Fit For TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser

 

So if you haven't checked out the behind-the-scenes Biggest Loser documentary on Netflix, I'd say it's worth a watch.

Bottom line: Even though the 3-part series gives the people behind Biggest Loser every chance to do their best to defend themselves and their mission, you probably aren't going to end up feeling too many warm-fuzzies over the supposed "let's help out the poor fatties" premise.

But along with the not-surprising aspects (still fascinating) there were some genuine surprises as well!

Giveaway Winners and a Happy Belated Mother's Day!

By Crabby McSlacker

So first off, thanks to everyone who stopped by to comment on our book giveaway here at the blog, or on Facebook, or even via direct email, an option a few of you chose. I've assigned y'all numbers and am going to fire up the ol' random number generator in a minute. Isn't it exciting when I do this in Real Time?

Yeah, so ok, I guess if I don't hit "publish" until the whole post is written, you're not reading this yet, so it's more like Surreal Time, but work with me here.

But before I spin the Big Virtual Interweb Roulette Wheel, I just want to acknowledge all the awesome mothers out there, my own and everyone's everywhere including YOU if you fit that description!

I don't have kids myself. Having carefully considered the job responsibilities and remuneration and having concluded "no f#cking way," I have nothing but admiration for all you out there who took the job on, and perform all the daily heroics required to do it properly.

For the record, I think it's shitty you only get one day of recognition.

Hell, today is apparently National Nylon Stocking Day and National Chocolate Chip day. They get the same amount of time you Mom's do?

So let's pretend the fact I'm a day late is really because I'm giving you another additional Mother's day. Round those kids up and tell them to make you another burnt-toast breakfast, and tell Hubby you're eating out again tonight, damn it, because Crabby said it's the new Law.

Anyway, in honor of your extra day,  before we get to the giveaway winners, here are two belated Mother's day-related links:

Are you following Vita Train for Life yet?  She's always a fun and inspiring read, and you may want to check out the Eight Reasons She's Not a Real Parent.

And for the Other Mothers out there, whose children may not be human but are nearly as demanding? Here's a video that already been all over the Web because as usual I'm the last to see these things. But whatever.

Okay, so now let's get down to Giveaway Business.

Who won Elizabeth Babcock's most excellent book Why We Overeat and How to Stop?

Why We Overeat and How to Stop: Book Giveaway!

image: clipartfest

By Crabby McSlacker

Does anyone else out there struggle with eating too much, or eating the wrong things, or not feeling sufficiently motivated to exercise?

Even those of us with fancy degrees and initials after our names, who've studied this stuff extensively for decades and know exactly what we should be doing... we often screw it up just as badly as anyone else does.  We may even be in the "healthy weight" range, yet only manage it with much unnecessary angst, inconsistency, martyrdom, acting out, and ill-tempered griping.

So WTF is up with that? Why can't our highly evolved brains save us from self-defeating decisions? And how do we best deal with the seemingly ridiculous problem of not being able to control our own behavior?

Elizabeth Babcock's Why We Overeat and How to Stop isn't a magical solution to overeating. Alas, there is no magical solution. But I think it's as good a book as I've ever read on the subject, and I found myself with many new helpful insights into my cherished but often maladaptive ways. She provided a number of new strategies and practical tips , as well as the motivational boost that comes from taking a fresh look at old assumptions.

Bottom line: I'd highly recommend you buy the book. But heck, you might as well try to win it for free first, right? We've got a physical copy if you like (and are from the U.S.) but also have an (admittedly low-tech) electronic option, so as not to leave out folks who are not from the United States.

So, what's so great about it and why do I recommend it so highly? And how do you win a copy?

What's Your Inspiration?

Guest Post by Dee

Hi all, it's Crabby McSlacker, and yes, I'm still alive. Doing great actually!  Just a bit too dithery and preoccupied to do much on the blog lately. So I'm thrilled to bring you another great guest post from Dee over at Break out the Skinny Girl.  Remember not that long ago, she'd just started her blog, and was taking baby steps back into fitness? Well, I guess I'm not the only one who thinks she's hilarious and inspiring, because she's already made it as a finalist in the UK Blog Awards. Yay! Anyway, please welcome Dee back, and don't forget to stop over at her place too on your blog ramblings if you get the chance. --Crabby

In October 2016 I will be trekking 90km across the Escambray mountain range in Cuba to honour the memory of my Dad. Given that just six short months ago I would have struggled to trek from my armchair to my refrigerator, this is going to be a personal challenge for me on a whole other level.

