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Ajima Jackson

4 Things to know about Bariatric Surgery and Insurance

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Bariatric surgery has become recognized as the safest and most efficient way for someone who is morbidly obese to lose weight fast. For some people, the length of time it would take to lose weight using diet and exercise alone may not help them to avoid severe medical complications due to obesity. It may also be unwise for some people to exercise until significant weight has been lost to reduce stress on the joints and heart. Affording bariatric surgery has just gotten trickier, not easier over the years. Here are 4 things you need to know about Bariatric surgery and insurance.

How much will it cost on average?

insurance benefitsWhile the three main types of procedures are all priced differently, the overall average cost of any type of bariatric surgery will be about $42,000. The surgery itself can cost from 8 to over 16 thousand dollars, but that is just for the surgery. Bariatric surgery is a term used to refer to the process of preparing for the surgery and the recovery.  As a process, this can include extensive testing, therapy in some cases, in-patient recovery, out-patient recovery and follow up procedures. Unlike many surgeries that rely on one type of specialist and a generic support team; Bariatric surgery uses a specialized Bariatric team during the entire process and the whole procedure. This is why it is one of the most expensive procedures.

Obesity in Black America

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One in 5 people die from weight related illnesses and complications.  In many recent studies, Black Americans have the dubious distinction of having one of the highest rates of obesity in the US according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). To be considered obese, you must have a body mass index* of 30 or higher. To be considered morbidly obese your body mass index must only hit the BMI of 35 with health complications, or have been measured at 40 for at least five years.

Obesity in Black America There are many theories of why the Black American community has such high rates of obesity, none of which have been conclusively proven as true. It is generally accepted that the cause is a combination of culture and genetics. Complicating the issue is that Black Americans don’t simply suffer from just a Black American culture that promotes obesity (there’s a debate on that), they are influenced (as all Americans are ) by the general American culture which also promotes a lack of activity and poor diet.  That leads to obesity across ALL racial categories. Here are just some of the major complications that you risk by remaining obese or seriously overweight. Losing weight radically reduces risk of death or health complications from each of these conditions.

I feel that it’s time that we face the health issues below and start to educate ourselves and our communities about the risks and how to turn these trends around!  Let me know what you think in the comments section.  Should we consider the studies that come out a call for action or is it all just more “bad news” about Black People?

Type II Diabetes

Black Americans are prone to type II diabetes, an acquired form of diabetes related to obesity. While this type of diabetes is on the rise in the US across the entire population, it is becoming more prevalent among Black Americans under the age of 25. Diet and exercise that lead to a return to a healthy weight and normal blood sugar levels can quickly remove the need for managing type II diabetes with medication and therapies for many people.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure and obesity go hand in hand. While the American culture emphasizes treating high blood pressure with medication, rather than emphasizing prevention – the Black community is at a disadvantage as many of the current medications have not been rigorously examined for their benefits on the genetic profiles of Black adults. While this imbalance in clinical trials is slowly being corrected, thinking you can rely on a medication to control your high blood pressure may not be realistic for everyone.  Having open communication with your doctor and other medical professionals is key to finding the right therapy that works for you.

Mortality

1 in 5 Americans die from weight related illnesses. Being obese, or even just overweight, can decrease your life span by increasing the strain on your heart and inviting in life threatening conditions that could be avoided. Due to high obesity rates, some Black Americans face shorter lifespans (Some studies show that this increases our mortality rate when compared to other racial groups in the US).

Weight-related Illness and Complications

More Black Americans are being diagnosed with weight related illnesses from diabetes to joint pain to pulmonary and breathing disorders than ever before. Excess weight can have an effect on the efficiency of your lungs and other vital organs as well as depressing your immune system and metabolism. It is also thought that being overweight can complicate your recovery from surgeries and other illnesses as fat acts as fast absorbing neutralizer for many medications and antibiotics.

Stroke

Obesity comes with high blood pressure and is also commonly associated with heart disease and poor cholesterol health. When you combine these elements together, there is a radically increased risk for stroke. Having a stroke can happen at any age. Being obese increases your risk of stroke and can also complicate your recovery from one.

Arthritis

Extra weight increases pressure on your joints and can act to reduce circulation. All of this can combine to an increase in mobility issues and arthritis. In many cases, the normal medications used to relieve arthritis pain are not as effective in patients who are obese as their weight is not taken into account with the dosage. If weight is taken into account, there is a secondary issue of potential toxicity or dependence due to the high medication dose.

