Question:
I believe with all my heart that I have never eaten more than other people who are

thin. I hear Oprah always saying that she believes that obesity is psychological in origin. I truly believe that I have a biological problem that science does not understand that allowd me to gain weight rapidly and be resistent to weight loss. I'm curious if anyone else feels like me. I am post rny (lap) and I have never had one regret or grief over not being able to eat normally. I feel this way because pre-op I was always trying to starve myself to lose the weight (always a failure). Does anyone else feel like me? I really don't think I have ever eaten more than my skinny friends. In fact, they were always wondering why I was fat when I ate less than them. Just surveying the members here to see what they think. I hope I don't offend anybody. Sincerely, Carla    — [Deactivated Member] (posted on February 12, 2004)

February 12, 2004
Carla-I have always had similar thoughts. I don't think I ate the same amount as a skinny person, but I definitely think the amount I ate justified my being morbidly obese. My family all agreed also. Since having the surgery, the slow rate at which I lost while following all the rules confimed this. I really believe my problem was more of a biological not psychological. Lynda ME/FL
   — [Deactivated Member]

February 12, 2004
Hi Carla: When you have a few minutes, type in "Gherlin" on google or another search engine. There is a ton of information about this digestive hormone that may validate your suspicions re. biological reasons for difficulty in losing weight. I didn't post the links, due to the fact that there are too many. Take good care. Polly
   — Jackie O.

February 12, 2004

   — amie

February 12, 2004
There are several components to the physical disease we have. You will find some under Syndrome X, insulin resistance or even under the Carbohydrates Addicts book. We have unusual chemical reactions to foods, most especially carbs. And then we get false cravings, on top of it. We don't burn calories, we store them. There are so many facets to it that it makes you wonder why ANY of us stayed in the 200's for more than a minute. I always say that if my problem was STRICTLY in my head, I'd either out eat the surgery OR with this radical distal, I'd have starved to death. But instead, I still have to use reasonable judgment, and follow a formula that works. Not a diet, because I eat more often then when I was 262, but just the formula that doesn't trigger the carb cravings and does keep me as much in the driver's seat as I can be with this disease.
   — vitalady

February 12, 2004
There are several components to the physical disease we have. You will find some under Syndrome X, insulin resistance or even under the Carbohydrates Addicts book. We have unusual chemical reactions to foods, most especially carbs. And then we get false cravings, on top of it. We don't burn calories, we store them. There are so many facets to it that it makes you wonder why ANY of us stayed in the 200's for more than a minute. I always say that if my problem was STRICTLY in my head, I'd either out eat the surgery OR with this radical distal, I'd have starved to death. But instead, I still have to use reasonable judgment, and follow a formula that works. Not a diet, because I eat more often then when I was 262, but just the formula that doesn't trigger the carb cravings and does keep me as much in the driver's seat as I can be with this disease.
   — vitalady

February 12, 2004
Hi, I agree with you. I don't know all the scientific ramifications,however, I have made some observations into my middle age. My sister, who used to be called "two desserts) is as thin as I am not. She can eat whatever she wants. The same goes for my husband who is tall and thin. Other people have observed my husband eating more food, larger portions, than I on more than one occasion. I know that my metabolism is way slower than average. My Mom and her Mom both had problems with weight, too, however, both were less sedentary than many of us are now. When I hear people saying things like "it's all psychological," or "it's all a matter of more calories in than calories burned," or "you don't *have to* eat so much," or "just push your plate back; push away from the table," I not only hear judgmentalism, but I also hear ignorance. One other thing. Some people would rather believe what they already believe even if what they believe is not factual. Thanks. LM
   — catly

February 12, 2004
I had to fill out some paperwork as a preop that needed to know what a typical day's diet looked like and I filled it in with what I ate daily. Looking at it now I see that I was totally kidding myself. What I neglected to add was the carb fest that ensued every night after the kids went to bed. I always thought that I ate less than my thin friends and certainly no more but I can't help but think that I must have been wrong. My food problems are so psychologically based that I am now sure that I was just finding ways to justify the madness I had created. I say all of this because I have had such great success as a post op with the weight loss and just simply could not control my urges before I was so restricted physically. All that said, I have found as a post op that I could probably eat twice as much if it is protein and still lose weight or easily maintain my new weight. When I start with the carbs the weight comes back on effortlessly and I reall truly believe that I am not over eating calorie-wise. I think that some of us have trashed our abilities to handle carbs and sugars so thouroughly that even small amounts will make us gain. There has to be a physical aspect to the weight gain, not just that I sat around gorging myself, because some of my friends by all rights should be huge and they are not. For me it was and still is a combination of my brain(or brain damage hee hee), my habits and my body's inability to process certain foods properly. It is not always how much we ate but when and what as well. I used to start every day off on a starvation diet but gave in by night time. That routine in itself can cause weight gain. There are just too many factors to say I was just lazy and ate too much! People are judgemental, hell, I was judgemental of myself! Thank God for WLS! Lap RnY 1/15/03 277/153/147
   — Carol S.

