Tired of leftover turkey?

by

The family just a teeny little wee bit on your ever loving nerves?

Looking for some inspiration to hit your workouts HARD these few weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years?

Whether you are currently triathlete or, like your fearless leader, merely a triathlete in your mind (until the ‘tri’ part refers to: toddlerwrangling, one pull up & domicile-cleaning-in-record-time-because-the-inlaws-are-dropping-by-unannounced) this podcast is truly inspiring.

Searching for a different sort of inspiration? Have you discovered this yet? (The first episode is already available online.)

What are your thoughts on the show?

On Ruby & her struggle to get fit? On her amazing support team? (on her exboyfriend & his waltzing back into re-entering her life? snark away, People, snark away…)

Should you find you have a spare moment today—please to hit us up in the comments.

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Comments

  1. I never heard of this show before…Europe + Israel are too focused on the biggest loser re-make so we don’t get to see something that is more personal (i.e. focused on one individual only)….I will be checking out the site though!

  2. Great story!!!! WOW, reading that tab ‘what its like to be ruby’ is just a truly amazing insight into her life struggles and all. I’ll definitely be tuning in to this online (unfortunately we can’t get US tv feed here in Europe 🙁 But, thanks for the great link! I’ll def be crying and cheering Ruby along!

  3. Im addicted to ruby. her spirit, her support team (and the family she has fashioned out of friends. Miz’ definition of family is a broad all encompassing one as well), her determination, her HONESTY & soul baring.

    Ren Man would not be happy Im saying this but methinks he is thoroughly smitten/cheering her on as well—-even though he ‘pretends’ to just tolerate the show 🙂

    Miz.

  4. I really like Ruby and she totally inspires me to stick with my weight loss plan.
    I disagree a little about the supportive friends part as when I watched the last episode I wondered why they couldn’t NOT EAT OUT for a while until Ruby got more into her routine of lving a healthy life.

    I know down the road (and I live this struggle) it willbe important to be able to make good decisions when dining out but I thought it wasnt nice that they went to her favorite pizza joint at ht e beginning of her diet when she had to bring her own food along and watch them eat pizza.

    (love this post can you tell I have a lot of thoughts on Ruby!!)

  6. oh. Yousosmart Vickie.

    Good point.

    And I just relistened to the tri podcast.

    Not my cup of tea to **ever** do a tri but in the same way I find weekly motivation for my own nonweightstruggles via ruby—–it really was motivating to me.

    Go figure.

  7. I really like Ruby because I can identify. I have some similar issues with pieces of my childhood disappearing. I think it was emotional and physical abuse at the hands of my older brother that I have managed to block. I’ll be interested to see how that whole thing evolves.

    Ruby makes me MAD. The whole self-indulgent thing makes me burn. I went on the message board for the show and several people questioned how being on disability she could afford eating out and pedicures and such. I don’t indulge in pedi’s, and I work! But I think (aka know) because I’ve been there that self-indulgence skews our thinking. I will indulge in Chinese or pizza buffets which are KILLING ME before I will do a pedi, which I enjoy and is safe for my health. It’s a mindset based on lunacy re: food. (I’ve banned Chinese and pizza buffets from the repertoire quite recently and don’t miss it.)

    I watch Ruby. Hugh watches Ruby. We are cheering for Ruby. We want Ruby to win.

    Ohhh, almost forgot “Hot-opportunist-boyfriend-on-a-Harley” guy. Mayhaps the producers dredged him up. I was happy to see him defending her, but he needs to go away and not return. His conditions BS is just BS. Been there, done that. He didn’t “cause” her to eat, but his conditions triggered the emotins linked to the binging – he is as toxic for Ruby as that hamburger pizza with double cheese is for that nephew of hers. And I think it sucked for them to eat like that with her right there. Maybe they should all go get blood panels done so they know what their blood pressures, good/bad cholesterol, etc. are as they indulge in bad eating.

    ~~crud~~ How’d I get on this soapbox?

    Make it a great day.

  10. I really think Ruby is an exceptional person, inside and out. She just seems like someone you would love to have in your life as a friend.

    Having been very obese, I feel her pain with the comments and the struggles. I still have many of those same struggles, and only those who have walked in very large shoes know quite what it feels like.
    I really, really am rooting for her. I hope she succeeds, but it’s so hard.

