MovieChat Forums > Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition (2011) Discussion > I find this annoying.......

I find this annoying.......

posted 10 years ago by Nac89
8 replies | jump to latest

I just tried to watch last nights episode and had to turn it off.... I find The Biggest Loser is the same way.
It seems that every one on here cries with some back story on why they eat and why they are over weight. I am not saying this to be mean. It just seems to be the same sob story over and over. The trainers make them cry while working out. I work out 5 days a week and crying would never ever motivate me.
I have an overweight nephew. He is about 300 lbs. he has no back story other than he drinks a ton of Mountain Dew, never ever works out and eats fast food all the time.
I get that they have to make it dramatic for tv, but I would watch more if they left out the crying stories.

[–] DivineRED 10 years ago

Maybe by watching these shows you realize that there is a lot of pain people are carrying. Maybe realizing that will encourage people to be nicer to other people, esp heavier people. You don't know why someone has weight issues and you dont know how it affects them emotionally. There are many many reasons why people are over weight; depression, addiction, past emotional trauma, medications, medical reasons, and yes even just lack of effort which could be related to depression. So instead of shaming and putting over weight people down or looking down & judging it would be better if everyone tried being nicer.

Everyone has a story to tell. Some people's stories weigh them down.

[–] Ray Ban 10 years ago

DivineRED, I commend you on your post. Very nicely said.

I used to be quite judgmental of others as a teenager but thankfully I gained wisdom, insight and empathy as I grew older. Especially since I had my own battles with depression in my 20s which led to some weight gain, and then an intense struggle to get back into shape.

Most people who are significantly overweight are carrying around some kind of emotional burden. If we could all be more empathetic and emotionally supportive of these individuals rather than shaming them or putting them down, the world would be a much better place.

[–] RvaBread22 10 years ago

It is annoying, but it shows that quite a few overweight people turn to food because of some kind trauma in their lives. Why is that people are more sympathetic to drug addicts and alcoholics, but if you have food addictions then then yer just some lazy slob? I don't think that mentality is helpful either.

[–] kindred122 10 years ago

RvaBread22 - You're absolutely right. That mentality is not helpful at all. Honestly, I sometimes feel like overweight people are the last group that people feel comfortable being openly hateful to and often prejudiced against. You hear people say all the time "just stop eating." As if it's really that simple. They don't understand that the extra weight is just a symptom of an underlying issue. And healing those underlying emotional/mental issues is much more difficult than healing a physical ailment.

[–] tpcorless 10 years ago

You don't have to scratch too hard to find that many of these contestants have underlying issues and they are carrying a lot of pain, anger, shame, and battling with depression.

Simple weight-loss won't solve everything.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] PixieInChains 8 years ago

Same with "My 600-lb. Life" - 99% of the participants present themselves as "Victims" which does nothing but lay the groundwork for a 'reason' (AKA 'excuse') to re-fail in the future. One sees the same mentality with criminals, and people with never-ending Psych admissions.

[–] Firefly69 7 years ago

Just like with alcoholism and drug addiction...overeating to this point is usually a symptom of a deeper problem. But people don't feel the same empathy for people who overeat as they do for alcoholics or drug abuse.

Things like past trauma, depression,anxiety...etc...are reasons people turn to food. It helps them deal and even hide in a way.

The weight may make one feel even worse, but unless the underlying problem is addressed, it's hard to change this behavior.

I've struggled with it myself. Not to the same extreme, but bad enough. I've had problems with anxiety and panic and have worked hard to overcome them. Food always helped. I would feel very panicky which is a terrible way to feel...but if I ate...unhealthy foods worked the best...it would actually calm me and make me feel normal again. I could function and leave the house...maintain a job....have a life that wasnt contained to my home.

Of course I knew it was said bad. I knew it was harmful. But it sometimes is the only thing that kept me from running and screaming from a room.

Everyone deals in different ways. And food is how some deal.

I've come a long way but still have to fight against those food issues. So easy to be judgmental about something one has never struggled with themselves.