You may remember we first got acquainted way back in September last year, when I’d been blogging for just a matter of weeks. Crabby very kindly let me loose with a guest post, and offered me a moment in the Cranky Fitness spotlight, which was awesome.

I’d been dieting for a couple of months by that point, and whilst my diet was going really well, my thoughts on exercise were kind of still kind of…well, thoughts really. I’d taken a few baby steps but it seemed such a mammoth task you know? I still weighed over 300lbs, and everything hurt when I hauled it around.

But I’d gone and done it…on this very site I opened my big mouth and told the world that I was going to get fit. Fortunately for me, the one thing bigger than my arse is my pride, which point blank refused to let me off the hook.

Weight Loss Plateau? Change Your Mindset

Guest Post by Sarah Williams 

Please welcome guest blogger Sarah Williams with some great suggestions for a frustrating situation: the dreaded weight loss plateau!

As usual, the theoretical author of this blog, Crabby McSlacker, is off doing other things besides writing blog posts. This may or may not involve travel to a major metropolis, and some half-assed futzing around on her novel-in-progress (which, in a shocking development, is going Really F--cking Slowly). Plus she has lately been distracted by some real-estate wheeling and dealing, which could be potentially quite exciting! On the other hand, Crabby has watched enough HGTV to know that the whole shebang could fall through once the house inspector arrives, so she prefers not to jinx things just yet by going public about the details. But either way, triumph or bitter disappointment, she will be back with more blog posts at some point before too long, as she misses everyone and want's to find out what you're all up to!--Crabby

We’ve all been there, standing stark naked on top of our scale staring in agony as, for the second week in a row, the numbers haven’t budged.  Like many of my girlfriends, when this happens I often throw my hands in the air yelling some type of profanity and hop off, grab a towel, and head downstairs for a couple frozen waffles with extra syrup.  Because who is going to pick a banana and almond milk smoothie over the delicious aroma of an Eggo when it’s doing nothing for the scale?

Am I right?  The problem is, I don’t stop with the Eggo.  I toast another one and then because I haven’t had protein and am still hungry, I end up blowing through half of my daily calories before the coffee has finished brewing.  Sure the scale stood stationary for a week or two, but what I often forget is that though it didn’t change, I did.  While the pounds may be stationary, my fat has been busy converting into muscle and my digestive track has been enthusiastic about the huge amount of nutrition I’ve been throwing its way.

(Giveaway!) Exercise Self Control Over Food... Without A Straightjacket

Guest Post By Michael Alvear

So this next guest post contains a giveaway, yay! Although sorry, you cannot win a stylish straightjacket of your very own.

Instead, two random Cranky Commenters can win a free copy of Michael's Alvear's E-book: Eat It Later: Mastering Self Control & The Slimming Power Of Postponement.

To be honest, part of the reason I was intrigued my Michael's pitch to contribute was not just that he's got an ebook on a useful topic, but that he modestly didn't even mention that he was the co-host of HBO’s The Sex Inspectors, a late-night sex makeover series!

How cool is that? Cranky Fitness doesn't get out much anymore. The opportunity to be vicariously associated with reality television, sex, and staying up past 9pm was too hard to resist.

As it happens, some of his Michael's other titles are a bit risque, so be forewarned.  One of possible interest to readers might be one of Michael's own personal favorites: 

Not Tonight Dear, I Feel Fat: How To Stop Worrying About Your Body & Have Great Sex.

Anyway, giveaway winners will be picked in a week so please check back. --Crabby.

Most of us think of self control as exercising white-knuckled willpower against G-force desires that leave us physically exhausted and emotionally spent.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to suit up your armor and spend loads of energy to say no to foods that make you want to leave home, family and career just to smell the packaging. I’ve discovered a much easier, calm way to practice self-sovereignty, even in the face of an “Everything” bagel.

Baby Steps Back to Fitness

Guest Post by Dee

Hey Cranketeers, Crabby here! I'm all excited to introduce Dee from Break out the Skinny Girl with an in-the-trenches perspective on getting back into fitness when it feels anything but "easy" and "fun."

