S03.E02: A Brush With Death

[PityFree]

4 hours ago, Barb23 said:

Talking about huffing & puffing, did anyone else catch on the previews the trainer mentions to Whitney about her sneaking out to smoke when he worked with her last time? I'll have to rewatch to make sure I heard correctly. Does she smoke? If so, has this been discussed? Even she had a surprised look on her face like "why are you letting my secret out on TV?" 

That shocked me! All that weight and she smokes, too? She is a stroke waiting to happen. 

[Pinke]

5 hours ago, goodbyeglittergirl said:

I also wish this. If there was a Big Girls Dance Class in my area I would be there every time the doors opened. 

Whitney lives about 1.5 hours north of me and I did actually attend one of her classes this spring, but it's too far away to do regularly, sadly. Because it was really fun!

Was she there? :O

[Tosia]

Whit scoffs at "being at death's door", but she will end up in a wheel chair cuz she's killing her knees,  hips, and fèet with 378 lbs.

 Or she could stroke out and then who will take care of her?  No one can lift her.

Or she could get seriously hurt and end up paralyzed  in a car accident since she doesn't wear a seat belt! 

IMHO, there are things worse than death. 

Her parents deserve better. Whit is an ungrateful bee-otch to them also.  And which of her friends would be willing to personally care for her 24/7 (as in wipe her butt, wash her, feed her, and listen to her B.S.)  ??????

Hope Whit has good insurance cuz she is going to need it. Unless the insurance company contests  her obesity  using the show as proof that she was aware of and ignored  medical issues and advice. 

Edited June 17, 2016 by Tosia

[goodbyeglittergirl]

8 hours ago, PinkyCupcake said:

Was she there? :O

Yes, she was - her red headed guy dancing friend, too! It was really fun and she was very nice. Her back was bothering her but otherwise she seemed fine!

[Snarklepuss]

I actually think the show is "outing" Whitney purposely because she hasn't embraced losing weight.  They can't be deaf, dumb and blind to knowing that the majority of the audience wants to see her get healthy so I actually think the show itself wants to make a story line out of her attempt at weight loss.  And she's not cooperating with that so they're making it painfully obvious to the audience that she is in denial about losing weight.  Up until now the show has been pretty good about hiding stuff like the smoking and the pizza enabling but now this season all bets are off and they're exposing her for what she really is. 

It just amazes me that with the story behind Prince's death coming out she didn't get a dose of reality about what the cumulative affect of all that dancing will do to her knees at her weight if she continues that way indefinitely.   That little scooter is a mere decade or less away for her if she keeps this up.

I just don't get what she thought she was going to prove - Even if she were able to be fat and healthy (which we know would never have been possible anyway) what about the 99.9% of other obese people who can't be fat and healthy?  Does she think she's the only fat person who exercises?  What was she going to represent, the few obese people that are luckier than all the rest? 

I truly believe she is a narcissist and it's all about her.  Despite what she says about doing this for other people, that's just a ruse.  And for a while the show was in on her with the ruse.  Until now.  The reason she got angry at her friends for the funeral is because she's a narcissist and of course in denial.  But it was more about her feeling like they were making her look bad.  And a narcissist can't ever feel like their friends want to make them look bad.  Meanwhile, they had the best of intentions at heart, but that's not what matters to a narcissist.  It's all about how they look.

[preciousperfect]

She'd like the scooter. More attention that way.

[ClareWalks]

I just had a horrifying vision of Whitney backing up the scooter going BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP and she is guffawing loudly the whole time as people give her the side-eye.

[Scorpiosunshine]

On 6/15/2016 at 11:11 PM, princelina said:

I'll be the first to say it- the "funeral" was a bad idea. (Not to mention completely staged for TV - caskets are expensive, and you can't get funeral home workers to cart them into your local chapel just to prove a point.  But that apart from that . . .) - here's the thing about fat people - we know we are fat.  We know when we have gained weight and our clothes don't fit, etc.  I know this based on the fact that my mom has been informing me of the fact ever since I went through puberty (ending up at 5'6" and 140 lbs! when I was in high school.  Too fat to ever get a date or find a husband, in case you all were wondering.  By the time I ended college, and throughout my 20s and 30s, I veered from @160-180 lbs (size 12-14), during which time I also finally convinced her that I know when I gain weight and, contrary to her beliefs, it does not "help" to have someone point it out.  Now in my late 40's I had knee surgery which left me unable to work out for 6 months, quit smoking, started meopause and have ballooned to 215.  Thankfully my family has kept their pieholes shut about the whole thing, because I am quite aware of it :)  In the meantime, I have been a teacher for almost 30 years, been a reliable helper for my family, friends, social organizations and church, and even found a husband! 

In contrast, my brother is super handsome and charming, and a raging alcoholic and drug addict.  Natch he found a wife when he was young, and has spent the last two decades (that I have spent disappointing my mother) abusing and terrorizing his wife and children.  My parents have provided him with a "business" that he "owns" but doesn't really work at, and he spends the majority of his time golfing until the courses ban him for bad behavior, or lying in his bed hungover.  (Not his fault!  He's sick!  And if his wife behaved better he'd have gotten sober long ago!)

The reason I am going into detail like this is merely to explain that I am very familiar with both  A.) overweight and "fat shamed" and B.) an addict who doesn't take any responsibility for his decisions.  

