My 600 lb. Life

briegirl28

I've been binge watching this show on the regular lately. I find them show both fascinating and scarey. Part of me is very scared that due to being obese and morbidly obese most of my life, I could easily get up to that weight if I don't actively watch my weight.

I find it fascinating how many codependents the obese person has that are helping them with getting food, etc.

I'm overjoyed and enthusiastic about their drive for success and weight loss. It totally gives me hope.

Do you like or dislike the show? What is your favorite or least favorite episode and why? Do you ever fear getting to that size. Have you been that size, and if so, what caused you to gain the weight?

Today I will meet my goal of drinking at least 64 oz of water, eating protein, apples, and avoiding sugar. I also plan on exercising this afternoon. Woo hoo!

KorvapuustiPossu

I watch it because I find it fascinating...so many people changing their lives... and then there is Penny....my god, I hate her manipulative woman that never wanted to change.

briegirl28

I think Penny has major mental health issues. I think it's easy to dislike her, so I try to just not watch her. She must have had a lot of trauma to continue to be in such an unhealthy and unhappy position.

lesleyloo7879

If I start watching that show I am glued to it I can not pull myself away it is soo addicting ! I get really proud when I see them succeed and really trying ..... then there are the few that are just like mehhhhh Eff it

KorvapuustiPossu

Yes her main mental issue being a personality disorder. Narcissist and manipulator. Horrible horrible woman. I don't believe trauma made her that way. Some people are just bad bad people. I was so shocked when I saw the episode I made my mom and sister watch it too Other people on the show however are really trying and changing their lives.

Btw. good work on your daily success!

cw106

Its car crash tv, altho it is relative to my journey.
The excuses are much longer in the usa

rbfdac

KorvapuustiPossu wrote: »

I watch it because I find it fascinating...so many people changing their lives... and then there is Penny....my god, I hate her manipulative woman that never wanted to change.

Penny is the absolute effing worst!!! I have seen every single episode of this show and she's horrible and delusional and I can't stand her. Is it awful that I find myself hoping that maybe she'll be the first one to succumb to her addicition, if ya know what I'm sayin'?

marielharrison

Hi!

I watch the show when it's on and find it motivating. I was watching the show yesterday and decided it was something I need to choose for myself. I have been waiting for others to wip me into gear and that's not going to happen.

A lot of my past and happiness had to circle around food. It was an award and that's what fuels emotional eating. It gets me to my happy place. Does anyone do that?

I always worry that I'm going to get that big. I am 341 lbs and am 5' 3". It's been a struggle since 2000 or so.

briegirl28 wrote: »

I've been binge watching this show on the regular lately. I find them show both fascinating and scarey. Part of me is very scared that due to being obese and morbidly obese most of my life, I could easily get up to that weight if I don't actively watch my weight.

I find it fascinating how many codependents the obese person has that are helping them with getting food, etc.

I'm overjoyed and enthusiastic about their drive for success and weight loss. It totally gives me hope.

Do you like or dislike the show? What is your favorite or least favorite episode and why? Do you ever fear getting to that size. Have you been that size, and if so, what caused you to gain the weight?

Today I will meet my goal of drinking at least 64 oz of water, eating protein, apples, and avoiding sugar. I also plan on exercising this afternoon. Woo hoo!

DearestWinter

Yes, I watched some of this show about a year ago and it's fascinating. Penny is awful. I can't remember her name but I felt sorry for that woman whose husband married her because she was on the fat fetish sites and when she began to lose weight he was really cruel to her.

singingflutelady

The show is interesting but it shows the complete lack of nutritional knowledge of a lot of people. I was shocked when one of them was eating a salad for supper and her husband put a WHOLE BAG of shredded cheese on her bowl of salad and she was wondering why she wasn't losing weight. They need to have a dietitian to help educate them.