So why am I so excited to introduce Dee?  Well, first off, she's very funny.  And secondly, she blogs with an adorable British accent.  And thirdly, she's just started a new blog which looks to be the sort Cranky Fitness readers might enjoy.  New blogs need encouragement! So please, if you like this guest post (I know I did), think about clicking over to her blog and offering some support. Thanks, and enjoy!--Crabby

So when Crabby very graciously extended her invitation to guest-blog a few words, I jumped at the opportunity – I wasn’t put off at all by the hoots of hysterical laughter which the prospect of me writing an article relating to fitness drew from a handful of people (ok, from pretty much everyone I’ve mentioned it to). In my skinny girl blog, I talk about my own battle of the bulge and whilst admittedly the content is a bit light on theory, as someone who’s dieted back and forth with varying degrees of success over more years than I’m ready to admit, I’m at least a tiny bit qualified to offer an opinion.

Where exercise is concerned, I’m speaking from somewhat less than a position of strength.

I would hazard a guess that the most consistently well-developed muscle in my entire body is the one that operates my jaw – it’s definitely the one that’s had the most exercise. Don’t let the fact that it’s currently buried under a couple of extra chins fool you - if it was visible I’m sure it would look very toned indeed.

Sugar Won't Fix It

Guest Post by Jan Bono

(Jan B. is frequent guest contributor here at Cranky Fitness. And don't forget to check out her book! It's “Back from Obesity: My 252-pound Weight-Loss Journey”and you can get it in print or as an ebook on Jan's smashwords page).

On September 11, 2001, at exactly 6:15 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time, I entered a small local convenience store to pick up a cup of coffee on my way to an early morning faculty meeting at the high school.

Several men stood clustered together beneath a wall-mounted television set just inside the door. They were staring up at the screen, open-mouthed. The whole store, usually a hub of activity, was eerily quiet. I could tell by the looks on the men’s faces that something horrible was being projected above their heads. My gut clenched, and I knew I didn’t want to know what it was that had their attention so intently riveted. If I didn’t look, maybe it wouldn’t be real...

September 11, 2001. A day in which we saw, with all too much clarity, the high level of American vulnerability. Our country had been attacked. We had been attacked. None of us would ever feel as safe again as we had when we’d gone to bed the night before.

I stood beside the men in silence. With a growing lump in my throat, nausea welling in my stomach and tears blurring my vision, I gathered some form of small comfort standing there among the delivery truck drivers, the store owner and a few early-rising regular customers. It was not a time to be alone.

Soon, however, I realized I had a job to go to, and tore myself away from the repeated views of the unimaginable destruction on the television screen.

I got my cup of coffee. Then I hesitated in the candy aisle. If the world were truly coming to an end, why not indulge one last time? Couldn’t I at least be “comforted” with the sugar to boost my stamina?

Exercise vs. Diet for Weight Loss: Is There Any Reason to Get Off the Couch at ALL?

photo: Alexandra from München

By Crabby McSlacker

Those of you who are still pissed off at Cranky Fitness for exposing how easy it is to overestimate calories burned by walking may not be happy about some of the information I'm going to discuss in this post.

But as I was following up on an interesting comment that appeared in that last post (thanks JessicaB!) I came across some more depressing research, at least for folks like me who justify caloric indulgence with increased activity. Because according to a bunch of recent health and fitness articles, experts have concluded: when it comes to weight loss, it's pretty much all about diet, not exercise.

A couple examples:  "Exercise Alone Does Not Help in Losing Weight," and "To Lose Weight Eating is Far More Important than Exercising More."

It's not too far a leap to imagine some folks concluding there is almost no point in exercising at all! Especially people who don't like to exercise anyway and are hoping for a free pass to say the hell with it and settle down on the couch with a Lean Cuisine and a crate of Diet Pepsi for a 5 hour Netflix binge-watch.

Do I have some cranky things to say about these articles and the "screw exercise it's useless" school of thought?  Gosh, perhaps I do!

On the other hand, I don't believe in failing to report important research because we don't like what it says. I fail to report important research all the time, but it's out of sheer laziness and ignorance, a far better reason, don't you think? Anyway, more thoughts on the whole Diet vs Exercise debate below.

