My 600lbs life

[Mel217]

What makes trying to recover from this addiction so much worse than drugs or alcohol is that you have to eat. You can't just completely quit like you do with drugs or alcohol. Recovering from this disorder is kind of like an alcoholic having to drink in moderation instead of quitting completely.

Exactly. And what's scary is the makers of most processed foods put a LOT of time and money into making a product that's downright addictive. Some people with that addictive personality will latch on unconsciously.
I know of a man who quit smoking, drinking, doing (illegal) drugs and stopped eating refined sugar. He said the most difficult thing of all of those things (to quit ingesting) was sugar...probably because it's much more socially acceptable to eat the whole box of cookies vs. downing a 12 pack, smoking a carton a day, or doing cocaine or whatever.

 

[staropeace]

You should definitely watch this show! I don't think obesity is an addiction...but for some people I do think it is a destructive mechanism used to mask pain, rejection...etc. This last guy....really tested my humanity....I've never seen such an ungrateful, mean spirited person in my life.

Honestly, I'm not sure why they just did not starve him until he got some common sense......and yeah....that sounds horrible...but this guy was like the Crimson King on crack!

I no longer can hear the tv.

 

[Holly Gibney]

You should definitely watch this show! I don't think obesity is an addiction...but for some people I do think it is a destructive mechanism used to mask pain, rejection...etc.

What makes trying to recover from this addiction so much worse than drugs or alcohol is that you have to eat. You can't just completely quit like you do with drugs or alcohol. Recovering from this disorder is kind of like an alcoholic having to drink in moderation instead of quitting completely.

Yes, sir. I would think this is extremely difficult.

Exactly. And what's scary is the makers of most processed foods put a LOT of time and money into making a product that's downright addictive. Some people with that addictive personality will latch on unconsciously.
I know of a man who quit smoking, drinking, doing (illegal) drugs and stopped eating refined sugar. He said the most difficult thing of all of those things (to quit ingesting) was sugar...probably because it's much more socially acceptable to eat the whole box of cookies vs. downing a 12 pack, smoking a carton a day, or doing cocaine or whatever.

I think you may all be right on the above points. It reminds me of Lionel Shriver's brother... Have you heard about him? Lionel Shriver, the brilliant, million-selling novelist - her older brother was a genius. Literally a genius - his IQ was off-the-charts and he was up to speed with advanced physics and engineering when he was about 12 or 13. He, of course, got all the attention in the family, and the young Lionel and siblings resented it quite a lot. She has even attributed her success as a novelist to her desire to prove to herself and her parents that she was "special" too.

Anyway, he died at the appallingly early age of 55 of complications caused by morbid obesity. For the last few years of his life he had to drag an oxygen tank on wheels everywhere he went, and leaving his apartment was a Herculean task. Clearly not a stupid man, he basically killed himself slowly and horribly, over a long period of time, because he could not break his awful dependency on junk food. The tragedy and the waste of potential is just too awful to contemplate.

Shriver actually worked out her grief (and, by her own admission, her feelings of guilt and complicity) by using it as the plot of a novel, Big Brother, which came out in 2013. It is a great book - sympathetic and insightful and very, very sad.

 

[Dana Jean]

As all of you have spoken, when they get to a size that they cannot move out of a bed, the enablers are the ones who maintain them.

They claim to love these people and to want their own lives back, but yet, they keep delivering them heaping plates of food.

Doesn't make a lick of sense to me.

 

[Mel217]

As all of you have spoken, when they get to a size that they cannot move out of a bed, the enablers are the ones who maintain them.

They claim to love these people and to want their own lives back, but yet, they keep delivering them heaping plates of food.

Doesn't make a lick of sense to me.

Did anyone watch Half Ton Teen/Half Ton Son several years back? The kid was 800+ pounds and (mostly) confined to bed. His mother was a serious enabler, but what struck me was that she had lost another child at a very young age (18 months maybe?) to something completely stupid and unforeseen and she admitted she totally indulged her surviving child with treats and felt that was her way of showing love, as what kid doesn't like it when their mother or father lavishes them with goodies? It was really sad for the kid, and I felt really sad for the mother, too because she KNEW she had to change but the enabler/dependent role was so firmly in place they encountered a lot of resistance from each other. For the bed bound, there's not much else to do but watch TV, cruise the internet, and eat. Even if the enabler/caretaker/whomever decides the bedridden is no longer going to receive (insert food/calories, etc), they're probably going to be subjected to a LOT of resistance from the bedridden person who has little else to do. It's frustrating to watch ("why don't they just stop eating junk food?"), but sad as well because once that way of life is implanted firmly for all parties, it's hard to change it up. The last thing anyone wants to see is someone they care about in that state, and in the short run it's easier to give them what they want (in terms of food) and let them be "happy" for the time it takes for that food to disappear.
Just my take on this situation, of course!
Last I heard, the kid in the documentary was doing well and had lost several hundred pounds and was no longer spending 90% of his life in bed. He seemed happier and proud of his accomplishments and had learned good eating habits, and his mom seemed to have realized that letting her son become a young man with a life of his own was truly her job (as a mother) and all seemed well.
(The thing I hate hate HATE about documentaries is you follow these people for an hour or more, into their personal lives, and many times you feel like you've met them in person and know them and come to care about them. And very rarely do they offer updates, aside from a 2-3 minute short take. I watched a really well done documentary about a certain mental hospital and many of the patients were quite helpful (to those with the cameras) and seemed to want to get the word out that even those suffering from mental disabilities still have feelings, relationships, lives, and people they care about. And they never did an update. Drives me mad!)

