To think that Embarrassing Fat Bodies on Channel4 is sending the wrong message?

[cremeeggsbenedict]

DH popped this on last night and it made me quite cross that they spent the entire programme saying that surgery was the answer for the people with problems on the show. AIBU to think this is just giving people more excuses to not take the diet/exercise route to being healthier

To cite a couple of examples there was the very obese couple about whom the doctors said it was "too late to lose weight through conventional means" and that gastric bypass surgery was the "only answer". Surely eating less would have been appropriate, and helping them to understand their food issues through counselling would help as much, if not more than drastic surgery.

There was also the woman who had a prolapse and urinary incontinence as a result of being obese and having had children. The program said she couldn't do anything about her weight until they addressed the prolapse etc as she couldn't exercise. Why would it stop her from reducing her calorie intake?

The other one that annoyed me was the girl who wanted a breast reduction. Now in all fairness she did have huge boobs and they probably were causing her issues but she was also overweight and wearing the wrong size bra. Why was surgery the "only solution" when she may (and I appreciate in this case it's a may) have reduced her bust size by losing weight and would certainly have been more comfortable had she worn a correctly fitted bra.

It just seemed from the program that quick fixes are the only answer and willpower/control weren't given as alternatives to surgery - there didn't seem to even be a "try dieting for a few weeks and we'll reassess" message

AIBU to think that the message that surgery is the only answer is wrong and people should be encouraged to try all other means first?

I appreciate I probably am but the programme really irritated me last night.

[BulletWithAName]

My DP's really not love.

Pumpernickel- But your friend isn't everyone though is she? She's one case. Plenty of the people on that programme are just lazy, just like in real life- eg. that family who aren't genetically fat, only one of them have big bones and that is down to being fat- they are just lazy.

I know someone was 24 stone, was too lazy to diet and exercise, was told to lose 3 stone before she could get one, and magically lost 3 stone in 2 months. This is a woman who swore blind that no diet worked for her. If she'd just continued with her diet, she could have lost the weight naturally.

By the way, I do have sympathy for some on the show. For example that poor man who had the stomach down to his knees as a result of weight gain through steroids, and the other man who was featured yesterday who lost his weight through sheer hard work and willpower and was left with all that skin.
I just don't feel sorry for people who just want to use surgery as a quick fix.

[BulletWithAName]

*the one being a gastric by-pass

[BulletWithAName]

And also Gwendoline, plenty of other people have commented on the vaginal prolapse woman, so cheers for singling me out. I feel quite special!

[BulletWithAName]

she's not " fucking lazy" she's tried every diet going but sadly lacks willpower

Is that not being lazy though? Trying a diet and giving up?

[pumpernickel10]

Maybe but someone lacking willpower probably as confidence issues which probably need to be worked.
I was horrified to have been 2 stone overweight, I hated myself but to lose weight I had to stop eating shite, these people are not educated on what are the right foods to eat.
So I do see your point I've got it with my SIL at the mo she's 24 stone and won't diet she can't be arsed. Then she will moan she's never had a man etc we've all tried with her but she won't help herself. It gets to a point where you can't do no more. She's eating her way into an early grave and as diabetes now

[reelingintheyears]

I totally agreed with the girl with the huge breasts having a reduction...

Poor thing..she was not that overweight and they were enormous.

My friend and her DD have enormous boobs and the DD is only now 17..

She has had them since she was about 12 and gets revolting comments from men of all ages who should know better and finds buying bras really difficult and distressing and expensive.

She can't wear little tops or a bikini and is embarrassed by her breasts.

She,the DD started to shout back at men who commented calling them 'fucking paedos'.

These comments came even when she was about 12/13.

[BulletWithAName]

I'm not trying to tear apart your friend pumpernickel, really, but she probably could have done with some counselling (if she didn't have it already) to work out why she had food issues before resorting to drastic surgery.

And I'm really not saying that every overweight/obese person I see walking down the street is lazy. Of course there can be hidden illnesses etc that they could suffer from that makes them put on weight. I'm specifically talking about the majority of people on that particular show.

I was the same as you- 2-3 stone overweight because I ate 10 packets of crisps a day and chips/pizza for lunch and dinner. But I knew full well why I was fat, and I (eventually!) got my arse in gear and lost it. I've never been overweight since.

