Taking the Reins

I’ve had this post semi-composed in my arsenal for quite some time now, and after my first WW meeting this week after a long hiatus, I thought I’d share it.

I finally caught up on my DVR recordings this past week, and one of the episodes I watched was of last season’s Biggest Loser.   One of the contenstants said something that really got me ticked off, so I thought I’d come over here and chat about it.

So, The Biggest Loser.  Ah, I love this show.  It’s been inspirational for me in my time of need, and it’s inspiring thousands of others to change their lives as well.  But one of the contestants said something in an interview about the twin that lost over 100 lbs that really irked me.  She said, “it’s not fair that he wins all the challenges.  I don’t even know why he’s still here.  He’s thin now!” 

When you are “thin” by everyone else’s standards but still technically not in a healthy BMI range, do you get thrown out of the fat club?  Does the fact that you may not show outward fat mean that you are not fat anymore and therefore do not deserve the support and attention that others who happen to weigh more than you receive?  Is it assumed that once someone reaches a reasonable weight that makes them appear more “thin” to the outside world, that they are somehow “cured” of what got them to be overweight in the first place?

Well, it’s crap.  I was really offended by her comment on the show, because that guy was heavier than she was when he got there!  And he’s still the same person who joined the show at 300+ lbs…..he was just a really hard worker and was blessed with a body that willingly sheds pounds.  But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve to be there anymore to continue to work towards a goal.

 I guess I see this in weight loss communities everywhere, particularly at Weight Watchers.  Meetings are geared towards changing your lives and eating right…..getting to your goal.  What happens when you hit Lifetime?  Nothing.  You get a keychain, you have to weigh in once a month, and suddenly nobody wants to hear from you.  There’s no more “yeah for Suzie, she lost 2 lbs this week!”  The strangers who join are not interested in listening to you talk about your struggles— they see that you look “normal” and don’t believe that you ever had “struggles.”  And the content of the meetings themselves just aren’t geared toward a “maintainer” lifestyle, so you are there, all by yourself, on a mission that nobody but a few and your leader understand.

People, I don’t think there’s a CURE!  So here’s my personal plea.  Do not kick me out of the fat club.  DO NOT.  Because I’m going to struggle with this my entire life, no matter how I look now, and I need just as much support as somebody who is 50-100 lbs. overweight.  Because all it takes is my support to go away and I can be back there faster than the blink of an eye.  Such a tenuous balance, this healthy lifestyle is in this day and age.

So the next time you see the Lifetime at WW talk about how the scale went up last week and they are freaking out, please, please don’t roll your eyes.  It might be you in 6 months.