Dr. Duc Vuong is my new (bariatric) spiritual guide

[Suzi_the_Q 257]

I just discovered Dr. Duc Vuong's youtube channel and now i'm OBSESSED! It felt really affirming having someone point out that most doctors have you shoot for the "average" weight loss, 60-65% of EBW e.g. how my nutritionist suggested my goal should be 170lbs- like wtf? Dr. V pushes his patients to get to around 20 BMI and I'm here for THAT! I think I've watched 6 or 8 of his videos since discovering him yesterday. So good! And no BS! Plus I kinda love that he swears too, feels more genuine. Here's one of his vids, check him out!

[New&Improved 1,780]

Yes exactly what I said yesterday that dr. Will set an easy goal weight so most people are able to reach it and feel good but it is possible to lose 100%

[Hop_Scotch 1,630]

Yeah...no.

He doesn't do surgery anymore, he is more into multi level marketing (pyramid schemes). Some of his earlier videos have a lot of merit but the longer the time has lapsed since he has done surgery and more into MLM and getting rich (his workshops and conferences now focus more on MLM and networking) the less merit he brings.

Edited June 28, 2020 by Hop_Scotch

[Suzi_the_Q 257]

Hmm... yeah I don't watch the money videos, just the WLS ones. That's disappointing to hear though.

[GreenTealael 25,350]

56 minutes ago, Suzi_the_Q said:

Hmm... yeah I don't watch the money videos, just the WLS ones. That's disappointing to hear though.

Doesn't (or rather shouldn't( detract from the the helpfulness of his older stuff

[summerset 5,265]

1 hour ago, Suzi_the_Q said:

Dr. V pushes his patients to get to around 20 BMI and I'm here for THAT!

I like his older videos, too.

Having "big goals" is nothing wrong or naughty. The problem is how people react when they don't reach them or only reach them partly. So it might not be wrong to set a more moderate goal and adapt as the patient goes along. Surgeons and dietitians got more modest during the years because there is study after study that shows what's the usual outcome after several years for many (though definitely not all) patients is.

If you see yourself as a winner and as successful only if you're maintaining at a BMI 21 or lower forever and feel like a failure when you're only being able to reach and maintain e. g. a BMI of 28 (coming around from maybe a BMI of 50) - maybe that's not really all that pleasant. There is nothing wrong with pursuing lofty goals but I think one should have a plan B if plan A doesn't work out.

Most people on here usually don't believe it in the beginning but: you don't pick a goal weight like a new pair of jeans or the color of your next car.

[catwoman7 11,212]

I agree with the others. Most surgeons will give you a goal of around 70% of excess weight loss since statistically, that's where most people are likely to end up. Only about 10-15% make it to a normal BMI. That's not to say you can't - there are plenty of people on here who've done that - but it takes A LOT of work and commitment, and it's also not realistic for most people. I did make it (although I had the year 3 "bounce back" and am now four lbs "overweight"), but to be honest, at the beginning of my journey, even being under 200 lbs was a pipe dream. I would have been ECSTATIC to end up at 199.

[New&Improved 1,780]

Same with @catwoman7

Im one of a very few that made it to a healthy BMI of 22.2 and lost all my excess weight!

Was not easy at all took a lot of commitment.

[Heather13 16]

11 hours ago, Suzi_the_Q said:

I just discovered Dr. Duc Vuong's youtube channel and now i'm OBSESSED!

Thank you for this information. I've been reading his book, but didn't know he had videos. And thanks to the others who have cautioned against his later videos. I'll stick to the information he shares that's helpful to me.

[MaybeMeow 129]

12 hours ago, Hop_Scotch said:

Yeah...no.

He doesn't do surgery anymore, he is more into multi level marketing (pyramid schemes). Some of his earlier videos have a lot of merit but the longer the time has lapsed since he has done surgery and more into MLM and getting rich (his workshops and conferences now focus more on MLM and networking) the less merit he brings.

Ditto.

[Hop_Scotch 1,630]

7 hours ago, Heather13 said:

Thank you for this information. I've been reading his book, but didn't know he had videos. And thanks to the others who have cautioned against his later videos. I'll stick to the information he shares that's helpful to me.

I had a look at his Facebook page yesterday and he now created a new facebook page for the HGH gel MLM scheme, so his facebook page now focusses again on WLS etc. Hopefully he has done the same with his youtube channel or at the very least clearly marks his videos,

Edited June 28, 2020 by Hop_Scotch

[BigSue 1,372]

I've watched a lot of Dr. Vuong's videos, and he has some good information. Something about him just seems a little off to me (like the fact that he no longer does surgery -- it seems like he's hiding something about that). I really like Dr. Matthew Weiner's videos. Most of them are several years old, but they're very informative, and Dr. Weiner seems really kind and genuine.

[summerset 5,265]

6 hours ago, BigSue said:

I really like Dr. Matthew Weiner's videos. Most of them are several years old, but they're very informative, and Dr. Weiner seems really kind and genuine.

I like his videos, too. He's a bit of a loner in the bariatric field because he pushes a diet that differs quite a lot from what is recommended by other surgeons.

[summerset 5,265]

20 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

Only about 10-15% make it to a normal BMI. That's not to say you can't - there are plenty of people on here who've done that - but it takes A LOT of work and commitment, and it's also not realistic for most people.

True.

In the end it's always a question of "how big is the price one has to pay for it". If you can maintain a BMI in the normal range or maybe even in the being-slightly-overweight range rather effortlessly what's the point of trying to white knuckle your way to a BMI of e. g. 21?

If we're being honest we're no longer talking about "health" then. We're talking about "vanity". Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with wanting to lose more weight because of a little vanity but be honest and stop hiding behind the word "health" once a normal weight is reached and it doesn't hurt to be aware of the price one might have to pay for it either. For many patients the decision to lose some more "vanity weight" might boil down to "Do I want a life or a diet and an exercise plan?"

I'm dropping again the term "best weight possible". For some, that might indeed be that BMI of 20. For others it might be the BMI of 27 or 28 or higher, depending on starting BMI and life circumstances.

Usually surgeons and dietitians are more realistic when it comes to goal weight than the patients, e. g.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18201668/

[Lily66 425]

Absolutely, 1,000% agree with you, Summerset. Those are my thoughts exactly.👌