And my mum's exactly the same as your SIL- always moaning that she's fat etc but does nothing whatsoever about it. My DM also has diabetes.

[BulletWithAName]

That's disgusting reeling in the years about those men

[reelingintheyears]

Bullet.
My friend and her DD hate their boobs.

They really are quite big.

But her poor DD is only about 5ft 3" ,if that and wants a reduction.
She must be about an H cup.

Oh, and she is not overweight.

[pumpernickel10]

bullet I can't say if she got counselling or not if I'm honest, she took the easy way out as she could afford it she as said since even though she looks great she sometimes regrets the band as she misses the treats she used to have. It's the price you pay I guess.

[pumpernickel10]

reeling I'm a 36h I fecking hate them. I get awful backache and my boobs ache all the time :(
I'm only 13lb overweight

[nicespam]

i think (personally) that is quite good that there are 'quick' fixes nowadays, otherwise how many of those overweight people would die prematurely?

i don't get the exploitation thing either and they are willing participants. bodies are just bodies

[BulletWithAName]

pumpernickel- That's what I meant about the drastic surgery. She'll never be able to eat properly again, and if she'd just done it naturally she would have learned what foods are good for you, what's not good for you instead of only being able to eat childsized portions for the rest of her life. And then if she has it removed, the chances are she'll probably put the weight back on as she has no idea how to eat properly. It's like a vicious circle IYSWIM.

[pumpernickel10]

I agree quick fixes don't work do what most people do diet sensibly and exercise, guess what it works :)

[pumpernickel10]

Oh and the hanging skin you can't quick fix that

[TakeItOnTheChins]

these people are not educated on what are the right foods to eat.

Let's be honest though; it isn't rocket science, is it?

[Binfullofmaggotsonthe45]

Maybe not to a well educated person takeit you may think, but it was overwhelming how many people thought that potatoes were one of your five a day, and i work with people in professional careers who can't identify certain fruits and vegetables. My husband had never eaten a courgette in his old life his wife served up a diet of schnitzel and chips on a nightly basis which she perceived as a healthy diet. And he was in the Army.....

I have one colleague who won't even touch raw meat, it has to be cooked chicken breast only or mince beef. This only since his girlfriend moved in. Previously he lived on Dominos every evening.

I don't hear any lectures here about 5 a day in this country it isn't an issue, however i remember a past thread where a good few people on mumsnet were really struggling to eat five a day and complaining about it.

I went to weightwatchers meetings and people have no idea of the fat in the foods that they eat. I thought it was healthy to have olive oil on my food a la Jamie Oliver, ate only fresh food cooked from scratch and weighed 15 stone. I was eating too much oil, pasta, hummus etc etc.

[Hammy02]

I think some comments on here are harsh however I don't agree that people should be getting gastric bands etc when there are people on waiting lists for operations they need through no fault of their own. I would say the obese people have serious issues that need resolving. No amount of surgery will solve that.

[pumpernickel10]

takeiton you would think most people would know how to eat properly but they don't. We have fresh vegtables everyday. Treat night on a Saturday. We don't eat crap.

[pumpernickel10]

I agree hammy

[theinet]

people really are only prepared to go on a tv show and show the world the money shot of their massively fat, prolapsed leaking fanny because they've been promised surgery etc as the payoff.

the guy runs a private harley street practice and this is his sideline! not saying it's wrong but that's why people go on the show - to get fast medical treatment , paid for by the programme.

[Hallows01]

Ooooo harsh comments, I agree people always want quick fixes but I thought that woman on there this week was really good. The one who exercised and did it right

[fatlazymummy]

I find both of these programmes interesting. Supersize v superskinny was quite helpful about portion control which is something that a lot of people get wrong. It also showed that a lot of underweight people also eat shit food as well.
Embarrasing fat bodies has really motivated me to lose weight and exercise, while I still can.

[ebbandflow]

I remember a doctor on a programme once saying the most a person can lose through diet and exercise (and realistically keep off long term) is two and a half stone. Therefore, I can totally understand why surgery is given. I think the programme gives everyone an incentive to aim for a healthy weight.