"I’m mad at myself,” Winfrey writes in an upcoming issue of O magazine. “I’m embarrassed,” she says. “I can’t believe that after all these years, all the things I know how to do, I’m still talking about my weight. I look at my thinner self and think, ‘How did I let this happen again?’”

No coincidence that I read this article online Tuesday morning, and the night before in my tele-support group some of the participants were talking about their frustration with themselves re: having lost weight, knowing how to do it, understanding when and why they overeat, yet still sabotaging their long term weight loss success. One woman having lost nearly 100 pounds with Weight Watchers gained close to 30 pounds within the last 6 months. She was saying how angry and frustrated she was with herself and she couldn’t believe she let this happen. This prompted me to go on a bit of a spiel about the need for self love and compassion, trusting that you are exactly where you are meant to be, accepting what is, living in this moment, listening to your inner voice right here, right now, and acting on it’s guidance in terms of what you need to do in this moment to honor your highest good. That means not beating yourself up about the last moment or worrying about your ability to succeed in the next but rather learning to be a non judgmental witness to your behaviors and their consequences and evaluating their effectiveness in supporting you in living your best life. The words we speak to ourselves are powerful. I believe that what we say to ourselves in this moment creates our experience/reality in the next moment.

Isn’t it amazing that even Oprah would be angry and disappointed in herself? Even with all the access she has to the world’s most powerful spiritual teachers on some level she still struggles to truly/unconditionally love herself. More than anything this proves the point that we are all the same, we are all connected, we are all human.

On a very positive note Oprah has said that being thin is no longer her goal, but that she wants to be healthy strong and fit. Like I wrote in my last blog re: What Motivates You? I do know that chances are slim (pun intended!) that you will maintain your weight loss if your only motivation is the number on the scale. Motivation must come from the inside out!

Some things you may want to affirm for your life:

I listen to and trust my inner wisdom.

I treat my body with kindness and respect.

I listen with love to my body’s messages.

I say only kind and loving things to and about myself.

If you have any thoughts or comments about this blog or would like to learn more about my tele-support groups please do not hesitate to contact me at Louisa@louisalatela.com , www.louisalatela.com or 856.429.9799. Also you can read my column "Soulful Living" in WLS Lifestyles Magazine (www.wlslifestyles.com )

P.S. Thank you Oprah for speaking your truth and sharing your story. Your words resonate deeply with millions of people and serve to motivate positive change in the world. You are a most precious gift to the universe!

Edited December 11, 200817 yr by Louisa

The "band" is not the answer for everyone, I am sure she has thought of it and researched it and for reasons only she knows is not considering it. And I will say it again it is not the answer for a lot of people, many many bandster regain some, most, or all of their weight.

We should not throw rocks while we all live in glass houses!

Yes this thread blew up! LOL.

Don't get me wrong, I love Oprah, and I really do feel bad for her. We all know what it's like to lose and regain weight, and she has it worse because she has to do it in the spot light. I just think she is the type of person who would do really well with a band. I know a lot of people with the band regain their weight, but there's a lot that don't. I think she's just one of those people who diet and exercise alone doesn't work for (like so many of us).

Yes this thread blew up! LOL.

Don't get me wrong, I love Oprah, and I really do feel bad for her. We all know what it's like to lose and regain weight, and she has it worse because she has to do it in the spot light. I just think she is the type of person who would do really well with a band. I know a lot of people with the band regain their weight, but there's a lot that don't. I think she's just one of those people who diet and exercise alone doesn't work for (like so many of us).

Diets dont work period. I bet that's something Dr OZ wont be talking about on her shows. research is out now that show yoyo dieting ( which is what she does and most of us have done ) is dangerous and not healthy and that diets jsut do not plane work.

But you wont hear her talk abotu that one her show, Dr Oz wont have a "special" on that !

Becuase its not what SHE does.

that's what irritates me , if yoru going to play the " Public " card then play a FAIR and all around angle not just yours !

Mindy

That's true. She is so against weight loss surgery, it's so dangerous, blah blah. Does she think what she's doing to her body is any healthier?

