That’s right. It’s not your fault.
It’s not about putting the fork down, having willpower, or more determination. It’s about understanding that you suffer from a disease that impacts millions of people world wide.
It’s an epidemic that’s spreading to our youth and one that has pushed obesity to front of the charts as one of the leading causes of death in the US. (1)
Science is now aware of several other factors that directly relate to you contracting obesity. Yes… I said contracting obesity. Once we start to look at obesity as a disease, and we no longer feel shameful that we have the disease, we can begin to approach is cure similar to that of other diseases… but we have a long way to go.
In society today, even in the medical field, obesity is still primarily seen as a choice. If a patient could just eat less and exercise more, they wouldn’t have this disease. If they could just exercise some willpower at the buffet line, they wouldn’t have this disease. The good news is, times… they are a changing.
Science is now beginning to understand that there are several external factors such as genetics and family history that absolutely play an active role in the likelihood of you contracting obesity. that’s right… It’s not your fault!
But just because it isn’t your fault, that doesn’t mean its not your responsibility. It is absolutely your responsibility to take control of your life and to make lifestyle changes that will help you and future generations overcome the effects this disease has on our society.
As someone who suffers from a diagnosed eating disorder, and as someone who has overcome obesity, I know first hand just how difficult this journey can be. The amazing news is, you are not alone.
There are plenty of support resources available today to assist patients in overcoming an obesity diagnosis. Being overweight, or even severely morbidly obese does not have to be a death sentence.
How does one eat an elephant? The same way one climbs a mountain. One step at a time and or one bite at a time. It’s easy to look at the big picture and to give-up before you start. I know, because I did just that for years.
The trick is to never give up. If you don’t want to start over, don’t quit. Easier said than done, I know. For some traditional diet and exercise can work wonders. For others, fad diets like Atkins, Paleo, or even Keto can be the end all be all cure. For others, like myself, bariatric surgery holds the key to them beating their obesity diagnosis.
Only you know you, what you will respond to, and what will and will not work for you. No to meal plans are alike, no two diets are alike, and no two bariatric programs are alike. Why is this?
It’s like this because no two patients are alike. Diets like Atkins and Keto have general rules and guidelines for participants to follow. If those guidelines magically work for you, guess what, you found what worked for you…. but that doesn’t mean it will work for everyone.
I was shocked when I had bariatric surgery to find that nation wide there are no “standards” for how bariatric surgery centers operate. There are no standard certifications or guidelines they all must follow. This means that when it comes to surgery, even that program must be tailored to the patient.
And yes… most surgical programs have their own general guidelines that work for most… and if that works for you.. great. If however you find yourself on the outside, where the general rules provided just don’t seem to be working for you and your body, that program will have to be tailored by the physicians and the nutritionists to meet your specific needs.
There is no magic silver bullet. You have to take responsibility for the diagnosis that you have, and take action. Continue to ask why and continue to dig to find out why your body is different and why its not responding to “treatment”… just like you would if you had cancer.
No one would EVER look at a lung cancer patient and say… “Ya know… if you wouldn’t of smoked for 40 years… you wouldn’t have this problem! Just put the cigarettes down dummy.”
So why is it ok for fat people to be shamed, to the point where most carry so much guilt and embarrassment they don’t even want to leave the house most days. The answer is.. IT’S NOT OK. Together, we can change that.
Take control and responsibility for your diagnosis people. Re-engage in your life and take charge of your treatment. Like someone with cancer, leave no “treatment” stone un-turned. Look under every rock and exhaust every avenue of treatment before you call it hopeless and a lost cause.
As someone who has walked that walk, know that I believe in you! If I can do it, you can do it. But it requires you add a course correction to your life plan and for you to get you back on track. So you have lost your way. You can find it again, and I’m here to help!