Tue. Feb 24, 2009 | 3:17 PM

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An emotional and empowering hour you can't miss.

Obese teens talk about their struggles with weight and the heartache they've experienced due to their size. Meet their concerned family members who are afraid their loved ones will die if they don't do something to start losing weight now. The teens hear the straight (and sometimes painful) truth from a doctor, and they meet with exercise expert Jorge Cruise to develop a weight loss program that's right for them. Plus, "Cheetah Girl" Sabrina Bryan shares her own story about growing up overweight. This is an hour you can't miss!

Tell Us: Are you picked on because of your weight?


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Tyra, this show brought me to tears. These girls are wonderful and deserve to have a thousand friends.
Posted by Lace 02/25/09 10:08 AM
 
Tyra, currently watching your show and have never been so complelled to write in as I am right now i would like to say bless those young ladies for being so brave , they were so beautiful in more than the physical aspects and I tuely wish them much success in there quest for a healthier life style, please let them know that they have inspiresd me to make some life style changes as well and that I will be praying for them all. Pam Wilson
Posted by pam wilson 02/25/09 10:01 AM
 
Hi Tyra, I watch you show quite often, and well todays show really touched me! Most of my family is over weight although I am at a normal weight I know what these girls go through. i can recall a time that i was at the mall with my aunt that was extremely overweight and i saw two guys talking about her, it took everything inside me to keep from stooping down to their level and talking about them, it really hurt me to see them talking about my aunt that way. I just want to let all these girls know that they are very beautiful no matter what weight they are. I just feel that overweight people are more real than those skinny people they don't try to be something that they are not and that is truly beautiful!
Posted by Jacob 02/25/09 10:01 AM
 
Hi Tyra, I'm watching you right now!!! The show that is on today about the over weight girls...I can really compare to them. All my life I've been made fun of because I'm bigger than them. It hurts I know and girls in grades from as far back as I can remember were just so mean to me so I would hang out with all the guys and sometimes guys can be very nice you know. And just like Kyelin my sister has always been smaller than me, and it would really upset me. Even my sister would make fun of me and call me kancles, and it would hurt a lot. I don't want to be mean but now she's gaining a lot of weight I mean A LOT. SO out of revenge I guess I'm trying to lose weight, but it's a little harder then I thought it would be. I've never liked girls but my best friend is a very skinny girl and her name is Parisa and she's helped me through...everything. I want to tell those girls to keep their head up. No matter what happens or what people say...It's the inside that counts. Much love, Jess
Posted by Jessica Espinoza 02/25/09 9:48 AM
 
I have never been overweight as i am 5ft tall and about 115lbs...but my younger sister is...im sorry to say that i do not feel sorry for her because all she does all day is sit and eat...my sister will tell u that she knows what her problem is but she refuses to do ANYTHING about it...she also has 4 children...ages 6, 2, 1, and newborn...she feeds her children just how she eats...fat parents begat fat children...she is not active and neither are her kids...but i will say this...it kinda saddened me when the 12 year old on your show was crying because she wanted to be a cheerleader...hmmm...there was a girl named jennie that was a heavy girl but she was the best on the squad!!!! Her routines were flawless!!! All of us skinny girls wanted to be like her!!! Its just confidence baby!!! Jenni graduated in 98 with her boyfriend Scott...they are married and have 2 boys!!!! She is heavier but happier than ever!!!
Posted by Kenyatta Johnson 02/25/09 9:44 AM
 
Hi Tyra, my name is Angela and I am a big fan. I am 16 and overweight. I have been heavy my whole life. People don't really make fun of me to my face, but I am pretty sure that they do it behind my back. In my opinion, I think that people need to find out the problems that people who are overweigt have to go through. We can get illnesses that can kill us. We have to worry all the time about what will happen to us and about the consequences of what we do 9or don't do) and what we eat. People make fun of us because I think that they don't get that we don't try to be overweight. I am trying to get to a healthy weight by seeing a nutritionist. She is helping a lot. Hopefully I will get to a healthy weight before it's too late. Thanks Tyra and good luck to the girls on the show!
Posted by Angela Padula 02/25/09 9:06 AM
 
This show was awesome Tyra! We need to help these kids and America! We need to stop judging and start loving more. Kudos to you for a great show and hope to see more!
Posted by debbie 02/25/09 9:06 AM
 
Hi Tyra, I love watching your show. I am a 54 year old retired grandmother. I am writing about one of my granddaughters. She is the bright star in my life. She is over weight and in poor health. She has asthema bad. She also has the bark spots on her neck like I saw on your show today. She refuses to get overdue blood work. She eats because of stress. Tyra this girl has stress like you and I have not known. Everyday there is drama in her home. She worries about her siblings when she moves out. But, she is desperate to move out.(?) She has goals and dreams that keep being knocked down. She would benefit from your encouragement, I know she would. Here's the thing Tyra. I live in Saginaw Michigan and she lives in Los Angeles California. Tyra, I know you are a very busy person because you are so successful. But, didn't you ever need a nelping hand? My granddaughter is so beautiful and has such a wonderful spirit. You would be blessed by one visit with her. Can you help, please.
Posted by Carolyn 02/25/09 9:06 AM
 
