Post-Op: I Went to the 2016 ObesityHelp National Conference!
October 17, 2016I have been a member of Obesity Help for over two years. I have always wanted to attend the ObesityHelp Conferences. I wanted to attend last year but was not able to. For this year’s Conference, the 2016 ObesityHelp National Conference, I made it a point to schedule my reservations and attend the Conference. Since this would be my first Conference, I didn’t know what to expect. Now, I want to share my experience so other weight loss surgery patients know how it is to attend an ObesityHelp Conference.
Attending the #OH2016 Conference was amazing. I met so many people, and I made a lot of new friendships that I will totally cherish now and long-term.
My Experience at the 2016 ObesityHelp National Conference!
Registration and the Swag Bag
When you first get there, you register for the Conference. The volunteers and workers with ObesityHelp made everything very easy to register and check-in. The swag bag everyone receives from the Conference was such a generous gift in itself. I was happy to receive so many wonderful samples of vitamins, protein, an OH t-shirt, and lots of other items from the vendors and sponsors.
I give a big thank you to the vendors and sponsors for everything in the #2016 ObesityHelp National Conference's swag bag. ~ Dennis Veneigh
Sessions, Q&A Panels, Plastic Surgery Consults, and Vendors
During the Conference, you can attend the session talks and Q&A panels. This is a great way to get lots of information so you can be a successful WLS patient. Some of the panels I attended were “Healthy Eating After Weight Loss Surgery” and the Keynote Speaker & Fireside Chat with Dr. Younan Nowzaradan of "My 600lb Life" on TLC. Both of these panels gave me so much information that I can use to succeed in my own weight loss journey. Dr. Nowzaradan answered lots of questions that all of us had about weight loss and his suggestions on how we could all succeed.
You can walk through the vendor hall that had all types of vendors. Some of the vendors that attended this year’s event were plastic surgeons from the U.S. and Mexico, vitamin companies, protein supplements, and companies that make snacks that help us get in our protein on a daily basis.
If you are thinking of having plastic surgery, this is a great way to meet some of the plastic surgeons from the U.S. and Mexico. I had three plastic surgery consults during the Conference that were at no charge to me. One consult was with a plastic surgeon from the U.S. and two consults were with the plastic surgeons from Mexico. I told them what procedures I would like to have, then they gave me their recommendations on what I could use. The doctors I met with made me feel very comfortable and answered all the questions I had.
Friendships, Fashion Show, and Fun!
On Friday (the first night), it was the Costume Party and Meet ‘n Greet. This is a great way to mingle, get out of your comfort zone a little, and have an awesome time. I had so much fun. I entered one of the costume contests. I was dressed as a Lap Band Surgeon. There were prizes for different costume categories. I won the “Best Homemade Costume Category” and a $25 Visa gift card. Thank you to everyone who voted for my costume. After the contest, there was music and dancing.
Saturday night was the Fashion Show. This is a great way to celebrate your own WLS journey. When my name was called, they showed my Before and After picture and told a little about my journey. This inspires you on so many levels how we all succeed. I had so much fun doing it and another “out of my comfort zone” moment for me! I strutted on that catwalk like no one’s business and celebrated my journey with everyone. After the Fashion Show, we danced the night away.
Just a Few of My Many Take-Aways
- Attending the different panels/forums – I learned how to be a better weight loss surgery patient and how to succeed in my journey.
- Seeing the different vendors/getting samples – This is a great way to check out new products on the market for weight loss surgery patients.
- Attending Meet N Greet Events – Attending the Meet N Greet events like the Costume Party/Fashion Show – Lets you get out of your comfort zone by meeting new people and making friendships that can last a long time, especially if you are someone that is very shy and quiet like me.
- Meeting with Plastic Surgeons – This is a great way to have a consult with different surgeons from both USA and Mexico. Getting different opinions on what procedures are out there for you to have.
If you are a weight loss surgery pre-op or post-op and are thinking about attending an ObesityHelp Conference, I would say to go for it and attend the Conference. With this being my first time at an ObesityHelp Conference, I am so happy that I attended. I made new friendships, did things I would never have thought I would do in my life, and had so many Non-Scale Victories. Thank you ObesityHelp for all you do for us and see you next year at the 2017 ObesityHelp National Conference in Long Beach, California. I cannot wait!!
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dennis Veneigh had Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) surgery on Nov 12, 2014. Since then he has lost over 175 pounds. He attended the 2016 ObesityHelp National Conference at Anaheim California. Dennis loves his life as a successful VSG post-op and is dedicated to paying it forward for other weight loss surgery patients.Read more articles from Dennis! |