The fake funeral, even if it weren't staged, was nothing more than a way to offend Whitney and make her defensive.  Not that it makes her right, but IMO there was nothing more going on there than a TV sound bite.  No one in her life has EVER sat her down in private and said, "I'm worried about you."  Which is a different thing than a public shaming, because the  person being confronted is only looking back at ONE other person and that person is sincere. I have never seen any of her friends and family actually do that; on the other hand if they did it would be on TV and so she would be defensive anyway.

My real point is that at this point I see her as more of an "addict" than an overweight person, and addicts have every excuse in the book for their behavior; woe to us all who disagree with them.  What her family and friends really need to do is to inform her that they are not enabling her any more, and agree amongst themselves that that will be true.  Which means Whit must order her own pizza, ask for her own fatty ski boots, help her own self onto the tube, etc.  It will take longer than the "lightning bolt" moment everyone is hoping to see on tv, but will be more helpful to her in the long run.  (And if this tv show doesn't work out, Babs and Dad should tell her to save her tv money until she gets another job.)

Going off-topic for one sec: Princelina,  I'm sorry you had to go through that.  That's quite unfair to you.  You sound like a lovely person.  

 

On 6/16/2016 at 7:12 AM, mamey2422 said:

Buddy's weight has come up a couple times on the show and I can't actually remember what Buddy looked like in the first season? Has he gained weight? If yes, it coincides with him living with Whitney and that seems like a very bad co-dependent situation all around. 

Buddy was  getting serious about losing weight,  for a while at least.  He was making healthier food choices and really getting serious about his health. (According to social media anyway.)  I'm not sure when it stopped,  but I think I might know why, and it's the same reason I think Whitney stopped her efforts. 

 It seemed like the attempts at getting healthy stopped once they found a partner.  Whitney found someone who accepts her and loves her at her current weight,  and I think that's more important to her than being healthy. Why change?  She has a tv show and all the attention,  she has a man and his attention.  Buddy's efforts seemed to halt once he found a girlfriend,  too.  I don't know if it was intentional,  especially on Buddy's part,  but there is often that comfort that comes with relationships.

 

23 hours ago, Passing Strange said:

I hated the funeral idea, but I hate the notion of interventions, period. It's a bunch of people getting together to try to bully one person into doing what others want her to do, but it's ok, because it's "for her own good." Whether it's smoking or drugs or going to the gym too often, people will stop when they want to stop and no amount of well intentioned pressure is going to make it happen sooner. Promise me a nice evening out then drag me to funeral home where everyone has gathered to talk about how bad they're going to feel and I would have been defensive, too. Other people's feelings aren't my responsibility.

I don't believe in "food addiction," any more than I believe people can mange their weight by "busting" sugar or fat, eating according to their body or blood type, or getting therapy. We've only recently started to understand that the evolution of our bodies hasn't kept up with that of our brains. The answer is simply that our prehistoric bodies understand survival, not concepts. If you severely restrict food intake, your body thinks it's starving and it takes measures to stop that. It slows your metabolism, which explains how people on diets not only stop losing weight, they can actually gain. It makes changes in your brain that cause food to seem super delicious, which explains why it can look like people are addicted. It adjusts hormone levels so that your hunger goes up and your ability to feel full goes down.

I'm heavy and I knew about these effects long before science did. If Whitney doesn't know the science behind why diets fail, I bet she at least knows that they do. She may not want to change how she eats, but she also doesn't want to fail at dieting on  national television. What I wish this show would do is approach health for overweight people in a realistic way. But we're talking about a show that staged a mock funeral "intervention," so....

About Lenny. I get no sense of connection between him and Whitney, no chemistry. And people called her parents and her roommate when she went to the hospital, but not her boyfriend? It's as if paying him for a visit to the hospital wasn't in the production budget. When I look at Lenny I think that at the end of the season he grows out his hair, shaves off the ugly beard and mustache, takes his paycheck and goes home to his real SO.

I died at Whitney grabbing that picture of herself on the way out of the funeral home door. Of course that's her takeaway.  

 Personally,  I think Lenny must have a fetish. See,  that would bug me if I were Whitney.  Maybe it's not true... I don't know.   While I am attracted to men of all sizes and I have dated fluffier men, I would not be physically  attracted to and/or pursue someone of Whitney's size, no matter how great of a personality they have or how wonderful of a person.  I think one would have to have a preference for that size to pursue someone of that size.  I could be wrong,  of course.  If my partner got that big,  that's different. I'd love them still, but  I'd intervene way before that point.  Ftr,  I'm not saying Whitney or super-obese don't deserve love or can't be loved. I'm just thinking of initial attraction I suppose,  or rather that subconscious drive to find a partner who will at least  be around a while and be able to DO things with us .  Maybe Whitney blew him away with her charm....? 

Whitney has lost her charm for me.  She's just too much for me   and she needs too much attention--even negative attention is OK with  her. 

 I agree with most of what was said in the thread,  even the seemingly opposite views about the intervention.  I am torn about it myself  though I get why they did it. They are desperate to save her because they love her.  Whitney grabbing that picture of herself on the way out turned me off in a way I can't explain.  

Also... Smoking? Egads! I cannot imagjne. 