Cancer

Recent studies have conclusively linked belly fat to an increased risk of breast cancer. It isn’t belly fat that is specifically the issue, it is the particular fat cell type called an estrogen receptor cell which is most common in the stomach area. Older studies have long shown a direct link between being obese and an increased risk of the following cancers: esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum, endometrium, kidney, thyroid and gallbladder.

*Note: I know that many people dispute the validity of BMI in determining health, but it is the measure accepted by the medical profession at this time.  I also realize that the info I’m talking about in this article is based on research and studies that many may not agree with.  Many time the reaction I hear about info like this is that it stereotypes us or that “they” are saying that we are all fat and unhealthy.  My intention is to bring forward some info to make us all think about how obesity and weight-related illness is affecting our community.  We can look around our families, co-workers, friends and the whole of America and see that weight and poor eating is affecting the health of many.  It’s time that we stop dismissing the stats that DO on some level correspond with what we are seeing.  I’m not saying that every study is accurate…but every stat and study is not wrong.

Find out more

Dr. Tyeese Gaines – How obesity has become a part of black culture

The Office of Minority Health – Obesity and African Americans

US News – Blacks have highest obesity rates in US

National Cancer Institute – Obesity and Cancer

Donesha lost 81 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Donesha lost 81 pounds.  She has shared a great amount of detail about her weight loss journey and talks about how family illness impacted her decision to get healthy.  Her is what she had to say:

Donesha weight loss photos

My name is Donesha Bolden and I am a 33 year old educator in Atlanta, Georgia. I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey and later moved to Alabama where I finished high school. I attended Alabama State University for 1 &1/2 years and later transferred to Troy University (Dothan Campus) where I graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education.

I relocated to North Carolina and started my first teaching job. I was very comfortable living in North Carolina until my mother was diagnosed with cancer and was given a time frame to live. At the time I was attending North Carolina Central University working on my Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction so I would travel over 600 miles back and forth to help my family care for my mother.

Life was hard but I was making the best of a bad situation. I had joined the local YMCA and started taking part in Zumba and high impact aerobic classes. I started gradually losing weight. I was weighing 220 pounds and I had gotten down to 190 pounds. Nutrition was not a part of my workout plan at the time and I was just kind of going through the motions. My plans were to finish school and move to Atlanta so that I could be closer to my mother but she didn’t live long enough for that to happen.

A year after my mother passed I made the move to Atlanta without a job or any prospects. I was living with my aunt in Alabama and spending nights with my best friend in Atlanta when I was able to search for a job. I was away from the gym all summer and didn’t take notice to the fact that I was gaining all of the weight I had worked so hard to get rid of. I would eat out most of the time because I wasn’t in one place long enough to try to prepare a meal. Life had gotten to me and it was getting the best of my health.

School had started in Atlanta and I still didn’t have a job but that didn’t stop me. I had a nephew to care for so there was no such thing as quitting! I had been raising Nehemiah since he was 5 years old. A week after school started I was asked to interview for a job in Bankhead and I was hired. At that point I was weighing 215 pounds and so much into fashion that I didn’t see my weight climbing out of control. I would dress for my size and never really paid much attention to how out of shape I was until my nephew wanted me to be active with him outside and I struggled with that task. I was wearing 5 inch heels daily to work and later had severe knee and back problems.

At the age of 37 my cousin was found dead in her bed one morning by her 3 children and two days later my grandfather lost his battle with prostate cancer. It was a year later that my aunt found out that her daughter had died from hypertension. When I was working on my undergraduate degree my uncle fell dead in church of a heart attack. Last year my cousin age 36 started her battle with breast cancer and WON but my aunt lost her battle to lung cancer. Several of my aunts have diabetes and or high blood pressure as well as my younger sister and at that point I decided that enough was enough!

My coworker placed a flyer in my box that gave educators a special on joining her sister Tissilli Rogers IFBB Pro Boot Camp and that was the turning point of my life. I was located in Decatur at the time but I worked all day in Atlanta, drove home, cared for my nephew and then drove back to Atlanta to train with Tiss. My nephew was my motivation and support because he would attend all of the workout sessions with me weekly. I was HALFWAY determined to lose the weight but I was not fully committed to the lifestyle.

I was attending the workouts but I was not changing my lifestyle outside of the gym as Tiss had suggested. I would lose 3 pounds here and 5 pounds there but it wasn’t consistent. Thinking about the illnesses that had attacked my family and wanting to be around to raise my nephew I started to get serious about training with Tiss. In October 2011 I allowed Tiss to take the most embarrassing photos of me and place me on her detox. I felt bad when I saw the photos of how I looked when she was assessing me and knew that it was time to “Train 4 My LIFE!”

