My 600 Pound Life?
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I watch it (online) when I catch myself eating too much or working out too little, and I also watch Hoarders when I need to get motivated to do chores I really hate like dusting. Despite the heated debates on this board over whether food can be an actual addiction or not, it seems to me that for many of those people it has become one, whether through physical or psychological means. I feel like "lack of willpower" is an insufficient description of the many processes that can contribute to a person doing things that are bad for them. There can also be people struggling with cognitive dissonance because on the one hand they know they are hurting themselves but on the other hand the dopamine release when they over eat is rewarding them for doing it. People in this kind of trouble need real help in overcoming the problem and learning healthy behaviors. I have always been more interested in how a problem may be understood and fixed than in blaming a person and labeling them mentally or morally weak.
Edits are to correct typos.0 -
I think I might be starting to have Dr. Now in my head like that Mom voice when I'm about to screw up or slack off.
"Weight gain is unacceptable."
"Pizza is not part of the diet when you weigh 600 pounds."
"No carb means no carb. You need to get rid of bread, rice, and pasta."
I guess even without surgery, a lot of the advice he has been giving his bariatric patients helps me. But no one is taking away my ground beef and replacing it with nasty arsenic-laced chicken and sad little egg whites.
I think that's fair (as long as this keeps working for me). Most people don't have to go to the extreme to lose and keep off weight that I have to go to (they can have pizza and carbs), and it will be nice if I never have to go to the extreme someone weighing 600 pounds has to go to!0 -
I do feel sad for the people on it....but it's more because I can relate to how they got to where they are and am surprised I didn't get to that. I was at 376 when I started on this path.
I can so relate to Whitney on My Big Fat Fabulous Life because the things that her parents are saying to her are the same things my parents said to me. They think what they're doing/saying is helping, but it isn't.
Don't get me wrong - I love my dad, but when I was pregnant with twins and lost one of them 10 weeks into the pregnancy, he made a comment about when that happens with horses (they get pregnant with twins), that they do that on purpose so the horse will only have one foal. He was trying to relate the only way he knew how.
I watch My 600lb life more to realize that I'm not the only one who deals with these sorts of issues, and will look at it in the way of "Was I like that? Am I still like that? What can I do to be better about it?" Also - "Are they really ready to change or are they just 'talking the talk'? If they are ready to change, what was it that was their realization? How did they get to the point of wanting to or being ready to change? Is there something they're doing that's helping them that is something I can use to help me?"
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Don't get me wrong - I love my dad, but when I was pregnant with twins and lost one of them 10 weeks into the pregnancy, he made a comment about when that happens with horses (they get pregnant with twins), that they do that on purpose so the horse will only have one foal. He was trying to relate the only way he knew how.
I do understand where you're coming from, I'm glad you know your dad wasn't being intentionally insensitive, probably more his way of coping with it. Except when horses twin, they usually abort before they come full term, so saving one is better than losing both. But people aren't horses and twins are more common with people. I'm sorry for your loss, I truly am.
I think a lot of the "I'm ready to change" realization is that they are so morbidly obese that their doctors have told them that if they don't, they will die. Death is quite the motivator, when you know you can avoid it.
My ex father in law was over 400 lbs. At 60 years old he had a stroke and heart attack at approximately the same time. They lived in a rural area in AZ. Because of his weight and sheer size (he was 5 ft 10), he could not fit on the life flight helicopter to be transported to the major medical centers in Tucson. He was transported to a tiny local hospital (they don't even have a labor and delivery ward there) and later transported to a slightly larger hospital, both via ambulance, where he was stuck at for over a week; they tried to transport him via ambulance the 70 miles to the big medical center in Tucson, but his health would not permit and he crashed soon after they left. They had to return.
They finally stabilized him enough to transport him to Tucson a few days later. Unfortunately, it was already too late and he had suffered brain damage. After 3 weeks in ICU (at both hospitals combined) his wife had to make the decision to shut off the life support. He was never going to be able to come home and would have had to live in hospice.
I'm not saying that if he could have been immediately transported straight to Tucson he would have survived, but his odds were a lot better if they could have.
That was a year ago in January. She is still completely heart broken, and my son is still torn up over losing his grandfather.
It's one thing to see on TV or read about someone who died from obesity related health problems, or see on TV someone who had to have their house cut to remove them, but it's another knowing someone and seeing how it destroys their family members. To be honest, I didn't even really care much for the guy, but nobody ever deserves to go out that way.
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TL:DR all the responses so apologies if I'm repeating. I PVR this show. Not sure why, I have some sort of obsession with it. I feel terrible for these people for the situation they're in, but I get yelling-at-the-TV angry when they show the entire family who is enabling the behavior and most of them are obese themselves. Generally it's a close family member who is bringing and preparing the food. It's ALWAYS deep fried, high caloric garbage (not demonizing, just saying that type of food is inappropriate when you weight 600+ pounds). I suspect it's a lack of education; they just don't understand what calories are and how to count them. Most of the patients have been obese since childhood, back when they had no control over what groceries were purchased in their home.