Any criticism Whitney gets on social media is labeled as "haters'" talk . The nicest,  most well-meaning comments,  if  not adoring  and glowing toward Whit,  are  met with scorn and dismissed.  No,  no one can tell her anything she doesn't know already,  but she shouldn't  she automatically dismiss a comment because it's not endorsing.

 I've read perfectly valid,  respectful  comments that attempted to open alternate lines of discussion,  but were instead shot down right away. It's too bad that she's missing out simply because she's so dismissive.  I think she has missed opportunities to have honest,  open,  interesting discussions with viewers, to  talk about some things that may be uncomfortable yet open a door to other perspectives--- ultimately, those talks could have helped her,  helped others,  even helped her No BS campaign.  The sycophants shoot that shit down right away,  though. 

[greekmom]

18 minutes ago, Scorpiosunshine said:

 I've read perfectly valid,  respectful  comments that attempted to open alternate lines of discussion,  but were instead shot down right away. It's too bad that she's missing out simply because she's so dismissive.  I think she has missed opportunities to have honest,  open,  interesting discussions with viewers, to  talk about some things that may be uncomfortable yet open a door to other perspectives--- ultimately, those talks could have helped her,  helped others,  even helped her No BS campaign.  The sycophants shoot that shit down right away,  though. 

 

I think someone poses that discussion to her next week and she was at a loss.

What I also noticed in the driving segments when her hair isn't fluffed up how her hair is thinning and older looking she is. If Whit was thinner she would be Bab's clone. 

I am wondering if she took up smoking to not eat?  Some people do that.

[zxy556575]

My lesson from Whitney is that I should be defiantly proud of not being able to bend over or wipe my own ass. A heroine for the ages!

[Snarklepuss]

1 hour ago, Scorpiosunshine said:

Buddy was  getting serious about losing weight,  for a while at least.  He was making healthier food choices and really getting serious about his health. (According to social media anyway.)  I'm not sure when it stopped,  but I think I might know why, and it's the same reason I think Whitney stopped her efforts. 

 It seemed like the attempts at getting healthy stopped once they found a partner.  Whitney found someone who accepts her and loves her at her current weight,  and I think that's more important to her than being healthy. Why change?  She has a tv show and all the attention,  she has a man and his attention.  Buddy's efforts seemed to halt once he found a girlfriend,  too.  I don't know if it was intentional,  especially on Buddy's part,  but there is often that comfort that comes with relationships.

It could be the "fat and happy" phenomenon plus if the SO doesn't have a weight problem they can often (sometimes unintentionally) sabotage the person's efforts to stay on a diet.  I have seen that happen a lot even in my own life.  When you are constantly with someone who eats anything they want you have more temptation.  Plus they can influence your restaurant and grocery choices too.  I like certain restaurants because it's easier to stick to my diet there, but some of those Mr. Snarkle doesn't like.  It can be tough.

1 hour ago, Scorpiosunshine said:

 Personally,  I think Lenny must have a fetish. See,  that would bug me if I were Whitney.  Maybe it's not true... I don't know.   While I am attracted to men of all sizes and I have dated fluffier men, I would not be physically  attracted to and/or pursue someone of Whitney's size, no matter how great of a personality they have or how wonderful of a person.  I think one would have to have a preference for that size to pursue someone of that size.  I could be wrong,  of course.  If my partner got that big,  that's different. I'd love them still, but  I'd intervene way before that point.  Ftr,  I'm not saying Whitney or super-obese don't deserve love or can't be loved. I'm just thinking of initial attraction I suppose,  or rather that subconscious drive to find a partner who will at least  be around a while and be able to DO things with us .  Maybe Whitney blew him away with her charm....?

I agree that Lenny must have a fetish.  In Season 1 Whitney claimed she didn't want to get involved with a "chubby chaser" but in reality, what choice does she have? That preference is going to have to be a prerequisite to any relationship, so it's likely going to be THE most important thing of all to the guy, like his defining preference.  Which kind of makes you wonder how much else about her such a guy is really going to appreciate.  Whitney, being the narcissist that she is, is incapable of true intimacy anyway so it really doesn't matter all that much to her if the relationship is nothing more than puppy love/high school sweetheart stuff.  Besides, it's more important to her that she can show the world she has a boyfriend.  As long as he listens to her and makes her the center of his world, she's fine.  So between them, it's like a trade off relationship.  It's no wonder some of us here have speculated that Lenny has been hired to play her boyfriend.  I still wonder about that myself.

[polandspring]

1 hour ago, Snarklepuss said:

It could be the "fat and happy" phenomenon plus if the SO doesn't have a weight problem they can often (sometimes unintentionally) sabotage the person's efforts to stay on a diet.  I have seen that happen a lot even in my own life.  When you are constantly with someone who eats anything they want you have more temptation.  Plus they can influence your restaurant and grocery choices too.  I like certain restaurants because it's easier to stick to my diet there, but some of those Mr. Snarkle doesn't like.  It can be tough.

