S04.E06: Dave

[Ketzel]

TV Guide: A 413 lb., 30 year old chef attempts to lose weight.

[WhineandCheez]

My DVR cut out right before his 90 day weigh in so the rest of the show did not record.  Can anyone tell me a quick recap of the outcome of it all?

 

This show makes you think that all obesity is caused by emotional trauma.  Don't think that is all true!

[irisheyes]

My DVR cut out right before his 90 day weigh in so the rest of the show did not record.  Can anyone tell me a quick recap of the outcome of it all?

 

This show makes you think that all obesity is caused by emotional trauma.  Don't think that is all true!

He got hooked on MMA fighting, even to having a "match" with an MMA fighter (that was totally staged).

Family bonding moment where they talked about the youngest brother dying and all took the blame. It sounds like Mom and Dad never blamed him; he just blamed himself.

Bought ring, proposed to girlfriend at finale. (She stuck with him for 7! years.)

Beyond the "it's all my fault my brother and sister died," it was actually a pretty drama free show. He decided he was going to lose the weight, and he did it. I don't remember what his final weight was.

[auntie thesis]

The final weight was 201 lbs, if memory serves.

 

This episode was a drama-free, almost Heidi-less show. Yay!

 

I liked Dave and his backstory was actually one that I could relate to. I was cheering him on.

 

I think this episode will end up being one of the better ones this season. This is what I want to see, fwiw. Not more show-nanigans and disaster porn. Just determined people who really want to lose the weight.

[DietCokeJunkie]

Actually he lost 201 pounds, for a final weight of 212.  He looked great, and I agree that it was one of the better shows.  Wonder if there is a Heidi-free correlation?

 

Also, both Powells need to find a new phrase other than "Look at you!"  It annoyed me when Heidi said it last week, and now Chris is doing it too.  

[Whimsy]

Also, both Powells need to find a new phrase other than "Look at you!"  It annoyed me when Heidi said it last week, and now Chris is doing it too.  

 

When?  When he came out after his "makeover"?  I think it's because they didn't know what else to say.  Personally, I thought that outfit was a poor choice.  Colored jeans ALWAYS make you look heavier, so that was not the best idea (even though he did look a lot better after all that weight loss).  The vest or whatever looked like cheap plastic, at least on my TV.  Neither one of the Powells actually looked excited about his look.  He also didn't seem to have much of a difference in hairstyle and he still had the scruff, so his makeover was really underwhelming.

 

I was pre-occupied during the story of both his siblings.  I THOUGHT the opening monologue said he was in custody of his three younger siblings and then 2 died within six weeks of each other, so when his parents showed up I was really confused.  Obviously, he was not in custody of his siblings, but babysitting?  Also, what could the other surviving brother POSSIBLY have done for the dad to blame him for so long?  He was younger than Dave, right? Dave was 18 at the time so how could that young kid be responsible but Dave wasn't?  That confused me, but sometimes you can't help it when you blame people and you're grieving.  It can be unfair, but it's hard to shake.

 

Overall, I liked the episode.  I knew Dave was going to be attractive at the end of his weight loss.  His girlfriend (fiancée) is adorable and they seem like a really great couple.  I have a sneaky feeling that the proposal wasn't a surprise to her, and if Dave DID give her the heads up I am really glad.  I really hate the complete blind-side public proposals because then the proposee (not a word, I know) feels obligated to say "yes" even if they really don't want to.

[DietCokeJunkie]

 

Also, what could the other surviving brother POSSIBLY have done for the dad to blame him for so long?

I believe the other brother, Chris, was the one who shot the gun that killed the youngest.  And the dad said he knew that Chris had been in the gun cabinet but didn't do anything about it.  David also said his brother had been in and out of jail--probably his way of dealing (or not).  There was plenty of guilt to go around.  Sad story. 

 

[auntie thesis]

Personally, I thought that outfit was a poor choice.  Colored jeans ALWAYS make you look heavier, so that was not the best idea (even though he did look a lot better after all that weight loss).  The vest or whatever looked like cheap plastic, at least on my TV.  Neither one of the Powells actually looked excited about his look.  He also didn't seem to have much of a difference in hairstyle and he still had the scruff, so his makeover was really underwhelming.