I gave Tiss 110% inside the gym and decided to start doing insanity outside of the gym. I completed the insanity 60 day program & worked with Tiss at the same time and I lost 30 pounds. I was really feeling great about myself but I had set a goal of 160 pounds and I wasn’t there just yet. Tiss set a weight goal of 150 for me, ten pounds lighter than my goal.

There were days that I wanted to give up but I focused on why I started and that kept me going. The only piece I was missing was the nutrition and I was stubborn and didn’t want to change my diet at all. I was working overtime on my cardio and I was getting results but I knew that if I wanted real results I had to change the way I was eating. I learned the hard way that you can’t out exercise a bad diet. I started following meal plans designed by Tiss especially for me and I started to see RESULTS!! My family as well as my coworkers was excited about my accomplishments.

I was still focused on the goal that I had set for myself so I kept working. In November of 2012 I reached my goal of 160 pounds & on March 6, 2013 I achieved my trainer’s goal for me of 150 pounds. Today I am 139 pounds and enjoying LIFE!! I have honestly never felt better and I wouldn’t trade this feeling for anything in the world.

My newfound love is running and I look forward to participating in local races soon. I work out every morning Mon-Fri at 5:30 am, after work on Mon, Wed & Fri on my own. I train with Tiss’s Show Ready group on Tue/Thur. I am trying new healthy dishes every day and working to eat clean 90% of the time.

I truly LOVE working out & I love encouraging others though my Facebook & Instagram: @training4mylife People have really connected with me through instagram and want to know how I can help them start their journey. Obesity is a deadly disease on the rise and if I can prevent it by sharing my journey then I do that proudly. I don’t have time to exercise I MAKE time to exercise. It’s a pleasure to see people write me & say that I inspired them to make that healthy change! I figure this is just the beginning and I’m ready for the things to come. I hope my story inspires someone & encourages them to stay on track!

Kieba lost 42 pounds in 7 months

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Let’s show some BWLW love to Kieba.  She wrote in to let us know how she lost 42 pounds in 7 months time.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey:

“I lost 42 pounds in 7 months. My wake up call was looking in the mirror and seeing someone I hated after eating Wendy’s and Popeye’s in the same day. I lost all confidence and sex appeal.  2 years after the birth of my daughter I couldn’t say “I just had a baby” anymore. I was sick of being overweight and not being able to wear certain things. I got too dependent on girdles and was watching myself getting bigger and bigger. I decided to make a change.  I began working out at the gym 3 times a week, doing cardio machines for 1 hr and strength/weight training for a toner body for 30 minutes.  I also started eating healthier and using portion control (that is the key).  I would eat 3 boiled egg whites with 2 slices of baked turkey bacon for breakfast.  Fruits are a must all day; grapes,apples, plums, banana, etc I still eat what I love but in smaller controlled portions and I eat 3 main meals a day with snacks in between.

I now go to the gym 5 times a week and continue my eating routine. It is definitely a journey which takes discipline and dedication but it will all pay off in the end. I still have 10-15 pounds to go to have my dream body but I will continue to work hard until I reach my goal. I started at 215 pounds and now I’m 173 pounds.”

Keiba weight loss photo

 

Change 3 = Change Your Life and Don’t Eat That! Wristbands

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All wristbands currently out of stock

Weight Loss Motivation Wristbands – Wear our Change 3 and “Don’t Eat That!” wristbands to help you stay on track and remind you of your goals.

Get the December Challenge Wristband – I’ve created a wristband for this challenge.  Get it for just $3.50 (includes shipping and handling).  The band says, “Thought = Action = Habits    Change 3 = Changed Life”.

wristbandDec13 change3Dec

Don’t Eat That! Wristband – Wear this as a constant reminder to stay on track with your healthy eating goals!  Just $3.50 each (includes shipping and handling).  The band is embossed with the words “Don’t Eat That!”.

don't eat that wrist

Catrice lost over 120 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Catrice lost over 120 pounds and now she helps other to reach their fitness and weight loss goals.  Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss story:

catrice weight loss photos

“Catrice’s weight battle began at the early part of life and continued until her teenage years. Food was and has always been a very intricate part of her upbringing and overall culture. Although growing up in a community where diversity was a part of everyday life, Catrice still managed to adopt the culture of overindulging in food due to lack of knowledge and resources in her home.