I agree that Lenny must have a fetish.  In Season 1 Whitney claimed she didn't want to get involved with a "chubby chaser" but in reality, what choice does she have? That preference is going to have to be a prerequisite to any relationship, so it's likely going to be THE most important thing of all to the guy, like his defining preference.  Which kind of makes you wonder how much else about her such a guy is really going to appreciate.  Whitney, being the narcissist that she is, is incapable of true intimacy anyway so it really doesn't matter all that much to her if the relationship is nothing more than puppy love/high school sweetheart stuff.  Besides, it's more important to her that she can show the world she has a boyfriend.  As long as he listens to her and makes her the center of his world, she's fine.  So between them, it's like a trade off relationship.  It's no wonder some of us here have speculated that Lenny has been hired to play her boyfriend.  I still wonder about that myself.

If Lenny seemed attracted to her at all I might agree, but he seems so ambivalent towards her I inclined towards the "paid boyfriend" opinion. 

[connieinnc]

My theory as to why Buddy seems to have stopped his attempt to get healthy: Heather seems to go for the 'fluffy bearded guy' type. Buddy strongly reminds me of her ex-husband. The ex went on a 'get healthy' quest and it was right about the time he started showing results that their marriage broke up. 

[Dirtybubble]

2 hours ago, polandspring said:

If Lenny seemed attracted to her at all I might agree, but he seems so ambivalent towards her I inclined towards the "paid boyfriend" opinion. 

I've wondered if he is a bit shy/nervous/whatever around the cameras.  I can understand how all that extra attention might weird people out BUT he knew before dating her that those where gonna be there so maybe that isn't it *shrug*.  My guess is either he's a hipster doofus who thinks it's cliche to express emotions or get sappy.  Or maybe he just isn't into her and he's being paid to be on this show.  Maybe both...

 

Loved that no one bothered to even get in contact with him about this fake funeral business. 

[Stripper Glitter]

22 hours ago, Charm said:

What's her message again?

There is no message in my opinion, other than she's showing how excess weight can hamper you.

I'm a big girl myself. Not much (okay, about 40 lbs) behind her on the scale. I'm taller so that helps. But when I watch this show all I see and hear is a fat woman who wants to make everyone think that she can do anything anyone else can so that they don't bother her about losing weight. I get liking yourself, but you don't have to be fat to support and encourage healthy self-image.

[mamey2422]

2 hours ago, connieinnc said:

My theory as to why Buddy seems to have stopped his attempt to get healthy: Heather seems to go for the 'fluffy bearded guy' type. Buddy strongly reminds me of her ex-husband. The ex went on a 'get healthy' quest and it was right about the time he started showing results that their marriage broke up. 

Was this on the show?

[connieinnc]

17 minutes ago, mamey2422 said:

Was this on the show?

No, I just happen to live in the area and have some exposure to Whitney and Heather pre-show.

[polandspring]

28 minutes ago, connieinnc said:

No, I just happen to live in the area and have some exposure to Whitney and Heather pre-show.

That is really interesting.  Any good stories or tidbits?

[LocalGovt]

20 hours ago, Tosia said:

Whit scoffs at "being at death's door", but she will end up in a wheel chair cuz she's killing her knees,  hips, and fèet with 378 lbs.

 Or she could stroke out and then who will take care of her?  No one can lift her.

Or she could get seriously hurt and end up paralyzed  in a car accident since she doesn't wear a seat belt! 

IMHO, there are things worse than death. 

Her parents deserve better. Whit is an ungrateful bee-otch to them also.  And which of her friends would be willing to personally care for her 24/7 (as in wipe her butt, wash her, feed her, and listen to her B.S.)  ??????

Hope Whit has good insurance cuz she is going to need it. Unless the insurance company contests  her obesity  using the show as proof that she was aware of and ignored  medical issues and advice. 

Wouldn't she have to work to have insurance? Or does she have the Marketplace stuff?

[Barb23]

Whitney really thought she was something when they were in the hot tub & she made the comment about her being with the man she currently loves & the man she used to love.  I don't think Babs & Glen like Lenny too much.  When they were driving home from the hospital, Babs made the comment that if Whitney started feeling sick again to make sure Buddy knew or have Buddy call them.  Whitney didn't seem to like that & answered back that she had her man Lenny to take care of her.  She had a point but Buddy is definitely their favorite.(maybe because Lenny is just a prop for the show, who knows?)

I was thinking another reason why Whitney & Buddy have gained weight is that since they moved in together they may be eating takeout & fast food more. That's a much easier & quicker way to go than taking the time to shop and  cook a healthy meal. But I do agree with the idea they may not care much about their weight since "gaining" a significant other. (No pun intended)

Was Whitney employed when she was "discovered" on You Tube?  I know she was a teacher overseas at one time  & then some type of producer for a radio station (not sure if that's correct).  Besides being a very part time dance teacher,  what would she have been doing for a job if the TLC train hadn't pulled into her station?   What does Buddy do for a job?

[Tosia]

I thought Whit was still working for the local baseball team organization,  but I'm not 100% sure. TLC may offer insurance, but who knows since she is not a full-time employee.  I wonder if she even gets paid for leading the big girls dance class or if the dance studio just lets her use the space for free during off times. Her dad could have been paying her insurance, but again??????

In one clip, Whit is saying to her dad that she had 2 jobs and is paying get own bills now.  I get the impression that Whit has been using her parents for years for $. She still acts 13 years old. 

Her parents are overly kind in trying to show they love her, but they're totally enabling, as a poster mentioned above. HOWEVER,  Glen, the dad, does talk to her abt her health and buys healthy food,  which she scoffs at like an immature tween.