 

 

ITA. Makeover = suck.

 

 

Actually he lost 201 pounds, for a final weight of 212.  He looked great, and I agree that it was one of the better shows.  Wonder if there is a Heidi-free correlation?

 

Also, both Powells need to find a new phrase other than "Look at you!"  It annoyed me when Heidi said it last week, and now Chris is doing it too.  

 

My bad. Yes. THERE IS A CORRELATION. The less we see of Heidi, the better. Chris is a much better choice, imo. I don't mind if Heidi is in the background, or working as an associate trainer. Or even brought in to deal with people in certain situations (eating disorder, Chris is sick or busy, etc). She just doesn't do it for me show-wise though. She's not particularly warm or relatable. She's not motivational. She's just kinda...there. Yelling. Crying. Scripted drama. It would be different if she were a good actress or had the persona to pull some serious bitchery or motivational trainer/friend hybrid off, but she doesn't. She's a bland bottle blond with a hot bod and a semi-famous husband. That's all. Nothing to aspire to, imo.

 

I really like Dave and I'd rather watch people like him and Charita than the assorted box of nuts we've had so far this season. They seem to be the only two thus far that were actually in it for themselves. Their stories had a realness to them that no one else's has so far. Or perhaps they just seemed like people that I knew and that's why I liked them both.

 

Dave's story was sad. There wasn't a neat wrap-up with a pretty bow at the end. He was working through his issues and mending things with his parents and remaining brother. I liked that about this episode. It was similar to Charita's situation in that even after she had the family meeting with her parents to discuss her abortion, there wasn't a tidy resolution to the issues. It was just a day-by-day working through of the issues. It was messy, it was emotional, but it was REAL. Or so it seemed. Too much of the other participants storylines have been too scripted or too pushy, imho.

[Whimsy]

I believe the other brother, Chris, was the one who shot the gun that killed the youngest.  And the dad said he knew that Chris had been in the gun cabinet but didn't do anything about it.  David also said his brother had been in and out of jail--probably his way of dealing (or not).  There was plenty of guilt to go around.  Sad story. 

 That's what I missed.  I didn't know how the other sibling died.  That's really sad. 

[ramble]

I'm with y'all that got confused by the siblings dying. I was thinking how sad it was about his little sister when I realized I had missed something about a brother shooting a brother & had to rewind. I can't even imagine the family trauma 2 children dying within 6 weeks causes.

Dave was attractive in his own right when big, but he really looked great when he lost the weight. Just a good looking guy. He was essentially drama free to have had such drama in his life. He got in there & got it done. The "fight" was the only thing that bothered me too much. There's no way the professional doesn't best the guy completely if he's actually fighting. I know it was a moment of lifechanging overcoming spectacular importance, but c'mon we're not stupid.

When Dave hurt his ankle & Chris mentioned that hearing a pop is never good my youngest kiddo quickly disagreed with him. She explained all the ways a popping sound is no big deal. Then, because we've recently been watching Warehouse 13 (first time for her), she quoted an episode we saw a day ago:

A "woosh & twinkle" is a lot better than a "sizzle & splat" or worse a "zap & kerchow"

I laughed so much I got a a little goofy. Edited July 9, 2014 by ramble

[backformore]

Yeah, the beginning of the show said "at 17 years old David was forced to be the caretaker of his three siblings".  I thought by the wording that either his parents died, or the kids were taken from the parents and put in his custody, which would be highly unusual since he wasn't an adult yet. Sounds more like his parents had him babysit a lot. 

 

The sister died in the night, David blamed himself for forgetting to give her medication for seizures the night before.  He found her unresponsive in the morning.    Now, that was weird too.  No way a 17 year old should be responsible for giving meds to a kid.  AND - if he's giving her meds, putting her to bed, AND getting her up in the morning, WHERE are those parents?  They're not there in the evening OR the morning?

 

one brother shoots the other with dad's gun - and that's his fault, too, because he had  left the house.   What about the PARENTS who have an unlocked gun cabinet in a room where kids are playing? 

Though the parents said they never blamed him, I wonder if they might have said something at the time that it was his fault.  Either way, his parents share the blame for giving him the responsibility that they should have had.