    And…. I am going to do a triathlon next year. Sprint distance, but I have already chosen the race and date! I am psyched for it!

  11. she is such an inspiration to me.

    to keep on keeping on.

    to PASS ON THE PIZZA when my friends are not.
    I wish I were joking or using that as a euphamism (sp?) but I’m not.
    it is hard for me to eat salad when they indulge but I do.

  12. I received this THOUGHT OUT and THOUGHT PROVOKING email from a member of the Bumbling Band. S/he said I could post it —- if I did anonymously.

    and I am pretty dang confident s/he’s NOT alone in his thought so I shall:
    —————–

    Ditto for someone involved in a relationship with a drug addict or an alcoholic. If you work with a therapist and are dating someone with an addiction – you will hear a lot about enabling and codependency. They will encourage ultimatums that are stood behind – held up – honored. And people will (mostly) understand the reasons behind the focus on the addiction – the strong arm response. Maybe not the rest of the addict family that in enabling and has NOT done this – but the public at large. In other words – put an addict on a TV show and have the boy friend say – ‘this is the line in the sand’ and I don’t think there would be a public outcry.

    But when it is someone that is morbidly obese – we all have the opposite reaction. You, me, e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e everywhere thinks that the morbidly obese person should be loved for who they are on the inside. And that the person setting ultimatums is scum from the bottom of the pond.

    And I do not know what to think about this.

    ——————

    your thoughts?

  15. I have to think on the anonymous emailer’s point. I’m gonna ramble a bit, so forgive please…

    It’s not a bad point. But, it bugs me a bit…

    Somewhere in the “Eat to survive” as a basic human need, whereas drugs and alcohol one can live without outside of the addiction…does that make sense?

    Emotionally – food addicts, drug addicts, alcoholics, caffeine addicts, sugar addicts, gambling addicts, sex addicts, choose your poison – we can’t live without these things.

    So where you gonna draw the line with the obese person -no more cake? If you eat one more meal, I’m outta here?

    Does the eating addiction change a person in the way other addictions change a person? Is it as destructive? Or is it the speed with which drugs and alcohol are destructive that makes us draw harder lines with them? Hmmm, I don’t know.

    And when I saw my niece all whacked out on meth and crack and alcohol this past summer, I loved her enough to run to her side to help her….and I do love her for the real, hurt, messed up person she is. I don’t like her right now. She may be clean, but she still has all the behaviors of the addicted person – all behaviors that will lead to relapse, and I predict that the next relapse will be the last one, cuz she’ll be dead.

    Now my head hurts…LOL…too much thinking for a Saturday. Sorry about the rambling.

  18. suzanne, is it no longer @ the link? At the stylenetwork page?

    If not google RUBY premiere episode perhaps?

    I’ll check when I’m at the computer!

  20. I haven’t watched much of Ruby’s story… but I’ve seen bits and pieces and she’s super-inspiring. Heck, if she can do it, I can do it!

  21. oooh suzanne it’s now my mission to find the whole eposide link 😉

    I’ll look tonight!

    Linda? Always adore your input.

    Life calls….

  22. what an inspiration I am listening to it right now, and as a triathlete and runner this stuff is great thanks Miz, and yes the hubby reads maybe he won’t notice..lol

  24. I’m like you Miz.

    I loved the podcast and will NEVER EVER do a tri.

    I also liked the ruby episode I saw and I did watch it online.

    I will see if I can find it again. her HUMOR is so inspiring to me. I find I need a sense of humor to make it through all areas of my life.

    THANKS FOR THE POST!

  25. dragonmamma? LOVE THAT PHOTO.

    Ill admit that Im itching to get back to the gym
    havent been since monday and gonna take off until wed I think.

    recovery time so I can REFIND my liftcitement!

  26. Hadn’t heard of that show. Last night I had a little get-together and at one point the conversation turned to tv shows and I realized I don’t know anything about so many of them!

    I tend to gravitate to the computer or to books when I need mindless time rather than the tv, so I guess that’s why. Or movies.