 I really don't care what happens to Whit cuz she's shown what a jerk she can be to her friends and family.  She's a piss-poor example of a (relatively) young woman,  and fulfilling an even more negative image of obese people who deal with emotional and physical issues.  

Edited June 18, 2016 by Tosia

[Alapaki]

Welp, I just watched this episode.

That scene with Whitney slowly sliding into a split with the skis may have been the single funniest thing I've ever scene on TV.  (and I'm old enough to have watched the golden age of Saturday Night Live).  And I'm guessing the ski patrol is still getting a good laugh out of the whole thing.

I'd really like to see a side-by-side comparison of Whitney's confessionals from season to season, because she really does look much larger in the face this season.  Between that and her hair she's just not looking "healthy" (well, you know what I mean) this season.

But that fainting thing, while I believe very real, was also very overblown.  Initially her blood pressure was extremely low.  That's 100% consistent with a benign orthostatic syncope.  I'm guessing her blood pressure went up while she was in the hospital from the so-called "white coat hypertension" phenomenon.  Of course the ER doc is going to direct a patient in that situation to follow up with their family doctor and a cardiologist just to be completely safe.  And of course, looking ahead to next week, any physician whom Whitney sees is going to recommend that she lose weight.

However, for all of the reasons there are for Whitney to get her health on track, this fainting episode was really no big deal as far as I can see.  Yet she's insisting on making it into a thing, while apparently maintaining that there's nothing wrong with her.

[Snarklepuss]

2 hours ago, Barb23 said:

I was thinking another reason why Whitney & Buddy have gained weight is that since they moved in together they may be eating takeout & fast food more. That's a much easier & quicker way to go than taking the time to shop and  cook a healthy meal. But I do agree with the idea they may not care much about their weight since "gaining" a significant other. (No pun intended)

It's been well established on the show that Whitney is a total nightmare in the kitchen and doesn't know how to cook.  Didn't she almost set the kitchen on fire in one episode last season?  I doubt that was an act - I'm a home cook and I could tell it was for real.  I doubt she's ever taken the time to shop for and cook a healthy meal in her entire life.  So it's not living with Buddy that has made her gain weight, but it might be living away from her parents.  That might be one reason Glenn, her father, wanted her to live at home in Season 1 so she could be better able to focus on her health - Because he knows that he and her mother would have more influence on (and control to some extent over) what she eats.  He probably knows that when left to her own devices she eats nothing but unhealthy fast food and takeout.

[Minivanessa]

23 minutes ago, Tosia said:

I really don't care what happens to Whit cuz she's shown what a jerk she can be to her friends and family.  She's a piss-poor example of a (relatively) young woman,  and fulfilling an even more negative image of obese people who deal with emotional and physical issues.  

^^^ This. I DVR'd this episode and just now watched it. It's the first episode of this show I've watched and will probably be the last. It reminds me in some ways of Ruby, though updated/upscaled and with a generally younger bunch of people.

Whit was really running the addict crazy thing in that little scene where her parents and the doc were at her bedside in the ER. Minimizing and disregarding the medical advice. It was obvious that she was just going to ignore - or not even hear - anything she didn't like.

Just call her Cleopatra. She's the Queen of Denial. 

[Snarklepuss]

11 hours ago, polandspring said:

If Lenny seemed attracted to her at all I might agree, but he seems so ambivalent towards her I inclined towards the "paid boyfriend" opinion. 

I said that as soon as he appeared last season and I still think it's a distinct possibility.  Probably more so now even.  Even factoring out him being shy there's still something that feels off about their relationship.  It can't be a healthy one.

[LocalGovt]

Re: Her job

Does she still have the job with the minor league BB team, does anyone know?   It seemed obvious to everyone that she was unable to complete the duties of the job (in the one episode that showed it)...plus she seemed to really have an attitude with her boss ("Oh, I'm guessing I'm not supposed to be sitting on a training table...."). I figured that job was long gone.

[PityFree]

9 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

It's been well established on the show that Whitney is a total nightmare in the kitchen and doesn't know how to cook.  Didn't she almost set the kitchen on fire in one episode last season?  I doubt that was an act - I'm a home cook and I could tell it was for real.  I doubt she's ever taken the time to shop for and cook a healthy meal in her entire life.  So it's not living with Buddy that has made her gain weight, but it might be living away from her parents.  That might be one reason Glenn, her father, wanted her to live at home in Season 1 so she could be better able to focus on her health - Because he knows that he and her mother would have more influence on (and control to some extent over) what she eats.  He probably knows that when left to her own devices she eats nothing but unhealthy fast food and takeout.

I agree! Also, I realized that if Whitney lived at home with her parents, she still might have to fend for herself for most meals. IIRC, Glen still works and Babs only eats canned soup. Babs might almost never cook. Even when she lived at home the first season of the show, Whitney must have been relying on fast food since her car was full of fast food trash. Glen might cook dinners and on weekends- so at least he could make that meal healthier, of course. Living at home would mean it was more challenging for Whitney to sneak food, too - which might limit her intake some?  

