The Big Fat Truth: The real reason people struggle to lose weight

Thursday, April 14, 2016
The Big Fat Truth: The real reason people struggle to lose weight
Television producer J.D. Roth, known for shows such as 'Extreme Weight Loss' and 'The Revolution,' wrote 'The Big Fat Truth,' a book about the mind struggles of losing weight.

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Television producer J.D. Roth never had a weight problem, yet due to the success of his shows like "Extreme Weight Loss" and "The Revolution," he's often asked what's the best way to shed pounds.

"If you want to lose weight you need to move more and you need to eat less. You don't need me for that," Roth said.

Yet millions of American still struggle to lose weight and Roth said it's mainly a mental battle.

"Really what goes on in your mind, your body is the outcome. Once you fix this, everything changes," Roth stated.

The mental baggage many carry ends up on their bodies, according to Roth.

Stacey Lewis, who was on the show "The Revolution," was 75 pounds overweight. Her personal demon was keeping a horrific secret.

"And that was being sexually abused from the age of five to 12," said Lewis.

She said releasing this secret got her on the road to health.

"I had an opportunity to really deal with the molestation and talk about it freely," Lewis said. "Through releasing my mind, it allowed me to release in my body."

Bryce Mulvey, who was featured on "Extreme Weight Loss," shredded 101 pounds. He didn't have tragedy, but like many, the things that bothered him were covered by compensating with food.

"I think I grew up in a family where you just eat until you're stuffed. You ate everything. We did dinners out. We didn't cook a lot at home," Mulvey said. "The biggest struggle for me was overcoming the aspect of just being mediocre in life."

Roth took the lessons Lewis, Mulvey and others learned to create "The Big Fat Truth."

It's a different kind of weight loss book with Roth's simple principles to help people accomplish their goals:

  • First - identify the problem.
  • Second - make a list of what you need to do.
  • Three - do it.
  • "No one ever gets to step number three, but step number three is the only one that matters. Which is go do it. Stop talking about it, stop making excuses, stop coming up with reasons why you can't. Every day you make another step, is a step in the right direction," reminded Roth.