    My inspiration to keep a clean house (which, to me, translates to a clean mind and clean body- it’s ALL connected; when one parts organized and put together it all falls into place!), is to have people over. I had a ridiculously mad scrambling last night before people came over. And this morning it feels SO GOOD to have everything looking nice. Makes me want to keep it that way- and in so doing take care of all parts of myself.

    And nothing beats a great girls night for putting you in a good mood:)

    PS I wasn’t aware it was possible to get tired of leftover turkey? It boggles the mind.

  27. Do not get the Style network on my basic cable set up, so missed Ruby. So far I’ve only found excerpts available online. So not much comment there.

    However, I rocked a hard workout Friday even though it meant driving to the mall on Black Friday! Parking lot and gym were crowded; hope some of the stores were doing business.

    I rather agree with anonymous that many people seem to give breaks to the food-addicted person over the drug or alcohol addict. Is it that we are unwilling to apply the term “addict” to food, because we need some of it to survive? The idea of being hooked on a necessity of life is too scary an idea?

    We all have chosen to set boundaries for ourselves when it comes to food: eat this, eat that in limited amounts, maybe never eat something else. At the beginning of the process, it is hard for all of us. We see temptation everywhere and react when our friends don’t support our choices (when they are NOT their choices.)

    Part of the process is to learn how to live by the boundaries we choose for ourselves in a world that does not have boundaries. I hope it makes us stronger in the long run. Not angry or bitter or deprived. Stronger. More confident. More ourselves. And eventually healthier and happier.

    Ruby, I suspect, will find this too.

  28. I haven’t seen Ruby yet, but you’re all inspiring me to take a look.

    As an aside, I can say wholeheartedly that the support of friends and family — especially those you live with — is an incredibly vital piece of the weight-loss puzzle. When I was writing the Weight-Loss Diary column for Shape, I didn’t demand that everyone make the same choices I was making, but I struggled mightily with a few people who felt like they had to comment on and criticize MY choices. Almost like my efforts — and my refusal to cave to their pressure — was a commentary on their behavior.

    It all got a little weird at times.

  30. I saw the first one online a couple of weeks ago, but they don’t have the other episodes. 🙁 I don’t have the Style Network so I can’t watch the other shows.

    So I’m hoping that they’ll relax and start putting it online! 🙂

    I found her very sweet and strong. I also really give her mad props (look, I’m hip!) for putting it all out there and letting people see what it’s like to be her.

  31. I love this, Deb. and I think that THAT was the reason Ruby went out with her friends to the pizza place and also what her friends expressed when they talked about eating the pizza in front of her.

    you captured it perfectly in your comment when you said:

    Part of the process is to learn how to live by the boundaries we choose for ourselves in a world that does not have boundaries.

  32. This seems to be an interesting show, it’s a shame the episodes aren’t right in the page and I couldn’t find them (yet).

    I think it’s useful that in the site for the show they have examples of what Ruby is eating and what exercise is doing, gives you an idea of approximately what a beginner should do to lose weight, of course, her challenge is huge, but I hope she achieves what she wants…

  33. I wish I had cable just so I could watch that show. Usually, I eat less after I watch something like that. Or you doing a triceps exercise. Motivating in a different way 🙂

  34. I wish Ruby would not call going off her diet, CHEATING. When you’re on a diet and you eat foods off the diet, that is called ‘eating foods not on your diet.’ I dislike her referring to it as cheating. After all, who is she cheating if she eats foods off her plan–Only herself. If she’d stop looking at half-a-smoothie as “cheating,” she might stop disliking herself long enough to stick to her plans and stay on the diet. When we start using words like CHEATING, they carry such a negative connotation that we temporarilly dislike ourselves and might even use that hateful time to eat like a pig and pack back on 5-10lbs in a sitting. She has to love herself enough to know she’s worth the effort to make herself healthy by eating better foods. If she eats off plan, deal with it and go back to the plan as soon as possible.

    She’s got to pass on the Harley dufus.
    He’s right up there with that crappy looking hamburger and double-cheese pizza.
    Gross and not worth the drama!

