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 binge watched Fat Doctor repeatedly before surgery. I feel like it is a better quality show that tells better stories. And it is better prep for surgery than 600lb life.

I don't like 600lb life and I never identified with the people on the show. All of them have people that take care of them and help them get that huge. As a single person that has lived alone for 20 plus years, it is just a foreign concept to me. Also their lifestyles and socio-economic levels are just too different for me to relate to.

Nikki's adult sisters have skipped off to enjoy their lives and left their parents stuck with 2 adult children they have to take care of.

The skin tight show, I will be watching. Watching that show filled me with so much dread and despair, I can't even express it properly. I can already see the skin issues and I can see that some skin, in a lot of places is not going to snap back and I am going to need surgery. I should be able to afford surgery, but still the idea of needing it so desperately is not something I look forward to.

* * *

Moreover, the other issue with the sister that made my ass crave stove wood is ....

I cannot even imagine what this phrase means!

LOL!

I'm watching it now. I have watched in the past and it frustrates me. 1) I just don't like Dr. Now. I think he is very cold and matter-of-fact without really understanding. And I HOPE that they actually see a NUT and a therapist, but they don't show that part. 2) Some of the people frustrate me to no end. So far (only small way through), I like Nikki. That episode with Penny made me want to throw things at the TV

Sometimes I feel guilty watching it. I just feel like it really exploits instead of uplifts.

I do want to see the Skin Tight show...

I just wish they would show more follow up and the journey over the year or two after surgery.

I am in love with that show. I was nowhere close to that size when I started this (273lbs) but I was full of self hate. However, I also didn't eat what they show they do. Mine was more of a not eating your body is starving so keeps the wt on type of deal. However, it doesn't matter....I was in the same boat. It's enlightening and uplifting to watch them.

I just wish they would show more follow up and the journey over the year or two after surgery.

I think the first season or so spanned a longer timeframe. Now, they are for one year, with a lot of that time pre-op and getting ready for surgery. They do go back periodically and do a where are they now episode which is interesting.

Outside, I agree with you, while I binged watched yesterday I don't really really to these patients and or their socio-economic level. I guess that was why my comment earlier.

i too do not care for Dr. NOW. And then watching the first episode of Skin Tight. yikes. First i was surprized she went back to her WLS surgeon. If/when I decide to have plastic surgery, I will use a known and experienced plastic surgeon. I assume maybe it wasn't costing Lauana anything by using Dr. Now. But geez lousie, that really old doctor that he brought in. OMG. I was so happy to see the guy (forgot his name) who lost the weight "on his own" (I hate that verbiage) his doctors were young and positive.

I do like watching plastic surgery shows. But Skin Tight, oh my, they are all so cut up.

@@trekker954

Yeah with a face like hers, I wouldn't let those old dudes hack on me. All they did was remove her skin. They did nothing to shape her body. Now she is built like an ipod. Congrats I guess. Her face is a 10, it seems like someone like her would really want to spend the money on someone that is going to sculpt your body and give you a feminine shape.

I think it depends on who's paying. My insurance will pay for skin removal, but only by my bariatric surgeon. If I want it done by a plastic surgeon, I'm on my own...

On Skin Tight, I would like to think the show pays, and maybe she though Dr. Now would do a good job??? I don't know.

As far are her shape afterward, I think she was a touch too thin and would benefit from some muscle mass. She was just very skinny. to me.

Is it just me or does anyone else have the sneaky suspicion that the doctor is making excuses in order to give the patients sleeve gastrectomies instead of bypass? It seems like every case now he goes in saying that he had to do a sleeve because they were too big or what not.

Is it just me or does anyone else have the sneaky suspicion that the doctor is making excuses in order to give the patients sleeve gastrectomies instead of bypass? It seems like every case now he goes in saying that he had to do a sleeve because they were too big or what not.

The sleeve is an easier surgery. Frankly, I am not surprised he was unable to do the bypass on Nikki. She carried so much of her weight in her abdomen I believe it when he said that he wouldn't be able to make the connection. I am sure that was why he asked her to lose additional weight in the first place.

According to my surgeon the longer a patient is on the table the more risky the surgery. To me a sleeve surgery that takes 45 minutes compared to a complicated surgery that he may not be able to complete seems like a good choice.

Remember, the earliest seasons were filmed 10 years or so ago. A lot has changed in the last few years.

I think it depends on who's paying. My insurance will pay for skin removal, but only by my bariatric surgeon. If I want it done by a plastic surgeon, I'm on my own...

On Skin Tight, I would like to think the show pays, and maybe she though Dr. Now would do a good job??? I don't know.

As far are her shape afterward, I think she was a touch too thin and would benefit from some muscle mass. She was just very skinny. to me.

My insurance is the same way, my tummy tuck will have to be performed by my WLS because I also have a hernia which is used as the reason for the surgery. I wouldn't have him fix the girls and would rather pay out of pocket for that.

My insurance is the same way, my tummy tuck will have to be performed by my WLS because I also have a hernia which is used as the reason for the surgery. I wouldn't have him fix the girls and would rather pay out of pocket for that.

If I may ask, What insurance do you two have? I also have a hernia and the WLSurgeon didn't want to take it out during my Jan 26th gallbladder and sleeve surgery. He said it was because it could come back and would make my surgery take even longer. However I am wondering if he didn't want to take it out now as he see all ready I will need skin surgery too. I can't afford plastic surgery and told the Surgeon that so he told me to document all skin rashes etc.

I was thinking after this sleeve surgery when there is open enrollment I might change and know which insurance would allow skin removal surgery would be very helpful. Thanks

i actually bought season one from Amazon and watch it in between seasons now. i will be 2 yrs post sleeve in June. I have leveled off my loss, and have back slid a bit, gaining 5 lbs.not bad, but i don't want to see it become 10 or 15 or 20...i am working hard to get back on track and seeing a new season start is inspiring.

i have always loved the show, i also LOVE Fat Doctor on Youtube from the UK and the one from years ago with Dr Garth Davis and his Dad that was on TLC, they have since re-run it and renamed it "My weight is killing me". Of all of them, Fat Doctor shows more of the medical side (i'm a nurse), My 600 lb life shows more the 'living' part of post surgery, the Garth Davis one was a bit more fast paced. i love them all though.

Did anyone watch skin tight last week?

I'm really not impressed with any of these procedures. They just remove skin they make no efforts or bad efforts at body sculpting.

Seeing the complications afterward is educational.