Because Joanne was such a great fan, and because we’re so proud of her, she has won two tickets to the Red Carpet Premiere of “Finding Thin” in Los Angeles!  If you want to be the #1 fan of January and win two tickets as well join the Fanzy app on the left hand side of the “Finding Thin” fanpage to compete.  Though Joanne has set the bar pretty high

“Joanne’s Personal Weight Loss Story”

By Joanne Greene

I was not overweight as a child.  I ate normal size portions of food, ran around playing tag, rode bikes, played hopscotch, and other active things girls did in the 60’s and 70’s. We didn’t eat at restaurants all that often, mostly if it was someone’s birthday or on vacation.  My favorite foods were sugary cereals and dessert, but my mom made sure I didn’t get an unlimited amount and they were balanced with healthy food.

When I got married at age 20, we moved 3000 miles from home and our families to Los Angeles, California. My husband and I both worked full time and would often stop and grab a burger, fries, and a shake for dinner. When we went to the movies we’d always get the jumbo popcorn with butter and the supersized soda.  This marked the beginning of our slow and steady weight gain.

During my pregnancy, I took the phrase “eating for two” literally. My sweet tooth was out of control and I became a “junk food junkie”.  I gained 42 pounds, waddled into the hospital at 202 pounds, and had a 9 lb. 6oz, 23-inch baby. I lost a little bit after the baby was born, but the weight crept back on. Before long I had gained over 100 pounds since my high school graduation weight and so had my husband!  Ugh!

Over the years I’ve tried various diets, including Medifast, Overeaters Anonymous, Weight Watchers, 3D, Cabbage Soup, and other such diets printed in women’s magazines.  The last diet I tried was in 1993.  I was so tired of going up and down the scale like a yo-yo.  I wanted to stay where I was and not gain anymore. Unfortunately that proved harder than I expected.  The highest I ever weighed was 267, but I was at around 255 for about 15 years.

In 2010, my husband and I knew we didn’t want to risk a barrage of health problems going into old age at this weight.  We started educating ourselves a bit about healthy eating, exercise, and psyching ourselves up for “THE BIG DIET”. We started looking at food labels, reading diet books, and visiting some “get healthy” websites. Our 50th birthdays were approaching and we wanted to give it one last try, to get at least some of this excess weight off.  Knowing that anything was better than being stuck at 250+ lbs.

I’d always been a great admirer of Richard Simmons and saw that he had a website, www.RichardSimmons.com.  He’s dedicated his life to helping people learn how to get healthy, so I figured he knows what he’s talking about. I started reading his Daily Message and the Success Stories section on his site and they were very inspiring. Over the years I’d gathered a collection of his workout videos (though some were still in shrink-wrap) and decided to pull one out and try it in my living room. After about 20 minutes I stopped because I am easily distracted, was out of breathe, and my dogs were looking at me funny. I read on Richard’s site that he taught classes three times a week, and I’d always wanted to meet him in person, so I decided to drive the hour to his studio and take a class.

If anyone had told me this work out would be fun and show results, I would have told them they were crazy!  But the combination of Richard Simmons’s smiling face in the front of the class, the peppy music, fun dance moves, and the results have all added up to a fun and affective weight loss routine.  There is a wonderful group of people from ages 19 to 90 who attend and I’ve made some great friendships. It’s great to surround yourself with a community of kind and caring people who are on the same journey as you. Several of my new friends have lost between 70 and 170 pounds!  The class is inspiring and shows me that big weight loss IS possible.  Two of my new friends have blogs that I read often and they share their own weight loss journey, healthy eating tips, and their ups and downs along the way.  www.KeepItUpDavid.com and www.Heidi-Finishing-The-Hat.blogspot.com.

For so many years, I thought I was being kind to myself by eating whatever I wanted and not engaging myself with exercise. But I found out that true kindness is taking care of myself, and sticking with a food and exercise plan that allows me to be the best me I can be.

Most of the diet advice says to “Eat Less”, “Move More” and that is the only thing that works.  But I think another, possibly more important, key to success is to “Change The Way You Think”.  Don’t think of this as something you do until “X” amount of pounds come off. It has to be a new way of eating, exercising and thinking for life. You are not depriving yourself by doing these things, you are giving yourself a gift and setting yourself up for success.  Educate yourself about food ingredients, what your body needs to be healthy, and what fun exercises you can choose. For me, I’ve found my favorites to be doing aerobics classes at Slimmons, the elliptical, water aerobics, recumbent bike, wii fit games, and walking. When I first started I could barely walk a mile.  Now most of my walks are 3 miles.

