Me at The Cheesecake Factory? What the? Don’t worry. I resisted everything normal people eat there and settled for a much healthier salad. I wasn’t even tempted to order cheesecake. No, really!
Did you read that shocking and depressing New York Times article that came out earlier this week?
And, no, I’m not talking about the presidential campaign.
I’m referring to the article that sent tremors through the weight-loss world. The one in which it was revealed that the vast majority of the 16 contestants from Season 8 of The Biggest Loser reality show have gained back most if not all of their weight.
While that’s a bummer for them, the worst part about the article was how it focused on the concept that the bodies of overweight people do a pretty effective search-and-rescue mission for lost pounds. Their metabolisms apparently slow down to the pace of an 80-year-old grandpa driving in the fast lane, too.
There is more dreary info about our body’s so-called “set point” and the hunger-controlling hormone leptin, but I’m going to spare you the disheartening details.
My takeaway from the article?
Simply this: I’m not about to quit trying to improve my body’s health and shrink down to a good weight.
Researchers can tell me it’s impossible, but I’m determined to continue on the path that’s helped me lose 11.4 percent of my weight since March.
Old bad habits got me to 373.7 pounds two months ago.
New good habits are going to get me to a size that isn’t considered morbidly obese, obese or even overweight.
After that happens, I intend to stay in a healthy weight range.
I’m just putting that out there so researchers can start preparing to study me in a few years.
I’m excited to be following a program that has long-term optimal health success — not just short-term scale results — as the ultimate goal. (Insert the obligatory “This is a lifestyle change, not a diet” phrase here.)
I invite all of the former Biggest Loser participants — or anybody else — to join me in this journey. I won’t even make you work out for six or seven hours a day.
Don’t let “My body’s set point made me fat again” persuade you from chasing your dreams. For that matter, don’t let any excuse derail your hopes.
That kind of self-defeating attitude will do just that.
For now, I’m going to continue to let this thought from Ralph Waldo Emerson sink deep into my heart and guide my much-improved actions:
The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.
And in the wise words of my favorite buffet establishment, Chuck-A-Rama,
The choice is yours.
So, my decision for my destiny?
As I decided on that short airplane flight from Toronto to Detroit, I’m no longer going to be a miserable 373.7-pounder.
And my choice?
I choose a healthy weight, an active life and a vivacious spirit.
My set point and metabolism are just going to have to deal with it.
This week’s weigh-in results:
- Starting weight (March 6): 373.7 pounds
- Last week’s weight (April 29): 335.2 pounds
- This week’s weight (May 6): 331.2 pounds
- This week’s loss: 4.0 pounds
- Total loss: 42.5 pounds
Dude, good on you already(shedding 40+ is not easy) I know it’s a cliche, but as someone who has dropped 100lbs and kept it off, the lifestyle change thing is not a joke. If you just starve yourself and dramatically lose weight(ala biggest loser), you’re going to gain it back. The slow and steady loss is the only way it works.
Good attitude Jody and awesome progress
Keep it up! I am also on a journey to transform my life. Nearly 500 pounds at 28 and diabetic. Keep going man it is worth it.
Well done. I agree you have to keep working on it. the article almost gave the contestants their excuse to stop working. Keep grinding and good luck.
I read it. My takeaway was yhey lived in an artificial world and were required to exercise all day long. That is unsustainable and not anyone else’s reality. We are doing it the right way.
So cool Jody! We are all cheering for you. Thank you for the regular updates here and on Twitter.
I read that article too, I couldn’t help wondering if the extreme way the biggest losers lost weight had anything to do with later metabolism etc. levels
Slow and steady, keep it up man!
keep it up brotha, the only thing you’re going to have to get used to is the people constantly mentioning how much weight you’ve lost. Don’t worry, you’ll develop a canned response in no time haha!
Your will power and attitude are inspiring. Keep up the great work!
Jody, You may be interested to hear from Biggest Loser contestants like Scott Mitchell and Matt Miller, who defend the show. http://chewandchat.com/2016/05/biggest-loser-contestants-defend-show-despite-weight-gain-study.html I’ve wondered if the months that the contestant are home before the finale has something to do with their metabolism issues. On campus, they were supervised and ate healthy foods. But I heard that at home, some got pretty drastic in order to try to win, such as eating only lettuce for the last two weeks. I guess it just shows that it takes a lot more effort than previously thought, but it’s do-able.