blondiebabs

Sorry - I meant Vitamix, not vitamin!

Most overweight people face bias against their weights the entire time they are overweight.
As an overweight school child: your classmates probably teased or shunned you.
As an obese college student: you might have skipped group activities because you were not invited or you knew you would be mocked.
As an obese adult: getting a job was probably more challenging, and you are probably judged daily at work and everywhere you go.



Without a doubt, obesity is stigmatized. The unfair bias that you face may be a major factor in your decision to consider or get weight loss surgery. Unfortunately, you will probably find that the obesity discrimination continues even as you try to use weight loss surgery to get healthy. Obese patients are blamed for their conditions, healthcare providers are not always sympathetic, and coverage for weight loss surgery is not guaranteed.
Why Do Obese Patients Get So Much Blame?
People are increasingly sympathetic to diseases that used to be stigmatized. Examples include cancer, many mental health conditions, and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS and syphilis. Now, treatment for these and other conditions, such as diabetes, is widely accepted as normal and an entitlement. Each of these conditions is largely the result of lifestyle choices, such as diet, use of tobacco and/or alcohol, sexual behavior, and physical activity levels. More than 80% of cancers are likely the result of lifestyle choices.
Ironically, though, many people in our society remain unsympathetic to obese people. They are quick to blame obese people for having no self-control, for refusing to follow a diet, and for not wanting to be healthy. You know, though, that those accusations are far from the truth. If you are considering weight loss surgery, you are confident that you have the self-control for the weight loss surgery diet, that you have tried to follow numerous diets but none have worked for you, and that you desperately want to be healthy!
You Did Not Ask to Be Obese: Some Factors are Outside of Your Control
More than one-third of American adults are obese, and another third are overweight. That in itself should remind you – and the people who judge you harshly – that fighting obesity is hard! The food environment includes fast food, vending machines, restaurants, food-focused social gatherings, and inexpensive snack foods.
There are also biological and family factors that you cannot control. Skinny people have no idea that you may be feeling extreme hunger all day, every day, or that your metabolism may be slower. Your family might have raised to choose high-calorie, high-fat foods, or even driven you into unhealthy emotional eating.
Research shows that some obese patients’ brains even respond differently to food compared to lower-weight individuals. Obese individuals, for example, tend to get less pleasure out of food, meaning they need to eat more to get satisfied. Furthermore, high-calorie foods like sugar can be addicting, leading to the same brain responses as cocaine does. But nobody blames cocaine addicts for their situations! Instead, they encourage counseling and intensive program to help them overcome their addictions, not punish them.
Discrimination in Obesity Treatment: A Look at Weight Loss Surgery Versus Dialysis
Just as unfair is the fact that the healthcare system continues the discrimination against obesity. Compare weight loss surgery as an obesity treatment with dialysis as a treatment for kidney failure (end-stage renal failure).
Far from being blamed for their conditions, kidney failure patients who need dialysis are provided the respect that all people deserve and the medical care that they need. Dialysis patients of all ages in the United States are able to apply for Medicare, the government’s health insurance program normally reserved for older adults. Dialysis treatments can cost about $40,000 per year, not including This is not to mention human factors such as reduced quality of life (the vast majority of dialysis patients are too sick to work) and early death (the life expectancy of dialysis patients is about 5 years). In comparison, a typical weight loss surgery procedure in the United States can cost $20,000 to $40,000, although it can be less, and successful patients are healthier and have more energy than before surgery.
The irony increases. The fact is that kidney failure usually results as a complication of type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure (hypertension). Both of these conditions are often caused by obesity; losing weight after weight loss surgery can prevent, eliminate, or reduce these conditions. In addition, it takes years for kidney failure to develop once you have high blood pressure or diabetes – years during which patients are likely to be on costly medications and inconvenient treatments.
Targeting obesity through weight loss surgery could prevent cases of diabetes and high blood pressure, reduce their effects in people who already have them, and prevent kidney failure, the need for dialysis, and early death.
Searching for Fairness in the Medical Treatment of Obesity
Your first barrier in your path to weight loss surgery may be your primary care physican (PCP). Some PCPs do not know much about weight loss surgery, or may be against it because they think obesity is your fault. Some PCPs take a narrow view of obesity, and feel that the only way to lose weight is for patients to “decide they want it badly enough” and “just eat less.” You already know that doesn’t work, so don’t let your PCP discourage you from learning more weight loss surgery if you think it might be the solution to your obesity struggles.
Insurance coverage has improved for obesity treatments, especially for weight loss surgery. Medicare and many private healthcare coverage plans cover weight loss surgery if you meet their predetermined weight and/or health criteria. Some private insurance companies, though, take a short-term view because they want to make profits within 3 years. Since most weight loss surgeries do not pay for themselves within 3 years, some private insurers do not cover weight loss surgery despite the likelihood that they would pay for themselves within 5 or 10 years, and in addition improve your health and quality of life.
Chance of Reduced Discrimination in the Future?
The majority of Americans believe that health insurance should cover weight loss surgery, in addition to other obesity treatments such as dietetic and mental health counseling. The Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), though, is not the ultimate solution. In nearly half of states, obesity treatments are not required to be covered by plans sold on the health exchanges. This determination is based on the available competitive services in the region. Since the most obese states are the ones least likely to have competitive anti-obesity care, these states are also least likely to have obesity treatments covered under the Affordable Care Act.
Overcome the Discrimination
Discrimination is an unfair fact of life as an obese individual, and it unfortunately does not end when you decide to get healthy using weight loss surgery as a tool. These are some of the ways that you can keep going strong and overcome the barriers you encounter as you work to get healthy.
You have the right to a second opinion if your primary care physician recommends against weight loss surgery but you would like to find out more.
Do not take “no” for an answer from your insurance company if you know you are entitled to reimbursement for surgery.
Do not listen to negative family members or friends who do not understand your obesity or interest in weight loss surgery. It is your life and health.
Educate others as much as you can to try to reduce the discrimination. Chances are that they are only being discriminatory out of ignorance, not out of true mean-spiritedness.