 

[Dana Jean]

Did anyone watch Half Ton Teen/Half Ton Son several years back? The kid was 800+ pounds and (mostly) confined to bed. His mother was a serious enabler, but what struck me was that she had lost another child at a very young age (18 months maybe?) to something completely stupid and unforeseen and she admitted she totally indulged her surviving child with treats and felt that was her way of showing love, as what kid doesn't like it when their mother or father lavishes them with goodies? It was really sad for the kid, and I felt really sad for the mother, too because she KNEW she had to change but the enabler/dependent role was so firmly in place they encountered a lot of resistance from each other. For the bed bound, there's not much else to do but watch TV, cruise the internet, and eat. Even if the enabler/caretaker/whomever decides the bedridden is no longer going to receive (insert food/calories, etc), they're probably going to be subjected to a LOT of resistance from the bedridden person who has little else to do. It's frustrating to watch ("why don't they just stop eating junk food?"), but sad as well because once that way of life is implanted firmly for all parties, it's hard to change it up. The last thing anyone wants to see is someone they care about in that state, and in the short run it's easier to give them what they want (in terms of food) and let them be "happy" for the time it takes for that food to disappear.
Just my take on this situation, of course!
Last I heard, the kid in the documentary was doing well and had lost several hundred pounds and was no longer spending 90% of his life in bed. He seemed happier and proud of his accomplishments and had learned good eating habits, and his mom seemed to have realized that letting her son become a young man with a life of his own was truly her job (as a mother) and all seemed well.
(The thing I hate hate HATE about documentaries is you follow these people for an hour or more, into their personal lives, and many times you feel like you've met them in person and know them and come to care about them. And very rarely do they offer updates, aside from a 2-3 minute short take. I watched a really well done documentary about a certain mental hospital and many of the patients were quite helpful (to those with the cameras) and seemed to want to get the word out that even those suffering from mental disabilities still have feelings, relationships, lives, and people they care about. And they never did an update. Drives me mad!)

Oh, I have sympathy for all involved, because yes, it is ingrained into them.

And I agree on the update thing. If I get really involved in a story and the people, I will do further research to see if I can find out more.

 

[arista]

I have been watching skin tight. This is where people have been obese and lose weight and have excess stretched skin removed. I am fascinated the amount of skin removed.

 

[Grace82]

As all of you have spoken, when they get to a size that they cannot move out of a bed, the enablers are the ones who maintain them.

They claim to love these people and to want their own lives back, but yet, they keep delivering them heaping plates of food.

Doesn't make a lick of sense to me.

I think they enable because of the stress. A lot of the stories I see, the obese people have horrible attitudes...not always mean...but if you don't get them what they want....they complain to the point of driving someone insane.

 

[Grace82]

Crud.

I looked at all the sites and sources I have and nada (nothing). I can't find anywhere to watch this show.

edit-Hulu has the first season from eons ago.

I would suggest still watching it! Still a very good show!

 

[Grace82]

I have been watching skin tight. This is where people have been obese and lose weight and have excess stretched skin removed. I am fascinated the amount of skin removed.

It's amazing that sometime the skin itself is an extra 50-60lbs of weight. I've watched that show a couple of times....but I'm not as invested in it as the other show.

 

[Mel217]

The one docu I watched that irritated me to no end was of a teen who needed to lose serious weight; he was not bed bound but was heading that way. The doctor (who seemed like a very caring person) counseled the mother on food choices (aka pizza is not a serving of vegetables) and tried to get her to revamp her grocery list to healthier food choices for her son and her other kids, ranging in ages from 5 to teens. The mother had nothing of it and told the doctor (and the camera) that this could not be done. She couldn't stop buying chips and soda and candy and other items that can't even be described as food because she refused to deny her other, thinner children. As if candy and soda is absolutely necessary to keep a child alive. I remember thinking that the doctor looked PISSED and the teenager that needed the help had a really crappy attitude about everything. He thought the whole thing was a damn joke. The last we saw of them was the whole family stopping for pizza--IMMEDIATELY after picking the kid up from the hospital after bariatric surgery. I just don't even.

 

[Sigmund]

Hey.

