TODAY, INSPIRE YOURSELF! HE IS ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE WEIGHT-LOSS SUCCESS STORIES WE'VE EVER SEEN. HE LOST A WHOPPING 304 POUNDS! THAT'S TWO PEOPLE! THAT IS A MIRACLE. SHE LOST A WHOLE PERSON, TOO, 175 POUNDS. THEY STRUGGLED. THEY CONQUERED. THEY DID IT. EMOTIONAL EATERS TAKE THEIR LIVES BACK. ANY TIME THAT YOU EAT WHEN YOU'RE NOT HUNGRY, IT IS CALLED EMOTIONAL EATING. YOU EAT WHEN YOU'RE HAPPY. YOU EAT WHEN YOU'RE SAD. YOU EAT WHEN YOU CAN'T DECIDE IF YOU'RE HAPPY OR SAD. DO WE KNOW ANYBODY LIKE THAT? FITNESS EXPERT BOB GREENE HAS THE KEY TO GETTING YOUR FEELINGS OUT OF THE REFRIGERATOR. ARE YOU READY? REALLY READY? NEXT. RUN ON, RUN ON [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] THIS IS BIG. GO BIG, BIG. OOH, OOH WE ARE TALKING TO YOU. YEAH, OOH, OOH -WHOO! - RUN ON, RUN ON YEAH, OOH, OOH RUN ON WITH OPRAH RUN ON, RUN ON [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] I KNOW EVERYBODY PROBABLY HAS MADE SOME RESOLUTION FOR YOURSELF, EVEN IF YOU'VE DECIDED YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY RESOLUTIONS ANYMORE BECAUSE I'M AT THAT STAGE. SUBCONSCIOUSLY, THERE'S A RESOLUTION INSIDE THAT SAYS PERHAPS MAYBE YOU WANT TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE THIS YEAR, AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THAT HAS TO DO WITH TAKING CONTROL OF THEIR EATING. TAKE A LOOK AT THESE BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS. KATHRINE LOST 175 POUNDS. THIS IS TO INSPIRE YOU. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE RESOLVING THAT THIS IS YOUR YEAR, LOOK AT THAT. SHE LOST A PERSON. [ LAUGHTER ] OKAY, NOW, RAY LOST TWO PEOPLE, 304 POUNDS. -WOW. -THAT IS A WOW-ER, AIN'T IT? WOW. LATER, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT HOW THEY LOST THE WEIGHT WITH NO SURGERIES OR FASTING BEING INVOLVED. BUT FIRST, ARE YOU AN EMOTIONAL EATER? I AM, SO I CONFESS I'M AN EMOTIONAL EATER. IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO IS DRIVEN TO EAT A CARTON OF ICE CREAM AFTER A BAD DAY, OR IF POTATO CHIPS ARE YOUR ANSWER TO A STRESSFUL SITUATION, THEN YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS SHOW. EVEN IF IT'S NOT A CARTON, BECAUSE ICE CREAM ISN'T MY THING. IF YOU EAT FOR REASONS OTHER THAN HUNGER, THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW IF YOU AN EMOTIONAL EATER. IF YOU EAT FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HUNGRY, WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET OUR FEELINGS OUT OF THE REFRIGERATOR. EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST AND FITNESS TRAINER WHO IS ALSO, I THINK, MY BROTHER IN ANOTHER LIFE BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS AROUND THE TELL ME WHAT TO DO. IN A LOVING WAY. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO DO THAT, TOO. AND HERE TODAY. AND I LOVE YOU. BOB GREENE IS HERE. HE'S THE AUTHOR OF A NEW BOOK CALLED, "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" A NAME THAT I REALLY THOUGHT REALLY DEPICTED WHAT THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT, BECAUSE IT'S A PROGRAM, YOU KNOW? EVERY YEAR, EVERY MONDAY, EVERYBODY HAS A NEW IDEA. WHAT IS THE DIET? IS IT CARBOHYDRATES? IS IT NO DIET? THIS ISN'T ABOUT A DIET. IT'S ABOUT A PROGRAM. HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE AN EMOTIONAL EATER? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. HOW DO YOU KNOW, BOB? WELL, THERE'S SOME GOOD QUESTIONS YOU CAN ASK YOURSELF. FIRST OFF, DO YOU EAT IN STRESSFUL SITUATIONS? JUST ABOUT EVERYONE DOES. YEAH. AND THAT'S THE OTHER KEY, IS EVERYONE IS AN EMOTIONAL EATER. IT'S TO WHAT DEGREE DO YOU DO THAT. AND IT'S A MATTER OF CONTROLLING THAT BEHAVIOR, WHICH EVERYONE DOES OR DOESN'T DO, AND THAT DICTATES THE EXCESS WEIGHT THAT THAT PERSON HOLDS. SO, LET ME JUST TELL YOU ALL FROM THE BEGINNING. SO BOB AND I ARE REALLY, REALLY GOOD FRIENDS. I REALLY -- HE FEELS LIKE A BIG BROTHER TO ME, EVEN THOUGH I THINK I'M OLDER. I THINK SO, BUT WE'LL... I JUST... [ LAUGHTER ] WELL, I'M BARELY. BARELY, IT'S CLOSE. BARELY. BARELY OLDER. ANYWAY, WE WERE WALKING WHEN BOB WAS TELLING ME ABOUT HE WAS DOING THIS BOOK, AND I WAS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, GIVING MY LITTLE INPUT INTO IT, AND BOB SAID, "YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT CONTROLLING YOUR EATING. IT'S ABOUT BEING IN CONTROL OF YOUR EMOTIONS." I SAID, "OH, YEAH. YOU'RE REALLY SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE." AND THEN WHAT DID I SAY TO YOU, BOB? REMEMBER THAT DAY? OH, THE DAY WHERE YOU SAID, "YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GIVE UP MEALS WHEN YOU'RE NOT HUNGRY." THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID. YEAH, AND WHAT DID YOU SAY? AND I SAY, "WELL, WE'RE GOING TO MISS A LOT OF MEALS. [ LAUGHTER ] AND THAT'S IN THE BOOK. GONNA MISS A LOT OF MEALS IF WE'RE ONLY GONNA -- I GO, "YOU'RE ASKING ME IF I'M ONLY GOING TO EAT WHEN I'M HUNGRY, THEN I'M GOING TO MISS OUT ON A LOT OF GOOD TIMES." I ACTUALLY WROTE ABOUT THAT. THAT'S IN THE BOOK, BUT I SAID, "A FRIEND," YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO NOT DISCLOSE WHO THAT IS. YEAH, WELL THAT'S OKAY. I'M THE ONE THAT SAID IT, BUT THAT'S REALLY... I'M GETTING OVER THAT ILLUSION THAT YOU HAVE TO EAT FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HUNGRY, BUT THAT MEANS KNOWING WHEN YOU ARE PHYSICALLY HUNGRY VERSUS BEING EMOTIONALLY HUNGRY. WELL, WE EAT FOR A REASON. IT'S REALLY TO NOURISH OUR BODIES. OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT'S EMOTIONAL EATING. IT'S FOR REASONS OTHER THAN OUR NUTRITION OR OUR HUNGER. SO AGAIN -- AND EVERYBODY, IS EVERYBODY WHO'S OVERWEIGHT AN EMOTIONAL EATER? YOU JUST SAID... I THINK EVERYONE OVERWEIGHT, UNDERWEIGHT, NORMAL WEIGHT IS AN EMOTIONAL EATER. IT'S TO WHAT DEGREE DO YOU CONTROL IT. OKAY. OR IF YOU'RE NOT, IN THE SLIM INSTANCE THAT YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE USING SOME OTHER COPING MECHANISM TO GET BY YOUR DAY. OKAY, AND ONE OF THE REASONS YOU KNOW IS DO YOU EAT DUE TO BOREDOM OR LONELINESS? THOSE ARE TWO THAT ARE REAL COMMON. STRESS, BOREDOM, INTERESTING ENOUGH, THOSE ARE THE TWO EASIEST TO DEAL WITH. YEAH. YOU JUST REPLACE THEM WITH HEALTHIER BEHAVIORS, BUT WHEN YOU GET INTO MORE EMOTIONAL TURMOIL IN YOUR LIFE, IT BECOMES A LOT MORE DIFFICULT, AND WE KNOW THAT SOMEONE THAT'S EXPERIENCED TRAUMA, ESPECIALLY EARLY ON IN THEIR LIFE... UH-HUH. IT'S HARDER TO GET RESULTS, LONG-TERM RESULTS, BUT STILL POSSIBLE. YEAH. WHAT ABOUT IF YOU JUST EAT FOR EVERYTHING? YOU EAT WHEN YOU'RE HAPPY. YOU EAT WHEN YOU'RE SAD. THAT'S A CLASSIC EMOTIONAL EATER. YOU EAT WHEN YOU CAN'T DECIDE IF YOU'RE HAPPY OR SAD. DO WE KNOW ANYBODY LIKE THAT? YOU EAT WHEN THERE'S BEEN A GOOD PHONE CALL. YOU EAT WHEN THERE'S BEEN A