Did anyone watch the show Fit-To-Fat-To-Fit?
RoxieDawn
Posts: 15,488 Member
I was surely thinking that folks would be posting about this show if they watched it. I was curious if you watched it, what did you think about?
I find the experiment intriging to say the least, but there were some things not covered in the one hour so called transformation of a "fat guy" trying to get "fit" and the "fit guy" gaining weight to get "fit" again that I would have like to be seen. Each week a different trainer does this with their weight loss candiate.
I find the experiment intriging to say the least, but there were some things not covered in the one hour so called transformation of a "fat guy" trying to get "fit" and the "fit guy" gaining weight to get "fit" again that I would have like to be seen. Each week a different trainer does this with their weight loss candiate.
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Dat toenail0
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Haha the black toenail. If I was fit, I can't imagine wanting to get fat so I could go back to fit again. It tires me thinking about it, actually.0
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chastity0921 wrote: »Haha the black toenail. If I was fit, I can't imagine wanting to get fat so I could go back to fit again. It tires me thinking about it, actually.
Right?! Knowing the amount of work it takes....no way would i intentionally get fat! Unless the paycheck was REALLY big, lol.
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It was ok. I wish they hadn't crammed it all in to an hour. I would've like to see more of how gaining weight affected the trainer, if it did. It seemed a little phony at times. I think there is a large emotional toll being overweight has on people, the show sort of addressed it but didn't get to much into anything trying to make it fit into an hour. I'll watch it again probably but thought they could've expanded on it a little more.0
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I was surely thinking that folks would be posting about this show if they watched it. I was curious if you watched it, what did you think about?
I find the experiment intriging to say the least, but there were some things not covered in the one hour so called transformation of a "fat guy" trying to get "fit" and the "fit guy" gaining weight to get "fit" again that I would have like to be seen. Each week a different trainer does this with their weight loss candiate.
I was actually going to post about it, and did a search to see if anyone else had posted first. I just watched it a couple days ago and find it fairly interesting.
I do agree that they make the show rather quick, but I think it was a fairly unique experiment of sorts. And I like that it showed both the trainer and the average Joe changing with their weights, and the emotional and confidence level changes that came with it.
Something during the intro really stuck in my head, as something I've often wondered about. One of the trainers said something along the lines of "having failed to help people that struggled long term with their weight, I realized the problem was mine and not theirs". It seemed rather profound to me, since we can never really get into the heads of anyone other than ourselves. As such, it's sometimes really hard to relate to what struggles another person goes through.
For me, I've been at a healthy weight and fairly fit the vast majority of my life. The brief period where I wasn't was mostly just having other focus. But I knew I could and would drop the weight back down and get more fit when I made it a bigger priority, and I did. I knew the ability was there, and it wasn't an emotional thing for me. But I see the stories of people here at MFP who have had long term struggles with their weight and fitness. Any many are from intelligent, educated people that know they should change things for many reasons. And as much as I try to relate what it might seem like to them, I really can't completely do that. It's actually hard at times to see how emotional some people are with the struggle, as that shows me how real that struggle is for them.
From the one show I watched, it did seem that having the trainer gain weight helped the two develop more of a personal connection. And that connection did seem to play a part in the other guy losing the weight. Although the trainer was no doubt being paid, I'll still give him credit for putting himself through that. I'm not sure I could do it myself.0 -
This show is actually pretty amazing. I just wish they would include a bit more about the eating strategy and exercise plan when at home. And include a little more on home life and struggles when the trainer was not there and of course Ray's wife for example, she lost 60 pounds while he was loosing, they never showed this part.
But to watch the emotional side of both the trainer and his client really make you so some soul searching when relating to those that are really obese and over weight that do not have self esteem to break out of their cycle and behaviors. I have never judged anyone for their weight, and I live in the most overweight part of the country. So being over weight where I live is almost normal.
IMHO this is the most amazing experiment one could to think of to take this one extra step... heck 1000 extra steps..