I was never picked on because of my weight, but the meanness of young kids back in my middle school days led me to have an eating disorder (well their words accounted for a bit of my ED). I became really thin, and then people did begin to comment on my weight. This just reaffirmed my thoughts of "oh it's great to be thin." But, there is so much stuff that comes with eating disorders. You've probably done a show on eating disorders before, but it's crucial this day in age to understand what goes on in the mind of people with an eating disorder, and how to help them, approach them, and things to NOT say to someone with an ED. It is national eating disorder week, and I'm a college student trying to get the word out, because it hurts me every time I see a "twiggy" running 7 miles around campus. I just want the girls on the show to know that they truly are beautiful, even if they don't see it right now. I've had to overcome so much to just see a glimmer of beauty. And I'm still working on it! Beautiful did not register in my vocabulary pertaining to me for 10 years, so it really is a process to "re-hardwire" your brain to tell it that you are beautiful. Women strive for beauty in everything, and deserve to KNOW that each and every woman is beautiful in her own way-maybe not in the culture's term of beauty, but culture should not dictate our definition of beauty. We're letting culture hold too much over our heads these days.
Posted by kristina 02/25/09 9:05 AM
 
Hi Tyra..... The show you did today is going to help out alot of girls that are obese.I my self have been obese my whole life so I know how these girls feel.I cry for 80% of the show because it was like reliving my youth all over again. I just want t say to the girls that they are beautiful and to keep pushing and to never let anything steal there joy.I would love to encourage them to believe that they are beautiful in the state that they are in now, but if the want to lose the weight to be healthto tuff it out because it is an obstacle but we are conqueror. Lose weight to be health not to look like everybody else because if you look like everybody else, how do you identify you? Love Ya and encourage your self
Posted by Barbara 02/25/09 8:48 AM
 
Hi Tyra to the teen that would like to be a cheerleader don't give up on that if that's what you really want. You can do anything that you want if you just believe in yourself and don't give up. Losing weight is good for your health but loving yourself is better. My niece is 18 years old and she tried out for cheerleading when she was 15 she didn't want to because of her size but I knew she could do it, not only did she become a cheerleader she was chosen to be the captain. And I am very proud of her. Losing weight is for you not other people if they love you then weight is not the problem. To all of you, dry your eyes hold your heads up and say God I thank you for keeping me alive.
Posted by Juanita Jenkins 02/25/09 8:40 AM
 
hi tyra,i love you and your show.i want to answer straight to your question.................yes i am always picked on because of my weight i gained lot of weight And i became 208lbs and now i am 179lbs,there was a person in my university whom i turned down when i was only 60kg,he says it all the time that i have been puninshed by God because i turned him down.he makes people laugh at me...i am so much disturbed that i dont even go to university anymore.i just want to know is being overweight a punishment or is it a curse????cant people be in diffrent bodies is it a crime?and is it important to make fun of people just because they are diffrent?????i am sure no one is happy to be in a body that makes him laughing stock for the world?isnt it inhuman?and do we have any right to judge people by there looks,when we know it will hurt him?thanks alot for listening,i know iam not only one there are million more who suffer the same...LOVE YOU
Posted by Nimerah 02/25/09 8:09 AM
 
Hello! I would just like to say that this show about overweight teens is something we as teens can definately relate to. I do not suffer from being overweight, but may people I know do, and I try my best to help protect them from abuse or harrasement. It tells me a lot when I see people redicule overweight kids, and I know that I do not ever want to become that person or support those type of people. I hope that these teens could try to understand what they do to people, and if they dont, its because they are too insecure to change themselves. For you lovely ladies on the show, I'd just like to say you are amazingly strong to go on that show and admit it hurts. You guys are beautiful, on the inside and out. Your faces show true compassion and emotions, and thats why I consider you guys beautiful! -Dayna Mcdz, Montreal girl
Posted by Dayna Mcdz 02/25/09 7:21 AM
 
It was heartbreaking to see the young ladies in so much pain and to hear some of them say they didn't have anyone they could call best friend. Granted I don't know if these young ladies live in the same region, but I thought it would be a great idea if the yd oung ladies on the panel used each other as a support system after leaving the show to continue on their new battle to loose weight. We as people have to be more of aware of other people's feelings and we need to meet and understand people for where they are now and help each other with our individual struggles.
Posted by Ms. V 02/25/09 6:54 AM
 
I have always been overweight and I know how hard it can be to be left out and feel limited by your size. My advice would be don't give those haters permission to make you feel lesser, know that you are an awesome person. Once you gain that kind of self esteem it won't matter what people say. Love you first. Good Luck!
Posted by Jake 02/25/09 6:12 AM



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