Celebrations that most Americans participate in became excuses for family and friends to over indulge in unhealthy and fatty foods. With a mixture of family celebrations, birthday parties get together and church functions, the pounds packed on, and the self-esteem and self-confidence and Catrice’s overall self-identity declined. The battle of weight loss began during the early teenage years, the on again off again workouts and the desperate challenge of attempting to lose weight became the norm. After high school and no success of weight loss in sight, Catrice often found herself giving into temptation and the pounds packed on in a major way.

Like most overweight individuals, Catrice attempted different ways to lose weight; some methods that she used would be considered life threatening by health professionals past and present day. As a teenager, Catrice did everything from borderline starvation, utilizing women’s laxatives from the dollar store to even bulimia. From time to time, a workout was thrown in by wearing sweats and a trash bag to sweat the fat off of her body; “this method will surely work because effort was put in to this workout” she often hoped. It seemed like all hope was diminished as she found herself embracing her new found size and weight. At the age of 17, Catrice graduated from High School and weighed 235 pounds. Soon Catrice found herself drinking, partying, smoking cigarettes and over indulging in extremely fatty foods. Because of the area that she hung out in, the newly legal young lady found herself in a bottomless pit of being well overweight and dangerously depressed. The pounds packed on.

Her need for a positive change was apparent in her behavior and was needed to even save her life. While working as a supervisor of an Assisted Living Community, one of Catrice’s co-workers suggested that she attend a local gym with her before work one day. Fascinated of the idea, Catrice obliged only to hit the scale to discover that her weight went from a manageable 238 to a whopping 310. Depressed at the mere thought of this weight, Catrice began to join and attend the gym a few days a week and change her diet (Which would be the biggest challenge of them all). By tackling this task she would have to change her diet, count calories and adopt a new workout routine; all of this is was completely new for her because of never playing any sports in school.  Her initial goal; lose 15 pounds.  Catrice stuck with her workouts, eating schedule and regimen and in the first few months of working out she lost 20 pounds. Present day, Catrice has lost over 120 pounds! Catrice has become your average Gym Rat with no plans of stopping in sight. In addition, she is the Founder and CEO of The Fitness Matchmaker and the Weekend Workout Mentoring Program, this program assist newcomers of the fitness & weight loss scene to feel free and comfortable about the weight loss process. Catrice prides herself on being a enthusiasts of fitness and one who enjoys seeing others achieved their desired fitness goals.

With her network of fitness professionals, gym affiliates and amazing personal trainers, Catrice is dedicated to assisting those who are looking for the perfect “Fitness match” for you! The Weekend Workout Mentoring Program also is a grassroots program that encourages one to get started in the process,  empowers those who are determined to stick with it and uplift those who may have fallen away to get back on track. Catrice works as an avid fitness enthusiast in and outside of her  gym to assist newcomers to weight loss in staying focused on their desired fitness endeavors and not to lose sight even if they don’t see tangible weight loss within their desired time frame.

Although she has lost over 120 pounds, Catrice is currently working on losing additional weight and building lean muscle. Look out for progression pictures in the future!!!”

Email: Fitnessmatchmaker@gmail.com

Website: http://fitnessmatchmaker.wix.com/fitnessmatchmaker

Dionne lost 54 pounds

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I’m sharing Dionne’s story and photos tonight.  She lost 54 pounds and knows that slow & steady wins the race.  Here is her weight loss story:

“Hello, my name is Dionne Dunston and I would like to submit my weight loss success story. My motivation was wanting a healthier life and not wanting the scale to hit 300 pounds. I wanted something different. I was very familiar with up and down weight after dieting and then going right back to square one. Dealing with pain in my hips and back, I realized it had to be the WEIGHT causing these issues.

So, I decided to do something.  I started with changing my eating habits and doing a regular work out routine. I started to see results. It was not, I repeat NOT easy and still isn’t but I have found that for me consistency is the key.  Although I get off track, I jump back on at some point…the sooner the better. My routines consist of cardio, from elliptical machines to Zumba, walking and toning.

My starting weight in Jan 2013 was 254 and I now weigh 220 pounds. My highest weight was 274 in 2010. I am still losing weight because I’m not at my goal but this is such great progress for me so far. Consistency is the key, along with healthy eating and you also have to move.”

