TLC - My 600 pound Life

[Anonymous]

^^11:09 here and I'm just here to say I'm also obsessed with the show. Although I think I'm still on last season maybe? I got to the second episode of the Assanti brothers, but haven't finished it yet.

[Anonymous]

Here's all about Dr. Now's divorce:

https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/first-court-of-appeals/2007/83905.html

[Anonymous]

This past weeks episode was good. it was like Tiffany had never seen the show. Why did she think she would get approved for surgery so easily? Her boyfriend was cute though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This past weeks episode was good. it was like Tiffany had never seen the show. Why did she think she would get approved for surgery so easily? Her boyfriend was cute though.

First one I've missed in ages; glad to hear it was a good episode. Hope TLC repeats it soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^11:09 here and I'm just here to say I'm also obsessed with the show. Although I think I'm still on last season maybe? I got to the second episode of the Assanti brothers, but haven't finished it yet.

You're in for a treat. Steven Assanti was very unique.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^11:09 here and I'm just here to say I'm also obsessed with the show. Although I think I'm still on last season maybe? I got to the second episode of the Assanti brothers, but haven't finished it yet.

Have you seen Schenee? YOU MUST.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Why are we heartbroken when someone weighing almost 700 lbs dies?

why wouldn't you be? I find it sad when drug addicts die too. There has to be a lot going on for someone to do that to themselves. I watch a lot of intervention and the most fascinating part in when they tell their story and what let them to drugs/addiction. it is heartbreaking. So many have had major tragedies in their lives or been sexually abused. You have to really hate yourself to eat your way to 700lbs and that is sad.

This.

I think what you see on this show is really that most of these people have some pretty serious problems besides their weight -- unhealthy family relationships, emotional/psychological problems. The weight is usually just a symptom of some underlying issue for peple to get to this size. FOr me the most heartbreaking one was the girl who still lived at home in her twenties and who helped to take care of her disabled brother, as well as the one where the girl had a really unhealthy relationship with her mother who babied her and did everything for her. These people are kind of trapped in their bodies but also kind of trapped in their lives. They perhaps eat because there is no way forward, no scenario in which they're going to move out some day, get a great apartment and education and job, and get married, etc.
It lets you really see the relationship between poverty and poor education and dead end jobs and eating and weight. I know that it has made me much more sympathetic to these people.
I have struggled with my own weight and I have all kinds of resources and things to look forward to -- I'm losing weight and I have the money to buy awesome clothes and travel, etc. etc. Imagine if you were in a situation where even if you lost the weight, it's not like that was the only thing holding you back from fulfilling your dreams. It's not like these people are magically going to be able to take expensive hiking and camping vacations once they get thin, etc.

I'm struck by how many of them were sexually abused and/or neglected. Some people have their souls murdered and their bodies show it.

I was abused as a child and grew into morbid obesity. Not sure what the connection is but it does seem to be very common. Ashamed to say in my case the food was a source of comfort.

You have nothing to feel any shame for. Nothing.

I'm just catching up to this thread and was the poster who is ashamed. Thank you for your kind words, they mean so much to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^11:09 here and I'm just here to say I'm also obsessed with the show. Although I think I'm still on last season maybe? I got to the second episode of the Assanti brothers, but haven't finished it yet.

Have you seen Schenee? YOU MUST.

Agree! Schenee was her own kind of special.

Right up there with Penny, Pauline and Lisa. Also, don't miss James B.

I'm just a little obsessed with this show.

[Anonymous]

Some of the episodes this season have been so strange. Many of the people who have become morbidly obese suffered traumatic child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, and other horrific traumas.

But a few of them this season have literally said "my parents divorced and they fought which made me sad and so I ate." I... don't understand that. There wasn't any abuse, anything really traumatic or horrific. They also still grew up to have relationships with their parents, just... separate! This seems so light on the "trauma" scale, like saying "I ate myself to 600+lb pounds because my parents made me do chores I didn't want to do."

There's having an imperfect life (which we all have), and then there's real trauma. Some of them have actually had such an easy life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of the episodes this season have been so strange. Many of the people who have become morbidly obese suffered traumatic child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, and other horrific traumas.

But a few of them this season have literally said "my parents divorced and they fought which made me sad and so I ate." I... don't understand that. There wasn't any abuse, anything really traumatic or horrific. They also still grew up to have relationships with their parents, just... separate! This seems so light on the "trauma" scale, like saying "I ate myself to 600+lb pounds because my parents made me do chores I didn't want to do."

There's having an imperfect life (which we all have), and then there's real trauma. Some of them have actually had such an easy life.

I'm not sure any of us can really know the totality of what's gone on in their lives well enough to know if their trauma is "significant enough."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of the episodes this season have been so strange. Many of the people who have become morbidly obese suffered traumatic child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, and other horrific traumas.

But a few of them this season have literally said "my parents divorced and they fought which made me sad and so I ate." I... don't understand that. There wasn't any abuse, anything really traumatic or horrific. They also still grew up to have relationships with their parents, just... separate! This seems so light on the "trauma" scale, like saying "I ate myself to 600+lb pounds because my parents made me do chores I didn't want to do."

There's having an imperfect life (which we all have), and then there's real trauma. Some of them have actually had such an easy life.

People react differently to that kind of stuff. Some eat, some just never figure out how to trust someone else, some become obsessed with success, some drink, some are anorexic, some are just crappy parents to their own kids, and some are fine - there are myriad ways in which that can manifest. You just see it on the fat people. There's LOTS of seriously messed up people bumping through life out there.

[Anonymous]

Plus people hide things. And lie to themselves. You can’t profess to really know anyone’s trauma or lack thereof.

[Anonymous]

I don't know if this was discussed, but how on earth do they afford all that food? Government assistance? And even their homes/ cars? I know sometimes family pays for apartments and such, and maybe the show pays for the temp. housing in houston? But their food costs must be through the roof.

[Anonymous]

When they sign the contract to be on the show and get free support / surgery...do you think they HAVE to also agree to be filmed taking a shower and eating a pizza?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if this was discussed, but how on earth do they afford all that food? Government assistance? And even their homes/ cars? I know sometimes family pays for apartments and such, and maybe the show pays for the temp. housing in houston? But their food costs must be through the roof.

Food that’s bad for you, e.g., high fat, high salt, high cholesterol, lots of preservatives, hardly anything natural or organic in it, tastes “better,” is much cheaper and is more plentiful in lower income neighborhoods. You can get a lot more for $10 - $15 from fast food place than Whole Foods — that is, if there is such a grocery store anywhere near where some of these folks seem to live.