I really liked what you have to say. I am new to this site, but have been onl this journey for over a year now. Actually I have been on this journey my whole life, but this time I have been successful. That is because I follow many of the things you stated in your post. I will tell you that TBL was one thing that inspired me to get my but in the gym. For me, I know that the weight loss on the show is unreasonable and unsustainable, but what I appreciated was that these people who maybe never worked out in their life were capable of great feats of strength and endurance. So I thought if they can do it then so can I.
My first 30lbs lost was due completely to working out. I hardly changed any of my food at all. Since then I have made much healthier choices and this is mostly due to the fact that I feel better and have more energy when I fuel my body correctly. That is not to say that I don't enjoy indulgences, but when you workout these are much easier to have.
I don't know if anybody else on this site is using the bodybugg (featured on TBL) but I asked my personal trainer about it and thought that it would work well for me, especially since I am now not working with a trainer. I have found it very addicting and interesting to know for certain how many calories I am consuming and burning in a day so that I can maintain my deficit.
Anyway, I am rambling on, but I really enjoyed your post and I wanted to welcome you back!