That's my point. There are SO many people that bow down to her and think what she says is Gospel ( frankly that alone makes me sick ) that they will do what ever she says. So how many millions of people are yo yo dieting w/ her because they think that is what SHE will do .

Instead , she cant do ONE UNBIASED piece on dieting , losing weight and WLS . All the options.

you can see the disapproval all over her face when she DOES do a story on WLS. And the ONLY time she has someone on who has had it is to talk about Cross addictions, gaining back all the weight ect as if to say " SEE why I DONT do this " ! I cant stand that.

Just do an UNBIASED story so everyone can decide for themselves instead of going by what " OH PRINCESS O " has to say .

UGHH

Mindy

I agree with you, coltonwade...add my name to the list of folks that are sick of "oprahworld.. the alpha and omega of the universe" - the last thing she needs to be doing is speaking to people about loosing weight - burnout is the oprah word of the day

I dont think anyone is criticising Oprah for having a weight problem and even those of us whom she annoys have sympathy for that. Everytime there's a fat Oprah pic in a tabloid, I think leave the poor woman alone.

I dont even really care if she's against WLS. Her loss.

What I object to is her continuing to go on and on and on publically about it as if she's actually going to beat it this time, and as if she's found the amazing person who has it all figured out and will help her and how we all should do it too.

Shutup already. I really dont believe she has anything constructive or helpful to say about weight loss.

It would be great if we all could extend the same grace and consideration to Oprah that we want extended to us. It seems that Oprah is not the one who says she is wonderful, it is the people watching her. It seems that she is just as human as everyone, only she can't hide behind a username and post pictures when she is ready. Oprah will deal with herself, I don't watch the show or read the mag, but apparently she is doing something right and her weight issue is just that, her issue, I hope she finds whtever she needs to have it not be an issue.

Hopefully, those persons who chose to respond in the negative would consider their heavy days in public, and respond in a more compassionate way. Try gaining your weight back pre band, post those photos, then perhaps you can have a bit of an idea how she may feel. It is like the big person always being funny first, she has to say it before someone else says it on their show. Much respect to everyone's thoughts and posts :rolleyes2:

When I was heavy, I didnt go around telling everyone I'd just discovered the secret to permanent weight loss. I dont go around saying that now.

I'm not particularly interested in Oprah's weight is all. I'm more interested in my own.

I'm not discriminatory. I dislike her becuase I think she's a pain in the bum. It has nothing to do with her size. Why cant you ever say anything negative about anyone's who's overweight without everyone assuming you're anti them because of their size?

She does speak for millions though and you have to commend her for handling the religious zeal with which people treat her in a fairly responsible way. Its just that Oprah love is not universal or mandatory.

Cant stand Dr Phil either. There's something about the egotism involved in pushing your opinions on the world as if you hold all the answers that just annoys me.

Edited December 13, 200817 yr by Jachut

It is great to have a forum where we can all share our thoughts on things, and honestly we are not very different from a talk show host, are we? We say what we want, post what we want, share what we want, keep private what we want, boast and celebrate as we choose, we give advice even though we aren't experts. Are we any different than Dr. Phil & Oprah, perhaps in popularity and finances only. However, thanks to this great site we host our own shows and many times "pushing our opinions on the lapband world as if we hold all the answers". I don't watch either show, but I do celebrate with those who do and are helped by them and by this site and our ability to support and share here & most of all our gift of choice to watch or read what we like. It seems rather futile to harbor ill feelings for people who are driving in their own lanes, giving people what they have to offer, sounds like exactly what all of the good people here do daily.

oprah doe'nt speak for me she should stop with all that what makes her so differnet from others she self hates that the start love your self first the way god made you don't put other down because thay can't keep the weight off because she did'nt eather and she puts people down that are over weight and she she is over 200 pounds . :rolleyes2:

I dont think anyone is criticising Oprah for having a weight problem and even those of us whom she annoys have sympathy for that. Everytime there's a fat Oprah pic in a tabloid, I think leave the poor woman alone.

I dont even really care if she's against WLS. Her loss.

What I object to is her continuing to go on and on and on publically about it as if she's actually going to beat it this time, and as if she's found the amazing person who has it all figured out and will help her and how we all should do it too.

