Carrie's Gripe Corner For All

[muppet]

I've ranted about this before, but I'm feeling the need again. Why do some people who are -- sorry , I'm not trying for political correctness here --- fatter than I am, insist that I am not fat! I am 5'5", and weigh at the moment in the mid 180's. No way, now how I am not fat! And there are 3 of us -- all needing to lose various amounts of weight. One woman and I talk a bit about it, compare notes, and empathize about how hard it is. The other talks to me about how she's doing, but gives me no feedback, no support -- NOTHING! She just brushes me off and says she doesn't consider me fat. Ok -- whatever - but there's no doubt that I should some weight. For my health if nothing else.
I could see her attitude if maybe I had 5 or 10 pounds to lose. But it's a much more severe problem than that, and I don't understand why she insists on ignoring everything I have to say about it, or any frustrations I may be having.

[Jules]

Sorry Carol, she just sounds like if she admits you need to lose some weight, it means she needs to lose a LOT not just a little. People are strange and jealous and funny that way. I'm not sure you can do anything to change her mind and I'm sorry she's not supportive. Maybe if you just stressed the fitness side ot her not the weight side she's not be so resistant?

I wanted to lodge my own complaint as well here. My coworker made chocolate chip cookies AGAIN! She makes them like once a week and I get left alone in an empty office, just me and the cookies, and I know they are over there! I have an orange as a snack, but there are yummy cookies, arg! You -coworker -quit asking me about diets and saying you want to exercise with me and making cookies! You will never lose weight and I do not appreciate you putting cookies in front of me either!

Okay, I feel better now. Oh one more thing, making your cookies smaller and eating more of them does not help either. You're using the same amount of sugary dough. Only now you're eating 3-4 small cookies instead of 1 large one. But it's the same stuff! That only works at all if you eat 1 of the smaller ones, but I see you and you don't. So please keep your cookies at home. Okay, that is all.

Cheers! ~Jules

[muppet]

Lol-- we are going to turn the word 'coworker' into something nasty! But it sure does help to have a place to vent!

[Trying4Thin]

Stupid, sorry excuse, will backfire for sure because people dont learn anything while on them because they do more harm than good...(DIE)ts.

Yeah I quit my challenge this morning. What's the point? When the same people keep having big weeks and I keep circling the drain at the 160's no matter what I do?

[Missy]

I'm with Carrie on this one too. I am not going to participate in any more of the challenges over at weighins, they are pointless. They are good for motivation because the people are friendly. But there are tons of people over there not losing weight healthily, starving themselves...throwing up big numbers and I don't think that's a fair way to win a challenge. She is also right...the challenge should not be based on numbers on the scale...too bad the challenge doesn't go by inches lost. It's hard to create a challenge when everyone reacts differently to losing weight...I think that people who don't lose weight the healthy way and starve themselves during the challenge should be disqualified, because it isn't fair to the people who actually eat proper and bust their a$% to lose weight.

[muppet]

Well, I quit my challenge too. But not because I was upset with what anyone else was doing. It wasn't helping me the way I hoped it would. So, rather than just never weigh in, and have my name still up there, I decided to just drop out. I wish all that are no longer participating would do that -- all though faded out names depress me, and just remind me of the odds of actually succeeding. Know what I mean? All those stats about how many 'diets' fail, and such. To me, seeing all those people who are so motivated, and how many drop out, is just proof.
I've done a little research on this up day down day diet. I don't think it's for me at all. But I don't know how dangerous it is either. I've heard that rather than counting calories daily, people should do it weekly. Because it's natural caloric intake should vary each day.
But, that's just something I heard once. It made sense to me. But that doesn't work for me, because I'd probably end up using up my weekly calories in 4 days, or something! Now, THAT would not be healthy.
I do agree, that people need to be very careful about what kind of diet they go on. I would be more concerned if they were taking any kind of pills, or only eating a few types of food. ( like those goofy cabbage soup, or grapefruit diets)
I'm disappointed that being part of a challenge didn't help me. Or, I didn't let it help me. But I'm really trying to get my head back in the game, and start some kind of program. I'm looking into South Beach, because I think I really do have a carb addiction. It addressed this, and then goes to a more healthy way of eating, for life. The right carbs, right fats, etc.....
Second gripe - I think Phil addressed this awhile ago -- people trying out for the show, and acting like there's nothing they can do about their problem, unless they get on the show. Are people putting off doing what they know they need to do, or using the show as an excuse to not take care of themselves? "Well, I might get on TBL, so I don't want to start shaping up now!", or if they think they will get on, do they purposefully gain weight, in order to make their transformation that much more dramatic?
I still love the show, but the fact that it is a 'game', brings out all these ways of 'playing the game', that are not only not healthy, but downright stupid.
I hope no one who is on these boards, is waiting to take that first step toward a healthier life, because they're hoping they will get on TBL.