About...15-18 years ago (?) a co-worker who was very heavy had the lap-band procedure. She lost a lot of weight and was very happy about it. A little after a year later her husband filed for divorce. From what I understand, her husband could not handle the excess skin she had and found it ...unattractive. (Removing the excess skin is seen as aesthetic and not covered by most insurance.)

 

[Grace82]

Hey.

About...15-18 years ago (?) a co-worker who was very heavy had the lap-band procedure. She lost a lot of weight and was very happy about it. A little after a year later her husband filed for divorce. From what I understand, her husband could not handle the excess skin she had and found it ...unattractive. (Removing the excess skin is seen as aesthetic and not covered by most insurance.)

Wow....that's unfortunate!

 

[arista]

Hey.

About...15-18 years ago (?) a co-worker who was very heavy had the lap-band procedure. She lost a lot of weight and was very happy about it. A little after a year later her husband filed for divorce. From what I understand, her husband could not handle the excess skin she had and found it ...unattractive. (Removing the excess skin is seen as aesthetic and not covered by most insurance.)

Yes, it is sad that most insurance doesn't cover excess skin removal.

 

[fljoe0]

The one docu I watched that irritated me to no end was of a teen who needed to lose serious weight; he was not bed bound but was heading that way. The doctor (who seemed like a very caring person) counseled the mother on food choices (aka pizza is not a serving of vegetables) and tried to get her to revamp her grocery list to healthier food choices for her son and her other kids, ranging in ages from 5 to teens. The mother had nothing of it and told the doctor (and the camera) that this could not be done. She couldn't stop buying chips and soda and candy and other items that can't even be described as food because she refused to deny her other, thinner children. As if candy and soda is absolutely necessary to keep a child alive. I remember thinking that the doctor looked PISSED and the teenager that needed the help had a really crappy attitude about everything. He thought the whole thing was a damn joke. The last we saw of them was the whole family stopping for pizza--IMMEDIATELY after picking the kid up from the hospital after bariatric surgery. I just don't even.

My mom worked in a pediatric office for years and she used to tell a lot of stories just like that.

 

[Mel217]

Hey.

About...15-18 years ago (?) a co-worker who was very heavy had the lap-band procedure. She lost a lot of weight and was very happy about it. A little after a year later her husband filed for divorce. From what I understand, her husband could not handle the excess skin she had and found it ...unattractive. (Removing the excess skin is seen as aesthetic and not covered by most insurance.)

That makes me sad ...

 

[Mel217]

My mom worked in a pediatric office for years and she used to tell a lot of stories just like that.

It's horrifying, at least to me. It's not like she even considered it or gave it a half-arsed attempt. She just flat out refused. Kids don't NEED crap food in order to grow, and she acted like the doctor was asking her to duct tape her youngest child's mouth shut in order to spare the eldest; it was a complete crap attitude and it's no wonder her son had a really flippiant, cocky attitude.
I just know one thing: If I would have ever spoken to an adult like this child did (eye rolls, half-shrugs, smirks, etc) I would have been grounded 'til menopause. Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Mel217]

I found and watched an ep last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The way the filming goes little by little (as far as time frame and having lost 20 pounds, 30 pounds, etc) opened my eyes a bit because it was hard to see noticeable weight loss at first. At one point, the woman in the show had lost 100 pounds and I couldn't tell a difference until they showed a clip of her trying to walk as a "before", and a clip of her walking after losing 100+ pounds.
I wonder if this is how the patients feel. You don't drop 100 pounds overnight, and it probably seems like an uphill battle even though the weight drops rapidly at first. It's hard to see a difference between 500 pounds and 600 pounds, but when you look at the "before" you SEE it. I hope they're able to feel it too; it was obvious during the after clip that the woman was having a much easier time getting around.
Despite what the subject matter happens to be, there's no better "feel good" TV show than watching someone do what it takes to help themselves, and watching that look of (sometimes restrained) happiness when they start meeting their goals, and realize that they feel better overall.

 

[Grace82]

Honestly, I think a lot of the issue now with weight is portion size.....I thought i was fairly knowledgeable about how much I should eat...until someone really shows you what a serving size of chicken and/or beef looks like. I could eat like 3 servings! lol.

What really shocked me is the serving size for pasta....its literally like 20 noodles! lmao

 

[Mel217]

Honestly, I think a lot of the issue now with weight is portion size.....I thought i was fairly knowledgeable about how much I should eat...until someone really shows you what a serving size of chicken and/or beef looks like. I could eat like 3 servings! lol.

What really shocked me is the serving size for pasta....its literally like 20 noodles! lmao

Aye, you see "60 calories" in a serving size of, say, crackers, until you realize a serving size is about 4 crackers
I love vegetables and have them with every meal, and realized that a serving size is about 1/2 cup. I go through like 4 serving sizes per meal. I guess it's good that they're vegetables, but still...