Steamed re: SELF article

[pashmina 0]

My August issue of SELF arrived today. I love the magazine because it's got great fitness articles, tips, and motivation ideas along with the typical beauty/relationships aids. But I am STEAMED at the article they printed this month called "The Weight Loss Miracle that Isn't." It's not on the site yet, so I can't link to it.

By and large they reference Bypass patients, but bands are mentioned numerous times. Frankly, the overall aura of disapproval and superiority over bariatric patients smacks of the same crap Oprah pulled not long ago touting people she admired to doing it the "hard way".

There are risks inherent to all bariatric surgeries, and some of them can be awful, tragic in some cases; I'm not trying to minimize that. It is not a "miracle" and is a TON of hard work. I also don't believe companies/MD's should be "advertising" weight loss surgery to those needing to lose 40 lbs, etc... However, the primary goal of this article seemed to be soley about DEMONIZING the process and those who have made the choice.

As if they're saying, "see you stupid cow, you have a surgery and you're either going to have so many issues you may die and need reversal, or you're going to gain it all back anyway. Not a wise choice."

Perhaps overly critical, but I am SO sick of this stuff. Rant over.

Edited July 18, 2008 by pashmina
ETA

[U_go_gurl68 0]

I haven't read the article, but I can see how that would be upsetting and offensive.

I think you hear all this negative crap about WLS because all the medias that you'll hear all of it from get paid by advertisers. Pharmaceutical companies, Docs pushing their own plans designed to keep us sick and fail, fitness related items, so on and so on. Every year, especially at New Years, all those companies make large amounts of money on us fat people who are looking to reach our goals, "this time". If they keep pushing the "natural way/ harder way", they all win and we lose. Millions of dollars are spent all the time on weight loss products, fitness equipment, fitness attire, magazines, etc. They are designed to give us the idea that we can achieve something through buying their products, but we all know that isn't the case.

Having the lap band surgery is the best gift I gave to myself. No more fad diets. No more false hopes. No more negativity about weight loss. This is our chosen way and it works. Plus it is hard and it is natural, just with a little help of the band :wub:

I guess I vented my own anger long enough. Best wishes to you on your journey.

sincerely,

Stephanie

[libra 13]

You know, the media doesn't want the band to be successful. They wouldn't have anything to write about. There wouldn't be anymore "great diets" out there. People would stop spending insane amounts of money for supplements and Meal Replacements. Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and the rest of them would go broke! Everyone would find out that all of those so called "diets" are a scam. Millions of dollars would be lost! (How's that for a conspiracy? LOL!)

[pashmina 0]

I can't post the article because I doubt the people at SELF would be pleased if I did, not to mention the copyright powers that be. But if anyone wants to see it, send me your e-mail in a private message.

Edited July 19, 2008 by pashmina
I'm an idiot- copyright, not copywrite- brain blip earlier

[di1138 8]

After we read the article we should all write the editor!

[Brandy~ 2]

I would write a very nice professional letter to the editor with the success stories and the hard work you have put into the bands.

If you write just cussing and being offensive then that's just as low as the article. So if you write them lets represent the lap band community in a professional manner :thumbdown:

[U_go_gurl68 0]

You know, the media doesn't want the band to be successful. They wouldn't have anything to write about. There wouldn't be anymore "great diets" out there. People would stop spending insane amounts of money for supplements and meal replacements. Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers and the rest of them would go broke! Everyone would find out that all of those so called "diets" are a scam. Millions of dollars would be lost! (How's that for a conspiracy? LOL!)

As sad as it is, I truly believe that in most cases. Instead of finding ways to help people be successful, the world is really trying to keep us fat. As long as we are struggling to lose weight and as long as there are Docs putting us on medication, after medication, after medication; all which are causing other problems, everyone is making money.

You hear all these stories on the news about Obesity and healthcare costs rising. Yet for most, weight loss programs are not an option. Why? because they make it so hard to get help for Obese patients. Insurance companies don't pay for weightloss programs and for most, they don't help with weight loss prevention either. They only help once you started having problems related to being overweight, because then everyone's making money.

I find myself not really knowing what to do sometimes. I am a nurse and supposed to push compliance with certain treatments, but it is so hard when you see your patients develop other problems due to their so called "healing" treatment plans. And the bad thing is, I am a pediatric nurse, so I see it at the beginning of a child's life, which will carry on to adulthood. The other things is, if you are poor and don't have insurance, they don't even try hard to help the parents understand the importance of a good diet for their children so they don't grow up with problems. I guess it is called job security.

Again, I've rambled on too long. Sorry.

