Progress

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Trainer Becoming Obese On Purpose

OK.  I hate to even point anyone to this guy given the international attention he's getting and I'm a little annoyed by him but I'm interested in everyone's thoughts.  Here's the link - fit2fat2fit.  And here's the gist.  This trainer guy who was all buff and hot and what not...is getting fat for 6 months.  Then he's going to spend another 6 months taking off the weight to show the obese out there how easy it all is.  He expected to gain 50-60 lbs in his six month fitness hiatus.  He's gained 70 so far and has a month to go.  He's an "inspiration" to thin and fat people everywhere.  Overweight people are praising him for "finally understanding what obese people go through" and thin people are praising him for "thinking outside the box."  People who have lost a whopping 30 lbs are "inspirational" to those who are struggling.  Most of this I'm getting from the comment to his blog.  Now...I think this guy's intentions are good.  I do.  I just don't think he realizes that it's accomplishing nothing.  All he's doing is feeding the stereotypes.  My thoughts on this:

  • He's not really feeling like an obese person feels.  He set out to be fat for 6 months.  He knows at the end of this 6 months, he's going to start losing this weight and be back to his old self in a year (theoretically).  That is NOT what people who struggle with their weight their entire lives feel.  They feel hopeless.  They don't feel like "Give me 6 months and I'll be buff again," because, chances are, they weren't buff to begin with.  Many of us have been fat or chubby or whatever our entire lives.  No matter how he spins it, he still sees it a temporary condition.  For those of us on this forum, this was not the case.
  • He misses working out, he misses eating right.  This is someone who works out for a living and lived at the gym.  I think it's safe to say none of us were those people (some of our more successful folks have become these people but it took a big lifestyle change to get there).  I'm not sure that 6 months away is enough time for your body to completely forget what it's supposed to do.  He's never yo-yo dieted before so he hasn't completely jacked up his metabolism yet.  This weight will come off easier for him than it would for people like you and me.  Fact.
  • He's been blogging about how he feels as he's gaining weight, physically and emotionally.  Recently he wrote about not being able to keep up with his 2 year old daughter and how it must feel knowing that you're not being a very good parent.  While I agree that not being able to keep up with your kids is a big motivator for a lot of us and it sucks...I wouldn't say I was a bad parent before I lost the weight.  Seemed judgmental to me.
  • In fact, the WHOLE thing seems judgmental to me.  "Look fat people of the world!  I am now one of you!  Let me show you the way!"  Because you know, fat people don't know why they're fat and they don't know how to lose weight.  Let's face it.  Most of us could educate half the thin people of the world on nutrition, benefits of exercise, calories in/calories out, carb levels and what they do to your insulin levels, effects of ketosis, etc.  Just because we KNOW doesn't mean that we DO it and that's been the problem the whole time.  
  • To purposely get fat is just idiotic.  I'm sorry but it is.  No one who is really concerned with the struggle people face would do this to themselves because to them, it's a gimmick.
  • I feel evil because I want it to blow up in his face and he stays fat forever.  Am I going to hell?  I think so.
So there you have it.  I'm open to debate so if you disagree with me, by all means...please express yourself.  Just keep it respectful.  I'm not trying to hate on anybody because I do think he has good intentions overall (and he's a publicity hound) but I just don't think he "gets it."

8 comments:

Rhonda said...

SECONDED! All of it. I hate that he's doing this as a point to say, "It's just science."

Nora said...

Hmmmm, I had never heard of this guy before today, so I am a bit behind with this one. He might be a bit judgmental, but it is kind of refreshing to see the super athletic person say, well, let me actually see how it is to be like you, even if it is just for a bit. Remember when Tyra Banks wore the fat suit years ago? As for his comment on being a bad parent, I will give him the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to poor choice of words. I do know that as a woman who has yet to have a child, a strong motivator of mine for losing weight was so I could be an active parent- like running next to my child when s/he is learning to ride a bike rather than making Kenny do it. I will read up on him a bit to get better information, but this might make him a more empathetic trainer down the road...

Amanda said...

I am so not going to read it! Sorry. I just can't handle people who think they are the end all to ALL peoples problems! We are all not cut from the same cloth buddy and you will never know how it feels to be me! If my living was to be a trainer then yes. I can see how this works. But as you said this isn't most peoples lives.

It isn't just science but I might have been disillusioned a bit but I calorie counted my ass off (not literally) I portion controled...and I would only lose so much! EVER...

grr

Elizabeth said...

ANNOYING AND AGREED!!!

Lee Ann said...

I read an article about this guy, I didn't realize he had a blog, I might have to check it out just for kicks. But I totally agree with you. Being overweight for a LITTLE while and on purpose just feels gimmicky---and like he's out to "prove" that "all" it takes is a proper diet and exercise. He basically supposes that the ONLY way to get fat is to make poor food choices and sit on his ass. Real obesity, I think, is more complicated than that.

~Lisa~ said...

Are you kidding me????? I agree with every one of your points - and will add a few more.....
1) He has not experienced the many complications that can amount to weight gain - such as pregnancy, stress, depression, genetics, or fatigue.
2) He is very condescending and belittling with this short term, non-scientific experiment that has no "controls" or statistical input.
3) He's a tool.................

A.J. said...

I actually read an interview with this guy. I haven't spent lots of time on his website ( I think all the attention crashed it the other day) however in the interview he seemed pretty sympathetic to the struggles of the obese. He recognized the "addictive" nature of refined and processed foods. And he also admitted that he wasn't even close to understanding what it was like to be obese for a lifetime but that he at least maybe had a better understanding than someone who had never been obese. I got an entirely different first impression of him.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/why-a-personal-trainer-is-making-himself-obese-on-purpose-2583990

Anonymous said...

I aint gunna read it either - I dont need to and I totally agree with you.

All he is doing is putting on lbs. He does not know what it feels like to be obese, because obesity is not just a physical state.

His ordeal is therefore pointless.

good post babe.

x bunny x

www.weightloss-expedition.blogspot.com