Break up your large weight loss goal into smaller more manageable goals and set up rewards for yourself. I’m not going to lose those 100 pounds in 100 days! For me, I decided I would shoot for 10 pounds the first month and 5 pounds each month after that and I’ve been sticking to it all year.  A goal I had for Christmas, the gift I wanted to give to myself, was to be under 200 and Ho, Ho, Ho, I did it! First time since the late 80’s that I’ve been on the 100’s side of the scale!  Some of the things that have helped me towards my goal are switching my diet to mostly whole grains, vegetables, and fruit while eating much less processed foods. The “junk food junkie” comes out every once in awhile and I still have pizza, ice cream, chips and candy, but I eat a more reasonable amount, far less often.  I’ve decided I will not drink soda or eat at fast food restaurants.  I got an iPod and loaded it with lots of great, upbeat music to listen to during my workouts.  I have a notebook where I log in my exercise and weigh-ins. I load the dates into the notebook ahead of time, made the plan to work out 6 days a week and really hate to draw a line thru any days where I skipped exercising, so I don’t do it often. Weigh-ins are posted once a week, but I do weigh myself every day.

The weight loss journey is not a fast, straight, or down-hill course.  It’s more like a zig-zag.  If you put in a good effort you will achieve good results.  Not every day or week is going to be smooth sailing.  If you get off course, deal with it and than get right back on it and keep going towards your goal.  Since last February I have lost 62 pounds, my husband has lost 47.  We still have a ways to go, but I am confident we will reach our goals.  If we can do it so can you!

Thanks for reading and good luck on your weight loss journey.  Don’t forget it can be fun too

Joanne

It’s that time of year again. Every New Years Eve, I like many of us… make those same resolutions to finally take off those unwanted pounds. It usually lasts until Valentines day.  A full six weeks! Not a bad try but not exactly what I promised myself.

I struggle maybe a month to take off ten pounds on some weird weight loss plan and then put it back on in less then a week.  Sometimes I could even put it back on in less then three days! I know what you’re thinking, I’ll go to the gym and burn it all off there! Well, I have some shockingly bad news! You’re going to have to quit your daytime job and stop being with your family and friends for a while. Because that is what it’s going to take in order for you to burn off those ten pounds that quickly.

Realistically, it just doesn’t work that way.  It doesn’t mean going for a moderate walk around the track three to four times a week and the weight will magically be gone. Believe me, I have tried.  Besides, it may be better to find out why you put on that kind of weight so quickly to begin with. A lot of times it is a case of what feels like depravation for me. Not starvation, like some would try to tell you. Rather your mind telling you that you will never have those favorite foods again in your whole life. Never a piece of pizza, a cookie, or anything on that long list of foods I sometimes call the bad list.

In truth, I will probably always be able to have those foods if I really want… maybe just not so much of them. Believe me when I tell you that after trying some different and more interesting foods, you will never want to go back.  The fascination with cookies and candy bars will fade.

Though I still eat Pizza a couple of days a week. It is just a single serving size.  It tastes great and does not pose a threat to me by playing with my mind all day. 

As far as sugar goes, that’s one thing on my list that I personally don’t support.   But I will wait and let you make your own decision when you see the film ‘Finding Thin’. It’s quite surprising what I found.

What my new years resolution is this time is to make the best out of every day and be responsible for myself. Take responsibility for my own actions. Good or bad. Mistakes can be corrected and good times in life should be enjoyed. The only approval that I need now is my own. We’re all good people and deserve to treat ourselves as such. Don’t let anyone try to lead your life and don’t try to live others. You’re here for a reason. Enjoy life. Food is only one small aspect of that. One you will eventually get a hold of but should not let get a hold of you.

Thanks and good luck keeping those resolutions!  Maybe even past February

-Barry

Facebook.com/FindingThin

Findingthin.com

While traveling all over the country filming ‘Finding Thin’, I learned a thing or two about diet and exercise. Yet even with this extensive knowledge I am surprised to say that I still feel confused on the importance of exercise.

The answers I receive sound as though they are telling me to read between the lines. If that were the case, these lines would not be nearly wide enough. Would a straight yes or no be so hard?  Even if exercise just helps, that’s a perfect answer to me. I just don’t want to constantly be questioning myself when it comes to exercise.

“Well if you are only exercising for weight loss, then you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.”  This seems to be the “correct” answer from some health professionals. While it definitely is an answer, it doesn’t exactly give me what I am looking for.

What I would like is fact. It is not like I expect to eat a box of donuts or a pizza and work that off with an hour of cardio. But I would like to know if exercise could help keep your metabolism burning those calories? It almost seem like an age-old myth to some, I can overeat one day and burn off the weight the next. That’s foolishness and I understand that. What I don’t understand is the benefits of exercise other than physical health and stamina.  

While moderate cardio every day will help in achieving better weight loss. This still is not clear enough.  I want more details!  

So are my efforts worthy of five days a week? Do I need to push up the days or time?

