I've noticed lately that Oprah's weight seems to be climbing. She's not been a big proponent of WLS but maybe she should consider it? She's been struggling with weight for almost all of her entire TV career and it seems no matter how much she loses or what method she utilizes, her weight seems to creep back up again.

I don't have a clue. She has certainly proved it to herself and everyone else, that she can't do it on her own. She now claims to have thyroid problems.

She's surrouned by enablers. Even that Dr. that comes on her show has drunk the O kool-aid. She's at a point none of the piglets suckling on the teat is willing to risk her ire by telling her the truth. Cosby needs to give her another call.

I've watched Oprah ever since she was a newscaster in Baltimore a long time ago when I was still down in MD. I know from her previous shows she's deathly afraid of surgery/needles for one thing. I don't know if any of you saw the show where she finally let them pierce her ears. I know from my own personal experience so far, now that I am debanded, that it's not a miracle cure and Oprah knows her limitations and she also knows she loves food. WLS does not work for those of us who are in that situation, me minus the fame and money, and also can learn to be comfortable in one's own body and be happy even if we're not thin. Especially if you get to a certain age certain things are not as important. She's concerned about her health and I don't see why everyone here expects her to be a WLS spokes person and even expect her to get the surgery. Do you expect her to be a McCain supporter? I respect her and I don't even watch her show anymore, Nanook.:Dancing_biggrin:

I don't think anyone expects her to get WLS, it's just that she's spoken out against it and she herself clearly doesn't have the answers. She's not OK with being overweight and she's triedeverything else she can think of and yet she won't do the one thing that has helped more overweight people than all of her other attempts combined.

WLS may not work for everyone but it does work for many and it certainly works better than the fad diets Oprah has tried over the years.

But like I said she's deathly afraid of surgery and needles. With all her money don't you think she would have someone basically suck it out of her if she could. She could have major work done but she doesn't and I don't think promoting something that someday may end up being another "fad" of sorts is wise either especially if someone's life could be a risk from comps and surgery. JMHO Nancy:smile:

WLS does not work for those of us who are in that situation, me minus the fame and money, and also can learn to be comfortable in one's own body and be happy even if we're not thin. Especially if you get to a certain age certain things are not as important.

I'm confused, in this last line are you saying as people get older their health or their looks matter to them less??

Yes, we prefer not to look in the mirror. No jk. Actually I believe that some people as they age gain a new awareness of what's really important in life. Some people are lucky and are aware of this at an earlier age. We've all been told that we are not worthy unless we're thin. Thin equals success, happiness, love, you name it and that can be a somewhat superficial way of living life. But it is a life choice. But it is a choice. It takes time to get from a point where you step on a scale and read a number and if it's not in the "happy thin range" it will ruin your whole day! I'm not saying health is not important but I don't think there is denying the fact that we're all here not always just for our health but for esthetic reasons. I choose not to chase that dragon anymore as it is way overrated, just in my honest opinion. I am a thinker outside of the box and it has taken me a while to get here, Nancy:smile:

Nancy, I'm genuinely happy for you that you are self-aware enough to be happy in accepting yourself as you are.

I struggle with accepting myself as I am (not just physically) vs. the other side which says I should continuously strive to be the best me that I can be. These are philosophies which are not necessarily contradictory but in the modern world is very difficult to balance.

Yes, we prefer not to look in the mirror. No jk. Actually I believe that some people as they age gain a new awareness of what's really important in life. Some people are lucky and are aware of this at an earlier age. We've all been told that we are not worthy unless we're thin. Thin equals success, happiness, love, you name it and that can be a somewhat superficial way of living life. But it is a life choice. But it is a choice. It takes time to get from a point where you step on a scale and read a number and if it's not in the "happy thin range" it will ruin your whole day! I'm not saying health is not important but I don't think there is denying the fact that we're all here not always just for our health but for esthetic reasons. I choose not to chase that dragon anymore as it is way overrated, just in my honest opinion. I am a thinker outside of the box and it has taken me a while to get here, Nancy:smile:

To each their own. But I don't consider myself (or my wonderful 59 year old Mum who always looks STUNNING) stuck "in a box" because I/we take pride in our external appearances as well as trying to be the best, generous, caring human beings we can. Yes, there are more important things in life that a polished exterior, but if I'm shallow because I want to feel good on the inside and out, then I'll wear that badge.

