Want to start a firestorm at a bariatric meeting. Just use the word failure. I didn't really get that at first but it slowly started sinking in recently. I think maybe some semantics get in the way. Not to mention the wounded psyches of the morbidly obese.
If you are fat are you a failure? Of course not. If you have bariatric surgery and don't lose all the weight the doctor wanted you to are you a failure? Of course not. How about if you put weight back on, then are you a failure? Of course not!
Anybody who doesn't understand that the commitment you make in having bariatric surgery is a LIFETIME commitment is to stupid to be in the program and gives obese people their undeserved reputation for ignorance.
During the course of your lifetime you're going to have ups and downs. You're going to lose and gain weight. As long as you remember the commitment you haven't failed. As long as you see the doctor on scheduled visits and go to the support group you committed to going to you have not failed.
Some nutritionists would like us to believe there are no failures. That's just silly. Obese people that give up, drop out and balloon up are failures. They're a warning to the rest of us that, "There but for the grace of God go I".
If you ever hear me use the word failure then you know I'm not talking about you. It means you're still coming to meetings and as long as that happens you're just along for the ride with the rest of us that were obese and are doing the best we can to use this tool to make better lives for ourselves during this lifetime commitment.
As a post script does this mean that if you miss a meeting or a doctor appointment you've failed? Of course not! Get a life. Do the best you can. Best is best, whatever that means. We are all going to STUMBLE. It's a LIFETIME thing. As long as you remember that you can't fail.
Mike
If you are fat are you a failure? Of course not. If you have bariatric surgery and don't lose all the weight the doctor wanted you to are you a failure? Of course not. How about if you put weight back on, then are you a failure? Of course not!
Anybody who doesn't understand that the commitment you make in having bariatric surgery is a LIFETIME commitment is to stupid to be in the program and gives obese people their undeserved reputation for ignorance.
During the course of your lifetime you're going to have ups and downs. You're going to lose and gain weight. As long as you remember the commitment you haven't failed. As long as you see the doctor on scheduled visits and go to the support group you committed to going to you have not failed.
Some nutritionists would like us to believe there are no failures. That's just silly. Obese people that give up, drop out and balloon up are failures. They're a warning to the rest of us that, "There but for the grace of God go I".
If you ever hear me use the word failure then you know I'm not talking about you. It means you're still coming to meetings and as long as that happens you're just along for the ride with the rest of us that were obese and are doing the best we can to use this tool to make better lives for ourselves during this lifetime commitment.
As a post script does this mean that if you miss a meeting or a doctor appointment you've failed? Of course not! Get a life. Do the best you can. Best is best, whatever that means. We are all going to STUMBLE. It's a LIFETIME thing. As long as you remember that you can't fail.
Mike