BAD PHONE CALL. YOU JUST EAT JUST TO... THAT'S WHAT I REALIZED ABOUT MYSELF. IT'S NOT LIKE, BECAUSE I CAN SEE THIS IN THE TABLOID, "SHE'S AN EMOTIONAL EATER," BUT IT'S NOT LIKE OVERWHELMING PROBLEMS. IT'S THE SLIGHTEST LITTLE ANXIETY. LIKE, LAST NIGHT I WAS DOING MY TAXES, AND BECAUSE I'VE READ YOUR BOOK, I THOUGHT, "OKAY, I'M FEELING GREAT ANXIETY," WITH THE TAXES THING BUT I... THAT'S SHOCKING EVERYBODY THAT YOU'RE DOING YOUR OWN TAXES. YEAH. YOU WOULD THINK... [ LAUGHTER ] I CAN SEE IT. SHE'S SITTING THERE DOING HER OWN TAXES. I WAS DOING IT WITH THE TAX GUY. I WAS SITTING THERE. OH, OKAY. OKAY, SO WE'RE SITTING THERE, WHO USUALLY BRINGS A BOTTLE OF WINE TO EASE THE PAIN FOR ME, BUT ANYWAY, I SAID, "OKAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO OPEN THE WINE." I SAY, "I'M GOING TO LIMIT THIS TO 12 ALMONDS." 12 ALMONDS. I GOT THROUGH IT WITH 12 ALMONDS, AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT PRESCRIBED IN THE BOOK, BUT I THOUGHT, "I'M GOING TO NEED SOMETHING. I'M NOT GOING TO DO THE WINE, I'M GOING TO JUST TAKE THE 12 ALMONDS." YOU KNOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, NUTS, PEANUTS EXAMPLE, THAT'S A GREAT SNACK BECAUSE IT HAS JUST ENOUGH FAT, NO CHOLESTEROL, JUST ENOUGH FAT TO BUFFER YOUR HUNGER. YEAH. SO THAT'S NOT A BAD SNACK. BUT AGAIN, IF THE REASON YOU'RE DOING IT IS TO STOP YOURSELF FROM FEELING SOMETHING... YES, THE CHECK I WAS HAVING TO WRITE. [ LAUGHTER ] THEN THAT'S CLASSIC EMOTIONAL EATING. YEAH, BUT I AT LEAST TRIED TO CONTROL IT. I SAID, "OKAY, I'M NOT GOING TO GO OUT AND GET A PIZZA, BUT I AM GOING TO HAVE 12 ALMONDS." THAT'S NOT SO BAD, BUT WHEN YOU USE EMOTIONAL EATING -- BUT I'M NOT IN THIS STATE BECAUSE OF 12 ALMONDS. 12 ALMONDS DIDN'T GET ME HERE, YOU KNOW? NO, BUT MAYBE THREE OR FOUR TIMES THAT DAY. AND THEN YOU FOLLOW THAT UP THE NEXT DAY, AND IT BECOMES A CHRONIC BEHAVIOR. AT THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU TALLY THAT UP, THAT BECOMES A WEIGHT PROBLEM. OKAY, DO YOU EAT DUE TO SOMETHING OR SOMEONE MISSING IN YOUR LIFE? THAT'S THE BIG THING. IS THERE SOMETHING MISSING IN YOUR LIFE? YOU'RE NODDING YES. DIAGNOSE THE AUDIENCE, IT'S A GOOD BIT OF THE PEOPLE HERE ARE NODDING YES, AND THAT'S SO COMMON, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE TOUGHEST ONES BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT IT IS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES. OKAY, BUT WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" IS THAT WHEN YOU SAY YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO, LIKE, START DIETING TOMORROW, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS LIKE, "OKAY. I'M GOING TO GET THE BOOK. I'M GOING TO START TOMORROW." YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO DO THAT. THAT'S THE BIGGEST MISTAKE THAT PEOPLE MAKE IS TO START BY CUTTING YOUR CALORIES. IN FACT, WE HAVE THREE GUESTS TODAY THAT YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT LATER THAT EACH ONE WANTED TO KNOW, "BUT WHAT DO I EAT?" DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING, IS THE FIRST STEP. OH, WELL, THAT'S A VERY GOOD PLAN. [ LAUGHTER ] YOU CAN HANDLE THAT ONE. WE LOVE THAT PLAN! [ APPLAUSE ] OKAY, THAT'S IT. THAT'S JUST RIGHT FOR THE FIRST PHASE, RIGHT? ACTUALLY, "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" IS FOUR PHASES, SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO FOLLOW THE FOUR PHASES. OKAY, WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO SOMEONE WHO REFUSES TO WALK DOWN THE AISLE UNTIL SHE LOSES 35 POUNDS. NEXT, HOW EMOTIONAL EATING IS STOPPING ONE BRIDE-TO-BE FROM SAYING, "I DO." WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. Oprah: THE FIVE MOST COMMON REASONS FOR EMOTIONAL EATING ACCORDING TO BOB, ARE BEING BORED, BEING STRESSED, LONELY, EMOTIONAL TURMOIL OR EMOTIONAL ISSUES, OR FILLING A VOID. WELL, IF YOU HAVE VOWED THIS YEAR THAT RESOLVING YOUR WEIGHT ISSUES IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, I THINK THIS IS THE PLAN FOR YOU. IT'S CALLED "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" MY GOOD FRIEND BOB GREENE HAS DEVISED THIS BASED UPON EMOTIONAL EATERS. HE HAD A REALLY GOOD CONSULTANT ON THE BOOK TO HELP HIM BECAUSE YOU'VE NEVER HAD THIS AS AN ISSUE FOR YOURSELF? I PERSONALLY HAVEN'T. NOT TO SAY I DON'T EMOTIONALLY EAT ON OCCASION, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BUT I CAME FROM A FAMILY THAT CERTAINLY STRUGGLES WITH IT. OKAY. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE PUT OUT A CALL FOR EMOTIONAL EATERS WHO WANTED TO LOSE WEIGHT, AND THEY HAD TO BE WILLING TO MAKE A SIX-MONTH COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW BOB'S PLAN, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS FOR SIX MONTHS TO TRY TO WORK ON THE ISSUES, TACKLE THE PAIN AND NOT THE PEANUT BUTTER, AS SOMEONE HAD SAID ON ANOTHER SHOW. WE HEARD FROM THOUSANDS OF YOU, AND NARROWED IT DOWN TO THREE. JUST THREE. THREE VIEWERS WHO SAY THAT THEY ARE READY TO COMMIT, AND IT'S A HUGE THING TO DO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION, SO I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT ALREADY, BECAUSE -- OKAY. THIS IS MINA WADUA, WHO SAYS THAT SHE HAS BEEN SO UNHAPPY ABOUT HER WEIGHT THAT SHE HAS AVOIDED ATTENDING SOCIAL FUNCTIONS FOR 12 YEARS. HERE WE GO. Mina: MY NAME IS MINA. I'M 36. I HAVE THREE SONS, AND I WEIGH 190 POUNDS. TO ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGE OUT LOUD THAT I WEIGH 190 POUNDS JUST DEVASTATES ME. I HAVE BEEN IN SUCH DENIAL OF MY WEIGHT BECAUSE I ALWAYS VERY THIN UP THROUGH MY MID-20s, 115 TO 120 POUNDS. NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT MY WEIGHT. NEVER HAD TO WORRY ABOUT IT. WHEN I WAS 24, I HAD JUST STARTED DATING MY NOW EX-HUSBAND. I HAD MET HIM IN JANUARY, AND BY THE NEXT JANUARY, I HAD GAINED 50 POUNDS. I FELT VERY CONTROLLED IN THAT RELATIONSHIP, THAT I COULDN'T EAT THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO EAT. YOU KNOW, WHO WAS HE TO TELL ME WHAT I COULD AND COULDN'T EAT? LOOKING BACK, I THINK I STARTED GAINING THE WEIGHT BECAUSE I WAS TRYING NOT TO FEEL MY FEELINGS. I WAS TRYING TO ANESTHETIZE MYSELF FROM FEELING THE EMPTINESS, FEELING THE LONELINESS AND EATING BROUGHT COMFORT. I AM ABSOLUTELY AN EMOTIONAL EATER. I EAT WHEN I'M SAD. I DEFINITELY EAT WHEN I'M STRESSED. I EAT WHEN I'M DEPRESSED, AND SOMETIMES I EAT WHEN I'M HAPPY. USUALLY BEFORE I EAT, I DON'T THINK ABOUT GOING FOR THE FOOD, I JUST COME DOWNSTAIRS UNDER THE GUISE OF MAYBE I JUST WANT A GLASS OF WATER, AND WHILE MY GLASS IS IN THE FRIDGE FOR THE WATER, I'M IN THE FRIDGE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT I HAVE THERE, AND GRAB A PIECE OF CHEESE. I DON'T CONSCIOUSLY SAY, "I'M GOING TO GO LOOK FOR FOOD TO BINGE ON." I'VE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED IT UNTIL NOW THAT I'M BINGING. I JUST THOUGHT, "WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST EATING." WHEN I'M UNHAPPY, I ALWAYS GO FOR CHOCOLATE. BROWNIES, COOKIES, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM, ANYTHING CHOCOLATE. I HAVE FOUND MYSELF MAKING A BATCH OF BROWNIES, OR MAKING A HUGE THING OF TOLL HOUSE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES AND TOASTER-OVENING THEM, AND SO I DO SIX COOKIES AT A TIME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY SIX COOKIES, BUT NEXT THING I KNOW, I'VE EATEN THE WHOLE THING OF TOLL HOUSE COOKIES. OR JUST THE BATTER. THE OTHER DAY, I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH MY EX-HUSBAND, AND BEFORE I REALIZED IT, I HAD TWO CHOCOLATE WRAPPERS IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD GONE INTO MY CHILDREN'S HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN AND TAKEN OUT TWO CANDY BARS AND ATE IT AND DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT. IT WAS HORRIBLE. IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I DON'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT I'M DOING. I'M TERRIBLY ASHAMED OF MY EATING HABITS, AND I DON'T DO THIS IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE. I'M NOT PARTICULARLY FOND OF MYSELF RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S HARD TO SAY, TOO. I AM ABSOLUTELY READY TO CONFRONT MY EMOTIONAL EATING, AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO BECAUSE UP UNTIL NOW, I NEVER EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM. I WAS IN COMPLETE DENIAL ABOUT IT. I WOULD LIKE TO LOSE 60 POUNDS, AND I'M VERY READY TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. WELL, I HEAR YOUR 7-YEAR-OLD JUST TOLD YOU WHAT? HE TOLD ME THAT I'M FAT, AND HIS TWIN TOLD ME THAT IF I STOPPED EATING JUNK FOOD, IF I STOPPED EATING ALL THAT CANDY, I WOULD LOSE WEIGHT. AND HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL? TERRIBLE. I CRIED. YOU CRIED? I WAS DEVASTATED. YEAH. THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THERE ARE DEGREES TO WHICH PEOPLE DO IT, BECAUSE... THAT'S TRUE, AND ONE THING, IT'S TERRIBLE AND IT'S PAINFUL TO HEAR THAT FROM A CHILD, BUT ALSO THAT MAY CONTRIBUTE TO YOU REALIZING SOME THINGS AND PUSH YOU INTO GETTING WITH THE PROGRAM AND STARTING A PROGRAM LIKE THIS. -YEAH. -SO IT'S A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD. BECAUSE ANYTIME YOU'RE SITTING WITH BATTER, BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE, WE'RE ALL, LIKE, GOING, "YOU'RE SITTING WITH BATTER?" YEAH, IT WAS, YEAH. IT'S GOTTEN BAD. YOU'RE REALLY, LIKE, YOU'RE EATING THE BATTER. YEAH, RIGHT. IT'S GOTTEN BAD. YEAH, THAT'S -- YEAH. THERE'S GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS WITH MINA, THOUGH. THE GOOD NEWS IS, SHE'S VERY CONCISE ON HOW THIS OCCURRED IN HER LIFE AND KNOWS WHAT TO ZERO IN ON. HOWEVER, SHE HAS THESE EATING EPISODES THAT ARE QUITE SEVERE. NOT EVERYBODY, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE EPISODES, NOT EVERYBODY HAS EPISODES. THAT'S TRUE. I MEAN, I'M NOT, LIKE, A BINGE-EATER AT ALL. AND THAT'S A MISTAKE, TO PIGEONHOLE EVERYONE AND SAY THAT, "I EMOTIONALLY EAT THIS WAY." EVERY PERSON DOES IT DIFFERENTLY. OKAY. SO IF YOU'RE EATING FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN YOU'RE PHYSICALLY HUNGRY AT THAT TIME, YOU ARE AN EMOTIONAL