Honey, We're Killing the Kids... - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Dairy Fairy · 05-01-2006, 11:11 PM

Have you guys seen this show? I love the concept, but do you think the "age progressions" are a little outrageous? How come the kids always have bad hairstyles and ugly clothes when they are fat, and then in the "good" pictures they are all in professional clothes and look "hip." Isn't this promoting stereotypes about fat people? It's like those stupid weight loss commercials where the before pic the person is frowning and letting their gut hang out, and in the after pic they are smiling, have a new stylish haircut, and are sucking in and standing up tall. To me it kind of makes me question the credibility of the show. I am curious to know what other people think...

deetsmom · 05-01-2006, 11:36 PM

as always, you make a good point! Gotta love the kid a few weeks ago that they gave a uni-brow and glasses to, he looked like Cro-Mag...

pinkflamingo68 · 05-01-2006, 11:49 PM

I think it's completely discounting the ability the kids might have to feel peer pressure to be thinner,more in shape, or play sports, or just waking up one day and realizing they don't want to eat candy and crap all the time, plus YEAH, I think the age progressions are pretty creepy, to say the least.

Isn't it weird that (SOAPBOX ALERT!!!LOL...) now, all of the screwed up things that have come out of our crazy society lately, bad relationships (Wife Swap, Shalom in the home. Dr. Phil), bad/spoiled/violent kids (The Nanny Show, etc.), and bad diets, etc. are ENTERTAINMENT????? Maybe people just watched too much TV and didn't spend enough quality time together in the first place.

Hugs to all,
Ange

madscientist · 05-02-2006, 12:03 AM

I don't watch tv unless it's old sitcom reruns when I'm super bored or have insomnia, but of course it's part crap. Yes, there are real concerns about what is going in our food and if our food is even food or created in a lab somewhere, but somehow I don't think some "reality" tv show (one of the biggest oxymorons in history) is going to make anything real out of it and address anything valid.

Ask any of the reality tv participants from alot of other shows and they will tell you -- and have done so in interviews -- to not believe everything you see. It's edited to make things look different than they really were, some of it is exaggerated and the producer is coaching the participants and some is downright staged. Those contests on Survivor? Staged. There were real contests, but it had to be played over again (faked) so they could really film it in bits and pieces and then string it all together and make it look good for tv. I personally don't believe a minute of any of it and believe that all of the drama is either staged or they took one snippet from one conversation, a snippet from another from someone else, put them together and made it look like a real argument. I find it strange and not one bit a coincidence, all of the cutting in and out cameras do when showing those particular tv shows. Jerry Springer was only the beginning of the possibilities of what to do with human drama and modern editing technology.

It's all ratings and entertainment value and naturally, what better way to get ratings than exploit our societal fears and issues

AnnieFannie · 05-02-2006, 01:30 AM

I've been watching it and yes, I agree the age progression pics are a bit creepy to say the least. I think part of it is a sticker shock to the parents. Maybe to scare them into wanting to change the kids to eat healthier and exercise more. But I do agree they put all the bits and pieces together to get a good show so people will watch. We don't see the whole picture just what the producers want us to see. Gotta get those ratings.

I do like the concept of the show.

Boo'sMom · 05-02-2006, 07:47 AM

I certainly like parts of the show--the age progression is horrible but I agree it's partly to shock the parents (and us) into doing better by their children. My girls love the show and last night was terrific because the middle girl was thin but addicted to junk--much like my 6 year old. So if my girls pick up on better eating and more exercise to prevent "that" then great--I'll take all the help I can get. They need to hear it from someone besides me. I love the family time and date nights, too!

deetsmom · 05-02-2006, 08:14 AM

We like Shalom in the Home, it really is like reiterating for us over and over again things we already know, but its like a soothing reminder that you need to basically work as a team, show respect and love and things will work more smoothly. Wife swap is more like the, "see how good you got it made with me, honey" factor. People love to watch other people, plain and simple.