My own mom wasn't domestic at all and only cooked if she had to (Like Babs maybe?). However, unlike Whitney, I learned how to cook - from taking classes as an adult or experimenting on my own as a teen. One of the women I babysat for as a teen taught me how to make grilled cheese sandwiches. I picked cooking skills up from lots of places. Heck, even in girl scouts we cooked stuff in kitchens and while camping! Whitney is ridiculous and sheltered. You would have to have had literally no exposure to people whipping eggs to do what she did stirring the eggs. Had she never even SEEN someone on TV whip eggs? 

[Snarklepuss]

1 minute ago, PityFree said:

I agree! Also, I realized that if Whitney lived at home with her parents, she still might have to fend for herself for most meals. IIRC, Glen still works and Babs only eats canned soup. Babs might almost never cook. Even when she lived at home the first season of the show, Whitney must have been relying on fast food since her car was full of fast food trash. Glen might cook dinners and on weekends- so at least he could make that meal healthier, of course. Living at home would mean it was more challenging for Whitney to sneak food, too - which might limit her intake some? 

I got the feeling from Glenn that his motivation was to be able to keep an eye on her eating habits and to encourage her to eat healthier meals with him as he attempted to avoid diabetes himself.  Not that she couldn't be sneaking food in the car like we saw in one scene, but I think he'd be wise to it if she weren't eating at home a lot.  I also think she may have felt more accountability with her parents circling around even if she didn't eat with them every day.

[connieinnc]

12 hours ago, Barb23 said:

Whitney really thought she was something when they were in the hot tub & she made the comment about her being with the man she currently loves & the man she used to love.  I don't think Babs & Glen like Lenny too much.  When they were driving home from the hospital, Babs made the comment that if Whitney started feeling sick again to make sure Buddy knew or have Buddy call them.  Whitney didn't seem to like that & answered back that she had her man Lenny to take care of her.  She had a point but Buddy is definitely their favorite.(maybe because Lenny is just a prop for the show, who knows?)

I was thinking another reason why Whitney & Buddy have gained weight is that since they moved in together they may be eating takeout & fast food more. That's a much easier & quicker way to go than taking the time to shop and  cook a healthy meal. But I do agree with the idea they may not care much about their weight since "gaining" a significant other. (No pun intended)

Was Whitney employed when she was "discovered" on You Tube?  I know she was a teacher overseas at one time  & then some type of producer for a radio station (not sure if that's correct).  Besides being a very part time dance teacher,  what would she have been doing for a job if the TLC train hadn't pulled into her station?   What does Buddy do for a job?

 

Yes, Whitney was working as a producer on a local radio station (on Heather 's ex husband's show) when her videos started getting 'recognized'. She was given time off to explore her new opportunities. Her behavior was very consistent with what is being displayed on TLC.

[notyrmomma]

I finally had a chance to watch this episode last night and from reading these comments, I thought my blood would be boiling, but it wasn't.  I genuinely felt sorry for her during this episode, which is odd because I really don't like her as a person (and I really did want to like her!). 

First of all, the funeral was ridiculous and counterproductive.  They really did need to stage an intervention, but they should have done it correctly and included a visit to an eating disorder clinic or rehab facility clinic afterwards--she could check herself in for six weeks or so for intensive therapy on her binge eating disorder.  "Shaming" her with that funeral did nothing but anger her more and probably added another 25 pounds to her frame because it probably caused additional binges.

The skiing, hot tub, and tubing incidents were just sad too.  For the hot tub scene, I immediately thought of that picture of Zasalynn from My 600 Pound Life when she was in that fat acceptance group.  This show is definitely not highlighting a "fabulous" life.  The only thing "fabulous" it shows is the cool stuff you get to do when you are on TLC's dime....an upscale rental home, skiing trips, custom bicycles...stuff I can't afford on my regular low six-figure 9-5 "real" job.  I really hope that she is banking some of this cash for her future health care needs.  I was shocked when her mom said that she was 70 in the last episode!  Whitney is going to need to start taking care of them soon, there is no way they are going to be able to continue taking care of her soon--nor should they!

I bet a dollar to a doughnut (ha!)  that she is now watching this show and pissed off as hell at the way they are portraying her through the editing. Through my limited knowledge of Whitney through her Facebook posting (I had to unfollow her because of all of the fakity fake comments on her posts), she tries really hard to maintain the illusion that she lives the charmed life.  It is clear now that she doesn't.  I wonder if her Facebook groupies are still fawning her with praise?

[Ketzel]

I've stopped watching this alternately maddening and sad show, but I couldn't avoid the trailer for this episode, showing Whitney on skis. Yes, it was great physical comedy, watching her feet about to go sideways out from under her as she screeched for Lenny-Honey to come and help her. What was the poor guy supposed to do, Whitney? He can barely get his arms around your middle, let alone hoist your nearly four hundred pound body back to your feet while gravity and inertia combine to pull you down!  And then I started wondering why Whitney-The-Fabulous-Dancer didn't have enough strength and flexibility to do a controlled side split, something many of my dancer friends do as a joke to freak out the people they are skiing with. And then I began to feel mean and un-compassionate, which is why I stopped watching this awful show in the first place.  Ugh.