Kullerva

I catch shows like that on occasion. I read them as cautionary tales and use them, somewhat shamelessly, for self-congratulatory purposes. (See! I know how to weigh and log things, unlike those people! ) Granted, I was never HUGE (highest weight was 190) but I easily could have been if the wake-up call hadn't come when it did.

AmazonMayan

I watch this show a lot lately even if I've just seen the episode. I still haven't seen the Penny one.

I feel motivated watching it and it does cross my mind when I'm tempted to throw caution to the wind and eat anything and all of it. I've never been anywhere near as big as them but with my (unrelated) mobility issues I may as well be.

I also feel guilty watching it. It's so intrusive with showing them bathing and then eating. It seems like shaming sometimes to me to get an audience.

Most of the people I've seen on the show, including their family, I wish I could do something even if just offering a hug - especially when strangers feel it's ok to bully them or take pictures and everyone around enjoys a good laugh.

I've noticed the show evolving a bit with some earlier counseling and even nutrition education for every person in the household for one lady.

one235

I watch the show also, I like the Biggest Loser too. I wish they would show more of the nutritional side of their losses…

briegirl28

Hi Mariel,

My highest weight was around 336lbs, though I may have been higher last year but just wasn't weighing myself. My face definitely looks more bloated then.

I think that for me, I have a genetic predisposition to being heavier (obesity runs in my family), and I think that having a lot of carb heavy meals and not being able to exercise a lot as a child only helped to increase my weight. I do wish my father had tried to get me to diet, but I think he didn't want to hurt my feelings as I was definitely very emotional about it and wouldn't really discuss my weight.

I think that as I got older, eating was a way of comforting myself when things were going on in my life that I couldn't control. I would sneak cookies in the school library at lunch, I would sometimes even beg for food at school ---- I would feel ravenous after just eating! I think my insulin was probably all over the place and I was probably depressed then as well.

As for Penny, I do feel that people find it easier to absolutely abhor her because she is fat. I have seen plenty of thin women act worse than she does (ie. just about anybody from the Real Housewives Franchise) and yet, the level of hate and disgust is not as big, no punn intended, as it is with Penny. Then you couple it with fat being one of the last "safe" biases to have, yeah, I think people go way in on Penny. And hoarders. They also dislike hoarders. I think people just don't understand mental health issues in general. Penny has some definite issues and I don't like to think that people are born negatively. I think they may be born with mental health issues, and they may have learned certain behaviors during their upbringing that either protected them at the time (i.e., eating as a way to provide comfort when parents are absent) or were a defense mechanism, but now as an adult, those coping mechanisms no longer work.

Great responses everybody!

kensreboot

I've never seen the show... but I used to live my own 600 lb life (as high as ~680#), but that was long ago and I am certainly not going back to that!

scolaris

Yeah, I find that show & the hoarder show hard to watch...
The thing that always strikes me about the really really obese people is that they are 100% dependent on their enablers, so working on the enablers would probably be the most effective tactic of all!

lindalee0315

Yes, I agree with scholaris! I always wonder why someone cooks, brings food, drinks, clean up after this person to this mean person who is screaming at them to cook faster, bring more food, etc. I also always wait for the line, "I've put everyone else first." Yeah, right. Call me skeptical, but you weren't thinking of other people when you were making these horrible decisions about your health and shoveling that food in your face. And how is it "putting everyone else first" reconciled with: "You are now so unhealthy you can't attend your kids' functions, everyone has to run around waiting on you, their lives are now dictated by your vast medical problems, and frankly--they're likely embarrassed to be with you in public places"? How exactly is that lifestyle "putting others first"? It isn't. It's horribly self-centered. You have now made yourself and your problems everyone else's main concern--and in many cases (e.g., Penny) that is exactly what you wanted to do. Maybe you didn't set out to become that fat, or that wasn't the way you wanted it to happen--but you have achieved your goal. Then, let's not even talk about the ethical problems of doing this surgery on someone who obviously has psychological issues that are not being adequately addressed. That doctor doesn't give a hoot about that--and my guess is not one of these people is footing the bill for their surgery. They are likely all on Medicaid, unable to work because they are so unhealthy and we are all paying that bill. The doctor is getting wealthier taking the Medicaid money, regardless of how mentally stable these people are. Many of these people are getting surgery without any commitment to a lifestyle change that I can see. But, what do they care? They aren't paying $1800/month for health insurance. It's a train wreck.

