MTV's I Used to Be Fat Helps Obese Teens Turn Their Lives Around

MTV has done it again. Their newest show, “I Used to Be Fat,” follows teens who are facing a real-life obstacle – obesity – and their paths to success. MTV has also created other shows that document the lives of teens in tough situations, such as teen pregnancy in “16 and Pregnant” or “If You Really Knew Me,” where teens cross social cliques to really get to know each other. So far, there have been four episodes of “I Used to Be Fat.”
The first episode allowed us to follow Homecoming Queen Gabriella during her summer of dieting and exercising. Gabriella lost a total of 90 pounds and developed skills to improve her relationship with her mother.
After Gabriella came Marci, a homeschooled teen who was moving away to college. During the summer before her freshman year, she teamed up with a personal trainer to conquer her obesity and address her personal demons.

“Before going off to college, I definitely want to change my life,” Marci said. “I want to be skinny and be healthy and not feel like I have to eat every five minutes just so I feel like I am somebody.”
Dominick was the first male to appear on the show. Dominick comes from an Italian family that eats a lot of food. Dominick weighed 306 pounds when he graduated high school, but lost over 70 pounds with the help of a personal trainer. He has continued to lose weight since the show and is now happier and healthier than ever before.
The most recent episode featured Makenzie, who weighed 273 pounds when she walked across her high school’s graduation stage. During her summer, she realized that feeling better about herself on the outside would also help her feel better about herself on the outside. She is continuing to work toward her goal weight now.
Have you watched the show? What did you think about it?
Personally, I think the summer after your senior year is a great time to turn your life around, because as the show says, you can leave the old you behind and start again in college. Watch more teens improve their health and their lives on MTV on Wednesdays at 10:00pm, EST.