Episode 2 will be next week. I have my DVD setup...
I am also watching My DIet is Better than yours and this show cracks me up.0 -
chastity0921 wrote: »Haha the black toenail. If I was fit, I can't imagine wanting to get fat so I could go back to fit again. It tires me thinking about it, actually.
Right?! Knowing the amount of work it takes....no way would i intentionally get fat! Unless the paycheck was REALLY big, lol.
You know this guy had to get a great pay check. I assume he closed down his gym and stopped working with his clients or passed them on to other trainers.
there will be a different trainer each week.. so I plan to stay turned to watch all the different personalities work together and achieve success (and for life time results and success)..
I asked my husband if he would regain back the 55 pounds he took a year to loose last year to do this and he shook his head and would not say, it was a battle to get it off, but I think I did see $$$$$ in eyes... LOL0 -
Stupid premise. Stupid show.0
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snickerscharlie wrote: »Stupid premise. Stupid show.
Well that's an in depth view. @snickerscharlie , why did you think both the premise and show were stupid? I'm just curious, as I thought it was interesting, but more on the level of the psychology aspect. The trainers would obviously (well hopefully!) have a much better information base, as well as the confidence and experience. But it was an attempt to get into the minds of the other person at least.0 -
There was a documentary of a woman who was known for fat shaming who gained weight and lost it again. I find it hard to watch someone eat like that trainer and wonder how horrible that could be for his health. I also am not sure if the trainer can truly relate since he does not really get to enjoy what got the overweight person to where they are. Having to eat that much would really turn him off to the junk even more so then if he just did not like junk food.0
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robertw486 wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »Stupid premise. Stupid show.
Well that's an in depth view. @snickerscharlie , why did you think both the premise and show were stupid? I'm just curious, as I thought it was interesting, but more on the level of the psychology aspect. The trainers would obviously (well hopefully!) have a much better information base, as well as the confidence and experience. But it was an attempt to get into the minds of the other person at least.
It's stupid from the premise of mindset. You cannot compare someone who has most likely been overweight all of their adult life and who has compulsive overeating at the core of their issue with some fabulously fit person who suddenly force-feeds themselves to gain weight for a stupid TV show.
They aren't comparable, so their experience - with the gaining or the losing aspect - won't be comparable.0 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »robertw486 wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »Stupid premise. Stupid show.
Well that's an in depth view. @snickerscharlie , why did you think both the premise and show were stupid? I'm just curious, as I thought it was interesting, but more on the level of the psychology aspect. The trainers would obviously (well hopefully!) have a much better information base, as well as the confidence and experience. But it was an attempt to get into the minds of the other person at least.
It's stupid from the premise of mindset. You cannot compare someone who has most likely been overweight all of their adult life and who has compulsive overeating at the core of their issue with some fabulously fit person who suddenly force-feeds themselves to gain weight for a stupid TV show.
They aren't comparable, so their experience - with the gaining or the losing aspect - won't be comparable.
I have to agree with you on that. That trainer does not know the "real" struggle, also being that he was already fit and understands how to eat properly losing the weight and going back to those habits probably wasn't all that tough as someone who has been overweight all their life.0 -
chastity0921 wrote: »Haha the black toenail. If I was fit, I can't imagine wanting to get fat so I could go back to fit again. It tires me thinking about it, actually.
They did it so they know what it feels like to be severely overweight and trying to lose it. They didn't gain weight just because they had nothing better to do.snickerscharlie wrote: »robertw486 wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »Stupid premise. Stupid show.
Well that's an in depth view. @snickerscharlie , why did you think both the premise and show were stupid? I'm just curious, as I thought it was interesting, but more on the level of the psychology aspect. The trainers would obviously (well hopefully!) have a much better information base, as well as the confidence and experience. But it was an attempt to get into the minds of the other person at least.