Do I really have to question my motives? Am I suddenly going to find five times as many people besides me after the holidays with some notion of burning off all those extra pounds with over exercising?

Someone, please help set the record straight.

Thanks for reading,

-Barry

@BarryRoskinBlake

@Findingthin

Alright, I know what you’re thinking. Another Christmas Grinch with wacko ideas.

But just hear me out. What the title should read is “Santa Clause must go on a diet”, but it doesn’t seem like he has listened to this advice in the past. 

Through my time on the road these past two years, I have met and made plenty of friends, like Jillian Michaels, Tony Horton, Ruby, Bob Harper, Weight Watchers and those great folks over at Zumba to name a few. All of them can share different simple ways to help Santa get healthy. So what seems to be the problem? All the kids are looking up to him while he gives them cookies and candy.  Now if studies are correct and sugar is an addictive substance, than is Santa a drug dealer? Is Santa setting up your kids as future sugar junkies?

The whole idea behind the holidays is to celebrate family and friends. Albeit after this blog I might not have many left.  Holidays should not be an excuse to put on an extra ten pounds.  You’re telling me the most lasting and noticeable gift from my friends and family will be the 10-pound spare tire I gain?  The 10 pounds I will work off with dieting and exercise until I see them the next holiday?

So maybe Santa can’t grow a garden in his front yard but he should be capable of spreading a healthier message than candy, chocolate and cookies. We keep getting bigger each year and nothing seems to be slowing us down. If we don’t act now, how many more children and adults will have diabetes next holiday season?

This is no joke and only one of the fun obesity related diseases possible.

So if Santa can’t fit down the chimney again this year, we really need to have a talk with him.

Also Mr. Easter Bunny, if you’re reading this…watch out because you’re next on the naughty list.

-Barry

Thanks for reading the post and please check out our Fanpage, twitter, and webpage

Facebook.com/Findingthin, @findingthinfilm, Findingthin.com

Luckily, I am very good at what I do and will let nothing deter me from my true mission of making this film.

Fortunately during this trying time I have not turned to food for comfort.  This new dieting strategy has brought about major weight loss and resulted in a much better state of personal health.

I was very happy with this result.   Made me wonder if I had finally beaten those demons that had been pestering me my whole life?  Well the answer actually is yes and no.

Even though I had put away my anger and emotions towards past issues in my life, there were still stressors.  With emotional eating gone, I really had no way to deal with them now.

Suddenly though, I found myself in a very new situation.  I was actually not hungry anymore.  I wasn’t even eating during most of the day. There were times that I would eat less than a thousand calories a day.

I have always known emotional eating is about using food as a tool to deal with your emotions. What I did not realize is that by not eating when I am stressed or emotional, this was also using food as a tool.

Emotional eating could be both the consumption and lack of consumption of food.

I was blown away. There were truly two sides to this coin.

Well, as with everything in life and especially this documentary… I have more to learn and more to share.

If anyone else has gone down this road, I would really like to hear your stories or thoughts. So feel free to post in the comments section, facebook.com/findingthin, or anywhere I can read/watch it!

Sharing is the best part of getting through this and helping others.

I will report back more often now that I am settled out here in California.

Thank you for reading.

-Barry

I used to be able to walk two miles in under thirty minutes. This was when I weighed about two hundred pounds.
Now of course I am quite a bit heavier and have not walked any significant distance in over four years. Most of it was spent in a car traveling the country shooting the documentary ‘Finding Thin’. Probably would have been good to get out and do some activity somewhere.
Now when I go out for a walk, I can go a couple blocks but then give out with heavy breathing. If going up hill, I am really in trouble.
There must be a way to make it back.
The weight has finally started to come off over the last few months but as I know so well, there is a major component missing. I have got to get out there and walk.
I think back to the days when I was well over four hundred pounds and just started two houses at a time. I then built up house by house until I was really down in weight and kicking butt.
This time around though, I am out here in the hills of L.A. and that does make it more interesting and a heck of a lot tougher. Though when I get to the easier parts I get to walk past Warner Brothers and I love their studio lot.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to walk for weight loss as much as just the endorphin rush feeling better.
It is just a struggle to do that I am wondering if there are other exercises that I should to until more of the weight comes off first.
Every pound down makes it even easier to walk up.
I am sure that others of you heavy and thin have gone through this. It is so discouraging at times to be starting over but I am the most stubborn person who will not give up. The word no does not exist in my vocabulary. I like to find a way around walls.
So if any of you have been through this and have any suggestions, I really could use the help.