Edited July 10, 2014 by backformore

[Whimsy]

Either way, his parents share the blame for giving him the responsibility that they should have had.

 

 

You have VERY good points about WHERE were those parents the night before and the next morning!?! That one, there could possibly be a good explanation, but if I had a child that had seizures unless they took their medication every day I wouldn't be leaving them overnight, even with a teenager.  At the very least, I would've called, told the teenager to give the medication RIGHT THAT MINUTE while I was on the phone so I could hear that it was done.

 

But, the one that I just can't wave away no matter how I think about it is the gun that was not locked up.  That is no excuse.  Ever.  The dad should've been blaming himself, not the young boy.  How many tragic stories do we hear about young kids "playing" with guns and accidentally killing friends or family members?  Way too many. 

 

The only thing I don't agree with is the quoted statement.  I don't think they share the blame, I think they should take full responsibility for the blame.  THEY were the parents.  THEY were responsible for both of those situations.  If they had been responsible parents neither of these incidents would've happened.

[AV8n]

IIRC, they said the gun safe was locked, but the brother broke into it. In the family chat, the dad mentioned that he knew his son had previously either broken into it or at least attempted to. I think that is why he blamed the kid who shot his brother.

Maybe the parents didn't intend to blame Dave for the deaths, but their actions or lack thereof certainly gave him that impression. Since he didn't call bullshit when they said they didn't blame him, I tend to think it's more that they let him think they did by not telling him otherwise.

[beaker73]

Chris summed up everything at the final weigh in.  He said that it was a Friday night close to graduation and the parents were away at work. David was home watching the younger siblings, but decided he wanted to go hang out with some friends and left. That was when the younger brother broke into the gun cabinet and shot the youngest brother.  Then 6 weeks later, David fell asleep before he could give the sister her seizure meds and the next morning they discovered she had died during the night.  It seems that maybe the parents worked the night shift, so David was often caring for them. 

[tribeca]

Don't think I have ever rooted harder for someone to make it more than I did for Dave.  Such sadness in that family.  Yet Dave with all his issues really wanted to do this for his girlfriend and finally for himself.    

    At the final weigh in I found it sweet when he had to empty his pockets & took out the ring.  Usually I hate those public displays (what if the person wants to say no.. No pressure there).   

   Looking at his parents they are just so much hurt there.  That was difficult to watch.   Hope Dave's mom does well with her golden ticket :) 

Do they show updates of the people given the golden ticket?

[Whimsy]

Chris summed up everything at the final weigh in.  He said that it was a Friday night close to graduation and the parents were away at work. David was home watching the younger siblings, but decided he wanted to go hang out with some friends and left. That was when the younger brother broke into the gun cabinet and shot the youngest brother.  Then 6 weeks later, David fell asleep before he could give the sister her seizure meds and the next morning they discovered she had died during the night.  It seems that maybe the parents worked the night shift, so David was often caring for them. 

 

Thanks for the summary.  Guess I should stop FF'ing Chris' summaries, huh?  I missed ALL of that.  If the parents work night shift, then I guess I do give them more leeway since they were working to support their family.  It's unfortunate that BOTH had to work the night shift, but I don't know the economy where they live 10 years ago.  That may be all they could get.  My heart does go out to the family.  That is a lot of tragedy in such a short time.

[beaker73]

I was only half paying attention and had to rewind.  I wish they would have given that explanation in the beginning of the episode, so I didn't spend the whole time trying to figure out what had happened. 

[ari333]

The, "look at you!" reminded me of Seinfeld when you don't know what to say and don't want to say anything bad and don't want to outright lie and don't want to say something straight up negative.. ("Wow... now that's a baby!")

[Canada]

I've worked as a cardiac nurse for many years and I've never encountered an ECG that looked like a heart attack, which turned out to be the complete opposite.... that the patient was just becoming a super athlete.  I call complete BS on that.  There are a number of situations that can mimic a heart attack on an ECG, none of which are healthy or good!  That doctor is a quack!

[Ketzel]

I've worked as a cardiac nurse for many years and I've never encountered an ECG that looked like a heart attack, which turned out to be the complete opposite.... that the patient was just becoming a super athlete.  I call complete BS on that.  There are a number of situations that can mimic a heart attack on an ECG, none of which are healthy or good!  That doctor is a quack!