It's stupid from the premise of mindset. You cannot compare someone who has most likely been overweight all of their adult life and who has compulsive overeating at the core of their issue with some fabulously fit person who suddenly force-feeds themselves to gain weight for a stupid TV show.
They aren't comparable, so their experience - with the gaining or the losing aspect - won't be comparable.
I like the concept of the show but this sums it up. Also, the trainer is probably still in very good shape just with a thick layer of fat over it. It's probably much easier for them to lose weight because they can do more complex exercises as compared to the one who's been overweight his whole life and has to take baby steps to get there. The struggle for the trainer to lose weight is not near as much as the other. The one episode I watched, the trainer went to the gym after gaining 60 pounds and could still climb the rope pretty easily and then did multiple pull ups from the rafters. Tell me how that's comparable to the guy he was working with who couldn't do one pull up?!?0 -
I can't get past the part where they gorge themselves to put on the weight. I know it's part of the show but that grosses me out.
Also, apples to oranges, as it's been pointed out. I'd be interested to see a long-term follow up and see if those people these trainers worked with specifically kept the weight off.0 -
I watched the British one that was like this. I agree that it's not the same when the trainer loses, though I think the basic premise is interesting.
I think the big difference is the trainer doesn't have the long history of mental habits that lead to overeating and under-moving. The actual weight loss isn't the hard thing. It's changing all the underlying mental processes.0 -
WalkingAlong wrote: »I watched the British one that was like this. I agree that it's not the same when the trainer loses, though I think the basic premise is interesting.
I think the big difference is the trainer doesn't have the long history of mental habits that lead to overeating and under-moving. The actual weight loss isn't the hard thing. It's changing all the underlying mental processes.
Yup. So the mental process as well as the physical process of losing the excess weight will be pretty much entirely different. It's not like the trainer has been overweight for a few years and so all his muscles have atrophied away and that he'll pass out after a little exercise. <insert eye rolly>
I just think it's belittling. The sad part is that they try to make it seem like the trainer is doing it out of a misplaced solidarity and "walk a mile in your shoes" idea, when not much could be further from the truth.
It's like a very weird reverse fat shaming.
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The original blog I read was by Drew Manning, he is a trainer that did this. I followed along while he did it. He took 6 months to gain the weight and 6 months to lose the weight. He was a trainer and wanted to better understand the emotional toll that food can have over someone. His was way more in depth, I think he is the narrator of the show.0
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I need to figure out where I can watch this online because I am curious.
I think others have pointed out that the trainer likely doesn't have the same sedentary/emotional food issues most of the overweight people do. However, it might be better than nothing. We've all seen those documentaries from the BBC where the women think they have some super low metabolism and it turns out they don't. This wouldn't fix that, they'd still think the trainer was blessed with good genetics. But then again, I do think your average overweight person (not most of the people on here) make a lot of excuses for why they can't even start trying to walk a little more or such like that, so having a similarly overweight trainer say 'hey I can do it, you don't have to be thin to work out' might help. And the trainer would have to be cutting calories same time. So I don't know. Maybe better than a lot of other things tried for weight loss on TV, but not by much.0 -
Though I don't disagree with the trainer having the advantage in terms of confidence and knowledge base, I'm actually surprised people are so biased that the comparison is so different. Weight is weight. The "client" in the first show obviously had some strength, he was doing dips when he was still pretty big. And for that matter, many larger people have more strength than people assume. They have to, as they are moving more mass. I know large people that have major leg muscle just from daily walking.
You certainly can't really get into the head of another person and feel the same emotions, but showing a direct action by example is grossly different to me than just telling someone else to do it.0 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »robertw486 wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »Stupid premise. Stupid show.
Well that's an in depth view. @snickerscharlie , why did you think both the premise and show were stupid? I'm just curious, as I thought it was interesting, but more on the level of the psychology aspect. The trainers would obviously (well hopefully!) have a much better information base, as well as the confidence and experience. But it was an attempt to get into the minds of the other person at least.
