Small Talk: Only 2 Ounces Of Commenting Allowed

[auntjess]

I see now too, that My Weight is Killing me has a topic/thread in this forum.
 

[Hero]

Okay, I watched a BBC documentary on "feeders," and all I can say is wow. This Mark guy is literally killing his wife with food.I can't believe she gained 400+ pounds while with him! It's not love, it's abuse, and it's disturbing. He creeps me out. I know it must make these women feel great to be "loved" by someone, but these guys don't love these women. They are only attracted to their bodies and nothing else. 

 

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDtygpzybHk - This is definitely NSFW

Edited February 3, 2015 by Suzy123

[swankie]

I can't believe that on the TLC website for My 600 lb Life, they are running adds for Red Robin and Dove Chocolate.  I mean, really?!  smdh

[Armchair Critic]

The girl from My Big Fat Fabulous Life is so funny and full of life... I hate to say it but most of the people on My 600 Pound Life would probably bore her and she could not relate to them. Maybe the newest person they showed Amber she would get along with her since Amber seemed sharper than most.

[non sequitur]

Whitney appears to be in a bit of a denial about her weight.  She doesn't seem to think of herself as morbidly obese.  

[PityFree]

Who is the Ruby person whom some of you have mentioned?

[QueBueno]

Ruby Gettinger was one of the first reality stars in the "fatsploitation" shows - showing how she lived in a normal-sized world.  It was 6-7 years ago, and for the time it was something most people hadn't seen before.  Now there are many similar shows.  She has an outsized (and frankly kind of grating) personality, a group of friends who were like family, a former boyfriend with a will they-won't they relationship, and some weight loss the first year or so and not much afterwards - just lots of excuses.  But I still have a soft spot for Ruby.

 

For those who ever read her very ungrammatical and a little bit juvenile Facebook posts in the past, I just looked at her FB and she must have someone else writing her posts now.  If the pictures are current, she does seem to have lost more weight recently.

[non sequitur]

Ruby was also friends with Rascal Flatts and some other celebrity which probably factored into her show.  I like Ruby also, but the non remembering of her childhood 'plot' kind of ruined things.

[KarmaG]

But I still have a soft spot for Ruby.

 

I will forever have a soft spot for Ruby. Though I saw through the BS long before she admitted to it, I loved watching her. I hated the will they won't they with Denny. Denny is a creep and should never have been on the show. I also agree about her memory block of her childhood. It all implied she was molested by a family member. As having been through that as a child myself, I would just appreciate honesty about it. if it happened then acknowledge it and deal with it (counseling if it works for the person) but lets not drag this out as though it's something good or to be toyed with as a plot twist/item.

[QueBueno]

I've always had some quirks and differences - weight gain when I was a toddler, difficulty in forming relationships, jumpiness, sensitivity to sound, etc. It never dawned on me that these things could be related. I went to a few therapy sessions once, and the therapist asked me if I'd ever been molested as a child. I said no, never. She shook her head a bit like she doubted that, but didn't pursue it. Forward a few years, and I'm watching an episode of Ruby. Ruby was talking to Rosie O'Donnell (of all people - I can't stand her normally) about the blocked memories of her molestation, and that she had no proof of it. Rosie said, "If you have enough evidence, you don't need proof." Bam. She was absolutely right. I started thinking about it, and everything fit - everything - that I must have been molested as a child and I repressed it. My symptoms are textbook PTSD/child abuse. And based on conversations I had with my mom, I'm pretty sure of who did it. Like Ruby, I will never have proof. But do I think it happened? Absolutely. So I don't disbelieve Ruby at all. But I do agree it dragged on way too long.

[beesknees]

http://unfuckyourhabitat.tumblr.com/

 

When I get unmotivated to clean/organize I watch "Hoarders" and do something I call "tornado cleaning" during commercial breaks.  Its amazing how much can get accomplished even when you're feeling lazy.  When I find myself overeating for a few days or so (or make unhealthy food choices) I tend to watch marathons of "My 600-lb. Life".  Thanks for the UFYH link - brilliant idea!

Edited February 17, 2015 by beesknees

[scowl]

When I get unmotivated to clean/organize I watch "Hoarders" and do something I call "tornado cleaning" during commercial breaks.  Its amazing how much can get accomplished even when you're feeling lazy. 

 

I did that with Intervention. Whenever they showed a crack house that an addict was living in, I would pause it until I made my house look slightly cleaner. Unfortunately I can't relate to these weight loss stories since I'm only trying to maintain my ideal weight by eating less but they sure show the body can destroy itself.

