Heavy on A&E

If you’ve seen the preview for this show, you may have wondered if it is just a rip off of The Biggest Loser. After watching the first episode, I can tell you, it is nothing like the other.

Heavy follows two individuals who have serious food addictions for six months in their journey to lose weight. The people on the show are extremely overweight. The first episode featured Tom, who started at 638 pounds and spend most of his day lying in bed because that was all the could do, and Jodi, a wife and mother who started at 367 pounds.

The first month of the weight loss journey begins at a facility where the two people are removed from all distractions. Just like drug rehab, the trainers go through each person’s bags to make sure nothing that might enable them has been brought along. Telephone and television privileges are taken away.

What I liked about this show was that from the first workout with two personal trainers, the two people are told they are going to be partners in this journey. They are going to be accountable to each other when they leave the weight loss facility after a month. I also liked that they were only isolated for one month. After that month, each person is sent home to lose weight in real-life situations.

While they are sent home, they are still given tools for the next few months. Each person works with a personal trainer and a dietician show them how to make healthy choices. The final month of the program each person is left on their own. It is meant to be a measure of whether or not they are ready to finish the weight loss journey on their own.

I enjoyed the show and found it inspiring. Jodi lost 77 pounds and Tom lost 155 pounds during the six months. I would have liked to have seen where each person is now and am keeping my fingers crossed for a “Where are they now” episode in the future.