aleencarraec

Okay so I was hooked on this show while visiting my parents 1.5 weeks ago, and it was my spark to get a gym trial (and as of today, membership!!!) No lie. This show did it for me. It actually mortified me (not trying to be mean). I would watch this show late at night, and as a result I wouldn't get hungry for a midnight snack at all. All I could do was plan meal ideas for my new 1100/1200 calories diet.

I'm 24, 5'2", and 232.6 pounds, and have a very small frame. <-- height and frame combined, my frame has a lot of stress on it because of the fat. This show helped me realize it. I've never been scared to get to the size of those on the show, but knowing that I need to lose HALF of my weight (That's HALF of me) to be healthy, scared me.

Probably my favorite episode is the one of the girl trying to lose weight, but her husband doesn't want her to lose it because they he won't be needed as her caretaker. Having studied psychology, it blew me away that he was problem. The surgeon saw it right away, but the fact that even in counseling, he couldn't acknowledge it, showed he had some psychological issues from his past. I really hope that since the airing of the show, the couple has grown together, and that he doesn't feel that he needs to feed her to take care of her.

RaeBeeBaby

I'm a regular watcher of this show. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure, I confess. My husband refuses to watch it as he has no point of reference and just can't understand how people could allow themselves to become super morbidly obese. I find it fascinating, self-motivating and (usually) inspiring. I cheer for the ones that really make change for themselves. I know it is TV and the show is there for entertainment purposes, but these are real people with real issues and real lives. You can't fake being 600+ pounds.

Most of them are surrounded by enablers (like the woman who's mother snuck her fast food into the hospital because she "didn't want her baby to starve"). I think most, if not all, of these people have food addictions, so the counseling side is very important for everyone. The enablers need counseling and education as much as the patients. They don't show a lot about the nutritional side, but these people are all given a strict diet to follow - I think it's 1200 calories a day (sound familiar?). If they do, they lose weight FAST. If they don't follow it, they lose a little or none at all. I hate to see the families continuing to eat crap while the 600 pound person is eating salad greens. Many of the family members are just 100 pounds away from becoming just like the patient!

Ahh, Penny - the one everyone loves to hate. I admit to feeling a great deal of animosity towards her when I watched her episode. She's been given a great opportunity and yet, she continues on her path to an early grave. I'm not a mental health professional, so can't confirm that she has mental health issues, but I'm pretty sure she has a personality disorder. She acts very much like a narcissistic manipulator and her husband is feeding her a continuous supply of emotional caretaking along with all the food she can clip coupons for. He seems to be the typical browbeaten subject of her narcissistic manipulations, paying his dues until she dies. If she lives long enough, she will do this to her son, as well. He's the little one that I feel sorry for in this equation. Poor little guy deserves a mother.

I did appreciate that there was a "Where are they now" follow-up on some of the Season 1 people. Great to see that some of them have continued on their weight loss journey.

Since I don't really consider this educational TV (even though it's on The Learning Channel), I will only allow myself to watch it while walking on the treadmill or doing strength or bodyweight exercises.

imogene912

I am watching it now - Sean's story. Wow.

