March 20, 2009.... Enough with the Negativity!

I do not know who this "redfischblufish" person is but if you are following my blog I will assume that you are a participant in this study. First of all, I am taking this study seriously. If you are on it and can follow all the guide-lines to perfection, kudos to you. Obviously, you were able to follow all the rules set forth in the numerous diets you've tried but somehow didn't achieve the desired results so you ended up here, right? Really, why are you here? If you can follow all the rules, why do you need to be involved? I am participating in this study because after years and years of dieting, I have admitted that I cannot. I am committed whole heartedly to everything at first and then life gets in the way and I have a tendency to let myself and my needs fall to the way side while I take care of everyone else. I realized that I needed to do something and thought this was the way to help me make the changes I needed to in order to be successful. And I have made changes but I am not perfect and I put it out there. What I do not appreciate is people that feel the need to post comments on my blog that are negative and critical. If you lack the intelligence to properly read and interpret what I am saying and you lack the morality of a decent human being, don't post a comment, you and your opinion are insignificant. And if you don't have a blog for others to follow, it just means your a coward and bully who derives pleasure by attacking people because they themselves cannot face the truth.

I created this blog to share my experiences (the good, the bad and the ugly) with people in this study and to SUPPORT them. I also find it cathartic to post my failures and small victories. I am being HONEST.

I strongly believe I am a member of the control group. First of all, I have had my appetite back for about a month and can consume regular portion controlled amounts with no real effects. Secondly, I have spent all of 10 minutes with my doctor since the surgery and he only wanted to know how I felt. I have not had a meeting with a nutritionist or study nurse since my surgery. No one has asked me about my diet or anything. They handed me a booklet in the hospital and sent me home. The nutritionist who met with me in the hospital thought I had gastric bypass and was confused when I explained that I had a TOGA procedure. She didn't know anything about the diet and just proceeded with the gastric by pass diet information. I am going to make an assumption that if I had the procedure, I would be monitored and guided much more closely. As a member of the control group, I am not expected to make the same weight loss goals as the people who actually received the TOGA. I am, however, expected to strive for them. If everyone in the study is successful and we all meet the goals then the study is a failure and will not pass because it fails to show the success of the implementation of the device. I do not suspect that because I ate a piece of toast or some watery oatmeal before I was suppose to that I just compromised the entire study.

I have made HUGE changes in my life and eating habits since becoming involved. I now eat 3 meals a day (before, I rarely ate breakfast), I mostly drink water (prior to the study I consumed about 10 cans of Diet Coke daily), I measure, count and log my food. I am committed to making these permanent life-style changes so that when the 12 months are up I will be better prepared to receive the TOGA.