S08.E11: Weight-Loss Surgery

[3girlsforus]

2 minutes ago, Brooklynista said:

Whitney talking about WLS is probably a feeler to see how what kind of  blowback she the HAES community.  I think her decision will depend mainly on their response.

That probably will influence it but I think even more so if TLC tells her she can only have another season if it’s a surgery storyline - then she’ll get it. 

[Nicmar]

3 hours ago, sara1025 said:

Exactly. She was wants to tell them she wants it only for them to immediately say "NOOOO YOU DON'T NEED IT, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY PERFECT THE WAY YOU ARE! WHY WOULD YOU EVER CHANGE BECAUSE YOU'RE AMAZING!!!". She's constantly looking for validation and reassurance to stay at a dangerous weight.

Regarding the personal training venture, I was hoping she either forgot about it or gave up on it. I agree with all the other comments, she wouldn't have the attention span or the commitment to training someone one on one. She would make the training session all about her, probably brag about winning second place at a weight lifting competition (out of 2 people), finishing an 8k (all the while sobbing), etc etc.

Like Keeryn Feehan said she has a bunch of enablers family included.

[SunnyBeBe]

Now that's an idea.  I suspect that covid has really cut in to a lot of the cast members' regular incomes and this show is paying at least a few of their bills.  I can't imagine it pays too much to the cast members.  I can envision doing what you feel you have to in order to keep the paychecks coming in.  

[readheaded]

17 hours ago, mamadrama said:

You're right. And losing weight like that would totally go against brand. She's spent the past 7 seasons trying to "prove" that she can be fat AND fit AND fabulous. To do something drastic like WLS would be her saying that she's not those things, and Whitney's not going to let that go for a LONG time. 

Whitney doesn't want to lose weight or be healthy-she wants to be able to eat and act how she wants and for everyone to think she's wonderful for doing so. She can also blame anything that happens on fat shaming and a world that just doesn't understand. As long as she's fat she doesn't have to fix the REAL problem-her personality. 

Wouldn't it also mean that her obesity isn't really all about PCOS?  I totally understand that PCOS might make it hard to be a size 2, but I've never bought into the idea that it would render her morbidly obese.

[Kid]

6 hours ago, gaPeach said:

Not sure which friend said she has seen Whitney so tired from working out she couldn't make her own meal to eat.  And she starved herself to the point of passing out or dying.

The one thing Mt. Whitney will not die of is starvation.

[SunnyBeBe]

If I'm too tired to prepare food.....I consider it a blessing. lol

[Colleenna]

4 hours ago, 3girlsforus said:

Exactly. This is where some people get confused about how huge Whitney really is. She’s short so the numbers differ. Because of My 600 lb life show, people see 600 lbs as the benchmark for the horrendously fat - only people who weight that much would be bedbound or need a special doctor to have weigh loss surgery. So it sounds like at 350 (probably closer to 400) Whitney is a LOT less than that, right? Actually not so much because of her height. I’d have to go through the stats  but I would wager there have been people on My 600 lb life that have BMIs very close to Whitneys even though their weight is actually more. 

And we are starting to see the signs that she’s ‘that huge’. Just look at her physical activity on screen. She’s almost always sitting down leaning backward. She can’t really sit properly. She can’t stand up for any significant amount of time. Even if you compare her role in the NoBSActive videos - when she was with Ryan she was doing stupid stuff, but she was doing something. What we’ve seen from the ones with Jessica show her sitting on a bench opening and closing her legs - very my 600lb life. 

She’s in trouble. 

I ran the  numbers through a BMI calculator.  I was kind, and put in 325 (when we all know she's at least  350). At 325, 5'2" , her BMI would be  60, which qualifies as super morbidly obese.  

Sorry if this is a repeat  post --- I was experiencing technical difficulties earlier. 

[3girlsforus]

6 hours ago, gaPeach said:

Not sure which friend said she has seen Whitney so tired from working out she couldn't make her own meal to eat.  And she starved herself to the point of passing out or dying.......It sounded so nice it actually sounded very scripted.  Plus this friend earned herself more screen time ie bigger check.

 

5 hours ago, bichonblitz said:

Her friend Ashley said that. She's got a lot of camera time this season. Along with Tal. Ughhhh....gross. 

I will give Ashley one thing - I do believe that activity probably does exhaust Whitney far beyond what normal people experience. However it’s not from such an intense workout. It’s because she’s hefting around the equivalent of 1 1/2 whole extra people on her 5’2” frame and she’s becoming more and more impaired by it. So just the simple act of going outside with the dog or putting away groceries could do her in. Then she lays on the bed and hollers for Buddy to bring her salad, by which she means pizza. 

That said - she has NEVER passed out or come close to dying because she starved herself. If Ashley is talking about events like when she passed out during that dance competition, there were lots of reasons for that. Starvation was not one of them

[Snarkastikate]

Whew, all barnacles really worked overtime kissing the large dimpled ass of WWT.  Ashley deserves a standing ovation for her passionate emotional speech.  Bravo Ashley!  And Heather offering to have a stern talking to Ryan because he doesn't know his place was truly inspiring. 

I actually feel sorry for Buddy, who he sits there wishing for the day he could be free from the obligation of being caretaker, counselor & all around mop up man for his messed up friend.  A friend so messed up that it makes his own problems pale in comparison. 

Tal go away, your whining nonsense is annoying to the max.   Todd, what the hell?  Did they muzzle you, as someone suggested?  Your honest and witty repartee is sorely missed.