[beesknees]

I will forever have a soft spot for Ruby. Though I saw through the BS long before she admitted to it, I loved watching her. I hated the will they won't they with Denny. Denny is a creep and should never have been on the show. I also agree about her memory block of her childhood. It all implied she was molested by a family member. As having been through that as a child myself, I would just appreciate honesty about it. if it happened then acknowledge it and deal with it (counseling if it works for the person) but lets not drag this out as though it's something good or to be toyed with as a plot twist/item.

 

I really miss "Ruby" and wish they would bring the series back, Ruby's struggles and all.  The only thing I didn't like was how TPTB  dragged out the potential childhood molestation story line forever and a day.  BTW did we ever get an answer on that?  Seems like they left that situation hanging.  I've heard/read it somewhere that one of the main reasons the "Ruby" series was pulled was because Ruby was lying/not losing weight but I didn't mind that too much because I thought the whole point of the series was to show just how hard it is for people to lose weight and the real-life struggles they face in their weight loss journey.

Edited February 19, 2015 by beesknees

[KarmaG]

I really miss "Ruby" and wish they would bring the series back, Ruby's struggles and all.  The only thing I didn't like was how TPTB  dragged out the potential childhood molestation story line forever and a day.  BTW did we ever get an answer on that?  Seems like they left that situation hanging.  I've heard/read it somewhere that one of the main reasons the "Ruby" series was pulled was because Ruby was lying/not losing weight but I didn't mind that too much because I thought the whole point of the series was to show just how hard it is for people to lose weight and the real-life struggles they face in their weight loss journey.

 

No, they never truly answered the was she or wasn't she question about the abuse. We are to just guess and I am sure most of us are guessing it really happened. And yes, she lost the show because she lied to production too many times. A show gets stale with the same premise and same person season after season. Her ratings were in the toilet the last season so with her not making any progress, and none going to come, there was no point continuing the show.

[auntjess]

So now there's another one, on Discovery Life (ex-Discovery Fit & Health), from the UK, called My Big Fat Operation.
Watched a little, and sometimes the accent gets hard to follow.

[ethalfrida]

I am watching it now. DVR'd it ...

[Brooklynista]

http://7online.com/health/woman-known-as-half-ton-killer-shares-weight-loss-journey/533945/

Wasn't sure where to put this. I remember her from Half Ton Killer. Penny, take notes.

[Hero]

http://7online.com/health/woman-known-as-half-ton-killer-shares-weight-loss-journey/533945/

Wasn't sure where to put this. I remember her from Half Ton Killer. Penny, take notes.

I remember watching this. It's sad that her sister actually let her take the blame. I'm glad she is getting healthier and happier.

[ChickenLatte99]

I get a little annoyed with this show if the participant says the following:

 

"I found a doctor that's willing to do my surgery."

 

AND...

 

"I hope the doctor doesn't turn me away."

[KarmaG]

I get a little annoyed with this show if the participant says the following:

 

"I found a doctor that's willing to do my surgery."

 

AND...

 

"I hope the doctor doesn't turn me away."

 

Same here. The production team needs to take that out of the script. We know they aren't going to get turned down and we know the dr is Dr Now.

[Hero]

Do you think because of their weight, that the women on this show show stop having their periods? I can't imagine being 600lbs or more having to deal with a period. Also, having to be the one bathing that person.

Edited February 27, 2015 by Suzy123

[Brooklynista]

Do you think because of their weight, that the women on this show show stop having their periods? I can't imagine being 600lbs or more having to deal with a period. Also, having to be the one bathing that person.

I have to believe it's true that the periods stop. For the sake of my sanity I can't allow my brain to know Penny is in a Pee, Poop AND Period bed.

That adds a whole nother dynamic to the meatloaf recipe that I just ain't ready for.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Brooklynista

[Hero]

I have to believe it's true that the periods stop. For the sake of my sanity I can't allow my brain to know Penny is in a Pee, Pood AND Period bed.

That adds a whole nother dynamic to the meatloaf recipe that I just ain't ready for.

Lol! That just sounds so gross!

[momofsquid]

Do you think because of their weight, that the women on this show show stop having their periods? I can't imagine being 600lbs or more having to deal with a period. Also, having to be the one bathing that person.

 

I had wondered the same thing and had even typed the question in here and deleted it. Thank you for bringing it up! What I wonder is if the caregivers, who are often male family members, have to be the ones to deal with the feminine hygiene products. I mean, if the women can't reach to wipe themselves, and Penny babbled about the difficulties in cleaning her own vagina, then I would assume that leaves the husbands and sons to apply and change the necessary products. Yeah, let's just hope the periods stop.

[non sequitur]

Oh dear.  Bad news.  IIRC, when there are more fat cells there is more estrogen produced causing a period to actually be heavier.  Women who are underweight have less fat cells and can lose their period.  Extreme stress though can often stop it.

 

I didn't think about the male caregivers having to deal with this issue.

