Topic : 08/07 Big Burden

You are so right...its acceptable to be anorexic...but not obese...  Its sad..as with anyones looks...people lose out knowing some wonderful people in this world.

what a great attitude you have.  Its sad more don't feel the same way because I totally feel if heavy people had more acceptance it might help them. I know when I was huge I didnt go to the gym because it was hard to be comfortable when 90% of the people there were in great shape.  So many are rude and stare and make heavy people even more uncomfortable.  I wish they would remember that no one wants to be huge...I sure didnt and I can honestly tell you the differnece in how people treat me at my normal size weight in comparison to when I was 415 lbs.   

  

So have you ever told this gal you admire her dedication....it would probably make her feel even better! 

  

OMG! I'm glad they finally figured out the problem. Luckily my mother was diagnosed and treated very quickly. She had always been very trim and she could eat a lot of food and exercise a lot.

In a matter of months her engery dropped to nothing and she couldn't get enough food. She would eat platefuls of pasta and still feel starved. She gained weight quickly and so she saw the Dr right away.

Like I said, she's under control now, plump, but she's very healthy now. They played around with her doses for a while too...seems to take time to find the right ammount of meds.

I'm so sorry you went through all that!!! OMG!

Good points... 

  

Another point to consider....you can stop smoking, doing drugs, drinking to fix the addiction becasue you dont need those things to live.  YOU DO NEED FOOD...so even when you try to curb it..you are still having to feed the addiction just to stay alive.   

  

Weight is so complicated...it involves genetics, diet, excersize, emotions, body shape, metabolizm...and no one truly understands it completely.  If people were more tolerate and not so quick to judge and determing heavy people are lazy pigs...they might get a better understanding and realize how difficult it must be to have those issues in life.  

I've been there and now weigh a healthy weight...nothing about it is fun or easy...if you've never wore the shoes you really are wrong to judge others... 

 I hope these people can get help.

I just wanted to chime in on the whole "genetics/medical condition vs. lifestyle" debate. Yes, people can have medical distrubances which can make it hard for them to control their weight and can have  a genetic predisposition to be large, but that is no excuse, and I'm saying that from experience. I come from a somewhat large family (we for sure have the ablitiy to pack on some extra pounds quick) and I have a endocrine disorder which negatively effects my weight, but I do not blame any of that on my weight. I have PCOS which can cause insulin resistance, which then goes on to make it hard for you to lose weight and easy to gain. I gained a tremedous amount of weight fast during puberty when my PCOS was starting to rear its ugly head. But you know what? I gained all that weight by EATING TOO MUCH AND NOT WORKING OUT! I peaked at 195lbs and 5'6 and I realized that I needed to get control of my lifestyle before I ended up diabetic at 22 yrs old. In August I started working out and watching what I was eating (we aren't taking about big changes here, small ones) and I have lost almost 40 lbs so far. I am just a few lbs above what is a "healthy weight." Excuses are just that, excuses. Getting outside and working out and watching what you eat does help!

I don't want to be mean, I'm just being honest.

Are you kidding me....300 lbs and laying in bed like a beached whale???  Give me a break.  AT 415 lbs I was working full time, cleaning house and doing all the things "thin" people do but in alot of pain.  Just becasue people get fat doenst mean they are lazy and this is the exact attitude we need to fix.  Maybe you need to give yourself a good wake up call.  Every woman in my family on both sides have to much weight.  I fought it for years...I bet I can diet better than most.  I deprived and then rebounded...and it went on and on.  I never felt full, I never felt good about myself..I also ate right just to much...and I found out I also had to fight gentics.  No matter what I knew it wasnt healthy and finally had surgery in 2001 to correct it.  I now am a normal weight and love life and feel good and fight for others that are trying to get surgery, trying to find health and want to get away from the negative remarks of unthinking and uncaring people that dont understand how horrible being fat is and that its more than just laziness.

Surgery is not the easy way out...its taking a huge risk, weighing the facts and choosing to get your body in a healthier position so you can enjoy life and live it better. What is easy about risking death, getting cut open and having to take even better care of yourself than before.   I think its a cop out to say its the easy way out.  For some of us...who are not 20 lbs over weight but 100's its the ONLY way we'll ever find a path to a normal body weight and give ourselves a better chance to live longer and healthier.  Some of those people "choosing the easy way" now are off disability and able to work and no longer need multiple medications...many get their diabetes to go away and are able to be more active. Its not easy but its definitely in some people's best interest.

There is nothing you can do if she's not ready to work the issue.  I was heavy all my life and when I was 37 I had surgery.  At 415 lbs I just didn't see myself living long and I had a son I wanted to be around for.  My son's dad has a niece that was heavy like your step daughter.  They finally had her get a gastric lapband (its not as drastic as other surgeries because its a simple restriction surgyer rather than changing body organs and creating other isses) and she's doing wonderful. She was 16 when she had it done. Some people will never lose without a something strong to help them.  The best thing you can do for her is to keep telling her how great she is, believe in her and let her know you'll always be there for her.  You can't make her lose weight but you can give her your friendship and make her know that you're proud of her no matter what. If its emotionally that may help her get going in the right direction, and the other thing is to try to understand what she's going thru.  Even if you don't agree with surgery for her (and she's still rather young to make a decision like that anyhow), stay openminded in her future and support her whether she's trying to eat less, work out or wants to get something more drastic done. 

Hello my name is MaLynn and i was the fourteen year old that was on the show and i love the fact that i can get on here and see so many supporter!!!!!  i hope that all of you enjoyed the show and are having a good day!!!  

   

MaLynn  

This is awesome that you are taking this step this is the first step that you have to take to begin the journey.  I have been back from the show for about 4 wks now and have already lost 21 pounds that is about 4 lbs a week and it was hard now all i have to do is get rid of the rest.  Stick to your goals dont let anything in the way and if something does come in the way through it out just like the junkfood!!!!!  

   

MaLynn, 14