Plus, Labor Day has come and gone which means it's the beginning of a new season, right? So it would be awesome if any of you were willing to pop down into the comments and check in with what you've been up to over the summer, or what you're dreaming and scheming about these days, or how the heck you feel about life right now.

Fat and Fiction; Guests and Giveaways

Intro by Crabby McSlacker; Guest post by Mary W. Walters

So hi there, it's Crabby McSlacker, barging in with another extended guest post introduction. Sorry about that! But we've got a giveaway going this week, and a couple of other things I need to mention before we get to the good stuff: in this case, a real-life tale of inspiration, written by the author of a fictional work I think you will love.

Mary's newest novel, which we will be giving away to two lucky readers (details below) is called Rita Just Wants to Be Thin.  If you are not one of the readers who wins it, then I think you should buy it ASAP, because it looks to be fun and insightful and entertaining and well-written. Or heck, even if you're planning to win it, go ahead and buy another copy anyway and give it to a friend!

So, how come I'm all: the book "looks to be" awesome?'Rather than the less weasley, more definitive, the book "is" awesome?

It's because I am not allowing myself to read the novel any further than the Amazon preview pages will allow. Which is killing me, because it's off to a great start and I would really love to finish it.

But as many of you know, I am currently working on a novel myself, and as it happens, one of the two main characters is a woman trying to lose a great deal of weight.  Reading someone else's take on the same topic would mess with my head and thus my writing process for a number of reasons which are weird and hard to explain but nonetheless very real.

More on the giveaway below, but also, we have some other combo guest post/book giveaway posts coming up, so if you don't win this time, you'll get more chances!  Cranky Fitness likes to support spunky authors by giving them a forum here, and it's only a HUGE COINCIDENCE that every guest post I put up means one less post for me to write!

Two more totally unrelated things:

(1)  Can anyone in Europe tell me if there is now a warning on Cranky Fitness that the blogging platform uses cookies?  It would be awfully expensive for me to fly there and find out myself. Apparently if it doesn't say that I'm in big trouble and have to do something technical. Ick.

(2) Cranky Fitness is a big fan of Jennipher Walters excellent blog Fit Bottomed Girls, which is always sensible and informative without being dull or preachy. Well, it's had a dramatic mobile-friendly makeover so be sure to wander over there if you haven't recently! It also contains a mind-reading "Recommended for You" feature which for some reason thought I might need some tips on mindful eating and dealing with cravings. Um, who, me??  Sigh. How can they see through the computer like that?

OK, anyway, now on to the main attraction...

Becoming the Person I Want to Be

(Instead of the One I Was Afraid I Would Become)

by Mary W. Walters

By my late twenties, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life: I wanted to be a writer. Not only did I love to read and write, I also loved the whole idea of being a writer. I imagined myself in the future, living a writer’s life – long days of creating fiction interspersed with occasional public readings from my newest book to audiences who hung on my every word.

I knew it wouldn’t happen overnight, but no matter how long it took, I was determined that I would get there. I would become that woman.

Walking for Weight Loss? Some Possibly Sucky News

image: pixabay

By Crabby McSlacker

First off, let me just make clear that I think walking is a very healthy activity.Walking a lot is an awesome idea.

However, if you are hoping to rely on walking craploads of miles as a primary strategy for weight loss, I may have some bad news for you. I came across some research a few weeks ago that was kinda depressing.

Note: this research is not bad news for everyone, just some of us!

Filling the Void

By Contributor Jan Bono

Quick note: this post is too poignant for the usual meandering introduction, and by now you all know how awesome Jan Bono is, so let's just get to it this time.--Crabby

Sunday, April 26th, 2015, two beautifully decorated half-sheet cakes sat waiting to be cut on the reception table. One was a white cake with raspberry filling and the other was a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse inside. Both had plenty of buttercream icing.

I knew everything about those two cakes except how they tasted. I’m the one who had drawn the designs, gone to the bakery, ordered my love’s two favorite cakes, and convinced the gal to give me both the senior and military discounts.

Perhaps the baker took pity on me because I cried throughout the entire cake-ordering process, and she knew my tears were not tears of joy. My mission that day was to purchase the cakes for my fiancé’s memorial service.