Best wishes,

Stephanie

[freedomshaffer 0]

OMG I am so tired of people calling this EASY! First, anything we do to lose weight can fail if we don;t commit, even surgery. Even though I have a band, I can still consume excessive amounts of ice cream, puddings, chips, and other crunchy foods easily. My doctor and I discussed this and it is normal because these foods digest real easy, so I still have to use WILL power to lose weight, the band is just an aid, but it is definitely not the "easy way out". If inability to eat foods you have always enjoyed like steak and pork is easy, if the inability to have a beer with your friends is easy, if making a life long decision to completely alter your body and "volunteer" for surgery and lifelong followup is easy, they I guess it is the easy way out, but all thos things for me were and still are HARD!! But as a wife and mother I felt I owed it to myself and my family to address my chronic weight issue and stop "yo-yo-ing" like I did on the many many diets I tried and actually do this FOREVER, and although it has been difficult, and there have been times I have questioned why I did this to myself, it is the greatest thing I ever did and my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner!!! Forward THAT to SELF!!! lol

[Laurinda 1]

How dare Oprah challenge anyone to do it "the hard way" It's not like the rest of America has the money to hire the staff she did.

As for the article ( I have not read ) the topic in general. People with weight problems are looked down upon and when the same people try to do something about it they are still looked down upon if they try to seek outside help. ( WLS ) the public has a mind set that if you are fat it's your fault and if you have surgery you cheat and you should have lost that weight on your own, after all you put it on on your own. Just the attitude I have seen for years. Your damned if you do and damned if you don't in the eyes of some. I am so glad I am damned that I DID get the lap band and that I cheated with my weight loss! Best damn thing I ever did!

[aubrie 6]

This is PRECISELY why I tell NO ONE I had WLS. I just smile sweetly and say portion control! It's not lying, just not the entire truth, which is none of their damned business anyway!!!!

Yeah right..... Like Oprah has room to judge me? Like she hasn't yo-yo'd up and down for YEARS!!!!! And thank you Laurinda!!! Point well taken.... What I couldn't do if I could afford a team of personal trainers, a weight room in my home, a private dietician and a live in cook!!! And she still hasn't remained entirely successful.......

[Donna113 2]

There will always be judgmental people who judge you poorly for one reason or another. If you're overweight, then it's the most obvious and easy target for their disapproval. I used to worry alot about what other people thought but I have finally got to the point that I really don't care what those kind of people think because I realize I don't like them and so their opinions don't matter to me. I have chosen to tell people I've had the surgery and for me that was the right choice. I have to admit I am really surprised at how almost everyone has responded by saying "I'm so proud of you for taking such a difficult step." I didn't expect that at all.

[Sarah8714 2]

Curious to read the article now... Thanks for the insight. I am happy that I got banded and wouldn't change a thing.

[OH Juli 15]

You all hit upon a couple of things.

Media loves controversy. What would they talk about if it weren't sensationalized. Obese woman has WLS, works hard, keeps the weight off, news at 11...yawn.

There is money in keeping people fat and there is money to be made in getting those same fat people skinny. And the best part is it's a cash cow because they are forever failing and trying again. Who wants to support the idea the cycle can stop?

There's also money in subsidizing cheap nutrient poor food to feed the masses. Ask giant agra-business that supplies the flour for the giant pack of Cookies and the people who process high fructose corn Syrup. See what it takes to get a half pint of berries into the hands of a poor mother. She if she understands the value of $3 berries which equal 2 Snacks, or a 2 pound package of cookies that cost her a buck-fifty and will give her snacks for a week. She's trying to feed her babies and isn't give many choices.

It's twisted and sad.

And I'm going to sleep. Sorry for the typos. :thumbup:

[bklyn1984 0]

I have not had the surgery yet and I am constantly reading stories like this. I know it's offensive but like everyone else has said if they spoke about the positive results of having WLS then everyone would go this way if they could and not go to Jenny Craig, WW, Nutri System, etc.... My husband said that this not in any way the easy way out. He told to keep on going and it will all work out in the end. It's all up to me I am doing this for no one but me and like everyone else here I am working my a** off just to get approved. So I will continue to ignore what is being said and keep on going to achieve my goal of a healthy long life

Even with all of the money Oprah has her weight continues to go up and down. The latest is that she's got a "Thyroid" problem. She has all available resources at the tip of her fingers and yet she still continues to gain weight. Maybe it's more of those trips and other dining excursions she has had with her BFF Gayle that made her weight go up :thumbup: Whatever it is she has no right to judge WLS so negatively without thoroughly researching it first.

[Nanook 2]

To be fair not everyone is successful after WLS, I am one of them and there are plenty of others they're just not sharing that info on this site out of fear of attack! Also the WLS industry in general is making a ton of money and not only that as I've read from many posters they're still going and paying for Weight Watchers and the likes after banding and still purchasing WL books. So everyone is feeding WL system, I choose not to anymore, Nanook:thumbup:

Be happy in your own skin!