 

 And never mind the whole “Dave is vomiting violently and repeatedly as he works out, so let’s rush him to the doctor” story line, that ended up with “Whoo hoo, Dave has the heart of an athlete!” So, ermm,what was up with all the vomiting?

 

And then the “cardiologist” morphs into the “orthopedist’ shaking her head over Dave’s injured ankle, without actually providing a diagnosis, at least not that I heard. Was it a strain? A sprain? A tear? Was it a tendon? A muscle? The joint?

Edited July 13, 2014 by Ketzel

[Canada]

It actually meant that he had the ankle of an athlete.  It was a good thing!  lol

[DangerousMinds]

Maybe Dave had gallbladder issues, which are very common in those who lose large amounts of weight quickly, and the show glossed over them? All that vomiting was not normal.

[backformore]

Good thought, DangerousMinds.  I've known a few people who had weight loss surgery and ended up with severe gall bladder problems afterwards.  My first and only gall bladder attack was after I lost 50 pounds, and then ate a meal higher in fat than I was now used to. 

[SmithW6079]

So Chris just picks a weight loss goal out of the air because it "feels right" to him? Isn't that what he said to Dave? It's statements like that, combined with the outrageous amounts of weight to be lost in such a short time that make me doubt his qualifications as a personal trainer, fitness coach, whatever. I was glad Dave didn't make those goals, but realized that it was the working out and eating healthy that mattered.

 

Dave's story was tragic, and good for him for managing to work through so many issues. I really admired his dedication, and when he said something to the effect that training for MMA made him think he missed out on being an athlete, I felt for him. It bothered me a little when he kept saying that his fiancee "deserved" the thin man he was becoming. No, dude, you deserve to be the man you were becoming.

 

Dave was another case, like Bruce, where they totally jumped the gun on skin surgery. He looked good, and for losing 200 pounds in a year, had remarkably little loose skin, which probably would have continued to tighten up. Is having a wrap-around body scar better than some loose skin? (The coming attraction showing the the former beauty queen who became obese -- now there is a candidate for skin surgery.)

[Ketzel]

 

So Chris just picks a weight loss goal out of the air because it "feels right" to him? Isn't that what he said to Dave? It's statements like that, combined with the outrageous amounts of weight to be lost in such a short time that make me doubt his qualifications as a personal trainer, fitness coach, whatever. I was glad Dave didn't make those goals, but realized that it was the working out and eating healthy that mattered.

Yes, Chris frequently says or does things that make me go "huh?" Like when he was shocked and disbelieving that Dave might be having a heart attack because Dave was "only thirty." As if there’s never been a morbidly obese thirty-year-old who launched all-out into an “extreme” exercise regimen, only to find his heart couldn’t take the stress? If that came as a surprise to Trainer Chris, he really has no business doing what he does.

[CaughtOnTape]

Still hate that they focus so much on numbers but Dave was inspiring.  His fight or flight workout was really intense to watch.

 

I wonder if you employ Chris as your personal trainer on your own if he pays attention to numbers so much.  I see a personal trainer, he has never once mentioned some magical number he wants me to get to.  In fact, when I weigh myself he gets pissed because it almost always disappoints me despite the fact that he and others can physically SEE my body changing.  He doesn't focus on my weight at all and more than once has rolled his eyes when I've mentioned that I'm gaining weight....his response is ALWAYS "Duh, you're adding muscle."

This show should employ more of that type of reveal than the weight.  LOOK at your body now versus 3 months ago.  Do you see a change?  Then we're headed in the right direction.  You don't?  Then let's revisit some things and change course.  I guess that wouldn't make for very compelling TV though.

[Eeksquire]

I think the numbers thing is, in part, dependent on where you're starting from.  If you're starting in the range of "merely" overweight, as opposed to "morbidly obese" then you have to rely on other measurements - inches lost, clothing size, etc. - because as @CaughtOnTape points out, if you're adding muscle, you're probably putting on weight.  I think when you're starting at 400+ pounds though, the measurement almost has to be pounds (though not necessarily exclusively) because if you're losing the weight rapidly enough that there is a lot of excess skin, you might still not be losing as many inches as you'd otherwise hope.  Plus, there's always the fact that it makes for dramatic television - they'd probably have to do a little educating of the audience, and maybe the contestants, to adopt a different measurement, whereas everyone already has a grasp on pounds.