I agree with whoever said Whitney's in trouble.  I don't buy that she's pre-diabetic.  I'd bet she's full on diabetic, and likely much more.  We know she's got some mental issues due to her trips to the ER for panic attacks so she's on meds for that.  There's surely a lot going on with her health wise that isn't brought up on the show and I'll bet some doctor suggested she think about WLS.   I don't know what dating sites she's supposedly on, but I don't think insulting comments like those would be tolerated and would get someone booted from the site maybe if she reported them?  Just assuming.  All her crying about wanting to be normal was just looking for (and receiving lots of!) validation and assurance that she's just the best person on earth!.  

So we know that some time after the show stopped filming for the season she moved back to her barnacles.  So....why is this show still on?  Yes it's big & fat, but it's far from fabulous.  Whitney, do something fabulous!!  

[LEILANI2]

The message she read  said something about : good makeup doesn't make up for all the fat rolls or something close to that.  What hetereo fat shamer would allude to 'good makeup'. That one was written by Whitney or her make up person lol.

Also when they were all sitting outside and Whitney told them she was considering WLS, I was laughing when they all told her they supported her because they've seen her try to diet and exercise to no avail when she really wanted them to tell her she looked great or that she didn't need it.

But nope, they all kept saying do it Whiteny, DO IT!

Edited January 20, 2021 by LEILANI2

[cherenkov]

1 hour ago, Colleenna said:

I ran the  numbers through a BMI calculator.  I was kind, and put in 325 (when we all know she's at least  350). At 325, 5'2" , her BMI would be  60, which qualifies as super morbidly obese.  

Sorry if this is a repeat  post --- I was experiencing technical difficulties earlier. 

Oh yeah, assuming she's 325 she's still double the weight at which obesity starts for someone who is 5'2" tall. Perceptions of what is "huge" are very skewed. Watching her on that split screen, she's bigger than 325 and can barely lift her feet off the floor at all. She is close to immobility and being in a scooter. Her appearance at the gym was just as much of a disaster.

She can't do a lift properly to save her life. The starting position on the cleans horrified me. She's literally only using her back to lift and then despite the form being bad - and even Whitney who is utterly untrained knows it - Jessica encourages her to go heavier and heavier. BTW that "Strict press" wasn't a strict press. She's still using momentum to get the weight up. A true strict press goes from chin to full extension by only moving your arms. Jessica knows as much about lifting properly as any CrossFitter I've seen... which isn't much. And for Jessica to criticize Ryan who actually holds a degree in Exercise Science as if he doesn't know what he's doing is fucking hilarious.

[kicotan]

“ Do I do this so like, people will like me?”

Well...lots of adults spend lots of money to alter their appearance because they want to be or remain a certain “attractive” that others are drawn to so that people will either like them, love them, admire them, want to have sex with them, become their fans, purchase their merchandise, go on their cruise, subscribe to their monthly channel/website or watch their insidious television program.  

BL: Whitney and her barnacles depend on their TLC direct deposit and/or fame from being on the show that they can pimp out elsewhere.  Example:  It was revealed in this episode that Buddy is signing a lease with Whitney in Charlotte for 7 months while maintaining an apartment in Greensboro.  I’m unaware of any income for Buddy other than unemployment and the show.

Its been a few years since Whitney’s opportunities opened up by going viral with Todd in a big fat fabulous dance video.  I think it was Ashley that said “people change, times change, plans change” and that Whitney “tried to change the world”.  (This is the part in the script that teases the viewer to be curious about the change...or if there will be a change at all.)  Might be a good time to change it up and succumb to the reality that her obesity isn’t fabulous...get some therapy, eat right, exercise regularly ~she can reinvent herself being the change she wants to see in the world.  She could get therapy to work out why she thinks being fat instead of just being a bitch keeps her from making friends or a baby.  Might be good for another season or 2?

Reminds me of Kiss Unmasked/1983...so disappointing.

[princelina]

3 hours ago, sempervivum said:

I'm old, and (thank God) never had to use a dating app, but even I know that somebody who looks like Whitney would get cruel comments on social media. And I don't think it's necessarily people who've seen the show, and know the full extent of her grossness; I'm pretty sure she could parade naked through downtown Charlotte and nobody would know who she is. 

I have a friend who did online dating for 10 years and did find a husband in the end!  She is frankly not very attractive but did not get nasty remarks.  People are on social media to check each other out and make comments; I think people on dating sites are looking for someone to date, not looking to explain to the subpar why they're undateable.  I call producer shenanigans on this one.

 

3 hours ago, Persnickety1 said:

I believe the only way she would have weight loss surgery was if it was to keep feeding from the TLC trough.  Not for any of the right reasons, just to get herself another season or two.  

I think that's certainly part of it, but she did seem to be noticing how unhappy she really is, and honestly acknowledging that her weight is part of why she's unhappy is something she needs to do.  As long as addicts claim to be "happy" they don't have to face their addiction.  To admit it in public = to have to do something about it.  At this point I think some kind of "weight loss journey" is the only thing to save her show - be it WLS or the old-fashioned method.  I think people would tune in to snark for WLS and might tune in to cheer her on if she did it the other way and stopped being such a jerk to everyone.

[mamadrama]

I refuse to believe that her friends are relieved/excited at the thought of her returning to Greensboro. The only thing she contributes to the friendship is a producer with a videographer. 

