Should this dad have gotten his daughter a gastric bypass?

January 26, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments

Would you ever fund your kid’s gastric bypass surgery?

After about the third or fourth article I saw about a teenager getting the “gift” of gastric bypass surgery this year from their parents, I couldn’t help but notice a trend. A disturbing one. When any author covering the story detailed the backstory leading the young ladies to the last weight loss resort, the common denominator was the description of the diet. More specifically – how it had “failed” them. In the most recent one I saw (about a daughter whose dad bought her a belly excision), it was something akin to, “she tried every diet possible, but nothing stuck”.

Now, I might be a stickler for semantics. But, in this case, it’s kinda important – that wording. A diet’s not velcro. It can’t stick. It’s also not animated – so it can’t try to win you back if you don’t want it. It’s not going to stick to you. So, my question is – did the diet not stick – or did she not stick to it? And the correlating cardio and strengthening that aids in weight loss?

See, when people say “I’ve tried dieting; it doesn’t work”, I’ve gotta agree. You wanna know why? Because it’s not about “dieting” – which insinuates something that you tried and terminated; your diet isn’t something that you do for a brief period and give up on. Not if you want long term weight loss. A diet’s not ephemeral. It’s a lifestyle. Do you work your biceps for a week and then abandon them forever? Not if you want them pythons, ya don’t. Similarly, your eating routine’s something that you assume and maintain. That said, we’re not talking about weeping into a bowl of wilted spinach and carrots every night. No. Rather, your fitness path should be sustainable. It’s gotta be something where you make concessions, but also enjoy it.

Caveat?

It.takes.time.

I’m serious. Ever been on a narcotic long term after hospitalization, and tried to come off it? Ever quit anything you’ve been addicted to? Remember how horrible the withdrawal from that felt? Something similar happens when you finally quit shizzy, sugary, overly seasoned foods. If you’ve been noshing on processed, high sugar, opposite-of-clean-n-natural foods, it may take a while. Giving up processed is a process. You’ve gotta give your taste buds time to acclimate. And you have to give your brain time to overcome the addiction to sugar and processed food. Sound preposterous? I got you. So, don’t take it from me. Look at studies on MRIs done of the brain, showing the addiction areas light up for people who overeat refined sugar or hyper palatable junk food.

(And *I’m* addicted to sharing this image… until people get that obesity comes from the same place any other obsessive behavior does…)

And that’s the problem. Getting away from that takes time, but once you do, the opportunity for your new diet to “stick” is there. The solution? Form new, healthy habits (both with food, exercise, and emotional counseling) to replace your formerly detrimental regimen – a day at a time. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Especially when studies have also shown that those who have been obese due to food addiction, tend to find other addictions after having the surgery. Why? ’cause they never addressed any of the internal issues leading them to compulsive, comforting behaviors like overeating in the first place

In the end, I always think the gesture – the intent – from these parents is sweet. They just think they’re doing what’s right. And I’m not saying what a dad should or shouldn’t do for his daughter. (Granted, I feel the money’d be better spent on doing some psychological plumbing to uncover the source of her supersized diet, but… *insert Kermit meme about this “not being any of my business”*…) But what I am saying is that – for anyone out there feeling like there’s no hope for themselves on the natural front; worrying about the risks of having surgery done, or even just not able to afford it – please don’t give into the myth that a sustainable diet paired with exercise doesn’t work. For some, with rare medical anomalies, that might hold true. But for the rest of us, it’s simply not so. The results might not be immediate, but getting overweight didn’t happen overnight, did it? It just takes time, my loves. Eat healthy foods that you love – not a bale of kale if you hate it. Don’t run if you detest the treadmill – seek out a sport you adore. Because, if what you’re doing is reluctantly being executed and peppered with resentment, of course it won’t stick. The trick is to keep trying new things until you fall in love with fit living.

(This’s my kinda before and after. Homegirl’s proud because she work for every inch of her inch shedding)

Because that’s when the magic happens.

Both on a psychological scale, and the one on your bathroom floor.