Question:
Need Help Making a Decision - Weight Loss Study

I would love to hear other members thoughts on my most recent dilemma. I have just decided to start researching WLS and like most of us, I found that little else has worked. About 2 years ago, I was given the opportunity to participate in weight loss studay at a well-known university hospital on Long Island. Well the program that was starting in 2 weeks, took 2 years to kick-off. We had our first meeting today. I got involved because I went to a nutritionist and a regular doctor to once again get help with my weight. When she looked at me, she asked if I was "here for the stidy?" one thing led to another, my check was ripped-up before my eyes and I was promised this comprehensive study that would help me loose weight and study my matabolisim. Over the 2 years, I was put off several times and had even received a letter telling me that they were starting any day now (in Jan 2001). FINALLY, I got a call in December to come for my first overnight in the hospital which went well except I still had no idea what plans they had for me. They did however do a comprehensive bone scan and I am proud to say that my head is only 22% fat (I will not reval the rest of the body though) Another 4 months and on Friday I found that I have to go every Wed for meetings, so I changed my plans and now work from home on Wed to be closer to the hospital. The conditions of this study are pretty strict. NO WEIGHT TRAINING! Now this stinks because I work out with a trainer 3x's per week (no effect on my weight unfortunatley) I would HATE to give this up. I figure whatever decision I make this will always be a good habit to keep. Secondly, I am on 2000 calories per day. Apparently I burn calories pretty well (who knew?) The lady next to me(I am 1/2 her age) was on 1400 calories. The diet is much like weight watchers and we will be dieting for 20 weeks with pauses in between as we change BMI's to see if we maintain. When we do this, we have to be weighed every day! That means going to the hospital EVERY DAY for 2 weeks. I am torn, I do not know what to do because my life has gone on since I committed to this study. Any thoughts or inspiration for me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!!    — meliss0725 (posted on March 12, 2003)

March 12, 2003
Are you going to receive any sort of compensation for this little study? If so, I'd stick it out til it was over, then get on with the WLS. Besides, you may lose a bit of weight before the WLS, which is what most docs want you to do anyway, right? :) Good luck to you!
   — Brittany C.

March 12, 2003
Most insurance companies want perspective patients to have a history of supervised diets...maybe this would qualify as one...Though I must say going to a dietition once a week for a weigh in and 15 min consult would be much easier.
   — cherokey55

March 12, 2003
Hmmmmm. No weight training? ... I guess I can see the benefit to the study's administrators (that way they don't worry about weight loss stats being messed up by you building muscle, maybe?), but what's in *that* for you? Especially if you really enjoy doing it. I wonder, what's their take on exercise generally? If they don't encourage it, or actively discourage it, those would be negative factors, to me. Also, 2000 calories a day may work fine for now, but at a 42 BMI (which your profile says you have), at some point, I'd guess you'll have to lower that intake to lose. And, if you've been doing weight training, you've built the very muscles that might be making you a good calorie-burner (did they do some test on you before determining you burn calories well, or was it just some lottery ticket deal that gave you the 2000 calorie diet, and the lady next to you, 1400 calories?). What's gonna happen when those muscles aren't used anymore 'cause you have to give up your weight training -- has anyone talked to you about that? Ugh, what if you don't lose, or lose more slowly, because they take your muscle-building away while feeding you 2000 calories a day? Geez...you're not the "control" chick they're going to compare everybody else's weight loss to (the ones with lower calorie limits), are you?? Shudder!! Boy, the more I ramble about this, the more worried I get. Please just be sure they want what's best for *you*, not what's best for their study. <P>On the other hand, I wonder if participating in this study will give you really excellent paperwork to share with your insurance company when approval time comes (talk about a supervised diet!).
   — Suzy C.

March 12, 2003
Thanks for the great feedback. I have been thinking that I might be the conrol ginuea pig. However, the info that I will eventually get (in 18 months) is pretty good and they have already measured my resting matabolisim. They wont tell me what it is but I am sure that it is included in my 2000 calorie figure. I also took a Delphi Scan and I have that data (pays to be nice to the technician). I have a beautiful picture of my skeleton and my fine coating of chubb that surrounds the skeleton. I was thinking of framing it (lol).
   — meliss0725