[auntjess]

7 hours ago, sempervivum said:

How is it that the only friends she has in life are high school vintage? Doesn't she keep up with anyone she knows from college, her radio 'career', her cruises, etc.? 

Her "radio career" was a couple of month as I recall, and she stalked and spooked a guy, who later came out as gay.
My closest friends are mostly people I've worked with, so that would be Todd mostly.

 

[3girlsforus]

1 hour ago, mamadrama said:

I refuse to believe that her friends are relieved/excited at the thought of her returning to Greensboro. The only thing she contributes to the friendship is a producer with a videographer. 

I agree. I don’t think they are necessarily upset or against it, except for Glenn who knows she needs to get her ample ass in gear and stay with her business, but I don’t believe for a second they care that much. They certainly don’t ‘NEED’ her back in Greensboro as Tal was whining. The only way they actually need her in Greensboro is if, and this is a big if, if she got a new season, they are already contractually committed, and they don’t want to keep driving to Charlotte. 

[Elizzikra]

Quote

I actually feel sorry for Buddy, who he sits there wishing for the day he could be free from the obligation of being caretaker, counselor & all around mop up man for his messed up friend.  A friend so messed up that it makes his own problems pale in comparison. 

Other than the TLC paycheck, there's nothing stopping him. It's one thing to want to be a good friend to someone but it's another thing entirely to move to a totally different city, semi-permanently, because said friend can't stand living alone. And the thing is, what Whitney wants is so far beyond a roommate situation; she really has crafted Buddy into her de-facto life partner. That's not "helping a friend," it's enabling a friend to stay stuck in a life that doesn't provide either of them what they really want. I was surprised when Whitney said she was offended that Buddy only wanted to stay in Charlotte when he had a girlfriend. OF COURSE that's the case. Buddy doesn't like Charlotte and he's only staying there because Whitney guilts him into it and he has a hero complex about saving his poor, brokenhearted galpal. There's no other reason he would just be dying to live with Whitney. He was happy in Greensboro in his apartment. It's sad that she is so non-functional in her life that she can't find another solution to her sadness than uprooting a friend from a happy life to move in and be her fake husband.

[sara1025]

Also I love that the two people who were the most obnoxious about demanding other people wear masks, AREN'T wearing masks or social distancing when talking to eachother...

Heather confuses me. Sometimes she seems like she's fairly reasonable (like with the tattoo phone conversation), then all of a sudden she's up Whitney's ass. "Who does he think he is?!" Um, maybe the one doing MOST of the work for the brand?

 

[Kid]

6 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

If I'm too tired to prepare food.....I consider it a blessing. lol

Me too!!!!

[Yeah No]

I know these will probably be unpopular opinions here, but oh well.  I think Whitney is insufferable and I agree with everything negative that's said about her in that realm but when it comes to some things I differ with the majority here.

I don't know who determines these weight categories, but I'm 5'2" and when I weighed 164 lbs. I was wearing a women's size 12. Not exactly what anyone would consider "obese" and no one looking at me would think so either.  I think weight is carried differently by different people but those designations don't factor that in.  Some people are more muscular than others and some have heavier frames.

I think Whitney has gained a few pounds since the pandemic  from laying around her rented condo. and feeling sorry for herself, but not more than 25 or so lbs. by this episode, which for her weight is not that much of her total.  And seriously, given that pandemic weight gain and not getting as much exercise as before is a "thing" (which has also affected me) I'm not going to trash her for it.  I also think she's going through something like most people have been who find themselves limited in leading their regular lives because of the pandemic.  And that accounts for the soul-searching, goal questioning, future decision making quandary she finds herself in, too.  She's just making a much bigger deal out of it than most people because she's her and very self centered, and because she has a one hour show to pad out.  Some of it is real but it's unreal in the extent to which she's whining and moaning about it to everyone non stop.

I don't know if I believe that she and Ryan are equal partners in No BS Active.  I think he is just a barnacle like all the others and probably doesn't have equal status in anything to do with the show or the business.  In fact I think that he would stand to lose more monetarily if dropped from the show than if dropped from the business.  I don't think Whitney would have structured it any other way.  If she didn't give equal status to her long standing group of sycophants, then why would she do it with him?  So when she talks so casually about "replacing" him, she has some basis for saying that since she basically owns the business and can do whatever she wants with it.  It's just not particularly nice of her to do that to Ryan, but I'm not sold on his sainthood either just going by my gut instinct.  I think there's a lot going on behind the scenes that we aren't being told and which explains what is really going on here. 

I also don't blame the Twit for having her reservations about being too close to Ryan and suspending her business activity with him.  I just don't think she's being consistent with that though, because I wouldn't engage in some of the behavior she has been engaging in regarding mask wearing/not wearing and who she lets herself be around unmasked indoors.  Her idea of who she can and can't trust doesn't add up to me.  She is OK with being around "Lenny" unmasked indoors and yet would never do that with Ryan.  It makes no sense.  I get it that she worries about who Ryan has been around and whether he is being honest with her, but can she really trust Lenny on that score either?  I wouldn't.  Plus, as it has been pointed out, she could always do her sessions with Ryan outdoors.  I think part of her problem with trusting Ryan might have to do with suspecting that he knew more about Chase's relationship with the other woman that he never told her when things were happening with that.  And I don't really blame her for that either.  I get it that he and Chase are best friends for a long time, but I would think that he should tell his "business partner" that kind of information.

