New Biggest Loser 9/21 - Lapband Failure Contestant

[Humming Bird 275]

I'm on the fence about a 14 year old getting the band.

I'm for it when I think of a kid being obese for most or all of those 14 years. That is not a happy or healthy childhood. I'm for it if the 14 year old needs to take off 100 or more pounds to have a "normal" BMI.

I'm against it because I have known many 14 year olds that are very immature still. It would be too much of a commitment for them to grasp.

[Momto3redheads 18]

I agree it could depend on the child...and on the situation. I personally know that I wouldn't have been sucessful at 14 - I wasn't mature enough to make the lifestyle changes needed and would've "eaten around" the band...now I am old enough to realize that it wasn't a cure all and it won't lose the weight for me. Does that mean I don't still have days of failure where I eat too much chocolate or ice cream (darn hormones)? :smile2: Nope, but I am old enough and mature enough to know that we aren't perfect and every day won't be a perfect day...so tomorrow I get up and start over again!

I love the Biggest Loser as I think it is awesome to watch those folks change their lives, even if it is not realistic as we normal folk can't exercise 12 hrs a day...it is still motivational.

It would be nice if the ones who had WLS talked about how it wasn't a cure - as it seems like most folks who don't do well with the band or gain it all back can attribute that to an event in their life - death, loss of job, etc...so it is the emotional triggers that can sabotage the surgery from being an effective tool - sometimes those triggers paralyze us and we don't use the tool. But contrary to popular belief WLS is sooooooooooooooooooo not the eay way out. I hate it when folks think that.....

[Angelyco 0]

I just got a chance to watch the first episode tonight. I actually did notice scars on at least 2 or 3 people before they actually MENTIONED the one girl who got vertically banded. They didn't mention WLS for anyone else, but I definitely saw the scars.

My opinion is that in the early years of the show, they must have turned away people who had WLS because they didn't want to bring it up on the show, didn't want it thrown out there as an option, or just had a very low opinion of the people who tried it. I think with the success Ron had with the show vs. bypass, it seems like they found the perfect weapon to bash WLS. Sure, they didn't -really- talk about it much with Ron, but those of us who are educated on the surgeries picked up on it. I still firmly believe that Ron only did as well as he did on the show because he was FORCED to eat right--Dr. H even said that his pouch was intact and still the size of an egg. He had an advantage over other people there, in my mind.

Anyway, just to chime in about the conversation going on, when I was in high school, my doctor would often talk about what's available for weight loss, but at that time (10-12 years ago), there was really nothing safe enough for my age. Bypass was really the big thing back then, LapBand wasn't really heard of in my area, and my doctor said bypass was just too dangerous for me. I wonder if he would have recommended the band if it was an option then.

I actually went through the opposite of some of you - my mom was constantly trying to get me to stop eating so much, we NEVER had junk food in the house, not even sugared cereals. Because of that, I always felt deprived and I started sneaking food whenever I could, but my mom basically kept inventory of everything we had and would constantly accuse me (rightfully so) of stealing food. Once I started working and babysitting and whatnot, I bought my own junk and fast food and such whenever I could and ate in secret. When I was in college and on my own, I ate all the food I wanted because I finally could. I think even if I could have had the surgery at 14 years old, it probably wouldn't have worked for me because of this environment I was in.

Unfortunately, I'm STILL trying to break the habit of buying bad foods, eating in secret, and hiding it from my husband. I usually end up telling him about it, and he's never mad about it, but I just don't know why I can't stop doing it.

Edited September 25, 2010 by Angelyco

[vlp1968 83]

I too am on the fence about a 14 year old having WLS. I think it depends on the child. I also think often, there are others in the family who are obese. I think it should become a family affair to get healthy. The shopper needs to buy healthy foods and prepare them in a healthy way. I don't have an answer for teens who sneak food. It all becomes a very touchy subject. A parent doesn't want to make a child feel worse about their weight problem, but wants to help in any way possible. I have had a weight problem all my life and hate to see children go through that. Oh and I missed the first episode of biggest looser. I was out of town and my tivo taped over it- I forgot to put it on the do not delete mode. Oh well- there is the rest of the season.

[Angelyco 0]

vlp, the first episode is already on NBC's website, you can watch it online

[MRSKOUBiK 27]

This new season just makes me want to cry. There's so much sadness. I normally don't keep up to date with this show. But this year I placed in on my DVR list.

[sassy k's mommy 1]

I don't watch the biggest loser. I really think that its not the the best example for individual who are faced with being overweight. I don't know many people that can hang out in a gym all day and work out instead of work. I mean think about it I don't know many people that can afford not to work for three months.. Then also to lose that a hundred pounds or even sixty pounds in three months isn't that healthy if you think about it. I love Julian. I watched her other show.. Which to me was more REAL than Biggest Loser.

I really hate people who think that having the lap band is a quick and easy fix when its not. You have to fight to be successful.

[vikki99 1]

Dang I missed today's show, thank goodness for DVR

[LapBandBobbi 8]

Unfortunately our young lady got voted out last night. It was sad that she did not have the support system at home to help her. She looks like she is doing very well on her own (and help from Danny from last season). I hope she continues to do well.

[pfrance 1]

I was sad that she did make it. She did have the support system at home, she ask her mother to get rid of the chocolate. I guess she didnt.

[spoiltmom 44]

I know. I can't believe her mom wasn't willing to help her:(

[kimaly 57]

I'm glad Tina got to stay. Too many times they send the older ones home because for some reason they think the younger ones need it more but to me if they're older it's a kinda last chance thing. Not to mention if your playing the game why not get rid of the ones who are a greater threat first. But it just breaks my heart when any of them get sent home so soon. At this point in the show there is not one person that doesn't need to be there anymore.

Edited September 29, 2010 by kimaly

[Noturningback15 45]

It's so funny how at the first few vote offs everybody is so sad and give all these wonderful reasons why everybody deserve to be on the ranch at that time but somebody gotta go and it's you today! LOL! Mid-show that money get to talking and you see less tears and more coniving!!!!

[pfrance 1]

What gets me is, that you have to be carefully of what you say around the camp. I wount be saying anything about me not wanting to be here on the camp. And they use that against you! Or you have least amount of weight lost! To me 15 to 20lbs is great! And if OLD Girl was talking about keeping your hands to self. Its all about WINNING! Ill be doing the same thing and making sure not to fall will running.

[vikki99 1]

Unfortunately our young lady got voted out last night. It was sad that she did not have the support system at home to help her. She looks like she is doing very well on her own (and help from Danny from last season). I hope she continues to do well.

Which One?