gotayyy

Weirdly enough this is my favorite show to watch when doing cardio at the gym. Something about it is so motivating and uplifting and makes me want to push harder in my own workouts. Sometimes it's a little bit TMI though (I'm not good with the surgery scenes lol). Except for Pauline, oh my god she is the worst. Watching her episode made me so angry!! I haven't seen the Penny episode but I hear she's like Penny 2.0 or something

headofphat

Haven't watched. Probably won't. When I see a picture above of a morbidly obese woman in what appears to be a hospital bed and gown eating fried foods (which is probably just a "snack") I get disgusted for a lot of reasons. These people, for the most part, choose to be this way. Please don't come at me with all the medical condition crap...i get it some people do have genuine conditions that need attention but most don't. Here in America we aren't allowed to fat shame or skinny shame but we are allowed to demonize marijuana users. What's a bigger strain on our economy and healthcare system? Rampant obesity or pot heads? Pisses me off. If you're morbidly obese and on a mission to eat yourself to death then good luck with that, but I'm not going to watch a ridiculous reality show about it and sit around and feel sorry for you. Get over yourselves. Please move over when I'm in the emergency room because I'm genuinely sick and you're there because you can't stop eating cake and pizza.

Great! Now I want cake and pizza.

I'm really a nice guy. I think.

lesleyloo7879

kensreboot wrote: »

I've never seen the show... but I used to live my own 600 lb life (as high as ~680#), but that was long ago and I am certainly not going back to that!

Well Done Congrats!!!

KAYRRIE

rbfdac wrote: »

KorvapuustiPossu wrote: »

I watch it because I find it fascinating...so many people changing their lives... and then there is Penny....my god, I hate her manipulative woman that never wanted to change.

Penny is the absolute effing worst!!! I have seen every single episode of this show and she's horrible and delusional and I can't stand her. Is it awful that I find myself hoping that maybe she'll be the first one to succumb to her addicition, if ya know what I'm sayin'?

Ouch, thats really harsh. I love to watch this show because it encourages me to get up and move, stay focused, count my calories. I've been doing good so far and watching this show just shows me to keep pushing and trying because I don't ever want to get to that point and that it is possible to become like these people if we don't take hold of ourselves sooner than later. My favorite episodes are the ones that have the individuals that try their hardest and do everything that is required of them. I love to see their transformations and I woul love to see updates on them.

sarjgus

I do watch the show faithfully lol. The show that really bothered me was Pauline. She was the one who made her son do everything for her. He had no life of his own. How very selfish of her. Even after surgery all she wanted to do was eat and complain.
The one last night (3/16/16) really got to me. He got up to 1,001 lbs at the age of 26. So heartbreaking. His mother, who was extremely overweight, was slowing killing him with food.
I told my kids if I ever got bed ridden, they better not bring me junk to eat. No matter how much a beg or throw a fit!!!

TheSunshineQueen

headofphat wrote: »

Haven't watched. Probably won't. When I see a picture above of a morbidly obese woman in what appears to be a hospital bed and gown eating fried foods (which is probably just a "snack") I get disgusted for a lot of reasons. These people, for the most part, choose to be this way. Please don't come at me with all the medical condition crap...i get it some people do have genuine conditions that need attention but most don't. Here in America we aren't allowed to fat shame or skinny shame but we are allowed to demonize marijuana users. What's a bigger strain on our economy and healthcare system? Rampant obesity or pot heads? Pisses me off. If you're morbidly obese and on a mission to eat yourself to death then good luck with that, but I'm not going to watch a ridiculous reality show about it and sit around and feel sorry for you. Get over yourselves. Please move over when I'm in the emergency room because I'm genuinely sick and you're there because you can't stop eating cake and pizza.

Great! Now I want cake and pizza.

I'm really a nice guy. I think.

...Okay then.

100df

These shows tug at my heart because some of the stories are heartbreaking. Especially the ones with the kids caring for the person.

Some family members don't want the person to lose weight. That's tough to watch. In many cases I wonder if it's because they are overweight and like having someone bigger around. They may not realize they think that.

I feel sorry for Penny. She just can't get her mind right. Never want to feel that hopeless. There is vicious hate for her all over the internet.

My favorite was Susie. She was kind of grouchy. She lost her weight slowly. Dr Now complained but eventually accepted her slow but consistent progress. She went from gasping for air from walking 10 steps to coaching a softball team.

