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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Stuck between fat and a flabby place

I received the most wonderful e-mail today. One of my friends who knows how much I enjoy The Biggest Loser sent me this link: Biggest Loser Now Casting Season 12 -- along with the news that TBL will be holding an open casting call in Indianapolis on February 26.

"I am SO there," I thought. "Mike and I can go together and we'll pull out all of our fat couple jokes and this will be great!" I was never so happy to be fat, imagining myself sweating buckets in the gym on the Biggest Loser ranch.

Earnestly, I clicked through the interviews with TBL casting directors and former contestants to get tips on how to score a spot on the show. Then I saw it: Contestants must have a minimum of 100 pounds to lose.

That's when I found myself stuck between fat and a flabby place. Ugh! Fat, but not fat enough. I mean, I suppose I could lose 100 pounds, but that would put me at 105 pounds, which I haven't seen since I was 4 years old. Kidding, people, only kidding. I think I weighed that at 8. (Gotcha again.)

I'll wait a minute while you do the math to figure out how much I weigh. I don't mind. It's just a number; like the weather in Indiana, it'll change in 20 minutes.

Now, are you with me? Good. Let's continue...

This is a shot at the Biggest Loser we're talking about, I considered. Days and nights with Bob and Ali. Long conversations with Dr. H. I have until February 26. Oh, the weight I could gain in one short month!

Seriously, that's the kind of sick and twisted thinking that goes on in my head. Fortunately for me -- and my rear end -- almost as soon as the thought of gorging on ice cream entered my brain, so did words like "Fit City," "IN Shape Indiana," and "Weight Watchers."

Oh yes, those things I've already committed myself to in pursuit of a healthier lifestyle and a more fit body. Not to mention the fitness challenge I joined at work, the money I've put into my brother-in-law's Chub Club contest, and the work I'm continuing to do with the American Heart Association.  I did just recently make my (not so) triumphant return to the gym. I've seen the scale moving in the downward direction.

Do I really want to throw all that away? Do I really want to feel like I've been stuffed into my own sausage casing skin and have permanent marks on my waist from where my pants were digging in too tightly? Do I even want to think about resurrecting the fat dress?

Sigh...I'd probably hate California anyway.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Short answer, no, you don't and shouldn't give up all your hard work just so you can go on TBL. You've found the drive and determination within to do it - and you are. Now, I do think it would be a great thing for Mike to do...and here's the story line....His wife back home is making changes to better her life, now he wants to get on board and do the same. I think he's be a great canidate especially given his history with surgery and what not. So there - that's how you'll be on The Biggest Loser. Do it!!

Eternal Lizdom said...

That's one of the things I shake my head at about BL. I think that helping those who are so dangerously overweight is a good thing. The people who make the show obviously need serious assistance.

But I also related so much more to the show when there were regular people on it- people who were a size 18 or 22. People I could relate to and feel more connected to because their battle and experience was similar to my own. I think I felt more inspired by the people that I see as being more like myself.

So take pride in being too normal, I suppose. And keep focused on "Fit City" and "IN Shape Indiana" and that good stuff. BL doesn't know what they're missing!

Sharon said...

I can't judge you one bit. Nearly every season I watch, I think the same thing: how much would I have to GAIN to be able to go on the show?! Sad? perhaps. But you know it'd be life changing, and some of us just crave that. And HELLO! The chance to work out nonstop w/ Bob/Jillian. Awesome.

I don't think you should do it, of course, because you are healthier than that, and God only knows what would happen if you put on the weight, then didn't go on the show. Could your blood pressure handle that? Your back? etc?

Stick it out, work what you know works for you. :)

Lisa said...

Amy, I think you should forward this post to the BL producers.

This made me think of the kids at school who aren't on the collge track or on the dropout track. The kids in the middle who don't get much attention but have to get by. Makes you wonder what they could accomplish if they did have a day or week with a Bob-like mentor. Makes me wonder what all of us could do with a Bob or Jillian helping to guide our weight/health journey.

Having said all that, don't make me get out the fat dress pictures!

cathy said...

I think if you really are interested in being on the show, go ahead and submit anyway - tell them why you should be on the show even if you don't have 100 pounds to lose. The worst they can say is no and you aren't out anything, but, then again, they may be so moved by your story they would change their requirements and invite you on! Never know until you try! =)