Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

A Disease called OBESITY - A *MUST WATCH* Video by Reeger Cortell



Recommended Posts

Judgment, shame, and blame targeted towards people affected by obesity are neither appropriate nor helpful. Delivered as a public service announcement, this video seeks to address this problem head-on. It is stated by twenty-two representatives of people affected by obesity and is intended to be both educational and empowering.

As a nurse practitioner and independent podcaster of the Weight Loss Surgery Podcast, Reeger Cortell regularly bears witness to the pain caused by judgment, shame, and blame targeted towards people affected by obesity. “I Have a Disease; It’s Called Obesity” was written in their defense, as an unapologetic statement of facts. To bring the script to life, Reeger invited the individuals featured in the film. Despite the fact that they are all at different points in treating their obesity, they continue to share in common the scars of harsh criticism and the desire to help make a positive difference moving forward.

This video took first place in the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery video contest titled, "It Starts Now."

If you haven't watched it already, I suggest you watch it asap!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This is a great video and a great reminder that obesity is a disease.

Thanks for sharing it Alex!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Following so I can watch later.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I love Reeger. Her podcast has helped me so much!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i cant get to the disease part though, Its just me I know. and im not trying to start a fight or make light of it, but i was fat due to my own issues. Is discrimination against the obese real? yes, being obese is a gateway to death? YEP. agree with all those underlying things, but i cannot stretch my head into the disease explanation. If you wanted to say its a mental illness, i might lean in that favor as ive never met a obese person ( including myself) that didnt have issues that enabled or directly influenced their food disorder. Maybe that's a better word for me, Obesity is a food disorder like anorexia or bulimia. That i can get behind.

I just cant do the disease thing.

Im honestly sorry if that upsets anyone.

No offense intended.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I spent most of my life believing the opinions and cruel comments of people around me regarding my weight. Before puberty, I was in three sports and eating an extremely healthy diet because my mother has kidney disease and must eat healthy. I was tall, thin, and a vibrant, smart, and happy kid that everyone adored. Right around the time I got my first period, I began gaining weight and just... couldn't stop. Two years ago, I believed all of the mean and hateful and utterly incorrect things people have been saying to and about me my whole life. Learning the things these people firmly state saved my life and gave me the bravery and self-worth to even begin to think about wls and reclaiming my life instead of trying to end it with food because I felt so out of control and worthless.

In some ways I'm jealous of people who are brave enough to stand up and say these things. Even now I'm wrestling with myself trying to decide if I am brave enough to share this on Facebook. I WANT to share it, I WANT people to understand that they are so, so wrong about obesity and that their opinions and understandings of it are actually ignorant and hurtful. I don't think I'm there yet.

Maybe some day. Thanks for sharing, I needed to hear this today.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@@Stevehud mental illness certainly has a role to play in obesity, as do choices, but I think about it like this. I ate healthier and exercised more than my best friend, who is also overweight, but she has been maybe... 220 at her highest weight. I don't think she's ever been above that. When she really buckles down and works out/eats right, she can lose weight reasonably easily. And yet, I managed to gain, and gain, and gain and eventually got to be over 400 pounds, and even seeing professional nutritionists and trainers over the span of many years could not enable me to lose weight and keep it off. If there weren't some other metabolic/hormonal/etc thing happening in our bodies, she would have been the same size or bigger than me. Or I would have weighed less than her. There are some people who become very overweight mainly because of poor choices, but it's the losing part that shows you what's really going on. A person without the disease can do what those trainers do in the fat reality shows. They could gain and lose 100 pounds pretty easily (at least compared to a person who can't seem to do anything to lose it). It always frustrated me that people see these shows and think "well, look how easy it is! all they did was eat healthy and work out and they lost weight! So why don't all the other fatasses in the world do that?" The answer is... the fatasses that try and try and can't lose weight or keep it off have a legitimate disease. Losing weight isn't easy, but it's doable for everyone. For people with the disease of obesity, the first big hurdle is even making it possible for your body to lose weight. My RNY made it possible for me to lose weight and keep it off for the first time in my life. Now the losing weight part is up to me.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×