and evidence-based practices. There are good programs out there to be found. Contact the National Eating Disorders Association for ideas."  - A Facebook Poster on the ATF page

Emotional Eating Help—How NOT to Eat Your Feelings: Identify the Cause

How did you know I was headed to the stack of Rice Cakes?  Stress - me?  Never.  No.  Not at all.  My stress right now, is that I have a list of things I would love to write about that I feel like duct-taping my fingers together so that I won't. 

I don't want to have the blog-rrhea as much as readers like to read it.   There are several pressing issues regarding Life In General that I could simply blather on about, but I won't.  And there are several topics in this community that I plan to attack, but...GIVE ME DONUT.  ;)

The following is an article from WLS Lifestyles by Melissa McCreery, PhD, ACC, is a Psychologist, ICF Certified Life Coach, emotional eating expert, and the founder of www.TooMuchOnHerPlate.com,

Emotional Eating Help—How NOT to Eat Your Feelings: Identify the Cause

If you are an emotional eater, you are not alone. Emotional eating is one of the major causes of overeating for women and one of the biggest reasons for weight regain. If you are seeking to avoid emotional eating, you’ve probably already figured out that willpower alone isn’t enough. To effectively stop overeating, it’s important to have a plan for what to do instead of eating or turning to food.

The first step you can take to prevent emotional eating is ditch self blame and guilt and start addressing your eating with compassion and respect. Even though you are using food in a way that you don’t want to, you are eating the way that you do for a reason.

Understanding the root cause of your overeating or emotional eating is the first step towards taking effective control. Getting to the root cause of your emotional eating is also critical if you want to make changes or create weight loss that lasts. If you don’t address the reasons or the motivations for eating, any weight loss technique you use will be like applying a bandage without treating the injury. If you don’t address what drives your hunger and your urges, they are almost guaranteed to come back.

Before you can effectively decide what to do instead of eating, you need to understand why you are eating in the first place. What triggers your cravings, your emotional eating episodes, your binges, or the times when you feel out of control with food?

Common triggers for emotional eating:

• Stress and anxiety or worry
• Boredom
• Frustration, anger, or feelings of helplessness
• Loneliness or disappointment
• Confusion
• Overload or feeling overwhelmed

To zone in on your emotional eating triggers (both the feelings and the situations), here are some questions that you can ask yourself. These questions are effective to ask either before or after an overeating episode happens:

• What do you know about why you overate? Too often we get stuck by focusing on what we don’t know. 8 What were you feeling and what was happening before the eating happened or the craving started?
• What was different about this time period and yesterday (or a time when you didn’t feel tempted by food or by cravings)? In other words, what do you know about why this happened when it did and not two hours earlier or four hours later?

Don’t worry if the answers don’t flow right away. Getting into the habit of asking these questions will train you to start looking for the answers.

Identifying the feelings and situations that trigger emotional eating allows you to start addressing these areas directly and will help you start to take control of emotional overeating.

Are you a smart, busy woman struggling with stress, overeating, or overload? Claim your free audio set: ”5 Simple Steps to Move Beyond Overwhelm With Food and Life” at www.TooMuchOnHerPlate.com

Melissa McCreery, PhD, ACC

Medications and Binge Eating Disorder after Weight Loss Surgery

I was prescribed Zonegran yesterday as an additional therapy for my refractory seizures.   This makes a super triad of three medications, and PLEASE LET IT WORK.

What I did not know, until I came home and played Dr. Google...

"What does binge eating and/or being fat do for me in my life?"

From YouTube's "ByeByeBelly" - some GREAT insight - some AMAZING words - listen -

"What's Eating You?" premieres tonight

"What's Eating You?" premieres tonight. Are you offended? Scared? Can you identify?

I will watch because I want to understand more about eating disorders, because I can identify with a small portion of behaviors, and because this documentary also includes a gastric band patient. I want to hear her story most of all, because I read emails from my peers all the time, but it's not often that I can "SEE" what's really happening out there.  

Described as a new six-part series about compulsive eating disorders, "What's Eating You," which premieres Oct. 13th at 10PM, features real-life people whose lives are threatened by harmful and extreme eating habits and the doctors, nutritionists and therapists who try to help them with their deadly addiction.

The documentary style series follows a number of addicts, such as, a woman who compulsively eats chalk, another who eats garbage and various other extreme eating behaviors that put their lives in jeopardy.

• Promo 1
• Promo 2
• Promo 3
• Promo 4

Resources

If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder, you are not alone. There is plenty of help available, starting with the following organizations:

• National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA)
• National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA)
• Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA)
• Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center

Read more: http://www.eonline.com/on/shows/whats_eating_you/index.html#ixzz12FfWx7ZH