February 12, 2004
I absolutely agree with you that there is much more to obesity than psychology. I have lost 130 pounds with my RNY 16 months ago, exercise 5 days per week without fail, follow my doctor's plan, drink tons of water, take the supplements, eat about 1000 calories per day and I still have 50 pounds to lose to get to the normal BMI range. And I haven't lost weight in about 3 months. Why? I would love to fix this problem. I read a magazine article recently that said according to my weight and a low activity level, I should eat 2600 calories a day to maintain my current weight!!!! I have a medium-high activity level and don't get anywhere near 2600 calories. Why do these 'fitness' magazines still provide this one size fits all information?
   — Yolanda J.

February 12, 2004
I'm with Carol. I used to not eat as much as my thin friends, when other people were around anyway. Forget about the half bag popcorn and a big bowl of cereal for desert every night. I think I could eat as much as my friends, but then I would eat that same amount every meal. Where they might eat alot and be done for the day. It didn't matter if I had a gigantic meal at lunch, I was eating alot for dinner too.
   — Michelle A.

February 12, 2004
I agree wholeheartedly! I had my basal metabolic rate tested and should be able to maintain my weight on over 1500 calories per day. I have kept honest food journals and had them reviewed by a dietician. At 1200 calories per day, I should be losing. I eat nearly the same thing every day, generally staying at or about 1200 calories, low in carbs, high in protein, drink my protein shakes, etc. Nevertheless, I have not lost anything in 8 months. (On the other hand, I did not gain anything over the holidays, despite some yummy "indescretions"). I was the active kid, too - always outside playing, while my thinner, older sister stayed inside with her nose stuck in a book! I now exercise regularly and try to follow the rules. Still, it bugs me to see a postWLS co-worker eat junk, drink one bottle of water during the day, and she remains in a size 2. I agree that there is more to it than calories in and calories burned.
   — koogy

February 12, 2004
I came from a family of big eaters. Half of us are heavy, the other half normal to thin. I never could figure out why when I ate the same as my thin sister, I gained and she stayed the same or got thinner. When I say we were big eaters, I mean we ate big meals usually, but didn't do much snacking. All of us had about the same activity level - in fact, I think mine was higher, as I was into being a "jock" as a teenager, yet I still carried about 40-50 pounds more than my sis. That in itself tells me there's more to being obese than calories in/calories out. When my activity level decreased greatly, that is when I began to pile on the pounds and when the "dieting cycle" began in earnest. I can tell you that I never was on a diet that I felt gave me enough to eat. I was constantly hungry. Now these studies on "ghrelin" are coming out, which could help to explain why diets don't work for obese people. This is a very complex issue, but people don't like complexity, do they? They prefer to generalize about everything, and tell you "just eat less," "exercise more," "eat this and not that," and on and on. Well, I agree with you I have not had any remorse over my inability to eat large quantities now. I only have experienced joy that I don't have the kind of gnawing, ravenous hunger that I used to have pre-op. Thanks for the great post, Carla (love your name!) Lap RNY 9/11/03, 254/189/???
   — Carlita

February 13, 2004
Hi, Carla! I SO agree with you! All my friends were baffled as to why I weighed 220+ lbs because I ate so little. I would have a normal-sized bowl of cereal w/soy milk in the a.m., a turkey or tuna sandwich @ lunch w/nothing on the side, and I usually skipped dinner. I was never a snacker. Uhhhh...HELLO!?!?!?!? What happened!! I truly believe that we ARE biologically pre-disposed to obesity. How? I have no idea. But thanks to the postings of other AMOS members, I am going to look into "Ghrelin" and pick up a copy of "Carbohydrate Addicts." You're not alone, Carla. I'm so glad you posted. Thanks, and be well! -Jenn D.
   — Jennifer D.

February 13, 2004
I have got to totally agree with you on this one also. I come from normal weight parents and grandparents. I am one of four siblings. The other three all very thin. My sister who is four years older (42) is 105# soaking wet and both my brothers (35 + 40) are less than 160# at 5'10" tall. I am NOT kidding myself when it came to my preop eating. I did not binge in private. I ate pretty sensibly. Hell, I couldn't even finish off any kind of fast food value meal. My husband who I have been married to for 19 years has never said a negative thing about my weight because he knows that I ate normally and never ate like a "pig". At my heaviest my blood pressure was always low, my cholesterol was never above 150. I was healthy as a horse. I just kept getting bigger and bigger. I had to have some kind of fat gene that was overtaking my body, lol.
   — lindadougherty

