Fern Britain admits to gastric band surgery

[Taz]

It's there in black and white isn't it. When her weightloss was noticed and people started asking questions she should have just admitted to it. By denying it, just adds more stigma to gastric banding procedures.

I wonder how many of those self-worthy hacks in Fleet Street have ever had to carry around an obese body and have tried countless times to lose weight? Hhmmm.....

Totally agree about the stigma. My friend is having it done and she won't tell her colleagues as they would accuse her of taking the easy option and would not be supportive of her decission when it actually isn't the easy option at all.

It's time that weight loss surgery such as bands and bypasses were as acceptable a method as dietting is

 

[Karen]

totally off topic taz but i love ur "ive lost" star and had to get myself one!

 

[Taz]

totally off topic taz but i love ur "ive lost" star and had to get myself one!

They are great aren't they? I saw in someone elses sig and loved it

 

[Karen]

damn...didnt mean to make mine pink lol. yeah its fab!

 

[KD]

Oh. Interesting read. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the whole episode, except that I feel she should have 'come out' at the beginning. Apart from that, it makes little difference what she did. We all have to find something that suits us.

But. I certainly don't believe the press. I'm very cynical like that.

I can imagine it. "Did you have liposuction" "No"

Okay, so I chose a VLCD that would give me an apetite suppresent. She chose lapband surgery.

Did I have liposuction? Nah. Did I go spouting everywhere about the joys of ketosis. Only if people asked

She's probably still did her 1,500 calorie diet...she probably still had to deal with cravings, emotional eating (even if it made her feel ill). I've eaten too much in the past to make myself ill

What does it matter. She dieted probably using a healthy eating plan with exercise...just had the lapband to control her appetite.

Okay, it was a lie by ommission, but I couldn't care less. The way celebrities eat, or not eat really shouldn't matter to us at all, it's how they do their job that matters and I reckon Fern is doing fine

 

[Taz]

Well said KD, it really doesn't matter what size they are and what they do to lose weight but the press love it. They create an interest then go at it like a dog with a bone then try to make the general public feel 'cheated' if the celeb dares to attempt to have a privare life!

I hate the media and the way it stalks the vulnerable and although I am always interested in issues regarding weight I am not interested people being hounded for the sake of a good story

 

[fatchick]

Hello, I am new here, but intrigued to read about Fern and the views of others trying their very best to lose the dreaded lard!

I hope its ok to add my opinion on Fern Britton and her decision NOT to share with the world her decision to have a gastric band fitted.

First off, I would never condone lies! And as I haven't read everything that has been written about Fern's disclosure I don't know whether she told an outright lie - that would mean the question was actually asked - Fern, have you had gastric band surgery? If she was asked that and said no, then fair play, I understand why people feel cross with her.

Having said that, I have a gastric band. I had the surgery less than a year ago and on that basis feel I am in a position to comment. Please don't shout me down in flames!

I have told just a handful of people about my surgery. The reason for this is as follows:
The band is NOT a miracle cure. You do not melt as soon as the band is in place. It takes time and patience to ensure the band is adjusted to allow you to eat smaller portions to aid your weight loss. The band does not stop me eating chocolate or things that inhibit weight loss. I still have to watch what I eat, I am still (in essence) on a diet. I have to exercise and make healthy choices. More than 6 months on, I am still working on ensuring my band is adjusted correctly and as such, at this moment in time I am still able to over eat.

Having said all of that, I understand fully why Fern did not tell the world as soon as she had undergone surgery. People who do not know about the process of adjusting the band to get it 'right', think it is a miracle cure. On that basis, Fern would have been placed under unnecessary pressure, with tabloids critisizing her for having 'not slimmed down overnight'. By doing what she did, she has been able to lose her weight sensibly, doing exercise and making healthy choices. The band is a 'TOOL' to help with the weight loss, but more importantly, a tool to help you 'Keep it OFF'.

I am glad to hear that Fern has a band, because it makes it a bit more sociably acceptable and those of us with them, won't need to be compared with Sharon Osbourne any longer.

Someone commented on VLCD, yes it is much quicker to lose the weight using this type of programme, however how many people suceed in keeping the weight off for an extended period! At least with the band, there is more hope that the weight will stay off permenantly and will enhance Fern's life both in her day to day living and life expentancy.

Anyway, nuff sed.... This is just my opinion

TFL
fatchick x

 

[KD]

Brilliant reply there fatchick (who will soon be slimchick)

Welcome to minimins

 

[Taz]

Great post Fatchick. Welcome to the forum and good luck with your journey x

 

[Starlight]

Im like you Barb, I feel a bit disapointed. While I dont for a second see anything wrong with getting a band, at the end of the day its whatever works for each of us, the impression has always been that Fern didnt actively do a diet and it was just sensible eating and exercise that did it. I think its a bit unfair for someone whos in the public eye and a role model to so many people not to be honest. Yes ok, at the end of the day its her business but Im sure there are loads of people trying (possibly unsuccessfully) to achieve the same success as she did using the method shes been inferring worked for her.