Move It to Lose It

Guest Post By Jan Bono

Crabby is still trying to get her act together after returning from Hong Kong and Bali, waylaid by chores involved packing up for a cross-country relocation.  (And yes, talk about your First World Problems.) So she apologizes for major blog slackitude on her part.  Good thing though that ace contributor Jan Bono has more insights to share about her astounding weight loss journey! Remember you can get her book at “Back from Obesity: My 252-pound Weight-Loss Journey” either in print or on Jan's smashwords page. And the apologetic crab hopes to be back next week!--Crabby

I’ve been roughly “at goal weight” now for several years, but I can vividly recall the monumental effort to sign on the dotted line at our local fitness center. At the time, I was still over 350 pounds, and wanted absolutely nothing to do with public exercise.

I mean seriously, what if someone I knew saw me there? What if I heard snickers from other people working out? How could I possibly justify the expense when I was pretty sure I’d never stick with it for the length of a single 3-month contract?

Take My Picture Here! Things I Love About Traveling Fitter and Smaller

Guest Post by Genie

Yep, travel is a recurring theme here at Cranky Fitness lately! Crabby has been off gallivanting around the globe and has just returned in a predictably comatose state, muttering incoherent curses as she contemplates the ceiling-high pile of stinky laundry and the prospect of imminent cross-county relocation.  But be assured she will be back soon to bore you with tales and photos.  

So here are some more thoughts on travel from one of our favorite guest posters, Genie. (Check out her previous posts here and here and here). Since Crabby has never been heroic enough to shed large numbers of pounds herself, she was quite intrigued about the before-and-after-weight-loss perspective on travel.  So please welcome Genie back again to Cranky Fitness!--Crabby 

We love to travel. It’s sometimes all I can think about. We’ve learned how to travel cheaply while staying safe and having an amazing time. In the past, I’ve been a “trooper” dealing with a lot of difficulties to travel as a really heavy and out of shape woman. The trip to Rome and the surrounding region in 2011 was particularly rough and may have been in the back of my mind when I decided to get healthy. This past holiday we went back to Rome and then on to Bologna to base ourselves in the Emilia Romagna for 17 days. It was glorious. Oh, the art, the architecture, and Yes! The food!!!

Broasted Chicken and the Banishing Bra

ByJan Bono

Yep, it's time for another amusing and inspiring post by blog contributor Jan Bono! See more about her on our "info"page and don't forget to check out her “Back from Obesity: My 252-pound Weight-Loss Journey” either in print or on Jan's smashwords page. --Crabby

Saying “no” to food not allowed on my healthy food plan is often a challenge. Sometimes I manage to say “maybe,” or “later,” but occasionally I throw sanity to the wind and scream “Hell, yes!”

It takes discipline to maintain a 252-pound weight loss—something I’ve managed to do for over a year—yet there are days when that discipline is in short supply. So naturally, I need solid strategies in place to keep me from caving in on a regular basis.

One sunny Saturday afternoon I stood before the open refrigerator, pondering my food choices for the rest of the day. I’d already had my usual yogurt breakfast, my mid-morning low-sodium V-8 juice break, and it was time for a satisfying low-calorie lunch.

But today there was nothing in the fridge that appealed to me. I closed the door and peered into the cupboard. Nothing too exciting there, either.

What I really wanted, I realized, was that amazing broasted chicken they served in the local bar.

Weight Loss Retreat: Do it Yourself!

Guest Post by Jan Bono

So lately Crabby has been paying good money to experience and review healthy resorts like Red Mountain, or alternatively, has been freeloading off of her spouse's employer at places like the JW Marriott Camelback in Scottsdale. Yet at least some readers must be muttering: well sure, sounds great, but WTF? Aren't there any cheaper options for sequestering yourself in an environment custom-designed to encourage healthy eating, vigorous activity, and personal growth?

Well leave it to Cranky Fitness contributor Jan Bono to provide a more creative suggestion! As you may recall, Jan has written “Back from Obesity: My 252-pound Weight-Loss Journey”, and you can learn more about her and her writings if you pop over and scroll down a bit on our Info page.)--Crabby

DIY Weight Loss Retreat

I met regularly with a counselor during the first two years of my 252-pound weight loss journey. After the first year, she suggested I attend an inpatient program. I balked.

