Emotional breakdowns on The Biggest Loser

Oh. My. God. These people are cry babies!

I had to fast forward through this...

This is the first season I've ever watched in it's entirety, since the training and diet plans are so bad that they make me want to cry, and I'm not even on the show!

Why are these guys crying so much? 

In my humble opinion, these breakdowns aren't really about how hard it is to lose weight. They aren't about a growling stomach. They cry, yell, scream, and fight because losing weight is more than a struggle against too many calories, salty snacks, and late night ice cream – it's a battle with a long time pattern of giving into temptation against your own best judgment.

One might get chubby by accident, but a journey to obesity is a long term commitment. It doesn't just happen without knowing it's going on. You might not have the will to stop it, and each time you don't stop it by giving into overeating, a little part of you silently, subconsciously, and secretly cries.

Anna's crying for a totally different reason

Now that the goal to get back to a healthy weight is within sight, you're still tempted. Do you know better now or do you just have the strength and willpower now? It's a question you pose to yourself every time. Each time you push back that desire to do it wrong, you face yourself. It's a battle that gets easier to win, but along the way, each battle is still just that, and it hurts. Facing yourself hurts.

Why is it such a struggle? Why isn't it easy, especially now that you have some real success under your, now smaller, belt? Does part of you fear your own success? Are you afraid that, at the end of the journey, you won't find what you're looking for?

I might be touchy-feely, but I'm still pretty logical and, like most men, I have the ability to pretend not to have feelings. I figured out my own fat loss fears and silently addressed them, but I don't know how, just that I did, then pushed it down again.

I wish I could take credit for everything I say that's brilliant, but my wife deserves a lot of the credit for my successes. My wife is more hippie-voodoo, so when I ask her about this stuff, she suggests using visualization techniques. Then, probably stuff like yoga, incense, and herbs, but I don't really know because once she starts talking I just look at her all dreamy and the world melts away. She's so pretty.

Anyhow, once I managed to write this all down before succumbing.

Visualize your success

• Visualize your future. Not just what you'll look like. Sure, put that picture on the fridge, but don't stop there.
• How will you feel when done? Think about it. You need to know.
• Use all of your "senses." Not just how you'll look. How will you physically feel? Sound? How will you emotionally feel? All of it. Paint a visual picture. Imagine the story and your own scenes.
• When you're there, how exciting will that be?
• Do it now, and on a regular basis. 
• Do not wait until you the fear rises to the surface. Find it before it finds you.

You will succeed at this, so look ahead. Sneak a peak. Take a good look and remember it. Feel those feelings, regularly.

I suppose it's okay to cry, but eventually they will be happy tears, because you will be overjoyed by your own success.

Visualize that!