[Jules]

I gave up on the challenges a long time ago, glad I'm not alone in that. They were too long I think. I think even 6 weeks is a long challenge. I don't like the format over there -a bit too like myspace for me. And yeah, it was frustrating that I didn't lose weight at all during that time. Unlucky for me I suppose on the timing. I'm sorry to hear people trashing their health in the long run for this short term goal. IT didn't really inspire me -just more paperwork to keep up with. I like here much better.

[muppet]

What is happening to our show? Is TBL changing? I don't think there's any denying that -- every show changes and evolves, but is TBL evolving into something I don't like?
First we lose Jillian. Now we've lost Caroline. Official word -- 'to pursue other interests'. I don't know -- but isn't that code for 'fired'. Simply because I know there were several people who complained and laughed that Caroline has her own weight issues.....maybe they thought they needed someone who had conquered weight issues, and was looking 'hot'. Caroline not 'hot' enough for them?
Other changes I have noticed-- people are playing the 'game'. And I've complained about this before, so I'm not going to get into it again. I never watched the first season, but I remember the second, the first time I really saw this, what when Matt gained one week, on purpose. A wrestler, so a master at manipulating the scales, he gained when he knew he would be safe, to make for a more dramatic loss the next week. Stuff like this happened last season too. I know it's a game -- the SHOW is a game--- but I have a hard time respecting that. Because as we all know, weight loss is not a game.
I think that's why some of us didn't quite fit in over at weigh-ins. Don't get me wrong -- I think it's a great site, and probably just what some people need. More power to them! But I guess I don't respond well to weight loss being a contest. Because there are many unhealthy was to lose a lot of weight quickly. Some are not on purpose-- illness, or a stressful time in your life..... but others are and neither is a healthy way to get rid of unwanted pounds.
I know on TBL they teach them healthy ways to eat. And how to work out. Is it just me, or are we seeing less and less of that, and more and more of the soap opera drama garbage?
I would like to see them have all the past contestants on a reunion show of some sort. Or have someone do a documentary on them, to see how they are doing since they left the show. What did they learn, have they really changed their lifestyle, how does if affect the other people in their lives, etc... I would just like to know if being on this show really helps them, or if they are being sacrificed in the name of entertainment.
It's probably too soon for something like that. Maybe we need a few more years to go by for some of these guys.
Is the next season going to be even less about diet and exercise, and more about drama and unexpected twists in the game? Gee-- sounds like another show that I can't stand-- Big Brother.

[louie]

Guys talking about TBL, here our new series is more like a strategy game rather than a weight loss game. We have this thing called the Walk when you win an immunity challenge so the person who wins has to walk this long path to a place where 4 urns filled with water and covered with flowers so you can't see inside contain 4 stones. You have to pick a stone and it says you have to do different things, like swap to the other team, or swap 2 other members, or deliberately throw a challenge - all this crap, when what we want to see as viewers is genuine people striving to lose weight. This is not politics!!!!

It's getting really boring.

Louie

[Trying4Thin]

Maybe it's just me; but this place is not nearly as fun as it used to be. We are losing members left and right, and the postings are down by a lot. I realize that morale is down for many of us. I take responsibility for it because I havent thought of any cool ideas to keep people here. And we havent had a live chat session since the last BL episode. Sooo...

If any of you have any ideas about how to liven this place up; please let me know.