Bariatric counselor (and patient) Nanette visits TipsOfTheScale to share her story, advice, and insights into the world of bariatric care.
“Be happy for what you have while working for what you want.”
“Never, ever give up.”
Nanette’s Background
In addition to being a weight-loss surgery patient herself, Nanette is a counselor and behavioral therapist in private practice with South Shore Counseling & Wellness in New Orleans, Louisiana, US.
Nanette is also affiliated with Obesity Prevention Policy & Management, is a mental health advocate with the Obesity Action Coalition, and blogs at BariatricCounselor.com.
Nanette’s Story
Nanette had been overweight since the age of four, struggled with various different dieting approaches and eventually gave up trying. She reached a peak of 353 pounds (160.5 kg) in college and was told by her physician that she was pre-diabetic and headed down a dangerous path.
Initially, Nanette found success with the Atkins Diet, lost 75 pounds (34.1 kg), and ran her first 10k! She happily reports that she’s run that same race every one of the 12 years since.
However, after her initial weight loss, Nanette hit a plateau that lasted four years. It was that seemingly unbreakable plateau that prompted Nanette’s interest and research in weight loss surgery.
Nanette had the lap-band procedure, but a complication four years later required a emergency procedure to remove it. In the 13 months following its removal, she regained 80 pounds and has learned a tremendous amount about herself and bariatric care.
Nanette’s Insights About Bariatric Procedures
Nanette’s personal experience with bariatric surgery has helped inform and drive her passion for helping others interested in it.
“Lap-bands fail about 50% of the time. There are more effective procedures.”
There are many different bariatric options, each dependent on your circumstances and risk tolerance. This time, Nanette has chosen the vertical sleeve gastrectomy, and had it performed in November of 2013. As of late December, she had reached a 101-pound (45.9 kg) total loss from her peak weight.
In her work with patients preparing for weight loss surgery, Nanette sees a lot of people who are unhappy with their current situation, even if they’ve made progress towards their goals. She emphasizes how important it is to remember and appreciate how far you’ve already come, rather than focus on the negative.
How we think about ourselves – that internal voice that drives us – if it’s in innately negative, we’re going to continually feel defeated and like we’re not achieving something.
“To change your life, you really have to change your thought processes.”
Some may criticize the choice to have weight loss surgery as taking “the easy way out.” Nanette is clear that lifestyle changes are still necessary for long-term success:
“You still have to do the same things that somebody else is doing to diet and exercise… you just have added assistance of your guts being different.”
Many people aren’t prepared for the emotional changes that accompany life-changing weight loss: “We make new decisions because we finally gain some confidence in what we’re doing… and often I see patients struggling with relationships.”
You need to take good care of yourself and, if needed, to seek professional help doing that. Don’t hesitate to contact a mental health provider if you suspect you need it.
Most bariatric procedures require a mental health screening, and it’s important that it’s taken seriously. If you participate in these, don’t tell testers what you think they want to hear – be honest.
[27 minute-mark] Nanette also gives us some perspective from the side of a counselor whose patient stops treatment and disappears. She shares how it’s confusing and can leave the health professional wondering what happened with that person.
Nanette’s Pet Peeves About Contemporary/Fad Health Advice
Eat whole food! Nanette shares her thoughts on fad products that promise “getting skinny from a pill!”
She cautions awareness of being sold products that makes promises about losing weight, when your primary goal for the long-term should be getting healthier.
Nanette also shares some personal insights from her childhood and professional experience about how some parents’ good intentions can actually harm their children’s self-esteem and relationships with food.
Nanette’s Advice For Your Weight Loss Journey
- Sometimes, making a resolution is not a helpful step. “Starting Monday” or “next month” is a way to delay making healthier choices right now, with every meal, every day.
- Make the choice today to drink more water!
- Get better sleep. Consider an over-the-counter remedy (like melatonin) if needed, but don’t under-estimate your body’s need for rest and recovery.
- Do research for yourself, and seek out good sources of information. Don’t hesitate to filter out discouragement or unprofessional advice.
- Plan ahead for occasions where you know you will have a challenge making healthy choices.
- Be honest with yourself about relationships in your life that are not healthy for you to maintain.
Resources Discussed in This Podcast
- A Lighter Me – Bariatric practice that Dr. Elias Ortiz is affiliated with (the surgeon who performed Nanette’s procedure)
- MyFitnessPal – online food tracking and support community
- ConscienHealth with Ted Kyle – current research on obesity
- Obesity Action Coalition – non-profit organization providing obesity education and support
- The Obesity Society – researchers studying prevention, treatment, management
- Obesity Notes by Dr. Arya Sharma – great content about obesity and health
- ObesityPPM – Obesity Prevention, Policy, and Management
On Nanette’s Workout Playlist
- My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now by Dirty Dozen Brass Band [ Amazon / iTunes ]
- The Distance by Cake [ Amazon / iTunes ]
- Brave by Sarah Bareilles [ Amazon ]
- Roar by Katy Perry [ Amazon / iTunes ]
Contacting Nanette
Nanette can be found tracking her food at MyFitnessPal, blogging at BariatricCounselor.com, or managing the BariatricCounselor facebook page. Stop by and say Hello!
Email: nanettemwilson [at] gmail [dot] com
Nanette was also kind enough to share a few other links of interest:
- Youtube video about bias in health care. Have you experienced this?
- Nanette’s own vertical sleeve leak test (a rare view from the inside)
- Michelle Vicari – bariatric patient blogger who posts great recipes
- Beth Badore – bariatric patient who blogs about bariatric topics
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