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?

I wonder how they can afford all that food

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I wonder how they can affo

rd all that food

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@@tugs I wonder that myself! That is just a crazy amount of food they eat, it must cost a fortune.

I just finished watching Randy's story from last night.

He was a great example of someone who treated the weight loss like a competition and so skipped meals and didn't get in his Protein. Unfortunately, it landed him back in the hospital but fortunately I think he changed his approach.

I know we don't see everything, but he was definitely someone who could benefit from a good therapist,

Between the overweight family, his over-competitive dad, living at home, working in the family business, not to mention his daughter, I hope he is getting help dealing with his issues.

He did seem to get it by the end of the episode. I look forward to seeing his follow up.

I feel like the show helped me in so many ways to prepare for surgery. to be real about where I was heading - even the shower scenes. I am forever thankful to those who would allow themselves to be shown so that I could get it. every time I watch hoping for the success of the person who is the subject of that episode.

Me, too. It was a big step for me to even watch the show let alone admit that I could qualify to be on the show. I would never allow myself to be vulnerable enough to be on that show so am also grateful for those who have taken the risk.

Did anyone watch the newer episode with the over 800 pounds lady I forget her name but she was African American and I didn't finish the episode but I felt so bad for her

Last night's episode about Sean was another crazy one.

Another young person who was weighed almost 1000 pounds by his mid 20-'s and the "diet" pushed him over 1000 pounds.

Why haven't we figured out that we can't just send a patient that heavy home to the same disfunctional situation with a piece of paper for instructions to "prove how committed they are."?

Neither he or his mom have the emotional, mental, spiritual, or physical capacity to do any of this without a massive, multi-pronged intervention.

It still baffles me how we as a society let anyone get into this state (I am including myself in this) without tools and resources.

If there was ever an example where intensive in-patient treatment and family therapy was needed years ago, this is it.

This reminds me of my efforts to find treatment before I turned to WLS. I couldn't even get into intensive outpatient because I wasn't anorexic or bulimic.

I still believe I was denied because I scared the little anorexic teenager in the waiting room by my very presence/existence.

SMH.

I truly hope Sean and his mom both make it.

This was also another example of how his mom probably needs surgery, education, and therapy as much as he does.

I didn't watch last night's episode but I get the drift from your description. These super morbidly obese people are just an extreme version of what many of us are like. I don't want to presume we are all the same..because we are not. But for me and my experience, I wasn't eating to excess just because I was hungry.

The eating was a symptom of other problems/issues. I see it rearing it's ugly head again because my stress level at work is so high. I'm looking to food again to settle myself down when I have a very stressful day...and there are lots of them lately. The surgery is only one component of a multiple approach to weight loss.

I watched last nights episode and I really thought Dr. Now was going to admit him right as he got to the hospital being that big. I was very surprised by his ability to still be somewhat mobile. But he and his mother did have to learn themselves on how to lose the weight. It took a long time but I'm glad he finally was able to see what he was doing to himself and lose the weight needed for surgery. I can't wait to see the follow up show to see where all these people are now.

I went from being really upset at Sean for acting really indifferent to the whole thing (for God's sake young man, you're going to DIE before you're 30! Don't you care??) to almost wanting to cry after seeing some sort of spark of hope in the poor kid's eyes after surgery. I really hope he makes it, and his mom gets the help she needs, too.

I honestly wonder if some people could care less whether they live or die when they get to that point. Sean seemed like one of those people. So heartbreaking.

My wife and I binge watched the first 3 seasons and have been waiting for each new episode. I agree the shower scenes can be excessive. Although it is a major part of their daily life as it takes a lot of time, effort, and at times a few people to help, but it doesn't need to be a lengthy part of the show. I loved Nikki as well. Her spirit and talent was subdued as she gained but it was nice to see that with every pound and effort she was getting back to being the fun, funky girl she was before the weight gain.

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I went from being really upset at Sean for acting really indifferent to the whole thing (for God's sake young man, you're going to DIE before you're 30! Don't you care??) to almost wanting to cry after seeing some sort of spark of hope in the poor kid's eyes after surgery. I really hope he makes it, and his mom gets the help she needs, too.

I honestly wonder if some people could care less whether they live or die when they get to that point. Sean seemed like one of those people. So heartbreaking.

I wasn't nearly as far gone as he was but I had gotten to a place where I felt completely helpless. I knew the next "diet" would boomerang me into being bed bound. I felt it was damned if I did, damned if I didn't. I think that is why it was so important for me to learn to embrace stalls as part of the process and not to give up.

I watch the Sean episode too and agree with what everyone has said here. I too was shocked that he was not admitted at first to the hospital and sent back home to diet on his own. I was hoping he had lost some but to gain that was unbelievable to me. I give him a lot of credit though for being mobile. Many of the show's participants weighing less than him were bed bound.

I was so close to 500 pound myself once so I understand there is much more to losing weight than the diet. If I hadn't met with the Psych for over a year I would still be 497 pounds, bed bound and married to a feeder. Instead I am out enjoying life, riding a bike 5.4 miles in 53 minutes after having lost 210 pounds. I am even nominated to possibly become the new social director of my community. I only hope that Sean saw that he has lots of life left to live. After all he is only 20 compared to my 60 years of age.

@@Inner Surfer Girl and @@ssflbelle ... you both rock!

Truly.

You are awesome.

And PS - when I finally get this surgery, PLEASE FOR Goodness sake, Do NOT bring me the big tub of removed skin for me to look at while I am holding a vomit bag in my hand! Blech!

I am at my 3 week check up in the waiting room and just laughed out loud at a volume so high the receptionist dropped her file.

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