Good on her for losing the weight and a gastric band is by no means an easy option but its just a shame she wasnt a bit more honest.

 

[fatchick]

KD and Taz, TY for welcoming me to the forum. You are both right, I will be slimchick.... eventually, in the meantime, I'm persevering with the journey, knowing that when I get to skinnyville, I'm staying there!

You have both had amazing journeys and this site is way too addictive =0)

TFL
fatchick x

 

[Taz]

KD and Taz, TY for welcoming me to the forum. You are both right, I will be slimchick.... eventually, in the meantime, I'm persevering with the journey, knowing that when I get to skinnyville, I'm staying there!

You have both had amazing journeys and this site is way too addictive =0)

It sure is addictive!

 

[chrissybill]

Fern!

Hi there, I am also new to this site and have to put my pennith in about Fern, who I love dearly I might add. I wrote to This Morning months ago asking about her diet, got no reply, not even thank you for asking. I have kept an eye on mag's promoting her diet and low and behold, think it was woman's own last week, Fern's diet the complete menu! I thought, great about time, if she can do it so can I. the menu consisted of, 2 ryvitas, tsp peanut butter and 1/4 of a medium banana for breakfast, or 2 ryvitas tbs of lowfat cream cheese and 3 slices of apple, these were breakfast and lunch and evening meal was mushroom bolognaise or a chicken curry of some sort. I was horrified, it was then I knew she'd had surgery as I had a full blown conversation with my best mate saying, no way did she do this alone eathing that! I was hoping to read great things, husband a chef, this was going to be brill, not a chance. I am disapointed but for personal reasons, she has always been a fav of mine and always will, but she has presented an A1 programme covering the best and worst things about dieting and agreed with everything that is wrong about abusing your body from celebs to the young girl obsessed with the celebs lifestyle and I thought she was going to be the best ever roll model and she's used a trick/op to lose her weight. What a waste of 3/4 of a banana and who the eats the rest of the apple, even on a weight watchers, you can finish your fruit for goodness sake. Just disapointed, but it was pointed out, and quite rightly so, it's nobody's business but hers. Still love her to pieces

 

[misscheeky]

I saw her on tv last night and thought she looked fab. It doesnt bother me in the slightest that she lied about how she lost weight. after all and at the end of the day it is her own business what she does

becky xx

 

[Kira]

Like I said in my earlier post whichever route people take to lose weight at the end of the day we all have to maintain at some point. Even with a gastric band one can eat the wrong types of high calorie foods and probably but a bit more weight on. I keep CD a secret from everyone except my husband and sister, so I too "lie" to people when they notice my weight loss and ask me about it. That is my preogative. Though I have to say I usually say I practically eat very little and go to gym. I do go to the gym and given I have had planned cheats and cheats along the way it isn't too much of a lie!! I don't think anyone has to justify why or how they are losing weight. At the end of the day one has to be honest with oneself.

 

[Kitteh]

im a little bit annoyed.. i was just reading an interview of hers last week.. or week before.. because shes now the face of the new ryvita diet.. basically.. i think that makes it look like.. "look at fern britton.. look at how well shes done.. RYVITA DIET!".. if you guys get what i mean.. if she had surgery.. she should have just said.. and not become the new face of a diet which hasnt made her lose that weight.. just my opinion..

x x

 

[Taz]

I agree with Kitteh that she shouldn't be the face of a brand that advertises it's own diet when she has lost weight by other means. It would be like someone being the face of WW and being on CD

 

[Kitteh]

exactly.. its like me representing SW.. lol..
the fact that she had the surgery is fiiiine.. i really dont care.. lol.. the fact that shes the face of another diet is a bit shameful.. hehe

x x

 

[KD]

"look at fern britton.. look at how well shes done.. RYVITA DIET!".. if you guys get what i mean.. if she had surgery.. she should have just said.. and not become the new face of a diet which hasnt made her lose that weight.. just my opinion..

x x

Yes, but she probably did do the ryvita diet (but then who knows...cos the media isn't always very honest

And...she probably did lose weight because of it.

Lapband surgery (from what I can tell), is to reduce the appetite. Now..if she went on to say "you wont be hungry on it...I wasn't", then I would probably think she had gone a step too far.

 

[Porgeous]

I don't really have a strong opinion one way or the other. What I would say is that she isn't representing one diet whilst following another. Unlike WW, CD or SW, for example, GB is not a diet in itself. It is merely a procedure that reduces your appetite - you then still have to find a eating plan that suits and more than likely is healthy eating.

Gx