Like it or not, some discrimination remains as you go through your weight loss journey. You cannot prevent it, but you can change how you react to it. Expect it and respond as positively as you can, keeping your own health and goals in mind. Over time, as you and others prove that weight loss surgery can be a worthwhile treatment for obesity, discrimination by insurance companies, healthcare providers, and the public will decrease.

I'm February 9th, also! 4 weeks and counting!

@@BLERDgirl I've used my vitamix for everything from mincing cabbage for coleslaw then making the dressing for it, to making homemade hummus... it really is a great machine if you like to cook =D

I plan to purchase a Vitamix because I cook and will get more use out of it than just smoothie making. If someone just want to blend their Protein drinks they don't need one.

I purchased a Vitamix from QVC last year. Hands down the best blending experience I've had. But it is pricey!!! Fortunately, QVC does easy pay which helped me be able to afford this Cadillac of Blenders!
Other than that I like the ninja pro.

Thank you!

@@amponder - Yup, kick her to the curb. You don't need her harshing your buzz as you do you workout. You workout at YOUR pace. It's fine to work to increase you pace, but you do so at your pace, not MIL's dictates.

I prefer the nutrabullet because I sometimes also add fruit and veg to my smoothies. Blends really well. My next purchase will be a vitamix. However if you just want something to mix smoothies. Oster makes a smoothie blender for about $20

I watched a bunch of vids comparing the Ninja to the Bullet and there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of difference besides the fact that you have to hold the cup down and constantly apply pressure for the Ninja to work, and you don't with the bullet, it actually locks down... so for that reason I went with Nutribullet Pro. Some Ninja's you may not have to do that with, but all the reviews I saw you did. I love the bullet, it gets the job done almost as well as my Vitamix (which is too big and heavy for small servings). I kinda wish I'd gone with the RX though.

Awesome!! Congrats on taking control of your life! I have the same problem... when I lose weight I will.. whatever! =)

Awe! The good: you made it!! The bad: you had to deal with BS. The moral: never walk in public with an a** because there's no good place to hide the body ! Ha!

@@ProjectMe well the trail is a big circle and like I said not my 1st time there everyone has a different pace, if you invite someone of a different fitness level to walk with you it is nicer if you can be patient with them, either walk with them or by all means don't make fun of them the whole way.

