Fit To Fat To Fit – Episode 1

There’s no doubt about it. Fit To Fat To Fit has impacted SO many lives already – just after 1 episode. Tissue were flying and tears were flowing not just from JJ and Ray, the stars from episode 1, but from nearly everyone who watched it – and it’s just the beginning. As we get geared up for our episode, I thought I’d catch you up and give you the inside scoop from JJ himself!! CLICK HERE to watch it online if you have not watched the show yet. It’s SO good!!

I had the privilege of interviewing JJ and asked him some of the most common questions we get asked. It’s interesting to see so many parallels between he and Steve. I love his quote “Find Your Why”. He says that’s the key to success. You have to have a powerful “WHY” to help drive you to the finish line. Clearly Ray did – and it the hope of being a dad some day fueled his success. Congrats to both JJ & Ray for an outstanding first episode!!! WOOT!

What was your first thought when you learned you had to gain weight?

My first thought was “expletive, expletive, expletive!” After I calmed down from the initial shock I thought it would be an amazing opportunity to step outside of myself and into the shoes of someone I am trying to help.

How did your friends and family respond when you told them what you were doing?

Most of them were extremely supportive! There were a few that thought I was insane and that I shouldn’t go through with it. Most of them just couldn’t wait to see me gain that weight and get soft!

What did you think was going to be the hardest part of the weight gain? And the easiest?

I totally thought that the weight gain portion would be the hardest, meaning the physical side of things. I thought it would be tough to see my abs and physique go away after working so hard to build it up. I was wrong. The hardest part for sure was the mental and emotional toll that the journey placed on me and my family. I was sad, depressed, full of despair, emotional, etc. All of the side effects that come from 6300 calories worth of poison running through you every day for 120 days!

What was the hardest part of the weight gain? and easiest?

The hardest part was actually consuming that much food! 6300 calories every day is a ton of calories! The easiest??? … Shoot, I can’t even think of one. It was a long and painful process.

What was the hardest part of the weight loss? and easiest?

The hardest part of losing the weight was coming to the realizations that I couldn’t do what I was doing before. Not even close. I couldn’t move the same, run the same or lift the same way! In my mind I thought I would just be able to pick i right back up and I got a big fat slap in the face! I didn’t feel well until week 7! I learned why people give up after only a couple of weeks. You don’t see much improvement in the mirror, on the scale or in the gym and it hurts every day!

The easiest??? Getting back to REAL food. I love the taste of good, whole, real food. Nothing better than being back on my wife’s meal plans!

Did the experiment change you or your training, dieting and the way you live now in any way?

I train with a whole new perspective now. I don’t focus solely on the physical anymore. I take a much more balanced approach to training making sure to touch on mental and emotional, even spiritual things as well as the physical. At the end of the day, you can’t have one without the other. I view food differently also. We have heard for a million years that “you are what you eat” but now I know it for myself! The food you eat LITERALLY becomes your makeup. It effects your hormones and even your DNA. It can either be fuel or it can be poison and it is a choice!

What did you learn that you feel now makes you a better trainer?

Instead of coming from a place of judgement I am now coming from a place of LOVE. If I gained anything from this experiment it’s this: We are all in this together so we better be coming from a place of love.

If you could only share 1 tip for overweight people wanting to lose weight, what would it be?

Find your “WHY” … For Ray, his “why” was the desire to become a father and a hero to his future children. That is powerful! When the hard times hit (and they will!) your why has to be strong enough for you to keep fighting for!! Fall in love with yourself and realize that you are worth it! Each one of us IS worth it. It’s time we start acting like it!

FIT TO FAT TO FIT – EPISODE 2

This is a reminder that, after a year of shooting, extreme weight gain and extreme weight loss, we get to see the show for the first time on A&E. We will be launching a series of video interviews discussing behind the scenes struggles and stories after the show airs tonight, along with Steve and Tasha’s final after photos. Please tell your friends to tune in to watch this amazing project!

FIT TO FAT TO FIT AIRS JAN 26 10PM/9c on A&E

We Want Your Questions!

We know so many of you have lots of questions and feedback. We would like to know what questions you have for Steve, Tasha or myself. Post your questions in the comments below for a chance to get your questions answered and be featured in our follow up posts.

Here are some last shots of Tasha & Steve before they start losing their weight. More pics to come!!

We hope you like the show and that it encourages many people!