Dionne weight loss success story

Chiquita lost 51 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Chiquita lost 51 pounds and cites My Fitness Pal as being the thing that most helped her learn what to eat and lose weight.  Here is what she shared about her weight loss journey:

Chiquita weight loss story

“I’ve always wanted to be a success story. So I’m going to share my 51 pound weight loss with you. August 22, 2013 is when I took the picture on the right and at my heaviest (280pds). The picture on the left was taken on November 22, 2013 (229pds). I did that in 90 days!!! I had tried everything to lose the weight & it wasn’t coming off. I was walking 20 & 30 miles a week. I still wasn’t seeing the results that I thought I should. My last alternative was anapp that someone had told me about that I never used. So, when I was about to give up, I tried myfitnesspal. I had nothing to lose. Myfitnesspal was the best thing that happened to me. It told me how many calories I could have. And I logged in everything that I put into my mouth. I realized that just because I was eating healthier & working out that I was still eating too much. Doing myfitnesspal, I wasn’t restricted from eating certain foods. I just had to stay within the calories that I was allotted. Being aware of what I was eating made choose healthier foods. But, it was okay if I slipped from time to time. If I decided to workout, the app gave me more calories to eat. It’s not a diet for me. It’s a lifestyle change. I finally found what works for me. I’m not at my goal yet, but I will get there with myfitnesspal!!!”

Visit our online community for a list of BWLW sistas who are on My Fitness Pal.  We also have a group on the site.

Chiquita weight loss photos

Rhonda lost 20 pounds

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Let’s show some love to Rhonda.  This Sigma Gamma Rho sista (my soror) lost 20 pounds and tightened up her midsection.  Check out what she had to say about her weight loss journey:

Rhonda weight loss photos

“Love and Light to BWLW!  My name is Rhonda Brown-Massey and I am a 33 year old mother of a 7 year old. These are my 8 month fitness progression photos and I am submitting them in hopes of inspiring those in the fight to gain control of their weight. I went from 188 pounds in February 2013 to 168 lbs in October 2013 and although I still have a ways to go, I am so happy with my progress so far. I am a living testimony of the concept that meeting your fitness goals is 30% what you do in the gym and 70% what you do in the kitchen. I’ve always been a gym rat that could run and weight train and be conceptually fit, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from looking at me because I was eating fast food, and loads and loads of sugar everyday. I read an article one day titled “Are You Addicted to Sugar” that made me see the light. I realized that the sugar I was consuming was keeping me from looking the way I wanted to. Once I understood what I was doing to myself, I was able to combat it with better choices that eventually lead to a lifestyle change that yielded the results that you see in my after photo. Reducing my sugar (and carbs, which your body processes just like sugar) eating clean, and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) changed my life. Now, I have more confidence, and am loving the body I have even more! I never thought that the skin on my belly would ever look good enough to show after being a “C- Section Victim”, but with hard work, faith in myself and most importantly, faith in God, I’ve been able to show my mid-section without being embarrassed. Follow me on instagram for fitness motivation: @massrhoyalty22

Ada lost 115 pounds

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Today’s featured weight loss success story: Ada lost 115 pounds.  This proud nurse gained and lost weight over a number of years and suffered from sleeping and breathing issues.  She came up with a plan that worked for her and lost the weight.  Here is what she shared with us:

“Hi, my name is Ada Lee and I have lost a total of 115 pounds since 2009, and 77 of those pounds since July 3rd of this year. My starting weight was 378 pounds. I was embarrassed and my self esteem was very low. I had trouble sleeping and my breathing was so bad that I had to sleep upright at night. I was in college studying nursing and it was very stressful.  All I wanted to do was eat and study, and that is when I gained 40 pounds in 11 months. I knew I had to do something, after I graduated nursing school and became a nurse, I knew I had to do something. I started walking and exercising, and ate only protein and vegetables.  That is when I noticed the weight coming off. I lost a total of 62 pounds in 2010, but once I moved to another state I gained 35 of those pounds back, enjoying the new surroundings and all the different foods too. I was adjusting to the city life. I then decided that I was tired of being in a size 3x-4x so i started eating a low calorie, low carb, no sugar diet right after my birthday in June.  I also started walking 6-8 miles, 3 times a week which has led me to lose 77 pounds! I am now an x-large and I love the NEW ME! I have not quite met my goal yet and I am still working to lose 40 more pounds. Losing weight takes a lot of discipline, especially if you are use to eating a lot of sugary foods but it is worth giving up those foods and enjoying your New Look. Stay encouraged, stay positive and stay focused. My instagram name is queenlee601

  • The first picture is of me at 378lbs
  • The second picture is in June 21st my birthday and I was 345lbs
  • The third is me 2 weeks ago at 267lbs”

Ada's weight loss photos