  35. POD? you KNOW Ive been waitinghoping you’d drop by.

    my family calls (here till tues) but I’ll be back as you now have ME thinking…

  36. 20 plus years ago my roommate’s boyfriend proposed, without the ring. He told her for every 10 pounds she lost before the wedding he would up the carats by half again. His base was a 1 carat (plenty large enough, if you ask me). Well, she lost weight, I can’t remember how much, and she has a fabulous ring. But she gained all the weight back and more immediately after the wedding because it wasn’t her desire to lose the weight, she merely was reacting to the desire for more bling. She has gone up in weight constantly since.
    All the girlfriends, of course, vilified him and were sure he would be gone when she inevitably gained the weight back and felt she should take a stand against his highhandedness from the start, in the vein of start as you mean to go.
    But you know what, even though the weight has piled on her these last 20 years, their marriage is strong. He is supportive and supporting. They have had parent issues and job issues and health issues and children issues, but he is steadfast in his love and support. He doesn’t hound her about her weight.
    In hindsight I see that he was using her love of carats to help her. He figured out real quick that didn’t work so he let it go. Now he doesn’t focus on the weight, he focuses on giving her time to play her beloved tennis, on her being active, on her having time for her.
    Sometimes ultimatums are acts of desperation done for selfless reasons, sometimes ultimatums are acts of desperation for selfish reasons. The problem is we never know the spirit of the ultimatum until long after the ultimatum has been fulfilled/ignored.

    As a total off the point aside, my grandmother gave my grandfather an ultimatum after 52.5 years of marriage, retire or she would divorce him. He picked the divorce.
    She delivered many an ultimatum during their marriage, but this was the first he would not give in to because that was the one thing he loved more than her. Or maybe he had had enough.

  38. renda, thanks for sharing that. you point out so well that, with everyone’s life, we merely see what they let us see, what we wanna see and ALL OF IT through the lens though which WE view life—-perhaps none of these let us see what is really occurring.

    he sounds like an amazing man.

    Ren Man and I have had the “what if I stopped working out and gain weightweight would you care?” (he wouldnt. it’s not his ‘thing’ but you know Miz 🙂 I had to ask to see what he’d say as it’s all fodder for an upcoming post)

    his answer? the short version?

    YES. because I know you. after 15 years together I KNOW you’d care. that something would have changed inside you (spiritwise) and unless youd discovered a new passion then YOUD BE SAD AS WELL.

    the ‘looks’ piece? he doesnt care. AT ALL.

    (more on THAT later :))

  39. count me for the people who haven’t seen the show yet, although I have heard a lot about it.

    as a woman trying to lose about 80 pounds herself I have to be honest and say I am jealous.
    of her trainer and the prepacked foods she gets to eat and not have to pay for.

    I wish I could have that opportunity as well and pray she makes good use of it.

  40. just saw your comment and wanted to tell you that game night was a lot of fun, thanks for asking! 🙂 you definitely should do it sometime… we had a blast!

  42. I love your description of a triathlete. Today, just for fun, I shall tell everyone I met that I’m a triathlete! I’m easily entertained.

  43. THANKS KATE! I hadnt seen your post yet (mired in the family dynamic so Im reading sporadically)…appreciate your linking it!

  46. Hey Miz,

    Great recommendation! I just checked out Ruby’s website (first I’d heard about it) and you’re right, it’s really inspirational to see how positively optimistic, even during the breaking down part, she is in her struggle. Good for her! I really hope she reaches her weight loss goals.

    All the Best,

    Andrew R

  47. I need to DVR Ruby. I caught part of an episode last week, and it seems like it’s going to be an amazing experience for her.

  49. I love Ruby!!! She is real, she is struggling, but she is losing the weight. She didn’t opt for surgery – which I admire. Nothing against those who do have surgery, just saying that I admire her strength doing without. As for the ex – he just wanted his TV fame…what a lamo!

  50. quick peeking in.

    Biz? IT WAS A FANTIZTASTIC DAY UP IN HERRE.

    thanks for asking.

    it was all family and just a lot of celebrating the Tornado turning three.

    Miz.

  51. Who needs cable anymore? I just got rid of it and haven’t missed it a bit thanks to the internet. I am so happy you shared this! Sometimes when I think I have a long way to go, people like Ruby inspire and humble me.

    Giyen

  52. Can’t wait to listen to the podcast — I just decided I have graduated from “just” getting out there to run, etc., without dying to actually training for a tri, so I need all the inspiration I can get!

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