First off I am fat.
No two ways to say it, at 450lbs (6'3") I am what they term morbidly obese. Now that aside, I have lost around 60lbs in the past year and am continuing to work towards my goal of about 250lbs.
What does this have to do with acting? Sadly everything.
It is are that a fat man is allowed to play a character that is just a lawyer, or a doctor or a anything that isn't identified by the term "fat" or some other size premarker. It does happen, but again it is rare.
This comes from a body obsessed culture that has pretty much done everything in its power to remove real people from our eyes on screen and replace them with waifs and sterotypes.
Guess which one I am?
Hmmm... this may turn into a rant.
Either way the reality is that I am a good actor, of that I have no doubt, but until my weight is considerably lower, unless the part calls for a fat lawyer, doctor (etc...) there will be very little chance I will have a shot at it.
Sure it has happened before (playing on Eureka was one of those moments for me) but they are few and far between.
So really it is up to me, no one else, I can't expect Hollywood to change their ways just cause I wanna be taken seriously as an actor. That would be a bit Pollyanna of me and I prefer to be a little more of a bitter curmudgeon than that.
How will this manifest? That remains to be seen. A video blog maybe? Monthly weigh ins here for your scrutiny? A meal log? Something I haven't thought of yet?
I don't know yet, but if you have an idea please share.
Cheers!
maybe a little inspiration- though this guy comes off a bit douchy but I like his story. I am biased as I'm a runner, but maybe...
ReplyDeleteummm the link would help... http://bendoeslife.tumblr.com/
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link Ernie, but I am at least 100 pounds away from running. Don't forget I blew out my right knee in 1995 and running just isn't an option at this point in my life.
ReplyDeletePlus, even though runners tend to want to ignore it, every study shows that walking does twice the job of running in the same time for weight loss. Though running does build up endurance better. Not sure how the elliptical machine compares for endurance training.
Cheers!
Thanks for the link Ernie, but I am at least 100 pounds away from running. Don't forget I blew out my right knee in 1995 and running just isn't an option at this point in my life.
ReplyDeletePlus, even though runners tend to want to ignore it, every study shows that walking does twice the job of running in the same time for weight loss. Though running does build up endurance better. Not sure how the elliptical machine compares for endurance training.
Cheers!
Curious what you're doing for weight loss? I've lost about 10 lbs myself in 3 weeks (i'm carrying 50 lbs too much) but i'm not doing any extra exercise, just a change of diet.
ReplyDeleteI've got a younger, adopted brother who is about 400 lbs, he's doing Atkins and has lost about 50 lbs so far.
Curious what you're doing for weight loss? I've lost about 10 lbs myself in 3 weeks (i'm carrying 50 lbs too much) but i'm not doing any extra exercise, just a change of diet.
ReplyDeleteI've got a younger, adopted brother who is about 400 lbs, he's doing Atkins and has lost about 50 lbs so far.
Mostly I have been just avoiding the junk food as much as possible and getting more mobile.
ReplyDeleteAtkins worries me as it is not inherently a healthy diet. Some will claim it is amazing and safe, others will say it is dangerous as hell.
I am not a doctor so I can't say, but I won't touch it, that's for sure.
Eat less, move more. That's what I am doing :)
Mostly I have been just avoiding the junk food as much as possible and getting more mobile.
ReplyDeleteAtkins worries me as it is not inherently a healthy diet. Some will claim it is amazing and safe, others will say it is dangerous as hell.
I am not a doctor so I can't say, but I won't touch it, that's for sure.
Eat less, move more. That's what I am doing :)
My brother-in-law did Atkins seven years ago. Went from 300 to 210 in 10 months. He's still doing Atkins today, and has maintained his weight at 210 lbs. He's a big guy too (he has a couple of inches on me, and i'm 6"1").
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't eat refined sugar, bread, rice or potatoes. He mostly eats chicken or fish (he's on the west coast), green and leafy vegetables, and berries (blueberries, raspberries, etc).
The bread would be the hardest thing for me to give up (especially fresh bread). But you can't argue with results.
We're all rooting for you. Keep up the good work! :)
My brother-in-law did Atkins seven years ago. Went from 300 to 210 in 10 months. He's still doing Atkins today, and has maintained his weight at 210 lbs. He's a big guy too (he has a couple of inches on me, and i'm 6"1").
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't eat refined sugar, bread, rice or potatoes. He mostly eats chicken or fish (he's on the west coast), green and leafy vegetables, and berries (blueberries, raspberries, etc).
The bread would be the hardest thing for me to give up (especially fresh bread). But you can't argue with results.
We're all rooting for you. Keep up the good work! :)