Have you ever watched the show Inside Brookhaven Obesity Clinic on Discovery Health? It’s a show about the 75 residents of an obesity clinic in Brooklyn, New York who have serious health issues because of their morbid obesity. I don’t think anyone weighs under 400 pounds, and there is even a man who weighs 750 pounds (I believe he’s the same man who once lost all of that weight and may have been on Oprah, but he has since gained it back).
I was watching it last night and while I find it very interesting and I can relate to the personal sharing by the residents of using food to feel good, I find that I don’t necessarily gain weight loss motivation from watching it. In fact I tend to minimize my own issues with overeating and overweight when I compare myself to the patients in the clinic. I end up thinking that, “I don’t have it so bad”.
Do you ever do this, compare yourself to others who have much larger health and weight issues than you do and then tell yourself that you really don’t need to take action to lose weight and get fit because you “only” have 30, 40, or even 75-100 pounds to lose? However, at the same time you obsess about food, you cannot eat just one of anything that contains refined sugar, flour, added salt, or unhealthy fats, and you know that you’re not fit, strong, and healthy.
I think it’s important that you don’t minimize your own issues with food, food addiction, and/or overweight (you don’t have to be overweight to be addicted to food) just because you aren’t morbidly obese, and if watching the Brookhaven Obesity Clinic puts you in a “what the heck, I’m not so bad!” mode (which leads to overeating!), maybe you shouldn’t watch the show. 😉
While being 20 pounds overweight might not give you serious health issues, I know from experience that being 30-43 pounds overweight really weighs on me; literally! That much weight keeps me tired, and I’m just not able to function and live as effectively. Besides that, the longer that you stay overweight and continue with unhealthy habits, the easier it is to keep gaining weight.
If you’ve watched Inside Brookhaven Obesity Clinic and aren’t morbidly obese (if you are I’d of course love to hear your thoughts on the show!), what do you think about the show? Do you feel motivated to get yourself in shape after watching it, or do you tend to minimize your own issues because you don’t weigh 400 – 600 pounds or more? Do you look at yourself in comparison and say, “hey, I’m not that bad!”, or, does the show motivate you?
If you haven’t watched the show before you can check out the schedule and feel free to comment after watching. Please note that I am by no means discounting morbid obesity as it is a serious issue (and growing in the U.S.), but instead am relating my reaction to the show.
Hmmmm…interesting question! I have watched it and found myself both saddened and repulsed by some of the patients. While it doesn’t necessarily motivate me, it does make me think “please don’t ever let me become like this”.
I haven’t watched that show, but I did see “The Biggest Loser” once. I can definitely relate to what you are saying, though. The people on “The Biggest Loser” made me feel like I wasn’t so bad. There have been times when I’ve seen people so huge that I felt absolutely thin next to them.
I need to lose 50 to 60 lbs. Before we started traveling 2 weeks ago, I was in a really good workout schedule and I’ll be back into it after Christmas… with the weight slowly dropping.
Hi, thanks for both of your comments!
Maybe it’s better that we turn off the T.V. all together and take a break sometimes, especially for those of us to tend to make comparisons and then minimize our own issues with food and weight that do need attention! 😉
Mike, congratulations on your weight loss! It’s fine that it’s coming off slowly, especially if the reason that it’s going slow is because you’re making lifestyle changes….then you’ll keep that weight off! 🙂
I hope you both had a Merry Christmas. Here’s to us all having a healthier New Year!
I watched this show the other day and found myself yelling at the TV out of disgust for the clinic itself. What kind of clinic operates with people being successful at sneaking food in, not following rules, and gaining 300-400 lbs while being there (i.e. Dennis). I saw what was on Dennis’ plate to “follow” the 1200 calorie diet and for dinner he was eating PROCESSED chicken nuggets, frozen mixed vegies and what looked like a helping of mashed potatoes smothered in gravy (cannot say that is exactly what it was). What kind of diet is that? Processed foods, frozen and probably nuked veggies? What happened to fresh vegies?
Personally I think the clinic is in it for the money. They are probably sucking these people’s disability checks right out from under them. If you are going to run a clinic then ENFORCE the rules, make stricter rules, something.. What’s up with this sneaking in food? Come on!
And yes, after watching that show it made me realize just how sexy I am, whether I’m 11 lbs over my top weight of what I should be or whether I have 20 lbs of “fat” to tone up. Did it motivate me? No.. Not even watching The Biggest Looser motiviates me. It just pissed me off is all.
Hi Maggie, I understand your frustration and I didn’t think of it like that before….how does that off plan food keep getting through to the residents?
Maybe the clinic is more like an assisted living facility instead of a recovery clinic, in fact, I don’t remember them saying (or showing) anything about the residents attending therapy or working on the reasons that they became morbidly obese (food addiction, emotional eating). I do remember the processed food you mentioned, which isn’t going to help them, especially if they have food addiction.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and comments on the show. 🙂
I started watching this show off and on for the past couple of months…i guess for me, i do feel both sides when watching this show—motivated and scared to not ever get that big, but at the same time thinking that i’m not that bad off…i have lost about 25 lbs through diet and exercise but still have about 40 to go…
i think in one of the episodes they did mention about one of the residents finally going to therapy to find out about his obsession with food. so it seems like they do try to treat the problem–but i think it’s all about the residents willingness to do take advantage of it—i don’t think they force the residents to do anything…
regarding the cheaters–it’s all about choices…let’s face it–losing weight is a lifestyle change—unless you can change your eating habits and figure out why you eat that way, you will never lose weight…i think that’s why they were a little lax in the first place…you would think that most people who check into the clinic know they have a problem and want to do something about it…
but the cheaters episode did show that the administrator later made some drastic changes and put those he labeled as cheaters under close scrutiny and separated them from the good patients…
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for your comments, you’ve seen more episodes than I have and that’s good to hear that the residents who weren’t following their plan were put under close watch. It also makes sense that at first they wouldn’t hold the residents under a microscope because they should want to get help, otherwise why would they be there?
I completely agree with you on the fact that weight loss and fitness has to be a lifestyle change. You’re right that you’ve got to heal the bottom line reasons that are fueling the overeating. 😉