Question:
I have recently seen sev actresses that have lost weight and have mixed feelings
about this. (This is my 3rd time trying to post this so I hope it goes thru this time - I feel like everytime I try to word this it comes out different). Star Jones and the mom from "The Parkers" both have lost enough that they are looking good, but I recently saw Katie Segal from "8 Simple Rules" and she has lost so much weight, I thought they had put someone else on the show. She is stick thin, and doesn't look like herself at all. I could only tell it was her by her voice. (I know she might have lost weight by grieving John Ritters death). I had always thought that she was so voluptuous and looked great in her clothes and now looks totally different. I always thought if someone lost weight up to a point that they'd look better, and SHE looks worse. It feels confusing that some are losing and look good while she looks nothing like herself. I've thought several times that this was a stupid question, but have continued to be bothered about this. It makes me wonder if I'll have problems with my (hopefully soon) changing self. Why does this bother me so much? Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. — bufordslipstick (posted on January 20, 2004)
January 19, 2004
I have to agree with you about certain people and the way the surgery has
affected their looks. I used to have a problem seeing other men who were
post-op and how they looked years older (not all guys mind you). Then I
realized, hey I am not doing this to look better I am doing this to FEEL
better and live longer. So, I sucked it up and had the surgery done
knowing that my life would never be the same (thank God).
What I am trying to say is DON'T worry about what you will look like after
you lose the weight, accept the fact that you will be healthier and live a
longer life. JIM
— Jim S.
January 19, 2004
I think your concern is valid. Depending on your age and how much weight
you have to loose your slim body will look very different, believe me! I
love the way I look in clothes but naked is another thing. My
"girls" were always the part of my body that hubby loved best,
now they are barely there anymore. I think you need to know going into
this surgery that you may not be completely happy with how your body looks
in the end, and try to deal with it before the surgery. I guess that is
why so many of us fight to get the plastics done. Good luck! 252/122
— sherry H.
January 19, 2004
Hi Rebecca,
I think your question is good point made. Although I haven't seen Star
Jones or Katie Segal recently to comment on either. I read that Ms Jones
had a Lap Band, but I don't watch her show and I never watched 8 Simple
Rules, so I can't compare Ms Segal before and after John Ritters death. I'm
sure his death did play a part. They are like family away from their real
families. Did Ms Segal have surgery? Keep in mind this surgery before and
after surgery is quite a mental thing! We eat for physcial/mental reasons.
Having the surgery doesn't heal emotional feelings, so one could over eat
as well as under eat. I think for the most part those that have never been
thin their entire life may feel the need to go thinner. This is why being
in close contact with your Dr is crucial after weightloss surgery. Then
again, just as we never saw ourselves obese (as we were)the same could be
said about not seeing ourselves that thin! Our main goal should be to
become healthy and to illuminate our co-morbidities. In doing so we should
(do) become thinner, but we "must" always take our vits eat
protein/drink water for life! Some tend to forget this and will (do) become
very ill. Weightloss surgery is not for loosing weight and once that is
achieved we no longer are obligated to the daily routine of
pills/water/protein, because we are! Not many think of going over board and
loosing too much weight, as yourself, but I'm sure it is thought of. Some
people seem well adjusted to being obese and maybe they will fear being a
thin person. All I know is, that I could not be where I'm at today had I
not seeked a professional therapist's help before my surgery. It was a head
thing with me and it took 6 months of seeing her 2 times a month for
months, before my break through came. Thank God I had a wonderful therapist
and we together worked past 30+ years of hurt to get where I am today in my
life. See, being thin doesn't guarantee happiness! I was miserable thin and
obese....Just no one knew it but me, till I had enough and wanted help. A
shame it took so long, but the main thing is I got help and by doing so I
was ready mentally for this surgery and I no longer have those surpressed
feelings as I have for all those years. We all have different reasons for
why we become obese, but I can tell you this....It's not just because we
love food and ate our way to obesity! Sorry, this has been so long and
hopefully I shed some light on my issue, anyway. lol Good Luck ans always
ask questions. We are all family and here to help when ever we can.
Hazel
Lap RNY 2/11/03
250/139/135
— Hazel S.
January 19, 2004
I think Ms. Segal lost her weight involuntarily..ie..grieving, divorce an
is unhappy. She wasn't really ever overweight. Ms. Jones is a mystery to
me. Rumor has it she had a lap band secretively but she still talks about
eating everything in site. I can't figure her out. I think there are a lot
of holywood/celebrities who do have it done and not say anything about it.
Delta Burke has had a battle with her weight for over 20 years and suddenly
she appears in a small normal body and keeps it off. Sounds fishy to me.
There are a couple others but can't think of them now. Hollywood has been
having this surgery and not telling for years. Seems like the celebrities
that have told have books to sell, tapes to sell, and vitamins to sell.
It's a business.
— Mary Jane C.
January 19, 2004
From the research I've done on the Lap Band, people with less than 100# to
lose can use it with pretty good success. But those of us who have more
than 100 pounds to lose, don't fare near as well with the Lap Band. People
generally lose only 40-60% of their excess weight with the Lap Band, and
the procedure does not decrease hunger; whereas the gastric bypass surgery
candidates can lose 80% or more of their excess body weight---depending
upon how closely they follow the protien/vitamin/water/ exercise
suggestions.
On this website, I've spent many hours reading and looking through the
before and after photos of people who've had WLS. By and large, the people
are really happy with their weight loss and where they settle in at about 2
years. Some were really sick and had complications that rendered them
thinner than they'd planned to be; and others didn't lose as much as they'd
planned because they, admittedly, didn't exercise as much as they thought
they should.