[lightninggirl]

I'm here for Will's juicy ass. Every day. I'd say "sorry, Jessica!" BUT I'M NOT SORRY. 

I love how the barnacles are all "move back!" - but they in no way contribute helpfully to her improving her life. 

They're also against Buddy signing a lease because that means he gets more air time and cuts into their time (and paycheck).

And they're freaking out about her suggesting that she get weight loss surgery because they can hear the clock ticking on their time on TLC if she gets thin. I can see their minds spinning, "But will the know it's my show IF THEY CHANGE THE NAME???? What if the ratings tank and my check goes down?"

I am loving that the camera people and the producers have let Tal go on for so long with that damn Dr. Spock talking head look. Every week when he pops on I can't believe he's STILL in that ugly shirt.

[SunnyBeBe]

It's easy to gain weight during the pandemic.  Many people that I know, including myself, have done it.  But, I don't think that is really the issue for Whit.  Eating disorders are deep, complex and often long standing.  What she battles started long ago.  (I do recall the photos of her in regular dance in college and how average size she was then.)  I think it's past the time that she's just going to snap out of it.   I wish her well.  I'm okay with Whit.   I see her point of how she pushes the buttons of some people who are bothered by her obesity, though.   She's fortunate that she still has a good support system and would be able to get fit, if she took that journey.  I would think that she and her friends realize that a huge weight loss story is a biggie for tv.  I hope the experts are honest with her though.  The surgery is not magical and will not fix everything.  I'd like for her to interview some actual patients to get their stories.  

[VioletNevermind]

Good Lord, this woman.  I question her sanity and relevance with every episode I watch, but who am I to talk?  I’m the one spending an hour each week watching a terribly unhealthy, deeply immature woman lifting a few weights in a parking lot and trying to decide whether she should move.  I’m constantly amazed that she has a show.  My life is not nearly exciting enough to merit a reality show, but I would bet that there’s just as much rich source material to pull from.  Just last week, I switched cable providers, met a new neighbor’s dog, and found a new pumpkin spice bread recipe that I want to try.  Call me, TLC!

I would also bet my next three paychecks and two fingers on my non-dominant hand on Whitney never (ever, ever) having weight-loss surgery.

Edited January 21, 2021 by Suzy Rhapsody

[Elizzikra]

Quote

I would also bet my next three paychecks and two fingers on my non-dominant hand on Whitney never (ever, ever) having weight-loss surgery.

I don't know that she would ever had it but I'm betting that it's the focus of another season - getting evaluated by a physician, making attempts to lose weight to qualify for it, going back and forth about whether it's the right thing for her to do, listening to everyone's fears about her dying (one way or another; maybe another staged funeral), etc. etc.

[auntjess]

12 minutes ago, Elizzikra said:

I don't know that she would ever had it but I'm betting that it's the focus of another season - getting evaluated by a physician, making attempts to lose weight to qualify for it, going back and forth about whether it's the right thing for her to do, listening to everyone's fears about her dying (one way or another; maybe another staged funeral), etc. etc.

I disagree, because I don't think there's enough left of this show to merit another season.
I'm here because I've seen everything else twice, and "series record" follows this, and so I look, awestruck by how little it offers.
Jessica, please don't partner with her.  You dad's the real deal, you too, and he's made a good business.  
Having Whit offer lessons is for die-hard fans of hers, but will not help your business.

[SunnyBeBe]

I obviously have no standards for my threshold of realty tv.  I tried to break free just before covid, but then got sucked down the rabbit hole.  TLC....and Bravo.....man, they are vapid.  I will break the addiction one day though, but not likely to happen during the pandemic.  I think that seeing the reality cast members deal with the pandemic does help some.  Trouble is that none of them are as strict as me and that can be frustrating. 

[Colleenna]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I obviously have no standards for my threshold of realty tv.  I tried to break free just before covid, but then got sucked down the rabbit hole.  TLC....and Bravo.....man, they are vapid.  I will break the addiction one day though, but not likely to happen during the pandemic.  I think that seeing the reality cast members deal with the pandemic does help some.  Trouble is that none of them are as strict as me and that can be frustrating. 

I miss the old TLC programming... A Baby Story was one of my favorites. 

[LibertarianSlut]

On 1/20/2021 at 12:45 AM, monagatuna said:

She's also, like...not that huge? Look, we live in a world where we'll never run out of My 600 Pound Life participants. And she's in the south. I don't know what the obesity rate in NC is, but when I lived there in the 80s it wasn't THAT unusual to see women like her on a daily basis, just out existing in the world.

I totally know what you mean by this.  She’s ginormous, I mean, that’s a fact, but there plenty of other people out there like her.  When Whitney was reading those “dating site comments” someone apparently commented that they never saw someone that big, and my husband was like, “...has that person been to a Wal-Mart?” (Even whilst ackowleding the comments were in all likelihood written by producers).  

I come from a very looks obsessed family (unfortunately) and when I was younger, my mom and grandma would sit by the public pool and scoff quietly about how fat the local mothers were.  My grandma had three categories, the only one I can remember was “bulldogs” (and that was the nice one!), but my point is that most of these women by the pool were only regular or morbidly obese, not too many up in the three hundreds, but there were enough that were up in the three hundreds and not particularly tall (and this was in the nineties when the population was thinner) that I’m not sure Whitney’s weight alone garners her a TV show.  