Shutup already. I really dont believe she has anything constructive or helpful to say about weight loss.

Well put , that's basically what i was trying to say , but as usual i dont say it well LOL

Mindy

I can remember seeing clips of her show after she lost 86lbs on a liquid diet...she was pulling that much fat in a wagon and saying it was gone. At that moment I had a sinking feeling for her and thought don't say that Oprah, it is not that easy. And it was not that easy for her as it has not been that easy for most of us.

I do not think there is any one person who represents those of us who fight the good fight against obesity day in and day out. Each journey is individual and because of that each person should have the freedom to chose whatever method will work to help them regain and maintain their health... no judgements, no comments or rolling eyes (and to me that includes those who chose RNY instead of banding).

I think Oprah represents how tough it is to maintain a healthy weight for so many of us. Let's face it she has resources beyond our imagination and still has not found her answer so for those of us "regular folks" who have found our health in the band...WOOOHOOOO for us! But no one really can represent the answer for all of us because their is no one answer.

For those of us who choose to follow Jesus -- how about if we follow HIS advise and let HIM decide who is and who is not miserable and how well any of US (including Oprah) are doing. "Judge not --lest ye be judged."

AMEN!! I'm new to the site as well as the Band. But I don't think that judging Oprah, is correct. I think WE ALL remember how much we diliked it when others would judge US. People in our lives and around us when WE ourselves have FAILED COUNTLESS times in our own battles with weight. I just know how frustrating and disappointing it is to fail. We have this forum to discuss and vent, as she is BLESSED to have her own Magazine and TV show to do her's. Don't hate her because of what she has, but understand her pain and frustration.

Taking the Journey a Day at a Time!!!

I think Oprah has yet to have her "a-ha moment" when it comes to WLS. For many years I myself as an obese person bashed WLS as an easy out and as a procedure taken lightly in regards to it's long term outcomes. It wasn't until I transferred jobs and ended up working on the post-op unit where WLS patients come that I had my "a-ha" moment.

These people were hurting; they had depression, failing, painful joints, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and the threat of diabetes, infertility and a myriad of other ailments that would bring the thinnest of people to their knees. That goes without mentioning the social stigma that obesity inflicts. Most of these patients, if not all do not have the resources to hire an army of nutritionists, personal trainers, chefs and life coaches to prod them into a healthy sustainable lifestyle.

After witnessing what was happing with these WLS patients I could not in good conscience any longer oppose someone doing what they need to do to live the best life possible. Like I said Oprah has yet to have her "a-ha" moment. She hasn't realized that this is a viable, sustainable method to obesity and comorbidities and most important of all she hasn't realized that this is a personal choice that one can not judge without thoroughly examining the individual.

Let me make one thing VERY VERY Clear ... I am NOT Judging Oprah for her weight, her weight struggles or for gaining weight back . What I have an issue w/ , call is judging if you will . I dont think it is . .. But what i have an issue w/ is someone of her "status' (which is think that is blown out of porpotion) or someone who is in the public eye going on TV EVERY Time she loses weight and says crap like " IVE FOUND IT , i have done it i have lost the weight for good, or i have found THE DIET " I take issue w/ that. I would take issue w/ it if it was anyone else.

Let me give you another example. My best friends son died of SIDS almost 9 yrs ago . After learning as much as i could about it you would not believe how many things are out there that say " THE CURE FOR SIDS" There IS NOT ONE ! Nothing pisses me off more than someone saying " USE this blanket its the CURE FOR SIDS" IF there was a CURE Babies would not DIE .

NOW That's like Oprah going on TV and saying THIS DIET IS THE CURE FOR OBESITY ! I take ISSUE with that HUGE issue. If THAT WAS A CURE or the ONE DIET That worked NONE OF US WOULD BE HERE !

It has NOTHING To do with HER WEIGHT. it has to do with HER MOUTH !

make sense ? do not mistake what I am saying as JUDGEMENT On her being over weight. There is a BIG difference as far as im concerend !

Im not saying " OMG Oprah is SO FAT give me a break , hse just needs to have the band cause it works and she will be fat until she has it . What she does wont ever work "

Im not saying that.

MIndy