[LocalGovt]

4 minutes ago, Ketzel said:

I've stopped watching this alternately maddening and sad show, but I couldn't avoid the trailer for this episode, showing Whitney on skis. Yes, it was great physical comedy, watching her feet about to go sideways out from under her as she screeched for Lenny-Honey to come and help her. What was the poor guy supposed to do, Whitney? He can barely get his arms around your middle, let alone hoist your nearly four hundred pound body back to your feet while gravity and inertia combine to pull you down!  And then I started wondering why Whitney-The-Fabulous-Dancer didn't have enough strength and flexibility to do a controlled side split, something many of my dancer friends do as a joke to freak out the people they are skiing with. And then I began to feel mean and un-compassionate, which is why I stopped watching this awful show in the first place.  Ugh.

Do not feel badly for pointing out the truth.  Her life is what she makes it.

[zenme]

I'm not one who stares at large people in public, I don't laugh at fat jokes, etc. I could stand to lose 20 (probably 30!) lbs., so I know how hard it is to lose weight, but my omigosh, I shocked myself! I did laugh when Whitney was in that hot tub and water was pouring out. She was being dramatic and over the top when she was on those skis. My 2 yr old nephew was playing with his Mr. Potato Head and looked up when heard the shrieks. He watched the entire thing. I guess he was wondering how Whitney was going to get herself out of her jam. 

I sympathize with Whitney's plight, but it's like she doesn't even try to eat better. Kudos to her making time for dancing, but she really needs to make better food choices.

[ClareWalks]

And another thing! (This is one of those shows where lots of things "occur to me" days later) I love how she just ordered Lenny to "pick [her] up" like it was so goddamn easy. Woman, seriously? Lenny is not a professional bodybuilder. If you want to weigh nearly 400 lb you cannot expect ANYONE to just be able to pick you up to save you from impending doom. Hell, I weigh 169 (finally under 170, WOOP! :-D ) and at 5'11" I would never expect anyone to be able to lift me. This is why I do squats ;)

[Christi]

Why doesnt she get a bypass? 

Its crazy not to!

From watching My 600 lb life, its still a lifetime commitment, but it gives a head start to someone her size.  She is young enough that it could really work.

She can still use her Non Body Shaming platform, since Im sure she will never be really skinny.  She probably will still be overweight, which apparently is her "thing", but she will also live a lot longer losing a few hundred lbs.  It would be such a weight off-(literally) her parent's minds, who worry so much about her.

She would still have a good story line..much more interesting actually....to follow her through it.

More Babs and her pig please..that is MY DREAM PET!!!  I hated the way they brought the baby home and let him run around the house terrified...omg I was pissed!  Please show me a happy Babs stroking a happy pig!!

[polandspring]

18 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

It's been well established on the show that Whitney is a total nightmare in the kitchen and doesn't know how to cook.  Didn't she almost set the kitchen on fire in one episode last season?  I doubt that was an act - I'm a home cook and I could tell it was for real. 

Slightly OT but what does a home cook do?  Do you prepare meals in people's homes, or do you just mean you like to cook at home?  Because that sounds like a fun job.

[Snarklepuss]

5 hours ago, polandspring said:

Slightly OT but what does a home cook do?  Do you prepare meals in people's homes, or do you just mean you like to cook at home?  Because that sounds like a fun job.

LOL, it's a term I got from cooking competitions like "MasterChef" where ordinary people are the contestants, not professional chefs.  It just means I'm self taught and cook at home for myself and family, NOT professionally trained or cook in a restaurant or other type of eating establishment for a living.

[aliya]

4 hours ago, mamapajama said:

 She cannot tie her own shoes

I just picked up on this when she came back from the hospital. I thought she was just getting help because she'd just come out of the hospital and a bit of extra care or help might be expected. Then with the ski boots I wondered if it was the boots or did she actually have trouble getting her shoes on. If that's the case, she seriously needs to re-evaluate her fabulousness. Surely she can't be far from wearing flip flops all the time or like Amber (also a pretty girl), not wearing shoes at all. Not fabulous. 

[Nowhere]

Well if I've learned nothing else from this episode, I at least know one thing. I want a Philly cheesesteak pizza really bad now and I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out. Somebody please talk me off the ledge.

[Stripper Glitter]

13 hours ago, Christi said:

Why doesnt she get a bypass? 

Its crazy not to!

From watching My 600 lb life, its still a lifetime commitment, but it gives a head start to someone her size.  She is young enough that it could really work.

She can still use her Non Body Shaming platform, since Im sure she will never be really skinny.  She probably will still be overweight, which apparently is her "thing", but she will also live a lot longer losing a few hundred lbs.  It would be such a weight off-(literally) her parent's minds, who worry so much about her.

She is not mentally ready to have WLS. I know she wouldn't be able to lose weight before surgery approval like Dr. Now always has patients do.

[notyrmomma]

1 hour ago, Stripper Glitter said:

She is not mentally ready to have WLS. I know she wouldn't be able to lose weight before surgery approval like Dr. Now always has patients do.

I have been fully on the wls band wagon since the show started, but the more I think about it, the more I agree she's not ready.  Forget losing weight for a second, she needs to treat her eating disorder first, and not on her own.  She needs to check herself in a rehab somewhere for a few weeks and this will actually help her lose weight too.

[Tosia]

Whitney needs heavy- duty therapy for her immaturity, irresponsibility, and narcissism issues before WLS also.  Her food addiction and smoking can be addressed as well. All are deterrents to facing her feelings about why she eats soooooooo much. 

Her parents and Whit need family therapy so the therapist can show Glen and Babs how they enable her, and how Whit bullies them and  uses  them so she doesn't have to take responsibility-- she can blame others!   So convenient. 