While I don't know the women you spoke of, I know many women who have had
the surgery. As others have mentioned, so much of our heating is
emotional--and no surgery can ever change that. But fortunately, most
surgeons have therapists or wonderful nurses for us to turn to as we
journey through our weight loss process. The bottom line is; you simply
can't judge what will be your weight loss, against people you've seen. All
of our results are as individual as we are. Don't let your fear of what
you see on TV stop you from doing what you think is best for you. Good
luck and take care,
Jessica
— Jessica D.
January 20, 2004
Just yesterday I noticed Starr Jones new appearance. I was home for the
holiday and I was watching the View. I thought for sure she has had
gastric bypass or the lap band or something. Then I noticed a scar on her
chest and I wondered if she had some kind of heart surgery too. She is
looking very good and I don't think she lost that much weight that quickly
without surgical assistance, but you never know. Also as far as a list of
celebrities who have had surgery don't forget the lady from ER (she plays a
nurse named Halle, but I don't know her real name) and Al Roker. They had
gastric bypass as well. Also the lead singer guy from Blues Traveler.
— Sara A
January 20, 2004
I think your responses are mixed up. I am not really sure why there are so
many lap-band responses to your actress question.
If Mon'que from the Parkers lost weight, it is because she is exercising.
She was just on a morning radio show talking about how she would never have
surgery. Her whole comedy act is about big women and how skinny women are
evil... Pretty funny. As for Star Jones, she had to lose weight. She was on
the verge of losing the Payless contract in addtion to having health
problems. I heard she had the Lap Band. I think Katie's Segal is just
grieving. She lost weight when she was on Married with Children when she
had a miscarriage. The only show that really bothers me is Friends. They
look unnaturally healthy.
I think it may bother you because they represent the beauty and body
standards. And so as they lose weight they don't realize that millions of
women try to immulate them.
— keishax
January 20, 2004
A few weeks ago, People magazine had a cover story on actresses and their
weight with Rene Zellweger and Laura Flynn boyle on the cover. Rene, with
her new size 14 body, and Laura, looking a very scary size 0? Inside was
lots of pictures of actresses in before and after states, both those who
have gained and look better and those who have lost more and look worse.
I, for one, love Rene in the bigger size and think she looks perfect now.
She described herself as "fluffy". What a nice way of putting
it!! Apparently the extra weight has not impeded her getting movie roles
yet they say laura Flynn boyle is so scary thin that it is affecting her
career and ability to get jobs. I hope this means that Hollywood is
swinging more towards the Rene model as the role model and not the Laura
model.
— Cindy R.
January 20, 2004
I personally think it comes down to each person's perception of what looks
good on them. My goal weight is 200 lbs and I'm guessing I will settle out
between 180-200, which gives me some buffer to work with. I'm 24 lbs from
goal. After my PS next month I will likely drop immediately (after
swelling is gone) from a size 16 to a 12. I can almost zip a 14 now. The
12 should be comfy. That is truthfully about as low as I want to go. I'm
5'9 and am a medium build frame with heavier leg bones and joints due to
carrying tons of weight for lots of years. My knees are down to all bones
but they are quite large. So for me to go lower than that I will look
horrible in my opinion. I have always thought that a healthy body was one
that had some fat on it. The height/weight charts say I should weight 156,
but it is not a goal I am striving for nor does my surgeon feel it would
look good on me. He also feels that the 180's would be the absolute lowest
I should go. I don't want to have PS on every inch of my body. I'll be
having enough as it is.
<p>There is no reason to get too thin. It is very rare that people
cannot stop losing. You may dip lower than you want at first but it will
likely settle out where you want it to if you set realistic expectations
from the start. Don't shoot for hollywood glamour look, unless it's a
healthy one. This truly is in your hands! Trust me you will look better!
Just don't get hung up with seeing how low you can get.
— zoedogcbr
January 20, 2004
Star Jones had the lap-band. Someone I know has a friend who was in for
her gastric surgery and saw her there at the hospital, apparently
overhearing the conversation in regard to her getting the band that day. I
didn't see/hear it myself, so it's just what was told to me from a reliable
source.
— Fixnmyself
January 20, 2004
Thanks for all the great answers. I knew Star Jones had the surgery but
didn't know about "Moniqu'e" (not sure of spelling). I'm glad to
hear (one way or the other) that she didn't have the surgery. As far as
Katie Segal goes, she never was really big, and like another person said, I
don't think she has had the surgery.
I think some of you realized what I was getting after. I also liked Renee
Zellwiger at the larger weight - and then again - Lara Flynn Boyle looks
really bad. I guess it all goes back to sometimes we don't really see
ourselves as others do. As I've heard others say on this site, even though
their weight is a lower number, and seeing their picture - WE'D think they
looked good, they might still think of themselves as heavy. It all goes
back to our heads being messed up, and/or having to play catch up with our
new bodies.
I will be having surgery 1/30/04 and have no intention of backing out. I
have waited to long for this. I just wish I was on the other side starting
the journey. Oh well! It will be here soon. I think I will try to see if I
can find a good therapist here in Ky. But that will probably be another
question..........
— bufordslipstick
January 20, 2004
Hi, just wanted to comment about your question? There is always going to be
this mind thing we have to worry about. Each day I get up and decide for
myself what kind of day do I want to have. Some days I feel so good, then
other days I feel fat and ugly. Some days you_____ARE_____going to
struggle.Some days it will be easy to handle then, some days it won't. Life
is not easy at times, even if you are not going through the trials we have
to face each day. It is imperative that we have a positive mental attitude,
and work on it every day in order to keep ourselves strong mentally. May
God Bless You. I hope this helps some, at least this is my point of view.
Janice
— betterfitness
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