I respect Dr. Now for helping but I don't know if, behind the scenes, there is any education provided to help patients understand how they got so huge and how they can prevent it from happening again. The episode I watched last night, the woman was having her 3rd surgery. HOW does that happen?
There's so much help out there for people today, some of it valid, some of it not. There are a lot of reactive "solutions" (surgery, diet pills, diet food, crazy fad diets), but nothing PROactive. How about teaching nutrition in school as part of the curriculum, etc? Education is power. Generally, people just don't have the tools they need to have control over their health. If people understood how to keep their weight under control, we could eliminate so much of the burden on the healthcare system (free here in Canada), and the emotional and physical toll it takes on people.
Getting off my soapbox now.0 -
I could be wrong but I think Penny was the only off-the-charts combative and in-denial person they've shown up until the most recent episode with Pauline. I guess Penny can get a break now and let Pauline shoulder some backlash now.
When Pauline said that she knows what's best for her body my jaw dropped to the floor. How could anyone who weighs 600+ pounds say that and keep a straight face.
Her episode was really depressing.0 -
Lourdesong wrote: »I could be wrong but I think Penny was the only off-the-charts combative and in-denial person they've shown up until the most recent episode with Pauline. I guess Penny can get a break now and let Pauline shoulder some backlash now.
When Pauline said that she knows what's best for her body my jaw dropped to the floor. How could anyone who weighs 600+ pounds say that and keep a straight face.
Her episode was really depressing.
Yeah it was, I hope she pulls out of it and gets on track. I felt bad for her when she was talking about not having enough food as a kid. If anything could trigger compulsive overeating, I see how that would.0 -
murphyraven wrote: »I normally find the show inspiring when the patient is a success story. The most recent episode I watched with Pauline made me so angry. Her complete denial and constant excuses were awful. Her son takes care of her and you can just see he is completely under her control with no will of his own.
Seeing the patients succeed with so much weight to lose helps me in my own weight loss journey. If they can overcome the odds I have no excuses.
She's just delusional. She never really accepted that she needed help, and I was surprised she was even approved for the surgery because it was clear she couldn't lose anything without being restricted to a hospital bed or really come to terms with how much she was eating
I was surprised too. But they have a camera crew with these people long before they ever meet Dr. Now, I've wondered if there's some added pressure to go ahead with surgery because TV.
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Reality show crap like that just makes me sad. I could be a fat, lazy, slob and be on TV (and probably make a good bit of money) instead of working hard and barely making enough to scrape by.-1
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Lourdesong wrote: »I could be wrong but I think Penny was the only off-the-charts combative and in-denial person they've shown up until the most recent episode with Pauline. I guess Penny can get a break now and let Pauline shoulder some backlash now.
When Pauline said that she knows what's best for her body my jaw dropped to the floor. How could anyone who weighs 600+ pounds say that and keep a straight face.
Her episode was really depressing.
Yeah it was, I hope she pulls out of it and gets on track. I felt bad for her when she was talking about not having enough food as a kid. If anything could trigger compulsive overeating, I see how that would.
They'll probably do an update episode, she may surprise everyone. I really hope so. I kept expecting her episode to turn around towards something that looked like a success, cuz most of them do.
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Reality show crap like that just makes me sad. I could be a fat, lazy, slob and be on TV (and probably make a good bit of money) instead of working hard and barely making enough to scrape by.
I think they do this for the surgery. I imagine all those follow up appts, the initial surgery, and follow up surgery and hospital stays can rack up a bill from the pits of Hell itself.
Look at where some of them live, in trailers and all (not to knock it or be offensive) but I know that I couldn't afford that kind of medical treatment and insurance only goes so far.
So, my guess is, the TV program pays for their medical, in turn for filming them and making boat loads of money on their misery.0 -
Reality show crap like that just makes me sad. I could be a fat, lazy, slob and be on TV (and probably make a good bit of money) instead of working hard and barely making enough to scrape by.
I think they do this for the surgery. I imagine all those follow up appts, the initial surgery, and follow up surgery and hospital stays can rack up a bill from the pits of Hell itself.
Look at where some of them live, in trailers and all (not to knock it or be offensive) but I know that I couldn't afford that kind of medical treatment and insurance only goes so far.
So, my guess is, the TV program pays for their medical, in turn for filming them and making boat loads of money on their misery.
As well it should pay for it, they're followed around by cameras and put on TV for everyone to see. I'm sure some of them are glad to inspire others (and this show has inspired me) but it can't be easy.0 -
No argument there, but they choose to do it and let cameras follow them around. I guess if i were in the position that I couldn't afford life saving medical - because that's what this is for these folks - I might be inclined to do the same thing.
