My 600 Pound Life: 2016 Season

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

One of the things that helped me to be honest with myself about my weight and obesity was watching My 600 Pound Life on TLC.

The new season started last night and I just finished watching the new episode that I recorded last night.

It was preceded by a compilation episode that I did see last night. Since that one included a segment on Penny I needed to take a break before seeing the new episode.

Some random thoughts:

I thought it was sobering and heart wrenching as usual.

I HATE the obligatory shower scenes. We get the idea. They could spend a lot less time on them or eliminate them entirely and spend time on other aspects of obesity, the surgery process, or the post-surgery segment.

Nikki (I think that was her name) is a beautiful girl with a lot of style. I noticed the drawings on her walls before they revealed she is a costume designer. It was great to see her get her MOJO back.

With a disabled brother and two older sisters, it was obvious to me she was starved for affection and attention.

Dr. Now mentioned when doing the sleeve instead of the bypass something that the sleeve can be just as effective even though the bypass is more aggressive.

Watching this post-sleeve, watching her eat the volumes and types of foods (donuts) she was eating pre-op looked really gross and unappealing. (Thank, God!)

I started at a lower weight than she did and I would never dream of trying to sit on one of those balance balls or on the ground. What a difference being 20 years younger than me makes!

It is heartbreaking how young so many of these patients are who are on this show. Nikki isn't the youngest by far, but she was still really young to have reached over 650 pounds. That is an awful lot of donuts.

It was interesting to see the rate of her weight loss pick up again after she started seeing a therapist and addressing her emotional issues.

I liked the analogy that the therapist used of not being able to look at and address issues until you physically put them down/let them go.

I wanted to slap her sister until they had their talk. I know we only get one side of the story, but to not allow NIKKI to be around her nieces and nephews is outright cruel.

I think her mom has a lot of food issues and is also probably dealing with a lot of stress due to both her son and daughter.

Her dad was sweet if clueless.

I am looking forward to seeing a follow-up on her in a year. I really liked her.

I know it's January and every other advertisement and commercial on TV is about diet or exercise, but still find it jarring to see those commercials on during this show. It just seems so transparent.

Did anyone else watch it? What did you think?

[Justin Curtis 78]

i watch the show pretty often and it really makes me upset. I love to see these people succeed and you are right its very sobering watching them. The shower scenes are the worst and need to go.

[Babbs 14,680]

No darnit! I didn't realize there was a new season starting! I'll have to record them!

[Cervidae 2,389]

I wonder if there's someplace to watch the show online for free. We don't have cable. Or even a TV. But I've always really wanted to watch it.

[Pinkgirl1234 761]

I am trying to keep positive on my own end.This show depresses me and reminds me of my own issues.Wont watch.

[Babbs 14,680]

I am trying to keep positive on my own end.This show depresses me and reminds me of my own issues.Wont watch.

Really? Because I find it quite uplifting at times. It's also a very real snapshot of the struggles we all face after WLS. That's motivating to me.

[MIMISAN 404]

@@Inner Surfer Girl I did watch that too and I am always amazed at how one gets so fat by the time they are 22. She didn't get that fat without having enablers and her mom was definitely that. Her dad was too but he was trying to convince himself that he wasn't. Nikki was absolutely a beauty even as large as she was but I bet she is stunning once she is in the 200-250 area and I hope she gets there and more. I LOVED her hair.

The amount of food she ate prior to surgery was astounding to me and I even thought she was eating to much after surgery but at least she was losing. I think he said that he couldn't do the gastric bypass because her liver and heart were to enlarged and that he had to do the sleeve which can be almost as effective.

I was very happy that she was able to do more at her job and at home after surgery and I hope they do a review of her at the end of the year.

Also agreed, I don't need these people to be humiliated while we watch them shower and toilet.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

He couldn't do the bypass because the bowel wouldn't reach the stomach because of all the excess tissue in her abdomen.

He delayed the surgery until she lost more weight because of her heart (probably also because she carried so much weight in her abdomen).

[needtorecover 574]

I think the shower scenes are more for the benefit of folks who aren't used to seeing morbidly obese bodies, as kind of a shock factor. I agree, they should eliminate those scenes from the program entirely (or at least scale them down) because it seems disrespectful of the women and men who participate on the show.

I didn't realize there was a new season, though! I'll have to check it out. I've seen a few episodes in the past. It's an interesting show - may even enjoy it more now that I'm post op

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I am trying to keep positive on my own end.This show depresses me and reminds me of my own issues.Wont watch.

I thought that at first but once I got honest with myself and accepted that I was super morbidly obese and could die because of it, it became easier to watch. I have learned a lot from watching it.

This is the first season I will be watching post-surgery so I noticed last night that I have a different perspective already.

[jane13 2,256]

I watched it an the "skin tight" as well and that was informative and scary. I am about 35 from doctors goal and I a rethinking where I want to end up.

I think Nikkis mom has a problem too as the OP mentioned. I also thought it was odd the "other" sister was not really addressed either.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I wonder if there's someplace to watch the show online for free. We don't have cable. Or even a TV. But I've always really wanted to watch it.

I am not sure. Check the TLC website. They may stream episodes from their site.

[Justin Curtis 78]

Does The show pay for the surgery?

[KristenVSG2014 1,871]

I agree about the shower scenes.

I love this show. I see myself in many of the patients. I related to Nikki by also struggling with my weight since I was a child and I got progressively bigger. I weighed about 240 when I graduated high school and got up to 290 by the time I was 23. Thankfully I lost some after that and was able to maintain between 240-260 for many years. I also used to eat mindlessly or to deal with stress/anxiety/depression.

Her story is definitely encouraging. I loved seeing her personality shine through and she started to smile a lot more.

On Skin Tight, Lauana's story had me in tears. While my loose skin isn't as severe as hers and I don't hate my body the way she did, I understand and relate to most of what she said. It is so frustrating to lose all the weight and be still be held prisoner by loose skin. You can see how your body looks underneath it all but clothes don't fit right and you have to figure out how to hide it. I'm hoping for plastics later this year. If I can have my stomach done I'll be thrilled.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Does The show pay for the surgery?

I THINK so but am not 100% sure.