They all need constructive language instruction so Whit can't  bullshit or manipulate her way through.   

Then,  a nutritionist to teach cooking to all of them.  They're are actually things called, "cookbooks" which are super helpful in the mean time. Pictures and everything.  Salads and cutting veggies/fruit are not difficult. Who knew?   Not Whit apparently.  

Edited June 19, 2016 by Tosia

[operalover]

She passed out at about the 50 minute mark and it looked like she was working hard. Her Fat girls dance class, she claims this is what makes her fit and healthy-- the dancing. But it sounds like she can only dance for 20 minutes or so at a high aerobic level. This is a good start but not enough to really be fit and healthy. Her heart is working too hard and cant handle much aerobic exercise at all. How long is her class? I wonder if they stop and rest and chat and how much actual continuous dancing is going on.

Its good she refused that beginner group bike ride. I have gone to those. Even your basic beginner has to have a certain level of skill do ride those rides. I mean slow on a bike is 10mph and those beginner rides go a 10-12. I don't think she can do more than 5mph which would not be fair to the rest of the people there. She needs a private beginner ride/

I l iked the funeral- that told her the truth- it was an intervention and let her know how serious it was- she can die from this! Our bodies are not able to support that much fat period. I do like her platform that fat people should not be treated like pariahs and you dont have to be thin like a model to be healthy and active. But if she could dance hard for han our and maintain a 200 or so pounds  then she migt be able to be healthy but not at this weight. I do ride my bike at some more advanced bike rides where there some people 30-40 pounds overweight- they do pretty well but they also wind up off the back of the group after a certain amount of time because they are working so much harder to push their heavier bodies. These people are very fit and healthy though compared to the average person because they are riding a bike 20 mph for 90 minutes or more. 

[RCharter]

I only think that WLS might kickstart her weight loss.  They all need therapy and what not.  But it has to be difficult to lose weight if your stomach is big and you're always hungry.  Of course eating...especially for Whitney likely has an emotional/comfort component that she needs to address in therapy.  However, I think that it might be heartening for her to see the initial results -- and it might spur her to confront those things because now she has some sort of hope.

[Christi]

I think so too. The WLS in tandem with the therapy, like on 600 lb life

It cant be easy to do the therapy and bring up all the issues, AND be hungry all the time, wanting more than ever to run to food.

None of it is easy, for sure.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Christi

[DanaMB]

Seeing Lenny help her with her shoes and Whitney bossing him around to do things for her, totally reminded me of My 600lb Life.

[riverblue22]

Doesn't Whitney live in North Carolina?  Duke University has a well-known weight loss program that people come from all over to attend.  It's not cheap but I think Whitney's parents could afford to send her there.  They do work on behavioral issues but I think Whitney would be a challenge in any case.  When is she ever going to sit down and consider her situation?  It's more likely that she will just keep heading toward the 600-lb. crowd and continually delude herself into thinking she is A-OK.

But thanks to you, Whitney, I just enjoyed cottage cheese for lunch.  And it was plenty satisfying!

[LocalGovt]

1 hour ago, riverblue22 said:

Doesn't Whitney live in North Carolina?  Duke University has a well-known weight loss program that people come from all over to attend.  It's not cheap but I think Whitney's parents could afford to send her there.  They do work on behavioral issues but I think Whitney would be a challenge in any case.  When is she ever going to sit down and consider her situation?  It's more likely that she will just keep heading toward the 600-lb. crowd and continually delude herself into thinking she is A-OK.

But thanks to you, Whitney, I just enjoyed cottage cheese for lunch.  And it was plenty satisfying!

I'm doing the eating plan that was devised by the Duke doctor who is also the president of bariatric surgeons in the US...Dr. Eric Westman.  There were so many people interested in it, and such a waiting list, he put the program on line. Not sure if it's the same one you are talking about. 

[Ketzel]

On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 1:15 PM, LocalGovt said:

Do not feel badly for pointing out the truth.  Her life is what she makes it.

Oh, I agree. Whitney's life choices are her own. It's just that when I watched last season, all I could see was a whole lot of pain behind the façade of "fabulous" and watching TLC exploiting and making fun of her made me a little ill. From what everyone's posted about this episode, it sounds as if it's all only gotten worse. Yeah, Whitney's defensive, abrasive, delusional, immature, irresponsible, narcissistic, cluelessly arrogant and often downright irritating, especially when she insists on how fabulous her life actually is. But the "life" she's heading for if she doesn't face reality and make serious changes ASAP is straight out of my worst nightmares. I'm no saint; I've rubber-necked my share of accidents, and mean no disrespect to those who watch this, but for some reason I am particularly uncomfortable  with a show that openly invites me to mock her as she  minimizes and ignores the pit yawning in front of her.  (And yet I still read this forum - but that's because you guys are pretty hilarious.)

[lallalla]

The facebook tide, at least for the show's page, is turning against her and TLC

 

Just now, lallalla said:

The facebook tide, at least for the show's page, is turning against her and TLC

 

Edited- I'm trying to add the actual link, but it's turning it into the one thing you see, which is not hosted by this guy, and it doesn't seem clickable.

But it's the shows' facebook page, vs Whitney's.

Hope that makes some sense!