Let’s Get To The Big Fat Truth

He couldn’t make eye contact and he put up a wall. I didn’t dislike him or judge him, but I intuitively knew not to hug him. I assumed he was shy or maybe didn’t like me. After all, I was the new girl, the branding strategist whose idea was for everyone in the company to get on social media and he admittedly hated Facebook.

“Can you work with Taylor on this website? It needs to be up by Monday and he can’t possibly do it alone,” they asked and I agreed. I was a consultant, not an employee, and though my contract didn’t include web design, that’s a craft I love and I had time that weekend.

We talked themes, code, CSS, copywriting, and, to his disappointment, social media marketing. Soon we talked about faith, about divorce, about struggle and pain. I would also find out his deeper truth. He was unfit, unhealthy and unhappy… still.

I was surprised when he first talked about his rapid weight loss, without exercise:

“After many years of consistent bad choices in my eating habits, I found myself at 233 pounds. It happened so gradually that I didn’t realize how unhealthy I had become. I came to the point where I had to re-evaluate many of the choices I was making in life, and the way I was eating was the first thing to change.”

That’s how he tells the story. There’s a deeper truth about weight loss: an emotional story that you don’t often hear. We focus on food and exercise, when weight gain and weight loss often times lies a big fat truth we don’t want to share. The opportunity to partner with Z Living to promote their newest show, The Big Fat Truth, seemed like the perfect chance to share this story with you. 

Rapid weight loss looks good on paper, but consistent behavioral changes, and getting the support you need to be able to keep seemingly elusive traits like self-control and discipline.

“I didn’t make any drastic changes to begin with. I still ate at fast food restaurants, which were a major contributor to my weight gain, but I started making better choices. Choosing a grilled chicken sandwich rather than a greasy burger or fried chicken, for example. Exercising my self-control over those choices strengthened it me in other ways, like having one slice of the chocolate cake instead of two. Eventually I cut out fast food completely without a struggle. Each small change built on the next until I lost a total of 63 pounds.”

I didn’t have any relatives or friends in the Dallas area, and he seemed so lonely! We started spending time together and that meant he was coming over to lunch, and often dinner. He was such a good friend to me and the girls really liked him. He asked me so many questions and he really took my answers to heart.

I was so excited to share my recipes with him, and it made me happy that he wanted me to show him what to go shopping for. He also joined the gym where I worked out. It was so funny that he was often the only man in my Zumba class and he couldn’t follow the steps, but I adored him for that – as a friend, that is.

It took us nine months to get married. In this journey, he made more changes: he quit smoking, quit coffee, quit alcohol, quit toxic friendships, and decided to forever give up other damaging habits and addictions.

“The first time that I realized what a huge effect all these changes had on me was at a park when I was trying to get a kite to fly. There wasn’t much wind that day, so I was running on and on, attempting to get it airborne. Suddenly, I realized how far I had run and was amazed that I wasn’t gasping for breath. It had been years since I felt like that.”

I honor his story. It’s the truth… but there’s a big fat truth that is hidden between these lines. To me, his story is a love story. A story of self-love. He started his journey when he began to take a stand for who he is and to satiate his hunger in more healthy and empowering ways.

“As I spent more time with my future wife and daughters I started following a vegan lifestyle with them, which caused another drop of 20 pounds for a total weight loss of 83 pounds, which I have kept off (without exercise) for 5 years and counting.” 

But there was so much that had to be shed before these lbs. were gone: shame, guilt, self-doubt, insecurity, self-defeat, self-loathing, and despair. In order to lose and keep the weight off, he had to change his mind. JD Roth, author of the recently released book The Big Fat Truth, says: “The body is no match for the power of the mind.” As you transform your mind and recognize your worth, your weight loss journey can be a safe and sustainable one. This mindset has helped me lose the extra lbs. I’ve gained in my three pregnancies, even though my gain has been more than a third of my weight each time.

I’m excited to see The Big Fat Truth, because it addresses the real reasons people struggle with weight, and gives them the tools and the optimism they need to transform their lives. Using problem-solving and motivational skills, JD Roth takes on the challenge to help save the lives of our greatest unsung heroes.

The Big Fat Truth airs weekly on Sundays at 8e/p on Z Living, featuring teachers, chef, nurses, diabetics, moms, and even former “The Biggest Loser” contestants, throughout the six-episode season.

There are so many programs and diets out there that can be damaging emotionally and detrimental physically, so I am really glad to see JD Roth take a holistic approach in which he’s not only focusing on exercise and eating habits, such as eating whole, plant-based foods, like we do in my home, but also through mindset transformation techniques that will motivate people to build new habits that will serve them in the long run.

Let’s get to the big fat truth about our struggles, either with weight or otherwise. Any major lifestyle, behavioral, and mindset change requires encouragement, effort, and mentorship, and though my husband’s story is true and he did lose 83 lbs. through changing his eating habits, the big fat truth is that shedding the emotional weight is what really made a lasting difference.

What are your thoughts on The Big Fat Truth? Let’s tune in together! Make sure to join the FREE Big Fat 30 Day Challenge to get health and wellness tips from executive producer JD Roth!

You can also follow the show on Facebook and Twitter and join the conversation with #BigFatTruth.

[ela]