Fat and fabulous would be one thing.  But since there’s no fabulous, we can cross that one off.  So just fat?  She’s need to gain at least another 50 lbs to get a TV show just by virtue of her weight condition.  I know Whitney is hated and Chrissy Metz is adored, but if I look at nothing but their sizes, Chrissy is significantly bigger than Whitney at this point, and I would venture to guess that, even adjusting for height, Chrissy is at least 50 lbs heavier than Whitney, probably a lot more.  I would watch a show about Chrissy just navigating life at her size.  Whitney needs to deliver more, because while women her size are not quite a dime a dozen (thankfully for women), she doesn’t strike me as anything bigger than jut a super morbidly obese woman, and that’s not TV-worthy.  

Just to put it in perspective, Whitney is not close to 600-lb life, and those people only get an episode!  I ran the numbers just for fun and at 5’2” and 380 (her highest reported weight on this show) her BMI would be 69.5. At 333 (her last weight that we saw, IIRC) BMI is 60.9.  If I’m applying my opinion and not going by what the show tells me, I would probably split the difference and say she’s 350, so BMI is 64.  Conversely, even if a woman is very tall—say, 5’10” and 600 lbs—that tall woman’s BMI is a whopping 86.1.  The tallest person on 600-lb life was, I think, Doug at 6’6”, but he didn’t start at 600 lbs, he started at 684, and Whitney would have to weigh over 430 lbs to come close to Doug’s BMI.  

The upshot here is that if she was going to actually get the WLS (and I’ll save for another post why I don’t think she’s actually considering it) her current BMI is above 50, which makes her a candidate of the duodenal switch, the Mac daddy of bariatric surgeries.  Tons of long-lasting/permanent side effects, but people are supposed to be able to lose 70-100% of their excess weight in one year.  I’ve never seen it performed or the outcome with my eyes, so that would be a show I would watch with enthusiasm (which is another reason it’s never going to happen on this show 😃).

[bichonblitz]

On 1/20/2021 at 5:09 PM, LEILANI2 said:

Also when they were all sitting outside and Whitney told them she was considering WLS, I was laughing when they all told her they supported her because they've seen her try to diet and exercise to no avail when she really wanted them to tell her she looked great or that she didn't need it.

That is such BS. Whit was a lot heavier when the show started, she has lost some weight. Obviously still grossly obese but I believe she started at 380 and right before the pandemic at the beginning of the season she weighed in at the gym with Jessica and the scale said 339. Jessica was impressed with that but she acted like she didn't care because she wasn't obsessed with weight, she didn't even weigh herself anymore and  was only concerned with just being healthy! The lies! We have also seen footage on past seasons where Whit at one time got very serious about losing the weight (this was before the show but we saw the footage on the show) and actually lost 100 lbs. She still had over 100 to lose but it was a great start. She got bored, stopped working out and dieting and gained all 100 lbs back. Sooooo when her so called friends say she "tried" to lose weight to no avail, have they forgotten she has the capability of losing weight and has proven it in the past? They make it sound like she diets and diets and the weight never comes off. What morons!

Any type of weight loss surgery includes getting your mind right and your relationship with food right or it won't work, no matter how much of your stomach is removed. 

Edited January 21, 2021 by bichonblitz

[cherenkov]

1 hour ago, Colleenna said:

I miss the old TLC programming... A Baby Story was one of my favorites. 

Weight loss surgery is as close as it gets to my origins on TLC... when they would literally show a nonstop six hour heart bypass surgery while the surgeon explained how to do everything.

Maybe they can televise Whitney's inevitable surgery. She's going to need some very soon watching her try and work out with Jessica.

[LibertarianSlut]

Whitney’s behavior is really bad.  I don’t like how overly familiar she is with people.  She makes me very uncomfortable in the way she tries to control people (like Buddy having “a whole ass girlfriend”), she’s vindictive (spreading word that Ryan is a non-mask wearer because he isn’t doing her bidding), delusional (in her ability to think she is fit in any measurable way), and I think she is a major liar, to herself and to others, including the viewers, which is why I only half-assedly watch this show (and if it comes back for another season, I’m not watching unless there’s demonstrable weight loss when the show opens, not promise of weight loss).  There are things that she has said about her world view on the show that make me want to lurch.  

I agree with everything everyone said that she didn’t want weight loss surgery; that conversation was a pretext to get all of her friends to tell her just how great she was exactly how she is.  I was rating everyone’s responses for how closely they toed the party line, and Todd had to have come out on top with the line (paraphrasing): “So you’re going to get the surgery and lose weight but then have an identity crisis?!?”  Lol Todd.  Well played, Lemon.  

I think that Whitney would jump at the chance to get the surgery if it meant one surgery and she was suddenly Mila Kunis in Black Swan

Likewise, Whitney would jump at the chance to get the surgery if it would make her look like Jessica, even if it meant she would lose the show, because that is how much better of a quality of life I think she thinks being thin is over being very, very, very fat (and she’s probably not wrong to the extent she feels that way).  But she is smart enough to know (I think) that she would probably lose 150 lbs tops (and that would be with a ton of hard work and time in addition to the surgery side effects), and then she’d be, 5’2” and 175-220, which is a huuuge improvement, but still obese, and—this is the part that rarely gets mentioned—she would have tons of sagging skin that would probably have to be surgically removed, which is very painful, or she would just have to live with it, and—I’ve seen pictures of people who go to this length but not farther—she may not look much better at 5’2” and 175 with a shit-ton of excess skin, not to mention no reduction in stretch marks, cellulite, misshapen parts etc, than she does at her current weight.  And I think this is at least 70% about looks.  Regardless of whether Whitney talks about health, given the fact that she was a smoker, and the types of foods she does eat, I think she only pays lip service to health.  So I think this is all a wash because weight loss surgery is not going to get her to that “perfect” 120 lbs she was (probably for five minutes) when she entered college and she knows it, so to hell with it, bring on the next “salad” and just revel in how “awesome” you are.  

Very fat women can get men.  Very fat women of means can get even more men.  When Dance Moms was on, Abby Lee Miller, who was close to Whitney’s size for a lot of the series, made no bones about the fact that she’d call an agency and they’d send her over a date.  If men have no shame about doing that, why should women?  If she is looking for someone to fulfill her emotionally, she might have to come to terms with the fact that the guy in question might look more like Buddy than Chase or Ryan, and who cares, if there’s no body shame, shouldn’t there be no looks shame?  The problem is, Whitney wants to be super morbidly obese and be able to attract a guy with model good looks who likes her for her, looks and personality, and that’s not going to happen, at least until she ups her personality game, which she’s not going to do, because all she does is get positive feedback from her sycophants.  And even with a great personality, people aren’t blind, and it might take her a very long time to meet a very hot man who is physically attracted to her.  That’s life. 

Having said all that, I think the comments to her on the dating site were made up, because they didn’t ring real—if I recall correctly, they didn’t even show the messages.  I think that is a really fucked up thing to make up, because it distorts the story.  What is life like as a really fat, but supposedly smart, assertive woman who takes no crap (the person she is pretending to be)?  I don’t think it includes a series of devestating critiques on her weight and body from guys who don’t know her from Adam.  This is just pure dishonesty IMO.  And I think it hurts fat women who are thinking of putting themselves out there, because it’s not a realistic reflection of how they will be treated.  [edited to add—didn’t she cry “fat terrorism” several seasons back?  They were going on a road trip and someone spraypainted “fat bitch” or something on the RV, much to her “surprise,” but the message was written on the sidewalk side, not the street side, and there were a bunch of other suspicious things about it that made it ring false?  In the law, we call this “prior bad acts”, and if they’re admitted into evidence, the jury can weigh them to consider how likely it is that the defendant is repeating their bad behavior.  My verdict?  Guilty!]

That’s where she’s wrong.  And horrible.  But I don’t think she’s 100% wrong about 100% of the issues.  For example:  

16 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I don't know if I believe that she and Ryan are equal partners in No BS Active...So when she talks so casually about "replacing" him, she has some basis for saying that since she basically owns the business and can do whatever she wants with it.  

Totally.  Ryan and Jessica are both kissing her ass and trying to get her to team up with them because Whitney, not they, have the marketable concept, which is super fat woman exercising.  There are a million fit people exercising who don’t have the following that Whitney does.  That’s just the way it is, not the way I choose for it to be.  It doesn’t matter if Ryan is doing all the work (and he is looking increasingly doughy to the point where it would almost look like two out of shape people training, which I think betrays the concept).

This business relationship reminds me of that classic example of business operations that, even if it costs $30 to valet a car at the Ritz Carlton, the valet isn’t receiving that $30; the vast bulk of it is going to the people who had the idea for the Ritz, the people who built the Ritz, the people who set up the system, etc.  So it’s not about who jumped on the bandwagon and picked up what was already a popular idea; it’s about the person who launched the popular idea.  And if there is any doubt as to who has the power, it is removed for me when Ryan and Jessica are both cooing at her and kissing her ass.  If their ideas were self-sustaining, they wouldn’t need Whitney.  Ryan ought to be especially embarrassed for issuing that ultimatum last episode that if Whitney leaves Charlotte, that there would be no more BS Active, to essentially meeting her at a restaurant and cooing at her that he would just be tickled pink if Whitney would “sign something,” and it was crystal clear to me that if she balked, they would continue to operate from the split screen, or perhaps Ryan would travel to Greensboro.   

One should never issue an ultimatum that he is not prepared to carrry out, because that weakens that person’s word, and then no one is ever afraid to call their bluff in far more dire situations.  Ryan should walk away with his head held high, and if she breached a contract, sue her.  This is gross.  

16 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I also don't blame the Twit for having her reservations about being too close to Ryan and suspending her business activity with him [...]I think part of her problem with trusting Ryan might have to do with suspecting that he knew more about Chase's relationship with the other woman that he never told her when things were happening 

Yes, this is plain as day that she is holding a grudge against Ryan as a proxy for Chase.  And I can’t say I completely blame her.  Collateral damage from ruined relationships is very much a thing.  Where I take umbrage is that rather than being honest about her feelings, Whitney is making up every excuse under the sun, including the idea that Ryan is “very social” (aka he is trying to get everyone infected) instead of just saying, “I don’t want to see Chase, and, considering how painful that situation is for me, I don’t want to see Ryan.  This is how I feel and I am going to get therapy about it, but in the interim, I am going to break off my business relationship with Ryan, and if there are costs to pay, I am prepared to pay them.”  I wouldn’t hold that against her, whether this was scripted or reality or somewhere in between.  Some people get divorced and find that they have lost friends that go back decades, because the friends chose the other spouse.  I am here to watch a show about interesting, realistic scenarios, and people taking responsibility for their feelings and actions, not necessarily people who can rise above all pettiness and act like saints.  So, if she went about this as an adult, I wouldn’t have a complaint against it, but she’s being a baby, and that’s what I don’t respect.  