It sounds like typical dramatic parent in law BS. When I was married my MIL was always nice to me, but the father in law not so much, always trying to be backhanded about things and treated me like I wasn't good enough for his son. And the mother of the man I lived with for 2 years ALWAYS treated me like how you described in your story. It didn't matter what it was about, the house wasn't clean enough even if it was spotless, I shouldn't be taking naps, my bra let my boobs bounce too much...sometimes it was ridiculous. Nothing I did was good enough. Not all inlaws are like that, but I just learned with the two negative ones I've experience to just write it off as they have a grudge in their own mind towards me for no reason and there's nothing I can do about it, and just learned to ignore their crap, granted I'd get plenty p.o.'d from time to time but I'd never let them see it bothered me. haha

Sounds like one fantastic NSV to me!!!!!!!!

By the time I lost the first 30 pounds, I was starting to feel friskier because I was just plain feeling better and feeling better about myself. My bariatrician doubled my Wellbutrin (which also boosts libido in some folks).
Loosing over 65 pounds at this point has reduced my arthritis and neuropathy pain levels, and I was able to stop Lyrica as well. Lyrica is designed to quieten overactive nerves, but it can't pick and choose, so it quietens your nerves everywhere including your nether regions. Dropping that med alone made a significant difference in response and enjoyment.
Needless to say, my gentleman friend is delighted with the difference and we have bypassed the frisky norm for our age. (63)
So with your current relationship ending, you can, uh......practice .....in the privacy of your home, to keep the mojo going. Just sayin'.

Tonight I went on my first date in years. I realize now how much I put my life on hold and kept saying when I lose weight I will "_______". Everything was waiting for the weight loss. Guess what the sleeve surgery had allowed me to take my life back! So here's to the new me. I'm going to do everything I want and live each day to the fullest.

Awesome!! About the feeling better and stuff. Sorry about the relationship. You can always invest in a rabbit vibe to get you through till the next worthy bell ringer comes along.

I'll have you in my thoughts, good luck!!!

So it's finally here! Sleeve day! I've got all that I can in order. My kids are taken care of, house cleaned, dinner cooked for the week for them, and my bag packed. I may have to take a Benadryl to sleep tonight because my nerves are on edge. I am really excited and know this is the last half of my life going in the best direction possible.
Best wishes to those who are also going in this week and I'll say a prayer for good health for us all.

Great thread! Thanks to OP for starting it.

My recommendations:
1. For stress and insomnia...Do you have a good man? Sex is good. :-) Great stress reliever. Good exercise: if done right, you can burn 200 calories and you'll get a good night's sleep.
2.To decrease anxiety, I recommend books that encourage calm: Some of my favorites:
The Wonders of Solitude [Dale (somebody); blue cover...]
How to Sit [Thich Nhat...]
A Manual for Living [Epictetus. A small little book that I often reread]
The Four Agreements
3. For sleep, I sometimes drink hot chocolate: ~ 6 oz. skim milk with unsweetened high % cacao dark chocolate [NOT milk chocolate]. I add a sweet & low, drink it ~ 10:30. Most times when I do that, I'm out all night.
4. Step away from the tech devices, especially at night in your bedroom. The gadgets, emails, texts, will be there in the morning. They are NOT that important. Rest your mind.
5. Set boundaries. I have one lawyer-friend (in the central time zone) who loves to pontificate and b**** about everything. I've asked him to NOT call me after 9 PM my time, cuz I don't need to hear all that crap as I'm winding down my evening. he doesn't like it, but too bad.
6. If you have someone you need to cuss out...maybe do it :-). Also write. Journal. Write poetry, etc. Make audio journals. Sometimes hearing yourself back weeks/months later can help you see that some stuff you might worry about isn't even worth it.
7. Music. Dance. Listen. Feel. Move to it. Not this modern-day mess. But some old R&B, etc., with words and beats you can "feel."
Good luck.

I love yoga. A few simple poses and some good clean deep breaths and WOW I am back to center in about 15 minutes. I love this quick smooth way to be brought back into focus.

I use an app for meditation, called Take A Break. Also, there is another app that is self hypnosis. They have different ones including one for anxiety. Lastly Yoga always calms me & again, there's a fabulous app for that, called Yoga Studio. Hope this helps

Search relaxation on YouTube. I listen to motivational recordings on my lunch hour at work. I use a headset instead of earbuds.