[Muffyn]

I had wondered the same thing and had even typed the question in here and deleted it. Thank you for bringing it up! What I wonder is if the caregivers, who are often male family members, have to be the ones to deal with the feminine hygiene products. I mean, if the women can't reach to wipe themselves, and Penny babbled about the difficulties in cleaning her own vagina, then I would assume that leaves the husbands and sons to apply and change the necessary products. Yeah, let's just hope the periods stop.

I would assume that Penny doesn't use the products that we might.  She doesn't wear underwear, so there is no place to adhere a pad.  She could try to find the old school pads with belts, but that would be a one mighty big belt.  And now I'm having visions of Edgar helping with tampons, but I think she probably uses bed pads at all times (similar to puppy pads).  She can just roll on and off as needed.  Alright, I'm queasy now. 

[Galloway Cave]

LA LA LA LA LA barf LA LA LA LA LA barf LA LA LA LA LA barf

 

But seriously, at least some of these women are still cycling since they had children when they were in the 400-450 pound range.

[Betweenyouandme]

I would assume that Penny doesn't use the products that we might. She doesn't wear underwear, so there is no place to adhere a pad. She could try to find the old school pads with belts, but that would be a one mighty big belt. And now I'm having visions of Edgar helping with tampons, but I think she probably uses bed pads at all times (similar to puppy pads). She can just roll on and off as needed. Alright, I'm queasy now.

Oh great. And then little Dandy it whatever his name is rolls around in her bed while they eat ALL the cereal they want.

The smells. The mess. Look mommy. I'm finger painting! A red heart! A brown tree! A yellow sun!

God, save the children.

[auntjess]

Now there's My Big Fat Operation, a UK series.

I've decided that fat is the new Amish.

[Ocean Chick]

This discussion reminds me of the old Intervention series.  They had one young woman who was hooked on fentanyl lollipops for some (imaginary) illness.  She lived in the L.A. area and was completely kookoo.  Anyways, the family had sent out one of her brothers to take care of her.  Which included everything.  She had times when she refused to wear ANY clothing, and the poor brother had to tape pads to her body during her periods.

 

That brother was a saint.

 

Maybe Edgar and Dillon use packing tape to adhere pads to their patients.

[scowl]

The woman was eventually diagnosed as schizophrenic. It was obvious within the first five minutes that her fentanyl addiction was just one of her serious problems.

 

Her brother was clearly getting tired of dealing with her and her delusions. Remember when she complained to her brother that she can't turn to her left to get something he got her?

 

"Just turn to the right three times."

 

Awesome guy.

[ethalfrida]

This discussion reminds me of the old Intervention series.  They had one young woman who was hooked on fentanyl lollipops for some (imaginary) illness.  She lived in the L.A. area and was completely kookoo.  Anyways, the family had sent out one of her brothers to take care of her.  Which included everything.  She had times when she refused to wear ANY clothing, and the poor brother had to tape pads to her body during her periods.

 

That brother was a saint.

 

Maybe Edgar and Dillon use packing tape to adhere pads to their patients.

I totally remember that. Of all the ones watched it is stuck in my head as the most foolish and the grossest one (aside from the stack of poo in the toilet on Hoarders).

[ethalfrida]

Now there's My Big Fat Operation, a UK series.

I've decided that fat is the new Amish.

Do you think MBFO is better towards the patients than My 600b Life? 

[auntjess]

I'm not sure I saw an entire show, just most of the man's show.

[Betweenyouandme]

MBFO is very, very boring, imo.

[shoovenbooty]

Do you think because of their weight, that the women on this show show stop having their periods? I can't imagine being 600lbs or more having to deal with a period. Also, having to be the one bathing that person.

I just watched the rerun of Penny's show today. The last time she goes to the hospital to be weighed and assessed by Dr. Now, she is lying in a hospital bed telling Dr. Now that she needs to go back to Maryland, and the white sheet that is over her has a big blood spot right between her legs. I assumed it was because she was having her period. Poor Ed has to deal with cleaning that up, too.

[Brooklynista]

I just threw up in my mouth

[Hero]

I just watched the rerun of Penny's show today. The last time she goes to the hospital to be weighed and assessed by Dr. Now, she is lying in a hospital bed telling Dr. Now that she needs to go back to Maryland, and the white sheet that is over her has a big blood spot right between her legs. I assumed it was because she was having her period. Poor Ed has to deal with cleaning that up, too.

Reading this has made me very sad...lol!

[Guest dutronc]

A question about Weight Watchers came up in another thread, and I don't have a lot of experience with it, but I know it works for some people, and also provokes a lot of disordered eating, along the lines of spraying food with Windex, sprinkling Comet in the trash to prevent going after leftovers, banning work treats, etc. that come from support group discussions.