[zillabreeze]

 

Yes, Chris frequently says or does things that make me go "huh?" Like when he was shocked and disbelieving that Dave might be having a heart attack because Dave was "only thirty." As if there’s never been a morbidly obese thirty-year-old who launched all-out into an “extreme” exercise regimen, only to find his heart couldn’t take the stress? If that came as a surprise to Trainer Chris, he really has no business doing what he does.

I haven't really paid much attention to any of the weight loss shows.  Has there avery been a health issue or injury from pushing people so fast?  Has there ever been a lawsuit from one of these shows?

[Eeksquire]

You know, one thing they didn't address in this episode (which I wish that they would!) is the fact that this man is a CHEF.  What impact does that have on him? I know they talked about him working 10-12 hour days (and then did I hear 12-14 once he got a promotion?), but they never addressed whether his choice of career had anything to do with his weight.  I mean, that could go in all kinds of directions - I seem to recall that at one point on one of the weight loss shows, there was a chef who pointed out that it was part of the job to taste the food they were cooking.  In addition, you're talking about a LONG time on your feet everyday, surrounded by high calorie/salt/etc. foods...

 

I don't know, seems like there was interesting ground to be covered there, but of course, none of these shows really spend much time addressing the food side of the equation (unless they can show us something gross about how the contestants are/were eating pre-CHANCE OF A LIFETIME CHANGE) and instead only like to show us the working out until vomiting ensues bit.

[zillabreeze]

 

You know, one thing they didn't address in this episode (which I wish that they would!) is the fact that this man is a CHEF.

Thanks Eeeks- I thought about that too.  It was a very big elephant in the room that was ignored.  First off, the current content of this show requires no more than an hour long show.  For two hours, there should be quite a bit about food and diet, but they gloss over it like it doesn't matter.

For that reason alone, after this episode I ditched it off the DVR.

[Mrsjumbo]

You all have such common- sense comments that it is a shame someone from the show does not read the comments.

The " heart attack that wasn't?"- they never explained the cause of the vomiting. And Chris, yes, a 30 yr old, 400+ lb man can have a heart attack.

The makeover- ugh, they should fire that stylist! Trying to dress a 30 yr old like Justin Beiber in colored jeans & black high tops & a pleather- looking vest. Ugh!

The surgery- they shouldn't just automatically do it, but wait till a later date after the final weigh in to see if it's necessary, & do a recap.

There was no discussion of his profession- chef- & whether he should rethink that environment.

He's a handsome guy & I'm glad he did so well despite all of the personal tragedy. The proposal was no surprise since they spoiled that in the intro- I hate when they do that!

It still bothers me that 1 walk with Chris with weights miraculously gave him a new way of thinking, when he should have been in therapy at after these tragedies occurred.

It reminds me of Jillian's 3 min therapy sessions on the Biggest Loser, & all of a sudden whatever problems made the contestant gain so much weight miraculously are gone, just with 1 talk.

[ali59]

Ya, ya, I know I'm really late to the party.  Regarding his sister's death.  She obviously had a seizure disorder and was on medication.  My son also had a seizure disorder and took medication everyday.  I don't know if all meds are the same but my son's meds were a blood level med.  This means that the med is effective when there's a certain level in the blood.  Missing one doss would not affect whether or not my son had a seizure and he certainly would not die if he missed one doss.  Like I said, I don't know the particulars about David's sister but it just seems weird that he blames missing a dose of medicine for her death.

 

David is a very good looking guy and I love his enthusiasm but he's a mouth breather and that kinda drives me crazy!  The meeting with his parents was really annoying too.  Mom seemed to say the right thing after awhile, that it wasn't David's fault, but his Dad!  Ugh!  He was so full of platitudes and didn't say anything comforting to David.

 

He looked great at the final reveal.  I think he's one of the first guys that I've seen lose so much weight and not still walk like a fat person at the end.