Been there, done that!

Did you guys see Mike and Molly this week?  Sometimes this show is so spot on, it actually hurts!  We had recorded it and watched it last night.

Last night’s episode focused on Mike, who has now lost over 50 pounds.  First he squeezes himself into these jeans he hasn’t worn in ages and – even though he can barely walk – claims victory when he gets them on and buttoned  (Been there, done that!)

But then he is feeling so good and congratulating himself for having lost weight, and being “good” for 6 months and he decides that he is due for a treat – so at the diner, he has a piece of pie with some ice cream on top.

The next morning he gets on the scale to discover that this one indulgence has resulted in a 5 pound gain on the scale – OMG I have SOOOOOO been there, done that!

So he does something stupid that many of us, including me, has done – totally overreacts and decides that he has skip breakfast and lunch to even the score.  By the end of the day, he is tired and starving and short tempered.  And insanely jealous of his friend who stuffed himself silly all day, but will lose it all by the time he goes to bed that night.

Just then, a co-worker comes in and starts mocking him and his weight.  You know the type – we’ve all had assholes like this in our lives.  The ones who make fun of and judge us, but do it in a “joking” way.  And then, when we blow up, they try to  turn it around that it’s our fault that we can’t take a joke.

Mike loses it and punches the guy.  He is suspended and is required to see a counselor.

Later, after initially lying, he finally comes clean to Molly, and laments to her what many of us have said – either out loud to another person or just in our heads.  He asks when it is going to stop being so hard.  He wonders when the time will come that he doesn’t have to analyze and worry about every single thing that goes in his mouth.  And he says that it is not fair.

I can’t help but be surprised that this issue was tackled realistically and sensitively by the writers.  Because the only ones that will truly “get it” is those of us that are fighting this battle.  And fat people?  They seem to be the only ones left that can be made fun of and disrespected and berated – in real life and on tv, and it’s ok. 

In the end, Mike and Molly both go to an overeaters anonymous meeting and he talks about how life should be about happiness and being loved by those around us and not about scale numbers.  He says that most days that’s enough.  But for those of us who have to fight this battle on a daily basis – we know that it’s not always that simple…