Edited January 22, 2021 by LibertarianSlut
Forgot about the truck incident

[Colleenna]

3 hours ago, LibertarianSlut said:

Very fat women can get men.

YES. Shitney's friend Ashley is proof of this. Ashley is obese and yet has a man (I've looked at her social media and he's not bad looking) AND a baby. So gosh, Twit, if it's not obesity, whatever could it be that's keeping you single? 🙄

[auntjess]

5 hours ago, LibertarianSlut said:

Very fat women can get men.  

Indeed, a lot of the 600 Lb women have men, and one broke up with her fiancé, and got another one by the next commercial.

[cherenkov]

8 hours ago, auntjess said:

Indeed, a lot of the 600 Lb women have men, and one broke up with her fiancé, and got another one by the next commercial.

Whitney typically wants a fit, athletic guy. She generally doesn't go for anyone whose BMI tips into obese. Overweight at most. That is unrealistic for her.

[sempervivum]

12 hours ago, Colleenna said:

Ashley is obese and yet has a man (I've looked at her social media and he's not bad looking) AND a baby.

Ashley has a beautiful face and long, thick hair. For some men, that has almost as much attraction as a conventionally shaped body. Whitney, to my eyes, is kind of homely without makeup, and has a tendency to spend most of her time in tight top knots and clothing that makes her look even bigger than she is. There's something not very feminine about her, imo.

16 hours ago, LibertarianSlut said:

I think the comments to her on the dating site were made up, because they didn’t ring real—if I recall correctly, they didn’t even show the messages

Didn't she say she got no responses except insults? And didn't one of them refer to her as a rhinoceros or something?😏 And of course (real or not) she'd bring them up, because whenever she's not casting herself as a fierce invincible warrior of fat pride, she's a pitiable victim of fat shaming. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I have compassion for people who put themselves out there and try to find love, friendship or connections.  It's human nature and to do it when you risk such rejection is even more risky.  If we look at what Whit has gone through with her breakup, it's understandable that her emotions are particular fragile right now.  (I don't put as much emphasis into Whit's breakup with Chase, due to the fact that as much as I like the show, I don't buy that storyline and I'm not sure I ever will.  Multiple things about it don't add up for me, but I do think it was a good story. I hope the next saga will be more real, like actually seeing some facts about bariatric surgery.)    

[LuvMyShows]

On 1/20/2021 at 11:32 AM, Persnickety1 said:

Years ago, a patient at the hospital I worked had weight loss surgery (when the gastric bypasses were a relatively new procedure, and the hospital I worked at had a specialist from San Francisco come in and perform them about twice a month).  This particular patient had the surgery, was doing well postoperatively, and was sent home after 3-4 days.

She came back via ambulance that same night with excruciating pain.  The SF specialist was still in town and immediately came in to evaluate her.  He could find nothing wrong with her incisions, her vital signs were normal, etc.  

Upon further questioning, this patient revealed her family had a "welcome home BBQ" for her the afternoon she came home.  She admitted to eating bread, ribs, and potato salad at the BBQ.  

The very day she went home, she started gorging.  The surgeon was mortified.  She earned herself another 3-day hospital stay.  I don't know what happened to her after that.

When Whitney was talking about weight loss surgery, I immediately thought of the patient above and how I could easily see Whitney behaving in such a way.  

I believe the only way she would have weight loss surgery was if it was to keep feeding from the TLC trough.  Not for any of the right reasons, just to get herself another season or two.  

SMH at that story!  And totally agree about her motivation for WLS being plot-driven, although I do believe that the unhappiness she is expressing about her life/appearance are genuine and has been there for years, but she has tried to deny it to herself.

23 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I would think that she and her friends realize that a huge weight loss story is a biggie for tv.  I hope the experts are honest with her though.  The surgery is not magical and will not fix everything.  I'd like for her to interview some actual patients to get their stories.  

On 1/20/2021 at 9:08 AM, gaPeach said:

Not sure which friend said she has seen Whitney so tired from working out she couldn't make her own meal to eat.  And she starved herself to the point of passing out or dying

Every single thing she has said so far about possible WLS has been totally magical-fix focused.  She only knows extremes...she has no concept how to do moderation.  And as we know, life after WLS will require an entirely new lifestyle featuring moderation.

On 1/20/2021 at 2:07 PM, Brooklynista said:

Whitney talking about WLS is probably a feeler to see how what kind of  blowback she gets from the HAES community.  I think her decision will depend mainly on their response.

Does anyone know what the response has been?  I imagine it would really be conflicting to them.

On 1/21/2021 at 4:03 AM, Yeah No said:

So when she talks so casually about "replacing" him, she has some basis for saying that since she basically owns the business and can do whatever she wants with it.  

Yes that is factually correct from a legal perspective, but by making that comment, she gives dismissively short shrift to Ryan's enormous contributions.  

[cherenkov]

6 minutes ago, LuvMyShows said:

Yes that is factually correct from a legal perspective, but by making that comment, she gives dismissively short shrift to Ryan's enormous contributions.  

She's correct that she can take her brand and her trademark and leave, and he can't use it.

She is absolutely wrong that "anyone else" could do Ryan's actual part of the work in the business. The man has a degree in exercise science and it has been his career field ever since. He is actually qualified to write exercise plans, adaptations to exercises, and meal plans with balanced nutrients. None of Whitney's friends have those qualifications. Not even Jessica lists what her certification actually is - NASM or ACE would be the accredited ones - and there's no degree listed either.

[princelina]

1 hour ago, sempervivum said:

Ashley has a beautiful face and long, thick hair. For some men, that has almost as much attraction as a conventionally shaped body. Whitney, to my eyes, is kind of homely without makeup, and has a tendency to spend most of her time in tight top knots and clothing that makes her look even bigger than she is. There's something not very feminine about her, imo.

Also - Ashley was fat when the show started, but lost some weight and was barely seen for a season or two until she became pregnant and they brought her back.  I'm wondering if she met the man when she was thinner.

[3girlsforus]

11 minutes ago, princelina said:

Also - Ashley was fat when the show started, but lost some weight and was barely seen for a season or two until she became pregnant and they brought her back.  I'm wondering if she met the man when she was thinner.

People of all sizes meet partners. But many of them meet those people in situations where they can actually get to know someone - work, activities, gym, hobbies, clubs etc. If you start to get to know someone and really like them, excess weight can become less significant. However, if you are morbidly obese and rely on dating websites where really the only way to start a connection is physical attraction, its going to be harder. Whitney never does anything and never meets people so even if she was a great person, no one is ever going to know because she just sits at home - and this was pre-pandemic too. I think she counted on her pseudo fame from the show to have men falling at her feet. It backfired because even if they didn’t care about her weight, the show makes her look like a horrible person. 

[princelina]

24 minutes ago, 3girlsforus said:

People of all sizes meet partners. But many of them meet those people in situations where they can actually get to know someone - work, activities, gym, hobbies, clubs etc. If you start to get to know someone and really like them, excess weight can become less significant. However, if you are morbidly obese and rely on dating websites where really the only way to start a connection is physical attraction, its going to be harder. Whitney never does anything and never meets people so even if she was a great person, no one is ever going to know because she just sits at home - and this was pre-pandemic too. I think she counted on her pseudo fame from the show to have men falling at her feet. It backfired because even if they didn’t care about her weight, the show makes her look like a horrible person. 

I agree and have actually said that about Whitney several times here already 😄 

[bichonblitz]

4 hours ago, cherenkov said:

Whitney typically wants a fit, athletic guy. She generally doesn't go for anyone whose BMI tips into obese. Overweight at most. That is unrealistic for her.

Whitney has never had a fit guy. Lenny and Avi were fat and the radio guy that turned out to be gay was overweight. Even Buddy who she is secretly in love with is fat. The only one close to fit was Chase and we all know that was a fake relationship. 

25 minutes ago, 3girlsforus said:

It backfired because even if they didn’t care about her weight, the show makes her look like a horrible person. 

Whitney makes herself look like a horrible person. 

[cherenkov]

Just now, bichonblitz said:

Whitney has never had a fit guy. Lenny and Avi were fat and the radio guy that turned out to be gay was overweight. Even Buddy who she is secretly in love with is fat. The only one close to fit was Chase and we all know that was a fake relationship. 

It's not what she's had... but it is what she wants. Remember her getting all worked up about that dude at Will's gym? The one who is actually Jessica's boyfriend...

[Tipsymcstagger]

On 1/21/2021 at 12:54 PM, Suzy Rhapsody said:

My life is not nearly exciting enough to merit a reality show, but I would bet that there’s just as much rich source material to pull from.  Just last week, I switched cable providers, met a new neighbor’s dog, and found a new pumpkin spice bread recipe that I want to try.  Call me, TLC!

Yes...but are you also a narcissistic, super morbidly obese asshole? If not - TLC ain’t interested. 😉

Edited January 22, 2021 by Tipsymcstagger

[3girlsforus]

59 minutes ago, princelina said:

I agree and have actually said that about Whitney several times here already 😄 

Yep. We have all said these things many times. We know Whitney reads here. Maybe if we say it enough she’ll get it. Maybe not 😁😁

[Snarkastikate]

1 hour ago, Tipsymcstagger said:

Yes...but are you also a narcissistic, super morbidly obese asshole? If not - TLC ain’t interested. 😉

 But it would help if you can bray really loud, are willing to get naked & pee in the pool (and announce it) & have lots of ugly-ass tats. 

[jacksgirl]

If Whitney had a man in her life, all this WLS talk wouldn't be happening. 

[Alapaki]

The premise of the show was always that Whitney’s life was sooooo fabulous DESPITE her size.  She didn’t need to lose weight. She was exercising to avoid *shriek* ‘pre-diabetes’

NOW we hear that she WAS trying to lose weight. But NOT because she wanted to. But because she wanted other people to like her. 

AND, she tried to work on her self-esteem NOT for her own good, but once again to try to get people to like her.

We’ve NEVER seen her date someone who wasn’t being paid to date her. 

And it’s because her REAL life is the antithesis of the premise of the show 

[VioletNevermind]

18 hours ago, Snarkastikate said:

 But it would help if you can bray really loud, are willing to get naked & pee in the pool (and announce it) & have lots of ugly-ass tats. 

Three strikes and I’m out (thank God).

[Persnickety1]

On 1/21/2021 at 11:24 AM, Elizzikra said:

I don't know that she would ever had it but I'm betting that it's the focus of another season - getting evaluated by a physician, making attempts to lose weight to qualify for it, going back and forth about whether it's the right thing for her to do, listening to everyone's fears about her dying (one way or another; maybe another staged funeral), etc. etc.

I want more moments like this one.