Why spend money on a treatment center, then come home to the same old mindset, the same old “let’s celebrate with food” friends, the same old job challenges?

Running Towards Weight Loss

Photo Credit: Gareth 1953 

Guest Post By Megan White

Running (or not) seems to be a theme this week! And don't forget we're giving away some Altra Zero-Drop shoes (and it's not too late to enter).

While some of us suffer from injuries that make running a Bad Idea and a source of angst, jealousy, and whining, for most people, running is a Good Idea!  But... even if you are physically able to run, how the heck do you motivate yourself to do it?

This guest post is by our Paleo Pal Megan White, who has a new book out called The Ten Running Commandments and who has already shared a post with us on Losing Weight on a Paleo Diet. She is an enthusiastic runner, and has some tips to share!-- Crabby


The words we tell ourselves can make or break us.

These words can be positive. They can take you from your bed in the early morning to the dark streets, allowing you to burn off a couple hundred calories before the day ahead (and fitting you up with hours of endorphins to get you through the early-morning blues).

Alternately, these words can be negative. They can keep you strapped to your couch, a bag of potato chips in your hand, and thoughts of Netflix humming in your head. We’ve all been there. (Sadly, just three days of this attitude can get me up-to-date on full seasons of House of Cards.)

The Skinny on Skin Removal

skin photo Laura Prado

Guest Post by Jan Bono

Ok, so you probably figured out, even before you got to the byline, that this was a guest post. Skin removal? That's a surgical procedure associated with massive weight loss. And massive weight loss... well, that implies incredible will-power, courage, and persistence.

So, you had to know this was written by someone other than Crabby McSlacker!

But I'm psyched to introduce Jan Bono to you. She's written a book, Back from Obesity, about her weight loss, which I hope you check out.  Her story is pretty damn inspirational.

If you don't believe me, just check out a couple of Jan's "before" and "after" photos.

Losing Weight on a Paleo Diet

photo: wikipedia

Guest Post By Meg White, with Intro by Crabby McSlacker

Please welcome Meg White, blogger at CavemanCravings.net!  She was willing share her success with the whole Paleo thing here, despite the realization that Cranky Fitness is not exactly a paleo blog. 

Unless our primal ancestors had a few packages of this stuff stashed away in their caves?

Anyway, I know there are lots of hard-core CavePeople as well as some Primal-Curious folks among the Cranketeers, so enjoy!

How I Lost Weight on the Paleo Diet: An Ode to My Past Love, Bread

Some rights reserved by jeffreyw

Oh, ye bread. How I would have missed you. That is: I would have missed you if I didn’t toss you out along with my chubby clothes—the clothes I had to purchase post-one particular lost summer of extra carbohydrates topped with sucrose, thank-you-very-much.

That’s right: I, along with so many other people, had a very, very lost couple of months, when turning to food seemed the only option. Backed by my sure-and-sturdy comprehension of “what we’re meant to eat” via the Food Guide Pyramid, I chased every full-tier spaghetti meal with my standard helping of … Oreos. Sometimes extra helpings; this depended on my mood and how long the television program I was watching lasted.

Clearly, I needed help.

Helpful Hints after Weight Loss

OK, Maybe Some Hints are Not So Helpful

Guest Post by Heather Lee

Remember the awesome guest post back in August called "Goodbye Girls?" Well, Heather Lee, a favorite Cranky Fitness commenter, succumbed to my pleading and whining and has penned another post for us, hooray! She also has a lovely blog of her own, The Spotted Cat so it's really not fair of me to exploit her talents over here, but whatever--I'm kinda ruthless like that. She's so dang nice I couldn't help taking advantage of her good nature. 

So please welcome Heather Lee!  --Crabby

If you hang around the weight-loss world long enough, you’ll probably see lists along the lines of “Things Nobody Told Me Would Happen as the Weight Comes Off.” Having been on this road for a while now, I can verify a lot of them through personal experience. Some are vexing, most are funny, and all are worth it.

But why do so many of us get blindsided by these things? For me, it’s because I looked at The Start Point (overly rotund!) and The End Point (fit and sleek!) without bothering to think about that whole Middle Part. You know: The Hard Work. Most of us don’t want to think too much about that part, and that’s when we get surprised.

So here is my list, both in the interest of helping other Cranketeers and because I like to make lists. Enjoy!