EVERYONE, especially people on this forum NEED to see this, or maybe show it to someone who is possibly against you getting the lap band.

The PBS documentary now available online at

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/takeonestep/fat/video-ch_01_vid.html?bandwidth=_hi&filetype=wmv

its in parts

Wow! That's interesting. Thanks for the link!!!

Yeah, it's great. My favorite parts are the parts where the doctors explain obesity, also i like the story of rocky who loses all that weight on the lapband.

AWESOME VIDEO........made me tear up!!! WE CAN DO THIS!!!!

that was a excellent documentry on the pbs site...

thanks for sharing

Traci

I heard someone mention this a week or so ago, I TiVo'd it and watched it. The guy who had lap-band I wish they told his timeline. He lost 147lbs, but over what period of time? Gosh darn omittenance!

Was an interesting watch though, made me more excited!

Wanted to get this to the top of posts.

edie

It was good, I tivoed it. What I really liked is how they talked about the constant hunger and how that makes it so hard to lose weight. Thats one thing I am always trying to explain to people-- that I couldn't just eat so much less because before I would be too hungry. I mentioned it to my mom who has lost over 100 pounds but she said she can't watch those types of things because when they talk about food in it it makes her too hungry. I get that. I went to McDonalds directly after seeing super size me. And there is that one food court scene in Fat I still think of-- where he had the fries. Those fries looked good. I think they were curly fries. I like curly fries. So that makes me think of Hardees and Arby's. I can go there of course, and I will at some point but know with the band I won't eat nearly as much as before. Its safer now.

It was good, I tivoed it. What I really liked is how they talked about the constant hunger and how that makes it so hard to lose weight. Thats one thing I am always trying to explain to people-- that I couldn't just eat so much less because before I would be too hungry. I mentioned it to my mom who has lost over 100 pounds but she said she can't watch those types of things because when they talk about food in it it makes her too hungry. I get that. I went to McDonalds directly after seeing super size me. And there is that one food court scene in Fat I still think of-- where he had the fries. Those fries looked good. I think they were curly fries. I like curly fries. So that makes me think of Hardees and Arby's. I can go there of course, and I will at some point but know with the band I won't eat nearly as much as before. Its safer now.

Thanks alot now you got me thinking of curly fries! LOL

I understand the like of fast food. Ofcourse it is what made me fat.... The need to eat and the easiness of getting in your car, driving through the drive in and ordering what you want. even when the little voice in your head says, you dont need that, or can I really eat that much? But you do.... and then mentally promise yourself that you will have a lite dinner to make up for it. Not to mention the secret car eating binge. No ne will know that you ate this way except for the attendent waiting on you.... You dont have to eat around people... you know the ones, the ones that stare... you know what they are thinking. Because you are thinking the same thing.

What a rollar coaster ride.

I am so happy that I no longer want or desire fast food. And more important to me, I no longer want to be the way I discribed. This is a life change when this band was placed in me. Its not just the portion control, it is the life style you chose to live.

I guess I missed the hopeful segments because this just depressed me. Especially the mary story - still having to exercise three hours a day to stay the course. That's exactly where i was in the past and since i decided i couldn't maintain that anymore i am fat again. No one knows the answer/answers of obesity and it is just continually trying one thing after another. I recognize this is a lifetime issue with little chance of resolution or maintenance over the long haul. As she said in the video - it's a lifelong struggle -

Thanks for sharing. I wanted to watch this on tv but missed it. It really shows the struggle of obesity, the sad thing is, unless you've experienced it, you just won't understand. The people who have never had a weight issue thinks its so easy for us to lose weight, they have no clue. This program I think educated people.

I thought it was interesting too that only 5% of gastric bypass patients get to a normal weight, I didn't realize it was that low.

Even on lap band....NORMAL weight is very hard...it's again either genetics, or following the rules very strictly. Most will be content with a drop in weight, loss of co-morbidities (why not, its great). And there is not really a health benefit to the extra weight. But yeah, on average people with WLS will lose anywhere from 60-80% of excess weight. I hope i can one day be normal weight...we'll just have to see.

Yeah, I feel like you really have to have gone through a lifetime of being overweight to understand what it's NOT about - just eat right & exercise.

My fiance supported my decision to get lap band, but before I even went to a doctor about it, I asked him what his thoughts are on me getting a WLS. He said, he didn't think it was necessary, I just need to diet. I've been dieting since we met, and as I've said before I did lost 70-90lbs on Atkins at some point.. to gain it all back + about 50lbs.

He keeps referring to that- 'You DID it before, you can DO it again'.

I really tried to explain how, I can do anything for a little while, but then I spiral out of control and it ruins it. Then I'm depressed and go back to my old habits.. then I say I'm so big, screw it, I don't care.

He finally came to terms with me, but I think he views me getting lap-band as a 'weakness' of my willpower. I think he still believes I could do the weight loss without the band. He's been fit his whole life. He keeps referring to his mom. She is overweight, but not by much. He said she use to be huge after having kids, before I knew her, and she was a 'strong woman' who was able to diet and get most of it off. Also sounds like she was not big before pregnancy. I've been big since I was a kid. I still know 110% I made the right decision.

It was an interesting set of stories. I really like the doctors explaining that it really isn't a calories in calories out equation. I also thought that it was good that they showed Rocky struggling with his liquid diet before surgery. Alot of people struggle with that, and I think they should know they aren't alone.

I don't think there's any way to really explain this to someone who's never been through it so that they 'get it'. Probably we wont be able to make them understand until the scientists are able to figure out the answer; then we'll be able to get people to understand the problem. *sigh* heh..