Dairy Fairy · 05-02-2006, 08:56 AM

I gotta say one thing I forgot...in the fat pics on HWKTK, the boys are always bald and in schlumpy short sleeve shirts. If those kids learn how to eat from their t.v. show experience, that is great...but like the middle girl said last night "how is this gonna change the way we eat when we are 30 and live alone?" And of course those girls are probably gonna go on a diet starting in MIDDLE SCHOOL in today's thin-obsessed society. I bet my age progression based on all the southern cooking and butter that went into my food would have me looking about 500 lbs right now, but that didn't mean I couldn't make decisions for myself as an adult.

AnnieFannie · 05-02-2006, 11:39 AM

I can't believe it. I missed it last night. Dang. I'm going to have to search for the repeat of it.

It does show us that we need to watch what we put into our kids and we need to get them outside and not in front of the television watching TV or playing video games.

slimmerKim · 05-02-2006, 02:46 PM

I love having a DVR and taping the show and then FFing through all the stupid parts. The age progression thing is the WORST. Last night they had one of the girls with a NOSE RING? WTH is that about - if you eat badly, when you're a teen, you'll get a nose ring? Oh and the hairstyles they picked for the girls at age 40 was ridiculous.

Even fat people can look good and not have hair from decades ago. I just find it insulting to those watching it.

Last night's episode was a bit different in that 2 of the 3 kids were actually an average weight. The past shows have always had overweight kids. And the mom is very overweight as well. It just makes me feel good about my choice to change before my kids start picking up bad habits.

The premise of the show is powerful, but the way it's presented is horrible - it's almost as if it's aimed at children, the way it's narrated and the repetition.

Anyway - I find it interesting but man does it annoy me! LOL

Dairy Fairy · 05-02-2006, 03:04 PM

Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. YOu can be overweight and still have a sense of fashion and beauty. You can be thin and dress like an idiot. Have they not seen What Not To Wear? Fat people are not dumb and gross just by their nature. Why did they have more acne when they are fat in the age progressions? It always seemed to me that the skinny kids were just as (if not more so) prone to acne in high school).

The doctor annoys me..."you are KILLING your children." How about "you rkids are going to pay the price for your laziness and bad decisions."

ljackson · 05-02-2006, 03:10 PM

We watched the show for the first time last week, and my 9 year old son was really taken by it. He is so skinny you can see every bone but he is concerned about being healthy and getting exercise. The other night he weighed himself and then did sit ups for a whole song, he weighed himself again and was down 1/2 pound. He thought that was so cool that he kept going back and forth doing sit ups for the legnth of a song and then weighing himself. He ended up seeing a 1 pound difference. The next morning he was down even more and this really freaked him out. I had to explain to him how we weigh less in the morning than at night.
I don't know how I feel about kids seeing these shows. On the one hand I wish it would impress my older son who is right on the borderline of being overweight, but I also see my other son and daughter who are both skinny being concerned about their weight.
I am just glad I am doing LAWL, because they can learn from me eating healty now. I learned such bad habits from my parents.

graceey · 05-09-2006, 04:47 PM

I totally agree with you. The show pokes fun at people that are overweight. And you know, that makes me really angry because this is the kind of crap I have had to put up with my entire life! Even though I am bigger than I want to be, I am on my way to a healthier lifestyle. But I have always dressed professionally and tried to look my best. I'm sorry if I get a little fired up sometimes!

Dairy Fairy · 05-09-2006, 05:00 PM

Oh yeah...apparently they don't make contacts OR stylish glasses for fat people...and skinny people never wear glasses

TracyC · 05-13-2006, 11:35 AM

I think what really bugs me about the show is that they expect kids to embrace eating squid, mussels and sushi, after having been used to hot dogs and pizza. Why not try some simple meals like grilled chicken with salads, brown rice for white, etc.? I make a home made pizza with bread dough rolled very thinly, and I use tons of veggies and a smidge of crumbled 96% lean hamburger. Kids want to be kids, I think. You can show them new tastes, but perhaps show them lower-fat versions of their favorites. I pity the poor, overworked moms who don't know much about cooking, and they are suddenly told to whip up a batch of Paella with clams, mussels and squid. The looks on the faces of the husbands and kids to such culinary "masterpieces" says it all. I would hate to have slaved in the kitchen for a couple of hours to see those looks, when I could marinate and grill some chicken and throw together a vegetable stir-fry in half an hour.

I do like the emphasis on exercise, which I think is sorely lacking in most American homes.

Just my measly two cents.