I know my medical insurance covers gastric bypass, but it doesn't cover a lot of the follow up stuff. One of my friends went through this, and the excess skin surgery and all was hers to pay.
I had arm surgery about a year and a half ago for a pinched nerve and I saw the "bill" that my insurance covered - it was hideous, thousands of dollars. For an hour long surgery. I can't even imagine what the surgery for gastric bypass costs. So in all honesty, if I didn't have good insurance to cover my arm surgery, I would have gone without it. I think that's the crux of their situations, and the TV shows give them a way to pay for it, at the expense of being filmed and having their lives invaded. It's still their choice, but what choice do you have when you need something, ya know?0 -
When Chuck's wife was leaving him, one of his worries was how he was going to continue to pay for the medical treatment and surgeries he needed without her insurance.
I would hope the show was paying for these things, and some of the people seem to really be jonesing for skin surgery as if it's an entitlement they are due. But Chuck's episode threw me off a bit on who is paying for what.0 -
I love it! I do find some parts incredibly sad but admittedly once I look in the mirror after watching an episode I can't help but think "I'm not all that bad!"0
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I don't find it "entertaining" as much as interesting?? It is not that I am loving every minute of watching these people suffer but I am interested in "why" they get that big, how they manage their lives, why do people aid them in getting that big? I am interested in the biology of it, as in, the fat rolls and the skin sores and the human body changes. I am interested in the psychology of it and the how it makes me feel. It does make me want to try harder at staying healthy, just like watching Hoarders makes me want to clean my house and de-clutter. I hope that the intention of the show was to educate people on the devastation that over eating does to one's body, mind and how it effects their loved ones.snowflake930 wrote: »Liftng4Lis wrote: »It makes me sad
^This is what I thought when I first saw this thread.
It makes me wonder about a world that sees this as entertainment. Very sad commentary on what society sees as entertainment, another person being humiliated in front of a television audience.
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snowflake930 wrote: »It motivates me. Just like Hoarders makes me clean my house, 600 lb life makes me want to work out
It's really insensitive (not to mention IMMENSELY OBLIVIOUS to your own privileges) to use the exploitation of mentally ill and/or unhappy people as motivation. People are not props to be used.
Right, we should never ever try to learn from other people's mistakes. That's just EVIL. I mean, just because I'm unhappy and overeat doesn't mean I have anything at all in common with someone who is more unhappy and overeats more. I guess I will just have to gain weight until I need surgery and then I will have earned the right to see how other people cope with the situation.
Right, this is the education channel, learning what not to do. Nice try.
Great motivation, I am bad, but really could be much worse, and I watch this kind of show to prove it to myself.
No thanks. I refuse to buy into this reality tv mindset that it is ok to humiliate other human beings, in the name of entertaining, pardon me, I mean, educating, viewers.
I don't understand why viewing another human life and watching them deal with their personal struggles is humiliating? I don't feel embarrassed for them, I don't think they are being degraded, this is their life.....it isn't good it isn't bad it just is.0 -
watching that show helps me further understand that obesity is a disease, that s over looked0
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Lourdesong wrote: »When Chuck's wife was leaving him, one of his worries was how he was going to continue to pay for the medical treatment and surgeries he needed without her insurance.
I would hope the show was paying for these things, and some of the people seem to really be jonesing for skin surgery as if it's an entitlement they are due. But Chuck's episode threw me off a bit on who is paying for what.
I never saw that one, but I have to think that maybe some of the "drama" is for entertainment purposes. One of the episodes I watched the woman said her husband wasn't attracted to her anymore and didn't want her to lose weight. You never saw much of the husband though, so it was at best, half of the story. It wouldn't be as "interesting" if everyone lived happily ever after, stuck to their diets, etc. I'm not saying she was lying or anything, but there's always two sides to a story.
My brother works in Hollyweird and a lot of stuff is nothing like you'd think it was.0 -
snowflake930 wrote: »snowflake930 wrote: »It motivates me. Just like Hoarders makes me clean my house, 600 lb life makes me want to work out
It's really insensitive (not to mention IMMENSELY OBLIVIOUS to your own privileges) to use the exploitation of mentally ill and/or unhappy people as motivation. People are not props to be used.
Right, we should never ever try to learn from other people's mistakes. That's just EVIL. I mean, just because I'm unhappy and overeat doesn't mean I have anything at all in common with someone who is more unhappy and overeats more. I guess I will just have to gain weight until I need surgery and then I will have earned the right to see how other people cope with the situation.
Right, this is the education channel, learning what not to do. Nice try.
Great motivation, I am bad, but really could be much worse, and I watch this kind of show to prove it to myself.
No thanks. I refuse to buy into this reality tv mindset that it is ok to humiliate other human beings, in the name of entertaining, pardon me, I mean, educating, viewers.
This is exactly why I boycott America's Funniest Home Videos
And, any other "reality" type tv show.
I guess you don't like clowns either?
I don't
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