I have traveled over half the country in search of losing weight. Had the chance to meet over three hundred experts and celebrities during shooting the upcoming film ‘Finding Thin’. I started at one weight and ended up gaining more while trying some of the new diets that might have that magic bullet. This was not what was supposed to happen. Yet my mission was to set out to save the world. That was until I found out that I needed to save myself first, then I could figure out the rest. The funny thing is that it took until that last few miles when I moved out to L.A. to really have it kick in. This was my last destination on the journey and a place that I was to call home.
The last year had many changes in my life. I had lost two of my beloved pets, a very close friend who turned out to be a wolf in a sheep cloths and most importantly… myself.
Then it began to change. I suddenly began to find myself. No longer did I find the need for emotional eating. Of course that brought many challenges. Yet I never stopped and was able to continue on and grow the movie to the finest state it has ever been in as well as myself personally.
We have some of the finest names and I don’t know where to begin thanking people.
Do I start with Jillian Michaels who really opened the door for us and showed me that we don’t always have to be victims. Or was it Dr. Michael Roizen over at The ‘Cleveland Clinic’ who showed me that I don’t need to feel so old and can reverse the process. He also introduced me to the mighty ‘Health Corps’ created by the efforts of Dr. Oz and ran by the lovely Michelle Bouchard. Then of course there was Bob Harper of ‘The Biggest Loser’ who was so real and made me laugh so hard. Then there was Tony Horton of ‘P90X’, not only the strongest guy for his young age but I am not sure he ever takes a breath. He is that good.. Then I begin to think of David Wallace of ‘Weight Watchers’ who helped get me back on track’. Of course I cant forget the king of comedy George Wallace or the wit and heart of actress Carlease Burke. There are just so many great people that have changed my life and contributed to making this movie that that much more. I have enough material to make three films. There are just so many names to thank. I just hope they help to bring the change and hope to your life as they have to mine. This has been the greatest honer and chance that I could have ever been given. Far from what I ever had hoped for. Beating my wildest dreams.
As I settle in now for the final phase of the movie and make my new home in L.A., I will be writing more frequently. Not to push the film, which I hope you will see, but to be there for you with new thoughts and stories form the battles lines each and every day. Have hope for this is a journey we take together.

Be Well

Barry Roskin Blake
Producer/Director
Finding Thin

People have been looking for a quick fix to weight loss for years. The quick fix for or holy grail of successful dieting.. Everything from diet pills to starvation methods or even tape worms.
Nothing has ever worked.
Then we finally got into a version of taping the mouth closed through wires. When that did not work, we went to Gastric Bypass Surgery.
After that did not seem to be a hundred percent or totally safe, the medical industry went with a less invasive method called the ‘Lap Band’ surgery.
This did not really work all that much better either and still had possible fatal complications as well.
Now comes the winner of them all. Brain surgery. As barbaric as it sounds, they figure they can mess around with the wiring in your brain to get it right.
What everyone keeps missing is that no one is getting to the real problem. Teaching the person how to explore what or why they are eating.
It is just another method to go around the problem and take away the hunger.
There is no education or studying of the inner cognitive workings of the mind when it relates to food.
Dr. Judith Beck worked on a couple of books based on eating and the cognitive behavioral therapy approach. Usually called CBT for short, it was a valid attempt at trying to figure out why instead of how.
The ironic thing is that when one of the early people who had the surgery known as ‘Deep Brain Stimulation’, he started to put weight back on.
Know one could figure out why.
Well, they actually put a on/off switch on the product and the person was turning the unit off so he or she could eat when hungry.
This is why it still goes back to why we are choosing to eat in the first place. Not just trying to shut of the feeling of hunger.
There is a impulse that has to be dealt with and explored before we can move on to any long lasting and permanent weight loss.
As of now, there is no such thing other then good old fashion therapy and weight groups.

Before I begin, it is true that as an obese person I do need more material then the normal person.
That could certainly make for the higher price for the plus sized cloths. Though do consider that when buying in bulk, the price does go down.

Big Sizes Mean Big Money

I have heard many argue that the bigger you are the more you should pay. Though if we go ahead with that argument, the issue becomes much larger. The truth is that big and tall stores are charging three to four times the prices.
I went looking for a 3x bathing suit and was told it would cost me over fifty dollars. This would normally be around ten dollars in a Target or Walmart.
So why do heavy people pay such large prices. It feels as though we are getting taken advantage of at the over-sized stores.
Some people say if you can’t go to the normal sized stores then that is your problem.
The reason that I take issue with the “normal” phrase may be a shock to you. Right now   over sixty percent or more of U.S.A. is overweight or obese.

That would put the heavy people in the majority and actually the normal ones.
So my question is still why we should pay more money for something that is far greater in demand.
Wait… I think I just answered my own question. Greater demand means greater profits.
It has nothing to do with discrimination or prejudice. Instead it is pure greed.
So my hat goes off to the plus size stores for getting what they can but sooner or later the Targets’ and Walmart’s are going to catch up. So watch out.