 

There are other nutritional questions that come up, but I'll leave that to people who have more experience.

[notyrmomma]

The good thing about WW is that you can eat anything you want, as long as you include it into your daily totals (without going over).  I have done WW many times in my life, and I never heard of the Windex/comet thing (I have an eating addiction, but have NEVER dug through the trash for food).  The bad part about WW is that it gives point advantage to low fat/high carb plastic foods. With my particular body, I can eat fat all day, I just need to eliminate carbs to lose any meaningful weight--if I used my points on high fat/low carb foods, I wouldn't eat very much.  So with WW, I kept gaining and losing the same five pounds.  Great concept, but didn't work for me.

[Hero]

I tried WW and I became obsessed with not going over my daily points. I can't do any diet that makes me count calories ir points because I end up not eating much because I get scared that I will go over.

I'm on the South Beach Diet right now, and I seriously love it. I lost 20lbs so far. There is no counting and I don't get bored of the food. There are so many recipes on Pintrest that it is really easy to do it.

[Tielsmomma]

Spraying food with Windex?!

[Guest dutronc]

Spraying food with Windex?!

Yes. I have heard this tip (or a variation of it) from people who have attended WW meetings in different countries. The advice (once from a group leader, other times from people in the group) propose this: when you're clearing food from the table after dinner, spray the leftovers with Windex right away so you don't eat them. Specifically, this is things like pizza crusts, not entire portions left in the pot that can be eaten later, and it's supposed to help control cravings or mindless eating, but it seems so extreme rather than trying to learn to avoid triggers or retrain one's brain.

Edited March 14, 2015 by dutronc

[Guest dutronc]

I heard a similar story about Armenian refugees during the genocide there.

[CarolMK]

Good Lord..Windex? I attended Weight Watchers meetings from Jan 2009 to July 2011, dropped down from 232 to 144 lbs (made Lifetime in Dec 2010) and stopped attending meetings when I kept gaining after I got to my lowest weight ..it was like I had been starving the entire time and I couldn't control myself anymore with the point counting, and restrictive eating, However you want to view it, counting points, weighing food, etc. is a form of restriction and it made me very, very depressed after awhile..I had to walk away, stop weighing myself, stop all forms of counting, etc. Shortly thereafter, my father passed from cancer, my mother became seriously ill, my younger son was struggling a lot with his grades in high school, and I regained 70 lbs in 3 years. Lately I've been doling online tracking via MyFitness Pal and wearing a FitBit charge...it's helped me lose about 10 lbs in 3 months, and I'd like to lose 50 more but realize it might not be realistic at my age (51). Nobody ever used Windex as far as I know in sitting through over 100 meetings!.

[Guest dutronc]

I am actually very glad to hear that the Windex/Comet trick is more elusive than my friends' anecdotes suggested, because that's messed up.

 

ETA: My friend just confirmed that her leader advocated the Windex trick multiple times and never once mentioned exercise. Obviously, this is terrible advice and I'm glad it's really a rare bird and people elsewhere are getting better support.

Edited March 15, 2015 by dutronc

[Miss Chevious]

Is it just me or what. Ever since I starting watching this show a few months ago, I've been noticing more really obese people. They seem to be everywhere. In church, in the stores, wherever. I saw a lady on a motorized shopping cart in Walmart the other day and she was a dead ringer for Penny. She could have been her sister.

[KarmaG]

Is it just me or what. Ever since I starting watching this show a few months ago, I've been noticing more really obese people. They seem to be everywhere. In church, in the stores, wherever. I saw a lady on a motorized shopping cart in Walmart the other day and she was a dead ringer for Penny. She could have been her sister.

 

I've always noticed them, even before watching this show.

[RedKoolAide]

I did WW back in 2007. I was 40 lbs over weight and I did the point system. I lost the weight in about 3 months. Kept it off for a few years until I got depressed over a death and put it back on. I'm losing it again now, but doing it by eating healthier and walking every day.

WW did work for me for a short-term goal, but I wouldn't recommend it for long-term weight loss. What bothered me the most about the program wasn't counting points or being weighed every week. It was the meetings. The people in my group constantly talked about food and made excuses for why they had that extra glass of wine or bought a family pack of Oreos. It was really annoying. I like food and enjoy eating, but these people were consumed by it. A lot of them had been doing WW for 20+ years and were still overweight. I had to stop attending meetings because of the constant food talk.

[momofsquid]

It's interesting to me how emotions affect people's eating in different ways. A lot of people refer to emotional eating and talk about gaining weight after something traumatic. That seems to be the case with a lot of people featured on this show. I am the opposite -- I stop eating when I'm stressed or upset. When everything's going well, that's when I have to watch what goes in my mouth.