Question:
Anyone out there with a questionable diet history to submit to INS?

Anthem Blue Access is asking for a 18 month diet history and I don't have a complete one. Any suggestions? I don't lie, so that is not an option. I don't want to wait either!    — jocelyn (posted on August 25, 2002)

August 25, 2002
When I submitted my diet history to the insurance company I included everything. Like you, I didn't have every day of my life spent in a "structured" diet program or being supervised by a physician . However, most overweight people are conscious of watching their food intake and excercise because we have just been so ingrained with it throughout our lives. It doesn't matter that you didn't do well. Maybe you were avoiding foods with skin on it, then next day you had fried chicken. That is not the point, your goal was to try and reduce your weight. We all failed on our diets or we wouldn't be applying to get this surgery. They just want it on paper, So sit down and regurgitate all the thousands of ways people have told you to lose weight, the crazy stuff you tried. Even if you only stuck to it for a day It counts. Document it for them. I listed things like, Richard Simmons, Overeaters Anonymous, TOPPS, Books like Carbohydrate addicts diet, the T zone diet, and simple things like staying focused on reduced sugar intake, only lean meat products, reduced salty foods, focus on increased fruit or vegetable, no carbonated or sugared drinks. I also included any attempts I made during those times at increasing my excercise even if it was just walking.Include any herbal or over the counter "diet" med as well. I listed any excercise tapes I have ever watched, Any diet book I ever read, Any weight loss specialist I ever watched on Tv, and any of the times my doctor recommended a 1200 or whatever calorie diet. If the doctor said anything to me, I listed it as a medically supervised diet. Sure it didn't work because I couldn't stick with it. That is why we need the surgery Hope this isn't too long and that this helps. Just wanted to give you some ideas on stuff you can list to fill the spaces between structured diets. PS my date is 09-04 so I guess it worked.
   — Carrie R.