Donna you're right but there is room out there for larger size people to feel good about themselves. We tend to be our own worse critics at times and with any other groups that are discriminated against that would be pretty rare. I know it's not a politically acceptable philosophy to say it's OK to be fat or to compare discriminations between different groups example Gays and Fat people. But fat people are the last group that it's still acceptable to criticize and discriminate against and openly mock and joke about. I think it's also a choice we make to make judgments against them/us and it's something that we can change.

I also believe years of yo yo dieting have contributed to the "obesity epidemic" that is often a major concern in our health systems. I know it's a very tough way to live one's life and our society makes it more difficult to be happy as we are. I myself have dieted for years and it wasn't until I stopped that weight began to come off naturally, weird huh? Anyway I struggled with this for many years but I just want to leave a little blip out there in the world of lapbandia that there are other ways of looking at things and ourselves but I'm not here to condemn anyone or judge really as I've have been there too and now the pressures we're all under especially as women and I know most people think I'm a joke of sorts but I very sincere about this, Nancy:smile:.

Actually I believe that some people as they age gain a new awareness of what's really important in life.

Yeah, some of us old folk do .... so we go out and get WLS. :party:

Even if it is apparently a "fad". :Dancing_biggrin:

Shesmiles, that's fine and I'm glad you're happy and your mum and you should be. I just think there are those that really struggle internally about their image/self esteem because of their size and may have never even thought that it's OK to be just as they are physically. Many of us lose weight only to gain it back again and the more times we diet the more we tend to pack on even more pound. Have any of you been in a situation like that and then you look back at earlier pictures before all the dieting when you thought you were so fat and ugly to say OMG, I really looked good then if only I had stayed that way! But low and behold you decided to "diet".

The lap band is a tool for some and has been useful and so have other WLS procedures but sometimes even those fail as with diets and how many times are people going to get revisions to new surgeries. I've seen cases where people were going on their third revision and I find that to be extreme. Like I said I'm tired of chasing that dragon and if there's someone out there that thinks it's ok to be as they are I don't think that's wrong but I know I have my critics, Nancy:smile:.

Hey even I know better than to argue with the "Mac"!

I think it's pretty important to be healthy. Fat isn't healthy. Most people who get WLS aren't just getting surgery so they can look better and fit into society's ideal of thin. They are getting surgery because they have major medical problems that are directly related to being overweight. For myself and everybody I know who has had WLS, this was a last resort. If Oprah doesn't want to have WLS, fine. But I don't think she should bash it either. WLS has saved a lot of lives and it definitely has its place. It isn't a fad, it has been around for decades now and will continue to be.

Well there are many people who have thought that it was the yo yoing of weight that was the most unhealthy part anyway. Dieting and having weight go down and back up again and dieting and down and up and up and down is very bad for you. If you find a way not to do that and it works for you fine. Not everyone can. You can even read here where people have gained weight after the band so it's not a perfect solution either.

Health and size is very individual also. One person can be 200 lbs and be much healthier than a person who is 125 lbs and have less body fat. You can't make blanket statements about fat. We have fat on our bodies for a reason.

You are told that fat is unhealthy and that is why you're able to have the surgery performed and covered by insurance but most people are having it done for esthetic reasons and I was one of them so don't play that it's only to be healthier card that's a load of bs in my HO. Like I said I don't expect most people to agree with me as I'm stating a different point of view.

I also became unhealthier after the surgery so that's a possibility too. High cholesterol, high blood pressure and my type 2 diabetes became much worse, acid reflux. I suppose I can include constipation and hemorrhoids if you don't consider that TMI but I'm sure it's all coincidental. Oprah is not going to tell people to have surgery when she herself does not have it. That would be crazy! Nanook:smile: