S03.E05: Spread Thin

[RCharter]

.

Edited July 8, 2016 by RCharter

[PlygPigs]

2 hours ago, RCharter said:

Jillian Michaels, Emma Thompson, Kate Gosselin (allegedly), and Victoria Beckham all have PCOS and I don't think any of those women look particularly unhealthy.  I think Victoria Beckham often looks angry, and I personally think she might look better with 10-20 pounds, but she doesn't look unhealthy to me.

You really can't compare. Each individual person's case is different. It is not one size fits all, it ranges from very mild to very severe. I myself have moderate PCOS symptoms. I would say the women you mentioned probably have mild PCOS while Whitney's is very severe, based not just on her weight but her other symptoms as well. 

[RCharter]

10 minutes ago, PlygPigs said:

You really can't compare. Each individual person's case is different. It is not one size fits all, it ranges from very mild to very severe. I myself have moderate PCOS symptoms. I would say the women you mentioned probably have mild PCOS while Whitney's is very severe, based not just on her weight but her other symptoms as well. 

Jillian Michaels was once a very large girl.  And no tea, no shade, but you don't know the PCOS diagnosis for any one of these women to really say that they must have mild PCOS, just because they look healthier (in every way) than Whitney.  I think it's excessively unfair to someone with PCOS who is working hard to keep their symptoms under control to just say "well, it must be a mild case, because I can't see it."

This is a very interesting thread on people with insulin resistant PCOS who have managed to lose weight.  I think it discredits the incredible amount of work that people like this put in when its just assumed that because they don't show symptoms that their PCOS must be "mild."

https://www.reddit.com/r/fatlogic/comments/3p8q49/jillian_michaels_is_proof_that_you_can_have_pcos/

Edited July 8, 2016 by RCharter

[PhereNicae1]

1 minute ago, RCharter said:

Jillian Michaels was once a very large girl.  And no tea, no shade, but you don't know the PCOS diagnosis for any one of these women to really say that they must have mild PCOS, just because they look healthier (in every way) than Whitney.  I think it's excessively unfair to someone with PCOS who is working hard to keep their symptoms under control to just say "well, it must be a mild case, because I can't see it."

Whitney has obviously probelm with a food addiction and that makes everything so much worse. Being an addict means you cannot help yourselv and you do the thing you feel you need to do. She probably wasnt much worse-off then anybody else with PCOS, but had so much issues in her head that somehow managed to get to this place. I see a trapped person. And thats not something to judge a person for, thats a person sick both physicaly and in her head..

[RCharter]

2 minutes ago, PhereNicae1 said:

Whitney has obviously probelm with a food addiction and that makes everything so much worse. Being an addict means you cannot help yourselv and you do the thing you feel you need to do. She probably wasnt much worse-off then anybody else with PCOS, but had so much issues in her head that somehow managed to get to this place. I see a trapped person. And thats not something to judge a person for, thats a person sick both physicaly and in her head..

You see a "trapped person," but that sounds like learned helplessness to me.  I see a person who is refusing to get any help for whatever food issues she may have.  

I can judge a person by their actions....and right now her actions are to refuse to get any help for her food issues or to even really admit there is a problem that she can do anything about.

[MissCurmudgeonly]

I was cringing watching the scene at the radio station when she's talking about her bleg (back+leg). Wth? No matter how more relaxed a particular work place is, you don't freaking lay down on the floor to show everyone your backside. NEVER. Especially not on your first day!

[PhereNicae1]

1 minute ago, RCharter said:

You see a "trapped person," but that sounds like learned helplessness to me.  I see a person who is refusing to get any help for whatever food issues she may have.  

I can judge a person by their actions....and right now her actions are to refuse to get any help for her food issues or to even really admit there is a problem that she can do anything about.

ÿes she appears rather passive and obviusoly hasnt gathered the courage to face her issues. She has lost 8Olbs in the past so she know how hard it is. So probably thats part of it too. Its soooo easy to gain the weight back (not talking personally but hey it happened to me too:D), and then try to face the isue again. I think she souldnt have made the deal with TLC and should have gotten different job where she woulndt feel like she needs to prove us how great it is.

[RCharter]

Just now, PhereNicae1 said:

ÿes she appears rather passive and obviusoly hasnt gathered the courage to face her issues. She has lost 8Olbs in the past so she know how hard it is. So probably thats part of it too. Its soooo easy to gain the weight back (not talking personally but hey it happened to me too:D), and then try to face the isue again. I think she souldnt have made the deal with TLC and should have gotten different job where she woulndt feel like she needs to prove us how great it is.

But that is all on her though.  Its not some state of affairs that she can't get out of.  She simply chooses not to.  And worse yet, I think she is trying to encourage others to the learned helplessness.

If she just admitted that she has no interest in changing and that she chooses to stay the way she is I might respect her and her message more.  And it would be in line with her whole "no BS" campaign.....because the reason why a person is obese shouldn't really matter.  But the fact that she continually trots out PCOS as if it is absolutely insurmountable makes me lose all respect for whatever worthwhile message she may have.

I think if Whitney really wanted to change, she would change, whether TLC was in the picture or not.  She doesn't want to change.  And that is her decision, but that doesn't mean she is a victim, IMO.  

[JoJoPowerRanger]

On 7/6/2016 at 10:10 PM, zoemom said:

Speaking of Lennie, what the heck was he wearing on his head when she was leaving for work?  Looked like some type of yellow headwrap.  If the painting above her bed was done by Lennie, then yeah, Whit would definitely have to be the "bread winner. It looked like it had been painted by a five year old.  I can only imagine Glenn's horror if he watched the scene with Lennie sleeping beside her.  Hopefully Glenn won't be subjected to much more of this, as it looks like Lennie is MIA next week. 

 

20 hours ago, LocalGovt said:

It looked like some kind of animal hat to me....you know, like, the whole tail movement thing?  I don't know what it's called, but where people wear animal tails and sometimes don animal head hats....

I think you're right, I definitely recognized a lion or something!  I assumed it was Lennie's way of covering his ears so that he could sleep through the noise of Whitney's sleep apnea machine. I also feel like he thinks ear plugs will make Whitney feel self conscious (yeah right), so he's donning this ridiculous hat and pretending he likes to sleep like that lol

[RCharter]

5 minutes ago, JoJoPowerRanger said:

 

I think you're right, I definitely recognized a lion or something!  I assumed it was Lennie's way of covering his ears so that he could sleep through the noise of Whitney's sleep apnea machine. I also feel like he thinks ear plugs will make Whitney feel self conscious (yeah right), so he's donning this ridiculous hat and pretending he likes to sleep like that lol

He looked so uncomfortable, like he was almost squashed into a corner.  I guess because the bed is up against the wall, but that didn't look like a fun way to sleep.  I think the lion thing was probably an effort to be hipster ironic.

[Alapaki]

Well, it seems like ever since the first season PCOS has been MIA.  

And, here's the thing about Whitney and PCOS for me.  Based strictly on what we've seen on the show, Whitney is clearly not doing the things that someone diagnosed with the syndrome has to do to maximize their health.  A PCOS diagnosis requires extra vigilance when it comes to food.  We've seen Whitney being utterly careless, and completely dismissive of her father's attempts to make nutrition/eating easier for her.

As far as I can recall, other than one visit to a nutritionist (where she was really more going along with her father when he was diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes) we haven't seen a single visit by Whitney to an endocrinologist.  

If Whitney plainly doesn't care about dealing with her PCOS diagnosis, then why should we as viewers?

[PhereNicae1]

9 minutes ago, Alapaki said:

Well, it seems like ever since the first season PCOS has been MIA.  

And, here's the thing about Whitney and PCOS for me.  Based strictly on what we've seen on the show, Whitney is clearly not doing the things that someone diagnosed with the syndrome has to do to maximize their health.  A PCOS diagnosis requires extra vigilance when it comes to food.  We've seen Whitney being utterly careless, and completely dismissive of her father's attempts to make nutrition/eating easier for her.

As far as I can recall, other than one visit to a nutritionist (where she was really more going along with her father when he was diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes) we haven't seen a single visit by Whitney to an endocrinologist.  

If Whitney plainly doesn't care about dealing with her PCOS diagnosis, then why should we as viewers?

that concerns me too. The truth is in US there are a lot of ob/gyn who wont even tell you to go to endocrinologist, some GPs dont even know about PCOS being metabolic issue. And when she said she "had eggs" I really was confused....The doctor told her that she was better off then somebody woth premature ovarian failure and that she has eggs....which is kind of given, considering the diagnosis of PCOS (your eggs not being released)..i dont get this part about her wondering about pregnancy...She obviously would have to lose so much weight for her ovulation to be restored

[Snarklepuss]

5 hours ago, Alapaki said:

And, here's the thing about Whitney and PCOS for me.  Based strictly on what we've seen on the show, Whitney is clearly not doing the things that someone diagnosed with the syndrome has to do to maximize their health.  A PCOS diagnosis requires extra vigilance when it comes to food.  We've seen Whitney being utterly careless, and completely dismissive of her father's attempts to make nutrition/eating easier for her.

As far as I can recall, other than one visit to a nutritionist (where she was really more going along with her father when he was diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes) we haven't seen a single visit by Whitney to an endocrinologist.  

If Whitney plainly doesn't care about dealing with her PCOS diagnosis, then why should we as viewers?

I agree with you, but I think the problem is that Whitney's been down the diet road before and due to having a very hard time maintaining her weight for whatever reasons, whether they be her inability to stick to a healthy diet or her metabolism fighting her efforts (I personally think it's a bit of both), she has not been successful.  She admits that in order to stay slim she became obsessive about what she ate and that this is what made her slide into the eating disorder.  She doesn't want to find herself feeling pressured so much that she slips back into the disorder again, so she just avoids the whole thing altogether.  Clearly, she needs counseling.   I feel for her.  I don't doubt that her struggle is harder than most people's and I think it can be hard to find the fine line between "vigilant" and "eating disorder".  I have known women who's bodies fought them so hard that they ended up basically anorexic just to maintain what looks like a "healthy" weight.  My body fights me too only I know that becoming either bulimic or anorexic is not a solution, just another problem.  I'm sure Whitney knows this too but she sees no other alternative than to either be obese or have an eating disorder.  I wish there was someone who would take on her dilemma and help her out of it.  Speaking of Jillian Michaels, she might be a good candidate for that given that she has PCOS. 

[lovetheduns]

On July 7, 2016 at 6:06 AM, PhereNicae1 said:

Wow, you have been AROUND fat people, huh? Let me tell you something, I do agree that the person insulting \Whitney was probbaly fake, but things like that happen all the time. As a fat person myslef (250 lbs) I get a lot of hate. Yes, verbally, not only stares etc. And what I will nevewr forget, when I was 81 kilos (170 lbs), I got yelled at "You have fat legs!" in fornt of a lot of people. Back then I actually thought of myself as fat, so I just went to pieces. People dont care, people spew hate, that is just the way it is. Whitneys show probably just wanted to show the reality of this. Even if they had to stage it.

Well, not only have I been around fat people but I am still "fat" - although losing weight. I have lost 32 lbs since February. 

I have NOT had anyone act crappy to me what they do behind my back is something else entirely but I have never had anyone at a gym, on a hiking path, in public, at stores (both low end and high end), public transportation, etc. The last time I think anyone has said I was "fat" or some kind of insult was back in college and that was about 18 years ago. For the record, I work in consulting so I am constantly in airports, different cities and even foreign countries. 

Honestly, I am not saying my experience is the end and be all it is definitely only an anecdotal experience but I have to wonder if people have different experiences based on how they carry themselves or if there are other things at play other than just weight.

For the record as of today I am 240 at 5'3" so obviously fat and not just a "skinny" fat.

[lovetheduns]

On July 7, 2016 at 5:47 PM, PlygPigs said:

Did anyone else find it strange that TLC just happened to be there filming when Whitney threw her back out in the shower, or is it just me?

I don't think this is so unbelievable. They film MANY hours during the 3-6 month time period. Crap is bound to happen. I liken it to when on the Real Housewives of Orange County was filming and Vicki's mother died during an event. Things happen.

Quite frankly, at the size that Whitney is she may have decent blood work or cholesterol or blood pressure AT THE MOMENT, but her absolute lack of real mobility, the fact that she was already teetering on diabetes, and the obvious pain her joints have to be in - being that super morbidly obese means it is only a matter of time when the generally resilient human body starts to break down (we are already seeing it on this show). So having your back go out in the shower while she is being filmed is not so crazy to me. 

[PhereNicae1]

3 hours ago, lovetheduns said:

Well, not only have I been around fat people but I am still "fat" - although losing weight. I have lost 32 lbs since February. 

I have NOT had anyone act crappy to me what they do behind my back is something else entirely but I have never had anyone at a gym, on a hiking path, in public, at stores (both low end and high end), public transportation, etc. The last time I think anyone has said I was "fat" or some kind of insult was back in college and that was about 18 years ago. For the record, I work in consulting so I am constantly in airports, different cities and even foreign countries. 

Honestly, I am not saying my experience is the end and be all it is definitely only an anecdotal experience but I have to wonder if people have different experiences based on how they carry themselves or if there are other things at play other than just weight.

For the record as of today I am 240 at 5'3" so obviously fat and not just a "skinny" fat.

thats a great succes that you have lost so much ! :)

Yes, how you carry yourself definitely can make a difference, i am very easily annoyed and ready to get in a fight so mabye people see a chance and take it. but honestly your being overweight cannot be compared to Whitneys case. And in my case, there may be some cultural differences as well, as i live in Prague. Im not really sure how rampant is obesity in your country but here its like a big deal. My own family tells me all the time although they dont yell at me at parades :D.

[PlygPigs]

12 hours ago, RCharter said:

Jillian Michaels was once a very large girl.  And no tea, no shade, but you don't know the PCOS diagnosis for any one of these women to really say that they must have mild PCOS, just because they look healthier (in every way) than Whitney.  I think it's excessively unfair to someone with PCOS who is working hard to keep their symptoms under control to just say "well, it must be a mild case, because I can't see it."

This is a very interesting thread on people with insulin resistant PCOS who have managed to lose weight.  I think it discredits the incredible amount of work that people like this put in when its just assumed that because they don't show symptoms that their PCOS must be "mild."

https://www.reddit.com/r/fatlogic/comments/3p8q49/jillian_michaels_is_proof_that_you_can_have_pcos/

Oh, I'm not excusing Whitney for her unhealthy decisions which absolutely make her PCOS worse. I just don't think you can lump everybody with PCOS together in one category. For example, some women with PCOS can have children, some cannot. There are a lot of symptoms of PCOS besides weight gain. Hair loss, excess facial hair, adult acne, which those women don't exhibit, but of course I can't know the details of their diagnoses. My apologies for being presumptuous.

[Snarklepuss]

Not to discredit anyone with PCOS who has lost a lot of weight, but how many of those are able to successfully keep it off for good, especially when it is well known that most people regain most if not all of their weight?  I'm talking over the long haul, like for 30 years?  It might take a life pretty much devoted to mostly diet and exercise to achieve that, which IMO is one reason Jillian Michaels might have been so successful.  But not everyone should be expected to be an athlete on the order of Jillian, and I think it's kind of unfair to compare her with anyone else, including Whitney. 

Also, I have been reading lately that the heavier a person is, the more difficult it becomes for them to lose weight.  This is a physical issue where the body metabolism slows down all the more the heavier a person is.  It's not an issue of self-control.  Jillian Michaels was never anywhere near as heavy as Whitney (I read that she once weighed all of 175 lbs., no more), plus her weight loss occurred at a younger age than Whitney, so I venture to guess that it was that much easier for her to achieve, PCOS or no PCOS.

Also, a lot of people have other issues, such as arthritis and back problems that limit the amount of exercise they can realistically do.  Plus those who suffer PCOS often have a lower BMR than others, plus the insulin resistance works against them, not to mention lifestyle issues such as caring for a family, working at a desk job, etc. that impact the time they can spend on exercise, etc.  And not everything is just a matter of willpower or lifestyle changes, either.  I don't think we know how hard it is for anyone compared to anyone else relatively speaking.  I think it's valid to get on Whitney for not doing what is in her power to do within reason but expecting her to have the same success as Jillian Michaels is just not fair.

[PhereNicae1]

26 minutes ago, Snarklepuss said:

Not to discredit anyone with PCOS who has lost a lot of weight, but how many of those are able to successfully keep it off for good, especially when it is well known that most people regain most if not all of their weight?  I'm talking over the long haul, like for 30 years?  It might take a life pretty much devoted to mostly diet and exercise to achieve that, which IMO is one reason Jillian Michaels might have been so successful.  But not everyone should be expected to be an athlete on the order of Jillian, and I think it's kind of unfair to compare her with anyone else, including Whitney. 

Also, I have been reading lately that the heavier a person is, the more difficult it becomes for them to lose weight.  This is a physical issue where the body metabolism slows down all the more the heavier a person is.  It's not an issue of self-control.  Jillian Michaels was never anywhere near as heavy as Whitney (I read that she once weighed all of 175 lbs., no more), plus her weight loss occurred at a younger age than Whitney, so I venture to guess that it was that much easier for her to achieve, PCOS or no PCOS.

Also, a lot of people have other issues, such as arthritis and back problems that limit the amount of exercise they can realistically do.  Plus those who suffer PCOS often have a lower BMR than others, plus the insulin resistance works against them, not to mention lifestyle issues such as caring for a family, working at a desk job, etc. that impact the time they can spend on exercise, etc.  And not everything is just a matter of willpower or lifestyle changes, either.  I don't think we know how hard it is for anyone compared to anyone else relatively speaking.  I think it's valid to get on Whitney for not doing what is in her power to do within reason but expecting her to have the same success as Jillian Michaels is just not fair.

exactly ! thnaks for being matter-of fact. Whitney lost those 80lbs on a rigorous routine that obviuosly wasnt sustainable. She talked about that routine and trust me, I wouldnt be able to do what she did, I did much less to lose weight with PCOS...Thats what saddens me, Glen supported her in her weightloss so much but failed to see that dropping everything to devote all your time to losing the weight is great, but what do you do after you ahve to come back to neromal life? She did it as a full time job thing, instead fo everything. Then, carrying on with her life, she regained all of it and more...

[LocalGovt]

1 hour ago, Snarklepuss said:

Not to discredit anyone with PCOS who has lost a lot of weight, but how many of those are able to successfully keep it off for good, especially when it is well known that most people regain most if not all of their weight?  I'm talking over the long haul, like for 30 years?  It might take a life pretty much devoted to mostly diet and exercise to achieve that, which IMO is one reason Jillian Michaels might have been so successful.  But not everyone should be expected to be an athlete on the order of Jillian, and I think it's kind of unfair to compare her with anyone else, including Whitney. 

Also, I have been reading lately that the heavier a person is, the more difficult it becomes for them to lose weight.  This is a physical issue where the body metabolism slows down all the more the heavier a person is.  It's not an issue of self-control.  Jillian Michaels was never anywhere near as heavy as Whitney (I read that she once weighed all of 175 lbs., no more), plus her weight loss occurred at a younger age than Whitney, so I venture to guess that it was that much easier for her to achieve, PCOS or no PCOS.

Also, a lot of people have other issues, such as arthritis and back problems that limit the amount of exercise they can realistically do.  Plus those who suffer PCOS often have a lower BMR than others, plus the insulin resistance works against them, not to mention lifestyle issues such as caring for a family, working at a desk job, etc. that impact the time they can spend on exercise, etc.  And not everything is just a matter of willpower or lifestyle changes, either.  I don't think we know how hard it is for anyone compared to anyone else relatively speaking.  I think it's valid to get on Whitney for not doing what is in her power to do within reason but expecting her to have the same success as Jillian Michaels is just not fair.

I think the reason people regain whatever weight they lose is because they look at whatever eating plan they're on as a temporary thing (until I lose the weight), and then once they do, they promptly go back to the way they used to eat, which is what made them overweight in the first place.  The trick is to find a way of eating that  you're prepared to follow for the rest of your life.  Not "a diet", but "your diet" (as in, what you typically eat).

[PhereNicae1]

40 minutes ago, LocalGovt said:

I think the reason people regain whatever weight they lose is because they look at whatever eating plan they're on as a temporary thing (until I lose the weight), and then once they do, they promptly go back to the way they used to eat, which is what made them overweight in the first place.  The trick is to find a way of eating that  you're prepared to follow for the rest of your life.  Not "a diet", but "your diet" (as in, what you typically eat).

well it is probbaly not that simple. I mean scientists actually research this so lets not reduce it to this simple statement. I mean there was the article yout biggest loser so we get the idea its multifactorial issue.

it also depends on how much damage you have done to your pancreas. Sometimes your cells do not get much more sensitive to insulin, if you are too far gone.

[Snarklepuss]

39 minutes ago, LocalGovt said:

I think the reason people regain whatever weight they lose is because they look at whatever eating plan they're on as a temporary thing (until I lose the weight), and then once they do, they promptly go back to the way they used to eat, which is what made them overweight in the first place.  The trick is to find a way of eating that  you're prepared to follow for the rest of your life.  Not "a diet", but "your diet" (as in, what you typically eat).

I can't speak for anyone else but myself, but when I went on diets and lost weight, I was able to keep it off only by staying on the diet.  The only problem is that even that after a while was not enough to prevent weight gain.  I am reading now that this is not uncommon and that the body eventually adjusts to whatever smaller amount you're putting into it and fights it.  It's like once you've been overweight, the body will do whatever it needs to make you go back up to that weight including eventually ignoring the fact that you're putting less into it, so you pretty much have to work harder and eat less and less just to maintain.  I don't have the time right now to post articles on this but it's what I have read in scientific articles posted to this board and elsewhere.  So it's not just going off the diet that can make a person regain the weight.

[Barb23]

9 hours ago, lovetheduns said:

Well, not only have I been around fat people but I am still "fat" - although losing weight. I have lost 32 lbs since February. 

I have NOT had anyone act crappy to me what they do behind my back is something else entirely but I have never had anyone at a gym, on a hiking path, in public, at stores (both low end and high end), public transportation, etc. The last time I think anyone has said I was "fat" or some kind of insult was back in college and that was about 18 years ago. For the record, I work in consulting so I am constantly in airports, different cities and even foreign countries. 

Honestly, I am not saying my experience is the end and be all it is definitely only an anecdotal experience but I have to wonder if people have different experiences based on how they carry themselves or if there are other things at play other than just weight.

For the record as of today I am 240 at 5'3" so obviously fat and not just a "skinny" fat.

Good for you & continued success in your weight loss.  I think you have a point about how people carry themselves & I'm going to add how they dress makes a difference.  We know Whit dresses the way she does to draw attention to herself.  But if she would cover up more, look neater & not wear skin tight clothing all the time showing all her flab & rolls, I think people wouldn't make fun of her as much.  Does she have any other pants than skin tight leggings (in the color red no less)?  Or she could wear a higher neckline shirt so that every time she leans over her cleavages aren't exposed to the world, like during the job interview.  Like someone else noticed, she wasn't wearing any make up at the parade & that wasn't a good look for her esp since she was front & center of her group. 

[PityFree]

15 minutes ago, Barb23 said:

Good for you & continued success in your weight loss.  I think you have a point about how people carry themselves & I'm going to add how they dress makes a difference.  We know Whit dresses the way she does to draw attention to herself.  But if she would cover up more, look neater & not wear skin tight clothing all the time showing all her flab & rolls, I think people wouldn't make fun of her as much.  Does she have any other pants than skin tight leggings (in the color red no less)?  Or she could wear a higher neckline shirt so that every time she leans over her cleavages aren't exposed to the world, like during the job interview.  Like someone else noticed, she wasn't wearing any make up at the parade & that wasn't a good look for her esp since she was front & center of her group. 

 I'm glad you mentioned her clothing I'm sure it's not easy to find clothing in her size, but does she own anything other than stretchy, skin tight leggings and tank tops? 

Edited July 9, 2016 by PityFree

[Snarklepuss]

Yeah, I don't know about blaming a person's (in this case Whitney's) wardrobe for encouraging fat shaming insults hurled out of car windows.  That gets a little too close to blaming a woman for encouraging cat calls because she wears a short skirt and high heels.  Believe me, I when I was young I wore sweat pants and a loose tee shirt and got cat calls.  Same goes for the comments I've seen hurled at obese friends from car windows - They were doing absolutely NOTHING to encourage it, and even if they were dressing provocatively, that doesn't justify the behavior, IMHO.

[goodbyeglittergirl]

Quote

 

I was so looking forward to this episode, since I was at the St. Patrick's Day parade featured in this episode. As I mentioned in another topic, in person at the parade, Whitney looked mighty unhappy and was arguing with the production people during the time the parade passed in front of me. Her dad was super sweet, though.

Maybe they had not done enough research on the parade itself - it is a really long parade, in both route and number of participants, and it's not enough to just saunter (or scooter) down the road with no crowd interaction. There is a mid-point stop where performers have a chance to do a full performance (as we saw BGDC do) but MOST parade entries are performing in some fashion all of the way down the route - not just walking with blank expressions on their faces. Also, what you couldn't see was that before Whitney's group came down the line, there were cameras and production people walking backward ahead of them with giant sandwich boards stating that we were agreeing to be taped, etc. So it was kind of a weird parade entry for those of us who go every year. 

Knowing now that she had a back injury, I can imagine that had something to do with her mood in the parade, as well.

I have NO doubt that some people yelled crummy things at her - even though the parade starts at like 11a, lots of people have already been drinking a ton by that time. As a fat girl myself, I get moo-ed at and stuff at least a few times a year.

I feel like I have to also state that a few months after this parade, I had the chance to go take a BGDC with Whitney and she was lovely and kind and fun and sort of what I would expected. So I have to give her the benefit of the doubt that the parade was just a bad day for her. They were unprepared on several levels, her back was hurting, etc. And yes, Mattie is transgendered and is such a fun person and was my fave person at BGDC!

As for the radio gig, I live in Charlotte but do not listen to that station so I can't comment about that. 

[princelina]

29 minutes ago, goodbyeglittergirl said:

Maybe they had not done enough research on the parade itself - it is a really long parade, in both route and number of participants, and it's not enough to just saunter (or scooter) down the road with no crowd interaction. There is a mid-point stop where performers have a chance to do a full performance (as we saw BGDC do) but MOST parade entries are performing in some fashion all of the way down the route - not just walking with blank expressions on their faces. Also, what you couldn't see was that before Whitney's group came down the line, there were cameras and production people walking backward ahead of them with giant sandwich boards stating that we were agreeing to be taped, etc. So it was kind of a weird parade entry for those of us who go every year. 

Knowing now that she had a back injury, I can imagine that had something to do with her mood in the parade, as well.

I have NO doubt that some people yelled crummy things at her - even though the parade starts at like 11a, lots of people have already been drinking a ton by that time. As a fat girl myself, I get moo-ed at and stuff at least a few times a year.

 

Thanks for the insider info!

I was pretty much embarrassed for every person in every minute of this ep, so for brevity's sake I will stick to the parade.  Aren't all St. Patrick's Day parades super long and a big deal?  Other than hanging out in an Irish bar, that's pretty much all that holiday is.  Maybe TLC signed them up for it, and therefore Whitney's sore back was just malingering so she could ride the scooter and not walk the whole way?  Her trainer did say she was super crafty about getting out of exercise :)

And those "costumes"!  And the dance itself!  If I were in BGDC you can bet I would have been at home feigning illness!  The whole thing was terrible - I thought the judges all looked kind of stunned.  And if you are advertising yourself as Big Girls Dancing, then your performance should be more than a fit man and (what appeared to me to be) a skinny teen doing jump rope tricks and acrobatics while a bunch of heavy women shimmy around them.  

And I don't say this just to insult them - I thought their performance last season at the baseball game was fun and well executed.  But this!  Anyone who was not ashamed of herself for this display should be ashamed of herself :)

Edited July 9, 2016 by princelina

[Brooklynista]

If these ladies have been regulars at the dance class with Whitney, shouldn't they have a number of routines already learned? When I took a class we had maybe 4 dances that we would practice and add to as the weeks went on.  Couldn't they have used one of those instead of trying to put something together days before the parade and  bouncing into each other like pinballs?

[aliya]

I guess I missed that Whit uses a CPAP. Good lord - she's a young person. You'd think that would be a wake up call to do something about the weight.  I don't know about PCOS, and I gather it is hard to lose and keep weight off, but I bet Whit could get down to 220 or so - still big, but better off than she is now. 

Maybe it's me being older, maybe because I'm mindful of how I look being 'plump,' but I don't get her clothes. I keep thinking that maybe she dresses that way because they are in the south and it's hot, but surely she could wear a short sleeve rather than a tank? I agree with earlier posters that how you dress and carry yourself can make a difference. I have a friend who is probably Whit's weight, but carries it more in the front instead of her hips. She has a responsible position and dresses well for work and church all the time. I'm sure she has to wear an extended plus size, but she obviously takes the time to find clothes that suit her. I'd hire her in a minute. Whit, not so much.  As an aside, she had WLS and though she lost a lot of weight, is still massively overweight years later. 

btw - I have an electric scale where the numbers jiggle around until they finalize. Last night I dreamt that when I got on, they were moving around like crazy and finally stopped at 510! It woke me up. I gotta stop watching these weight-based shows. : )

[RCharter]

5 hours ago, LocalGovt said:

I think the reason people regain whatever weight they lose is because they look at whatever eating plan they're on as a temporary thing (until I lose the weight), and then once they do, they promptly go back to the way they used to eat, which is what made them overweight in the first place.  The trick is to find a way of eating that  you're prepared to follow for the rest of your life.  Not "a diet", but "your diet" (as in, what you typically eat).

Posted reply in small talk since I think @OnceSane is about ready to strangle us for getting OT!

My apologies @OnceSane, but girl, you know it is so easy to go OT when it comes to this show!  We're all trying girl, thanks for being patient!

Edited July 9, 2016 by RCharter

[RCharter]

2 hours ago, aliya said:

I guess I missed that Whit uses a CPAP. Good lord - she's a young person. You'd think that would be a wake up call to do something about the weight.  I don't know about PCOS, and I gather it is hard to lose and keep weight off, but I bet Whit could get down to 220 or so - still big, but better off than she is now. 

Maybe it's me being older, maybe because I'm mindful of how I look being 'plump,' but I don't get her clothes. I keep thinking that maybe she dresses that way because they are in the south and it's hot, but surely she could wear a short sleeve rather than a tank? I agree with earlier posters that how you dress and carry yourself can make a difference. I have a friend who is probably Whit's weight, but carries it more in the front instead of her hips. She has a responsible position and dresses well for work and church all the time. I'm sure she has to wear an extended plus size, but she obviously takes the time to find clothes that suit her. I'd hire her in a minute. Whit, not so much.  As an aside, she had WLS and though she lost a lot of weight, is still massively overweight years later. 

btw - I have an electric scale where the numbers jiggle around until they finalize. Last night I dreamt that when I got on, they were moving around like crazy and finally stopped at 510! It woke me up. I gotta stop watching these weight-based shows. : )

LOL...were you dating a giant beard in this dream nightmare?

I agree that Whit at 220, would be so much healthier than a Whit at nearly 400 pounds.  As a bonus, from my understanding, the weight loss can help with the symptoms of PCOS

[DNR]

It was pretty shocking how Twit conducted herself at the radio gig. Is it that she thinks she has to act so ridiculous  so the audience will say Wow! Twits life is so zany and she's so nutty!   I felt terrible for the African American lady who was trapped in that super small production room with Twit. That would drain anyone day after day!!  The radio staff probably wanted their bagels during the commercial breaks ...not with Twit on the job! 30. Minutes. Later.  ( for a store ACROSS THE STREET).

[RCharter]

4 hours ago, Barb23 said:

Good for you & continued success in your weight loss.  I think you have a point about how people carry themselves & I'm going to add how they dress makes a difference.  We know Whit dresses the way she does to draw attention to herself.  But if she would cover up more, look neater & not wear skin tight clothing all the time showing all her flab & rolls, I think people wouldn't make fun of her as much.  Does she have any other pants than skin tight leggings (in the color red no less)?  Or she could wear a higher neckline shirt so that every time she leans over her cleavages aren't exposed to the world, like during the job interview.  Like someone else noticed, she wasn't wearing any make up at the parade & that wasn't a good look for her esp since she was front & center of her group. 

It wasn't!  And in this, I partially blame her friends for continually crowing that she looked great.  I know what its like to want to be a supportive friend, but she wasn't even asking if she looked good and the great lot of them were insisting that she looked amazing.  If a friend asks you, point blank, how they look, I can understand fibbing.  I always figure people look the way they want to look, so do they really want to know what I think?  And if they do, I just try to think of whether or not they look good for their personal style (my friends and I each have a different personal style).

However, I do think that at Whitney's size there is little she can do to cover up at this point.  There aren't Spanx!  or a waist trainer that is going to fool the eye.  She isn't going to look appreciably different if she just wears a well tailored dress.....so I guess she should wear whatever.

I DO however, take exception to anyone going to work....laying on the floor and having people touch them.  That is not acceptable for anyone.

[polandspring]

2 hours ago, RCharter said:

 

I agree that Whit at 220, would be so much healthier than a Whit at nearly 400 pounds.  As a bonus, from my understanding, the weight loss can help with the symptoms of PCOS

Weight loss is the primary treatment for PCOS:

"If you are overweight, weight loss may be all the treatment you need. A small amount of weight loss is likely to help balance your hormones and start up your menstrual cycle and ovulation."

[LocalGovt]

8 hours ago, princelina said:

Thanks for the insider info!

I was pretty much embarrassed for every person in every minute of this ep, so for brevity's sake I will stick to the parade.  Aren't all St. Patrick's Day parades super long and a big deal?  Other than hanging out in an Irish bar, that's pretty much all that holiday is.  Maybe TLC signed them up for it, and therefore Whitney's sore back was just malingering so she could ride the scooter and not walk the whole way?  Her trainer did say she was super crafty about getting out of exercise :)

And those "costumes"!  And the dance itself!  If I were in BGDC you can bet I would have been at home feigning illness!  The whole thing was terrible - I thought the judges all looked kind of stunned.  And if you are advertising yourself as Big Girls Dancing, then your performance should be more than a fit man and (what appeared to me to be) a skinny teen doing jump rope tricks and acrobatics while a bunch of heavy women shimmy around them.  

And I don't say this just to insult them - I thought their performance last season at the baseball game was fun and well executed.  But this!  Anyone who was not ashamed of herself for this display should be ashamed of herself :)

I didn't see the performance at the baseball game last year, but if they were that unprepared for the parade, why didn't they just do the same routine they did at the baseball game, I wonder?

[princelina]

1 hour ago, LocalGovt said:

I didn't see the performance at the baseball game last year, but if they were that unprepared for the parade, why didn't they just do the same routine they did at the baseball game, I wonder?

Good question.  It looked like they were trying to do a little Irish stepping, which could have been the reason, until they added jump roping, acrobatics, and whatever that move from "Katie's choreography" was supposed to be.  The embarrassment I felt for them all when I watched last night seems to be leaving me; now I'm just cracking up at them.  Which makes me feel bad again - if Whitney wants to act the fool on TV it's her choice, but to sign these gals up to humiliate them in public and on TV is wrong.  Mattie may be a "free spirit" but some of them had to be aware enough to know they looked ridiculous, but probably didn't want to let the group down by bailing.  And I don't get what's in it for Todd - if he is a professional he should have felt ridiculous and uncomfortable too, prancing through that crapfest.

[mamapajama]

9 hours ago, aliya said:

Maybe it's me being older, maybe because I'm mindful of how I look being 'plump,' but I don't get her clothes. I keep thinking that maybe she dresses that way because they are in the south and it's hot, but surely she could wear a short sleeve rather than a tank?

I am in Georgia.  That spandex stuff does not breathe, just holds in the heat, and makes it worse!  There are many other options, that would not make her appear as if she has been spray painted.  100 today and yesterday.  100.

Had a creepy thought the other day.  When the alarms went off for her first day at the radio gig, the crew was already there filming. How long were they there...watching the lovebirds sleep?  I hope they are well-paid. 

[RCharter]

12 hours ago, LocalGovt said:

I think the reason people regain whatever weight they lose is because they look at whatever eating plan they're on as a temporary thing (until I lose the weight), and then once they do, they promptly go back to the way they used to eat, which is what made them overweight in the first place.  The trick is to find a way of eating that  you're prepared to follow for the rest of your life.  Not "a diet", but "your diet" (as in, what you typically eat).

Whitney is wearing a CPAP machine and needs sex furniture.  She probably needs to plan her sex a week in advance so the tlc crew felt safe.  Although, they probably carry whistles or have a speedy exit plan in the event of spontaneous lovemaking.

[auntjess]

Quote

but I don't get her clothes. I keep thinking that maybe she dresses that way because they are in the south and it's hot, but surely she could wear a short sleeve rather than a tank?

I think maybe this is a part of still feeling young--younger than she is--and not ready to join the real job, adult world.

[lovetheduns]

2 hours ago, mamapajama said:

I am in Georgia.  That spandex stuff does not breathe, just holds in the heat, and makes it worse!  There are many other options, that would not make her appear as if she has been spray painted.  100 today and yesterday.  100.

Had a creepy thought the other day.  When the alarms went off for her first day at the radio gig, the crew was already there filming. How long were they there...watching the lovebirds sleep?  I hope they are well-paid. 

My thought is that she dresses in all of those clothes because it is hard for her to find clothes that actually have to "fit." I am thinking at her size she can't fit into any off the rack even at a store like Lane Bryant so she may have more limited options to get clothes that do not stretch and need to be fitted. Some capri workout pants or spandex pants can stretch so much more than a pair of dress pants or khakis (similar to how she couldn't get any khaki shorts when working for the Grasshoppers) or even wear the largest baseball shirt that they had for her closed. (If you notice on the show she had it open as it didn't fit and had a similar colored shirt underneath). 

[Snarklepuss]

1 hour ago, lovetheduns said:

My thought is that she dresses in all of those clothes because it is hard for her to find clothes that actually have to "fit." I am thinking at her size she can't fit into any off the rack even at a store like Lane Bryant so she may have more limited options to get clothes that do not stretch and need to be fitted. Some capri workout pants or spandex pants can stretch so much more than a pair of dress pants or khakis (similar to how she couldn't get any khaki shorts when working for the Grasshoppers) or even wear the largest baseball shirt that they had for her closed. (If you notice on the show she had it open as it didn't fit and had a similar colored shirt underneath). 

Yes, I have said this before myself, although I think it's as much her proportions as her weight that makes it hard for her to find clothing that fits.  Even plus size clothing works on somewhat "average" relative proportions for waist, hip and thigh measurements and she is probably way outside that range, especially in her hips.  She really is somewhat strangely proportioned even for a "pear shape".  I think even alterations would have to be somewhat extreme and unfeasible on most if not all regular pants.  Although today there are so many stretchy pants out there that I think she could find something thicker than the leggings she wears, but they may bunch up too much in her crotch area due to the added bulk.  That's why whenever we see her in regular clothes, it's usually a floor length dress.  They probably need no alteration and are easier to wear, despite the "chub rub".  I have always seen her wearing the leggings as a desperate move because nothing else works.

Wasn't there another post from you in response to one of mine?  I saw it for a few minutes and then it disappeared. 

[RCharter]

1 hour ago, lovetheduns said:

My thought is that she dresses in all of those clothes because it is hard for her to find clothes that actually have to "fit." I am thinking at her size she can't fit into any off the rack even at a store like Lane Bryant so she may have more limited options to get clothes that do not stretch and need to be fitted. Some capri workout pants or spandex pants can stretch so much more than a pair of dress pants or khakis (similar to how she couldn't get any khaki shorts when working for the Grasshoppers) or even wear the largest baseball shirt that they had for her closed. (If you notice on the show she had it open as it didn't fit and had a similar colored shirt underneath). 

Oh, thats interesting.  I had always assumed that Lane Bryant and other "plus size" stores didn't really have a size limit.  But I guess it makes sense that they do, because at some point the per piece pricing for really, really, really big clothing is probably higher and cuts into their margin.  How large is the clothing at Lane Bryant.  According to Whitney's clothing site, she is wearing a 3x, right?  Does it not go that big?

If this is the case, maybe Whitney does have a good business opportunity to make clothing for....women her size.  In fact, it would be pretty cool if she learned how to sew so she could learn to adjust her clothing for her "needs" which I've already heard too much about.

[mamey2422]

Double post 

Edited July 10, 2016 by mamey2422

[mamey2422]

12 hours ago, RCharter said:

Whitney is wearing a CPAP machine and needs sex furniture.  She probably needs to plan her sex a week in advance so the tlc crew felt safe.  Although, they probably carry whistles or have a speedy exit plan in the event of spontaneous lovemaking.

This quoted the wrong part of your post but I can't seem to get it to work. I believe you mentioned feeling badly for the crew having to be there for her 3 am wake up call. It was probably recreated/staged at a normal hour. That's reality TV.

11 hours ago, auntjess said:

I think maybe this is a part of still feeling young--younger than she is--and not ready to join the real job, adult worThat's why whenever we see her in regular clothes, it's usually a floor length dress.  They probably need no alteration and are easier to wear, despite the "chub rub".  I have always seen her wearing the leggings as a desperate move because nothing else works.

Yes, it does seem that when we see Whitney in "regular" clothes it's been maxi dresses and she looks great in them and they are appropriate for work. I also think she looked really great at her fake funeral - she was wearing jeans and a belted top. Super cute. I know I'm guilty of staying in workout clothes after a workout if not wearing them as an outfit even if I'm not working out but Whitney is extreme with this. Whitney doesn't seem to want to put effort into much of anything these days, even her wardrobe. 

[Scarlett45]

8 hours ago, RCharter said:

Oh, thats interesting.  I had always assumed that Lane Bryant and other "plus size" stores didn't really have a size limit.  But I guess it makes sense that they do, because at some point the per piece pricing for really, really, really big clothing is probably higher and cuts into their margin.  How large is the clothing at Lane Bryant.  According to Whitney's clothing site, she is wearing a 3x, right?  Does it not go that big?

If this is the case, maybe Whitney does have a good business opportunity to make clothing for....women her size.  In fact, it would be pretty cool if she learned how to sew so she could learn to adjust her clothing for her "needs" which I've already heard too much about.

Yes Lane Bryant and plus size sections of department stores/designer collections that I would consider fashionable do have a size limit, just like any other store. there's only so much room for inventory. Lane Bryant stops at a 28 in store (often a 26). It's hard to judge size based on weight (as people carry weight differently, especially at different heights) but I highly doubt Whitney is a standard 3x( 22-24) as she claims. She's only 5'1!!! Maybe in tshirts but that's it. She would have to order her clothing online or have things tailored which is expensive and time consuming. Dressing well as a "normal plus sized" (16-20 depending) woman is expensive, although selection is better now than it was 10yrs ago. 

[Barb23]

12 hours ago, mamapajama said:

I am in Georgia.  That spandex stuff does not breathe, just holds in the heat, and makes it worse!  There are many other options, that would not make her appear as if she has been spray painted.  100 today and yesterday.  100.

Had a creepy thought the other day.  When the alarms went off for her first day at the radio gig, the crew was already there filming. How long were they there...watching the lovebirds sleep?  I hope they are well-paid. 

Let's hope the waking up early scene was a reenactment.  Like Whit was already awake & let the crew in at 2:45 am & then crawled back in bed & pretended to wake up at 3:00 am with the alarm.  

I give her a pass somewhat on the pants portion of her wardrobe where she needs the stretch.  But there are plenty of on line stores that sell plus size clothing.  I usually wear a 2X & the 2 companies I order from go up to 5X on most things.  If Whit claims she is a 3X (don't believe it myself) even QVC offers nice clothing that goes to 3X.  Like someone posted, I think it is an age thing- she thinks she is younger by wearing a tank or sports bra type of shirt & she wants the world to see that she is fit & fabulous by putting it all out there. But like I keep posting, it's nice when she wears a shirt where her girls aren't all out there for the world to see. I wonder what Babs thinks of her wardrobe choices.  I keep thinking of the episode where Whit rips her pants in the store & Babs gives her heck for not wearing darker undies so the rip wouldn't have shown as much or something like that.

It seems every other reality star has a clothing line or sells something.  You would think Whit would jump on the bus & create a plus sized line of nice clothing or else be a spokesperson for one that's out there.  I mean real clothing, not the  crap she sells on her No Body Shame site with Buddy & Lennie as models.

[Tosia]

You would think that not being able to find decent, professional, or just normal  (not workout) clothes in your size would be a wake up call. Whit doesn't look young.  Her size makes her look abt 50.  

 Seriously sad and baffling that a person has so many emotional issues that they can ignore them with food.  Not funny. Not fabulous.

I wonder if she has refused her parents' offer of therapy.  Maybe they should go to therapy for enabling.  I hope they do.  Save yourselves, Babs and Glen! 

[PityFree]

On her FB she posted a picture of herself wearing an (alleged) size large Shark Week t-shirt she was sent from Discovery. It was tight.

[lovetheduns]

1 hour ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yes Lane Bryant and plus size sections of department stores/designer collections that I would consider fashionable do have a size limit, just like any other store. there's only so much room for inventory. Lane Bryant stops at a 28 in store (often a 26). It's hard to judge size based on weight (as people carry weight differently, especially at different heights) but I highly doubt Whitney is a standard 3x( 22-24) as she claims. She's only 5'1!!! Maybe in tshirts but that's it. She would have to order her clothing online or have things tailored which is expensive and time consuming. Dressing well as a "normal plus sized" (16-20 depending) woman is expensive, although selection is better now than it was 10yrs ago. 

I think she can squeeze into a 3x that has a lot of spandex in it, but if she had to put on some pants that were a true 22-24 that didn't have the bulk of material being spandex she would NOT fit in them. In season 1 or 2 she had her hips measured and her measuring tape couldn't even stretch across them it was well over 70 inches if I recall. Her waist was also quite bit. I can say at 5'3" and when I was at my heaviest I wore a size 22-24 and my absolute heaviest I have EVER been was 288.

Whitney is not the average obese person - she is definitely in the super morbidly obese category which is why I think she goes more to the specialized store when shopping versus the local Lane Bryant, etc.

[lovetheduns]

10 hours ago, Snarklepuss said:

Yes, I have said this before myself, although I think it's as much her proportions as her weight that makes it hard for her to find clothing that fits.  Even plus size clothing works on somewhat "average" relative proportions for waist, hip and thigh measurements and she is probably way outside that range, especially in her hips.  She really is somewhat strangely proportioned even for a "pear shape".  I think even alterations would have to be somewhat extreme and unfeasible on most if not all regular pants.  Although today there are so many stretchy pants out there that I think she could find something thicker than the leggings she wears, but they may bunch up too much in her crotch area due to the added bulk.  That's why whenever we see her in regular clothes, it's usually a floor length dress.  They probably need no alteration and are easier to wear, despite the "chub rub".  I have always seen her wearing the leggings as a desperate move because nothing else works.

Wasn't there another post from you in response to one of mine?  I saw it for a few minutes and then it disappeared. 

It was deleted due to being off topic