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Hard life Lessons
Dr. Now, Don’t Waste Your Time
That person will not do anything you tell them to
One of my guilty pleasures to watch on television is My 600-Lb Life, featuring Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, aka Dr. Now.
I watched the show since it premiered in 2011. In the first season, the production company Megalamedia followed patients for seven years as they struggled to lose weight after the surgery. In Season 2, they switched to a one-year format, except sometimes, the patients don’t make it the entire year.
After making fun of me for watching the show for years, I finally sucked my spouse into watching with me in 2014. We do not passively watch this show. My honey and I are rewinding as one unbelievable thing after another is revealed about the people struggling to change their destiny.
We clap for those taking positive steps to improve and literally shout “Noooooo!” to those making poor decisions or doing whatever they want despite being in Dr. Now’s Program.
Show Structure
First, the morbidly obese person’s background story is told. They start at birth and bring us up to date on the current status. During the background presentations, we met those assisting the 600 lb person, including their co-dependents and enablers. We are also shown why the person is attempting to change their life.
After that, the show is broken down into monthly segments, with the first introduction to Dr. Now starting the count at month one. That first interaction is always powerful as the people seeking help often believe bariatric weight loss surgery is a magic wand. Dr. Now can wave that wand, and all their problems will be fixed. It is stunning to watch them discover they will need to do work on themselves to be successful.
The doctor provides them with a 1200-calorie, low-carb-high protein diet, exercises, physical therapy, and a therapist. He tells them he wants them to show him they are serious by losing an assigned number of pounds by the next two-month appointment.
Dr. Now asks them about their goals and why they want to change their lives. He tells them that if they continue gaining weight, they are going to die young.
