Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition review

Is it just me or is Chris Powell, the personal trainer for EMWLE, the happiest guy alive?

Reality TV

I must tell you, I used to hate TV shows about weight loss. Then came Heavy and I changed my tune. EMWLE is another shining example of what people are capable of. Sure these types of shows are unrealistic. Not everyone has someone to live with them, to be accountable to, to pay for their food and buy them a home gym. Sure, not everyone has the ability to quit their job and work full time on their weight loss, exercising 5 hours a day, 6 days a week.

I think all the negative talk about how unrealistic it is obscures the message though. Maybe you won't lose 250+ lbs this year, but you can start. You can put in what you can and see results. I know, I have. I had 150 lbs to lose and now have 71 lbs to go. I'd like to get to 100 lbs lost by October 19th, my one year anniversary of weight loss.

Unfortunately though, Chris does not live with me, or encourage me, but in a way, with the show, he's still my cheerleader. At the end of Staci's episode, where he mentioned how busy her life was with two kids, a full time job and being a caretaker for her husband, if she can do it why can't we? What is our excuse. He's right.

Everyday people, accomplishing extraordinary things

The people they chose for the show have all been absolutely incredible sources of inspiration for me. They have overcome so much, they don't make it look easy and effortless, which is at least realistic. It's tough work, and there are rough patches, ups and downs and sometimes, even when you have all those resources at your disposal, you will still falter, because it is difficult, and no one, not even Chris Powell can make it easy and effortless because we are fighting ourselves every step of the way.

The first episode:

Speaking of Chris, I find him to be the most genuine, caring person. He always seems thrilled that he's there to help, he knows he's about to change someone's life forever and you can see the honest to god joy that brings him.

Success!

People have complained that they weigh in on a freight scale, that it's for shock value, that plenty of scales go to 400+ lbs. I guess that's true enough, but really it drives the point home and it's terrifying for people like me who were 150 lbs overweight, to think of that being my future. I do feel like it puts people on a stage, and make sit easy for people to laugh, but I've decided, hell, let them laugh.

These people who have succeeded with Chris's help and are still on their journey are doing one of the most difficult things you can imagine, and they should be applauded for writing him asking for help. Some of us know asking for help is one of the hardest things. They should be applauded for stepping on that scale at all. It's easy to stay in your fat cushy comfort zone, but these people were fed up and strong and now - their lives are changed for the better.

In the end...

So maybe it's unrealistic and sensational. But at the same time it manages to be genuine and honest. For those of you on the show who have succeeded and are still striving to your goals, I give you a standing ovation because I have walked in those shoes. I know how difficult this journey is, and I have far less to lose. I can't imagine overcoming such seemingly insurmountable odds, but you did it, and every week you inspire me to do the same. Congratulations and thank you!

Your thoughts?

Cookbook giveaway! (Appetite for Reduction) Enter now!

This contest is for U.S residents only: Okay, so I have a few ideas for some giveaways that I'm planning on doing over the next few months. This is the first one, the next one I'll do once I hit 100 followers cuz it's a bigger prize and I'd like as many people as possible to be able to enter and spread the word. Contest Deadline: Starts now (April 12th) Ends before midnight (eastern time) April 22nd 2011 For now, I will be giving away a copy of my favorite cookbook, Appetite for Reduction , by Isa Chandra Moskowitz << Her website. The Prize: This book is amazing, a lot of non-vegans think that vegan cookbooks are all full of strange ingredients that are only available at health food stores, but that isn't the case with this book. It has simple recipes made with easy to find and prepare ingredients and nearly everything in the book is between 200-400 calories per serving, and the servings are a good size. I've made many fabulous dishes from this b

"Courage is the hallmark of a warrior"

Are you traveling this path alone, or with your significant other? Joey and I started on this path in earnest on October 19th 2010. He eventually went veggie, I went vegan and we've both become pretty health conscious. He's lost about 22 lbs, I've lost almost 70 now. (He doesn't have nearly as much to lose.) Exposure Therapy Joey has a fairly wide streak of social anxiety. He came with me to the gym the day I got my free 3 day pass earlier this week. He even came on the tour of the gym with me, which was panic inducing for him. I had butterflies, but he was shaking and miserable just sitting in the waiting area after the tour, and he was all alone. Today I asked him to sign up for the 3day pass. I know right now he doesn't have the time or the drive to get a membership, he just wouldn't use it enough for it to matter. But I wanted him to expose himself to the idea, I think exposure therapy is good for him, in many ways. I think it can help a lot of peop

"Nothing to say but Mmmmm" vegan alfredo

~*~*~This recipe is gluten free and vegan~*~*~ As are all my recipes Serves two. UPDATE: 3/17/2011 I have de-spiced this a bit and gave directions for a smaller serving of sauce. It seems I like my food spicier than most! ;) I've tried many vegan alfredo recipes I found online or in cookbooks and I never made one that i liked so much i made it twice. Always looking for something better. Tonight I messed around and created my own. My bf took one bite and he made.... The "O" face. Ha! He named this recipe when he said, "Nothing to say but Mmmm...". EDITED TO ADD: You will have LOTS of sauce left over, you can easily cut the sauce ingredients in half. Oops. What you need: Here it is, excuse my horrible handwriting. I tried. ;) Here is a pic of stuff I used: Directions: I made the alfredo sauce while the gluten free (bionatura is my fave brand), pasta cooked. I put 1 pack of mori nu lite silken tofu into the ninja ( my food processor above ), and

amanda @Diary of a Mad Fat WomanJuly 24, 2011 at 8:06 AM
I like that show.

as for the freight scale... did you know that UPMC presby uses a freight scale for patients over 300lbs? I was told that its because the smaller obesity scales aren't reliable enough to be used for medical reasons - especially when it comes to calculating medication dosages.

I know that this past year they actually had to take a patient to the Pittsburgh Zoo to be weighed because the freight scale was out of service. How crazy would that be? Having to be weighed at the zoo! I think this patient was over 600lbs. sad. :(
SonyaJune 14, 2012 at 10:32 PM
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RequavJune 19, 2012 at 10:42 PM
Immoderate weight has constantly made a problem for myself. I tested the right tablet after that I burned much body mass. After that I made my mind to stop using it as I already had the perfect body. I advise you LINK maybe that's the suitable detail you need for a normal figure.
AnonymousJuly 14, 2012 at 9:44 AM
Dear Chris,
We truly enjoy your show. It shows the true reality of the challenges facing heavier people. My wife, over 2 1/2 years had lost 170 lbs and has had the excess skin removed from her abdomen. She is a totally different woman not only physically but mentally. A question to you. In your experiance, have a lot of these transformation turned out to be a disaster in a relationship?
AnonymousJuly 22, 2012 at 6:00 PM
why do people obsess about exactly how much they weigh?! just keep track of how much they're losing until they've reached a healthier weight!

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