It's stupid from the premise of mindset. You cannot compare someone who has most likely been overweight all of their adult life and who has compulsive overeating at the core of their issue with some fabulously fit person who suddenly force-feeds themselves to gain weight for a stupid TV show.
They aren't comparable, so their experience - with the gaining or the losing aspect - won't be comparable.
I agree 100%. A person who has been sedentary and obese for most of their life likely knows virtually nothing whatsoever about nutrition or training. Eating at a deficit and structuring their diet is going to be something completely new (and probably very difficult) for them, and mustering up the discipline to overcome the initial hurdles to physical fitness (DOMS, exhaustion, lots of sweat, etc.) can be a huge obstacle. The trainer is presumably far more versed in nutrition and has a solid fitness base to work from, even if he lets himself go for a while. If he (the trainer) has run through a few bulk/cut cycles in his time, this is all old hat to him - been there, done that. Psychologically, he knows what it will take and is 100% confident that he can get the job done.
To the lifelong obese person, they're stepping onto new, unfamiliar and scary ground, often with no confidence that they can even actually do it (read the millions of "I can't do this!" threads here on MFP). The trainer isn't getting into the other person's mindset in any way - he's a fit person in a (newly) fat body. There's no psychological similarities whatsoever between the two, regardless of how much weight the trainer puts on.
It's another made-for-TV weight loss debacle with all the attendant drama, but like every other weight loss show it bears no resemblance to reality.0 -
Because new and unfamiliar ground doesn't apply to a person who has been healthy, thin, and fit long term and is now 60 pounds heavier?
As for initial hurdles to fitness, the best way to overcome them is to do it. Huge numbers of people do it joining the military yearly, many who have done nothing in the way of fitness when they were young. The same would apply to anyone who finally loses weight, proving to themselves they can do it and that it can be done.
The primary difference in most cases is mindset IMO. One has already proven to themselves they can do it, the other has not and needs to see it proven. And then you have to huge numbers of people who know it can be done, yet don't do it. Cue the "weight loss is different for me" threads.
As for the psychology aspect, I think on all levels there is a huge difference between someone explaining it can be done, and having someone telling you it can be done while actually doing it and proving it can be done.0 -
I'm glad there are weight loss reality shows, unrealistic or not. They seem to be getting somewhat better. BL was the first and is the worst. I'm enjoying ABC's latest offering, though of course it could be better.It's another made-for-TV weight loss debacle with all the attendant drama, but like every other weight loss show it bears no resemblance to reality.
It's not like many people would watch a show that is just mildly overweight people losing slowly, through moderate diet and exercise. That's be as dull as watching an actual cop's, doctor's or lawyer's day instead of CSI, House or The Good Wife.
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robertw486 wrote: »Because new and unfamiliar ground doesn't apply to a person who has been healthy, thin, and fit long term and is now 60 pounds heavier?
As for initial hurdles to fitness, the best way to overcome them is to do it. Huge numbers of people do it joining the military yearly, many who have done nothing in the way of fitness when they were young. The same would apply to anyone who finally loses weight, proving to themselves they can do it and that it can be done.
The primary difference in most cases is mindset IMO. One has already proven to themselves they can do it, the other has not and needs to see it proven. And then you have to huge numbers of people who know it can be done, yet don't do it. Cue the "weight loss is different for me" threads.
As for the psychology aspect, I think on all levels there is a huge difference between someone explaining it can be done, and having someone telling you it can be done while actually doing it and proving it can be done.
Yeah but how big did the trainer really get? He didn't put on THAT much weight, I mean he looked a bit heavier. It isn't nearly the mental weight that a really overweight person carries. I mean, he did it for the show. He knew it was coming off. He was heavy but nothing like being really obese. It makes for good TV though and advertisers are the ones with the $$$. I am not saying that his effort wasn't in good will, I just don't think 4 months can compare with 10, 15+ years of the baggage heavy people endure. All IMO of course. But at least it raises awareness for health and weight loss.0
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