You rarely see any of these people or their families eating anything other than fast food and frozen high calorie foods. The portions are crazy. Rarely is a vegetable shown. Could be eating them off camera but who knows. (To anyone on MFP who eats those foods, I am not saying they are bad. I am stating what I see on this show.)

I watch lots of shows featuring people losing hundreds of pounds. I think I watch as a warning to myself. I am afraid I will eat to 600 lbs. While I couldn't eat the amount of food I see these people eat right now, they couldn't always eat that much too. Their weight issue started just like mine, 1 pound at a time.

briegirl28

I think it is really easy to pass judgment on this people. I do feel sorry for them as I am morbidly obese and I know that when I feel depressed and despondant, I often turn to food for comfort. I think that one has to learn better coping mechanisms, which isn't as easy as some suggest. I think that if a person is unhappy and they continue to do something that makes them continue to feel unhappy, there is obviously some deeper issues going on. I also would like to suggest that if a person says their major happiness is food, then that is also a sign of depression and lack of hope.

I love reading your responses and I would only ask that we not use this thread to bash those on the show. I think that for many of us, given the unique set of circumstances (maybe grief, major illness, disability, change in relationship, etc. that can cause a severe period of depression and lack of faith/hope/positivity) we could become heavier than we think we could ever be. Maybe not 600 lbs. but maybe 300lbs., 400lbs., etc.

I realize that there are people on here that just need to lose those last 10 pounds and they feel full of self control and self will. But there are also probably a good amount of morbidly obese people and those who may be near 600lbs. or even more, and reading the level of disdain and judgment and disgust from some might make them feel unwelcomed here. I love the support of those on MFP, so I'd like to highlight how we care for and support each other rather than the opposite.

I'm going to watch Sean's episode this week is over the weekend. Sending you all great wishes for a beautiful day.

Latitude11Courtney

headofphat wrote: »

Haven't watched. Probably won't. When I see a picture above of a morbidly obese woman in what appears to be a hospital bed and gown eating fried foods (which is probably just a "snack") I get disgusted for a lot of reasons. These people, for the most part, choose to be this way. Please don't come at me with all the medical condition crap...i get it some people do have genuine conditions that need attention but most don't. Here in America we aren't allowed to fat shame or skinny shame but we are allowed to demonize marijuana users. What's a bigger strain on our economy and healthcare system? Rampant obesity or pot heads? Pisses me off. If you're morbidly obese and on a mission to eat yourself to death then good luck with that, but I'm not going to watch a ridiculous reality show about it and sit around and feel sorry for you. Get over yourselves. Please move over when I'm in the emergency room because I'm genuinely sick and you're there because you can't stop eating cake and pizza.

Great! Now I want cake and pizza.

I'm really a nice guy. I think.

Ya know. You are so very far off with your 'pothead' comparison.

Latitude11Courtney

I don't watch the show at all... Zero interest.

peachyfuzzle

headofphat wrote: »

Haven't watched. Probably won't. When I see a picture above of a morbidly obese woman in what appears to be a hospital bed and gown eating fried foods (which is probably just a "snack") I get disgusted for a lot of reasons. These people, for the most part, choose to be this way. Please don't come at me with all the medical condition crap...i get it some people do have genuine conditions that need attention but most don't. Here in America we aren't allowed to fat shame or skinny shame but we are allowed to demonize marijuana users. What's a bigger strain on our economy and healthcare system? Rampant obesity or pot heads? Pisses me off. If you're morbidly obese and on a mission to eat yourself to death then good luck with that, but I'm not going to watch a ridiculous reality show about it and sit around and feel sorry for you. Get over yourselves. Please move over when I'm in the emergency room because I'm genuinely sick and you're there because you can't stop eating cake and pizza.

Great! Now I want cake and pizza.

I'm really a nice guy. I think.

People who get up to these weights are very rarely the "I'm going to just get as fat as I want, and eff everyone else" variety. The vast majority have deep seated mental issues which generally occurred due to severe childhood trauma, and a broken family/enabling system literally feeding into their disorder.