We’re in season 5 of My 600 lb life and tonight there will be a new episode featuring a Kentucky man by the name of James who weighs 800 lbs. Because of his weight James is unable to walk, stand, and is confined to a double-wide trailer. He has also developed a case of cellulitis. P.S. the photo above is not James. This article wasn’t meant to be a preview of tonight’s episode which I’m sure is going to be depressing but rather a quick message that I truly wish shows like My 600 lb life and now Skin Tight didn’t exist. On the other side of the spectrum I have an equal desire for any show dedicated to plastic surgery to not exist.
And let me be clear. I think the intention of My 600lb life is a very positive one. It’s to inform and educate people on the perils of gaining enormous amounts of weight. Each story carries a ton of emotion as well as a constant reminder to its viewers that this is an extremely dangerous lifestyle. But I can’t help but to feel awful that the show exists in the first place. Week after week the show keeps finding subjects and that doesn’t include all of the other obese people out there who aren’t featured on television. Honestly I don’t have an answer for the obesity epidemic (I do but it’s unrealistic). I could sit here and try a number of messages and methods.
You can be a tough trainer and say things like “get off your butt!” or you can take the empathy route and try to relate emotionally to the person who is heavy. I do have a solution which will never, ever get implemented but I personally think it would be incredibly beneficial to society.
When a person reaches a weight that by definition is an obese weight and considered extremely unhealthy (and this would have to be a specific standard meaning body fat % and BMI are taken into account), that they see a therapist (funded by the government) until their weight is under control.
Yes I know it’s far fetched but is it such a bad idea? Think about how many lives would be saved.
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