February 13, 2004
My step mother is like that. She eats like a bird. But it is mostly carbs, she doesn't exercise and she never developed her muscle mass. She was thin growing up though. All overweight people have a biological problem. And some have a psychological problem which feeds the biological part. Some people drink, smoke, do drugs, sleep around, it just isn't apparent. Everybody is different. There is no textbook obese person. I tend to think obesity is caused by overeating 40% of the time. Not exercising enough 40% of the time, and 20% other stuff we just don't understand yet.
   — mrsmyranow

February 13, 2004
Some excellent responses here..I still think that weight has alot to do with calories in =calories out. However, the rate at which those calories are burned when taken in are different in people as evidenced here. Thats why the calories it takes to maintain your goal weight are different for everyone, to include those who may be the same age, height and weight. I may be able to have 1500 calories to maintain and the next person can have 2000, and I would gain at 2000. Part of it is exercise-it burns some of those calories taken in,but depending on what type you do and for how long and how intense, it can be burned at different rates...and part of it is what you eat and how it is processed (obviously simple carb and sugars do not do as well as protein and complex carbs). We all know those skinny minnies who can eat and eat and eat, do not exercise and never gain...while some can just look at a brownie and gain..And, of course, there are some that have true biological, medical problems like thyroid problems that should be looked at first as a source of their weight gain. For many of us though its simply that we eat and take in more calories than we expend. That was my problem as a pre-op...too much junk, large meals and no exercise.
   — Cindy R.

February 13, 2004
I don't see how anyone can believe that obesity is a "choice" or a "lifestyle." It is a malfunction of the body. It is the body's job to regulate weight. When the body is functioning properly and you're underweight, the body increases the appetite and slows the metabolism. If you're overweight the body should decrease the appetite and increase the metabolism. It should be impossible to overeat (enough to become obese) unless the body has malfunctioned, such as producing too much or too little of some hormone. If obesity is not a physical problem, then why is the most successful solution a physical (surgery) solution?
   — [Deactivated Member]

February 13, 2004
I agree with Oprah but just for some of the population. However, it is intersting to note in a study that people that were classified as "poor" could be obese due to the types of foods they ate. Also, since I was thin - than Morbidly Obese - some could be in my category who developed a Pitutiary Tumor - check my spelling first but look at www.pitutiary.org. Prior to finding out about the tumor I was a vegan - but all those carbs were bad for me with this type of tumor.
   — Anna M.

February 13, 2004
I was always the smallest one in the family, as far as my mothers side of things, and I was 366. My mother was well into the 400's, and on into her side folks were 450 and 500 lbs. It's not genetics? I beg to differ. It's not genetics for some folks, and for others, like myself, I learned to deal with it and accept it, but it took a doctor from India to force the issue with the insurance company. In my 53 years on this earth, I have tried to eat a fairly healthy lifestyle, brown rice, whole wheat, lots of veggies, plenty of soy, some of a little of everything, fish, poultry, meat, but never a lot of anything, (except when I was growing up on the farm).Now, after having had surgery back in november of '03, I'm down 115 lbs. and for the first time in my entire life, my body is actually processing the food that I take in like it was designed to do, but never did, for whatever reason. The surgeon has put in a mechanical 'fix', and so now, what I eat goes to energy and not to storage. All of my life I overcompensated for my size by lifting weights and exercising,but now I am on a downward trend to being 'normal' in so far as weight goes, and I finally feel like I can get a handle on this process! Obesity is a complicated disease and affliction and all aspects of it need to be addressed by the medical community. Pre-op I rode my bicycle 8,000 miles a year, lifted weights and took in ,on the average of 1200 cal. per day, and still never lost weight. I was active, I was strong and I was muscular, but the bottom line was I was still fat! and the effects of having 200 extra lbs. of fat on me finally took it's physical toll on my body. But that is recent history, and I am on the way to being the smallest I will have ever been in my entire life.
   — track

February 16, 2004
Carla, I certainly feel as you do. I KNOW for a fact that I did not eat a lot, didn't over indulge in sweet foods, didn't any anymore carbs than anyone else, I knew, but it seemed if I looked at a piece of bread I would gain 10 pounds. I went to doctor after doctor, had tests to check my thyroid, went on all kinds of diets and then I met this one doctor who told me that one day there will be a cure for obesity for people who don't fit the category of the overeater, lazy, no calorie counting folks, to those who have some type of biological problem. He said that it will come in the form of a pill just as they use a pill to control high blood pressure. His response, helped me make the decision to have my surgery. I KNEW I didn't eat a lot and I KNEW my choices in food were no different than anyone elses. I was the largest in my ENTIRE family, mother and father side, so it was as baffling to me as it was to everyone else. The surgery has helped me in ways that I can't explain and I am sure that those who feel the same as I can relate. Just know that you are not alone in your thinking. Ifama RNY 01/31/2003 then 322 Now 186 and lookin good (smile)
   — ifama

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