EATER, AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT DEGREES. PEOPLE BINGE, PEOPLE EAT BATTER. RIGHT, JUST BEING STRESSFUL. YOU PLUCK SOME GRAPES AND EAT SOME GRAPES JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE STRESSFUL, NOT BECAUSE YOU NEED THOSE CALORIES. YEAH. I'M A GREAT PLUCKER. THAT'S WHY YOU SAID THAT, BOB. [ LAUGHTER ] I KNOW. IT JUST POPPED INTO MY HEAD. I'M A GRAPE AND ALMOND PLUCKER. YEAH. YEAH. SO I'M EATING HEALTHY THINGS, BUT BY THE TIME YOU EAT A POUND OF GRAPES A DAY, YOU KNOW? EVERY DAY. EVERY TIME YOU WALK BY AND YOU PICK A COUPLE OF GRAPES. I SHOULD MOVE THEM OFF THE COUNTER. THAT'S WHAT I SHOULD DO. AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED. THESE LITTLE CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, AND THAT'S HOW YOU HAVE TO FOCUS, NOT... BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THEM THERE FOR DECORATION, THE GRAPES. [ LAUGHTER ] PEOPLE TELL THEMSELVES THAT. NO, THEY ARE THERE FOR DECORATION! WELL, THEY AREN'T IF YOU'RE PLUCKING THEM AND EATING THEM. SO, BUT I DIDN'T WANT PLASTIC GRAPES. [ LAUGHTER ] YOU KNOW I DON'T BELIEVE IN PLASTIC FLOWERS OR FRUIT. YEAH. SO I HAVE REAL FRUIT. YOU MAY HAVE TO MAKE A RULE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO EAT THE GRAPES, EAT THE DECORATION. [ LAUGHTER ] NO EATING YOUR DECORATIONS. 37-YEAR-OLD ERIN SMITH SAYS THAT SHE'S READY TO GET WITH THE PROGRAM, TOO, AND SHE HAS MADE THE COMMITMENT TO ALSO TRY BOB'S "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" PLAN FOR SIX MONTHS. ERIN SAYS SHE HAS A GREAT JOB, A LOVING FIANCé, BUT STILL FINDS HERSELF TURNING TO FOOD WHEN THINGS GET STRESSFUL. I'M ERIN SMITH. I'M 37-YEARS-OLD, AND I AM A SALES CONSULTANT FOR A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM. I'M 5'6" 1/2 AND WEIGH 198 POUNDS. WHEN I STARTED TRAVELING FOR MY JOB ALL THE TIME AND WORKING, YOU KNOW, RIDICULOUS HOURS, 10 TO 16 HOURS A DAY, THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO GAIN A LOT OF WEIGHT, AND I THINK ONLY RECENTLY HAVE I REALLY STARTED TO SEE THAT I'M TURNING TO FOOD FOR COMFORT. THE TRIGGERS THAT SET ME TO EAT ARE STRESS, CONTROL, WHEN I FEEL LIKE I AM LOSING CONTROL OF A SITUATION, AND THAT THE ONLY THING I CAN CONTROL IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S COMING INTO MY MOUTH. I DON'T HAVE TO BE HUNGRY TO EAT. I FIND THAT I'M ACTUALLY NOT HUNGRY THAT MUCH. I'M MORE ANXIOUS OR LIKE THE SOCIALIZATION OF THE FOOD, AND SO IT'S MORE LIKE, OKAY, IT'S A HOBBY OR AN ENTERTAINMENT, SO I FIND THAT I'M BORED OR I'M ANXIOUS OR I'M BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS. LAST WEEK, IT WAS A PRETTY EMOTIONAL WEEK, AND I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT IF WE'D WON THIS BIG DEAL WITH A CLIENT, AND THE PHONE WAS RINGING, AND ONE MINUTE WE WERE WINNING IT, THE NEXT MINUTE WE WEREN'T, AND I FOUND MYSELF JUST EATING THE PIZZA IN THE CAFETERIA. I WAS EATING TWIZZLERS. I WAS, YOU KNOW, GOING BY PEOPLE'S DESK WHERE THEY HAD HERSHEY CANDIES OUT AND JUST NONSTOP KIND OF, AS I WAS WALKING AROUND WITH THIS ANXIETY ON THE PHONE WITH MY HEADSET ON. TIM, MY FIANCé, AND I HAVE BEEN ENGAGED FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF. WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP, BUT I DECIDED IN JULY THAT I JUST DID NOT FEEL HAPPY WITH MYSELF, SO I THINK MY PENDING MARRIAGE IS ON HOLD UNTIL I LOSE ABOUT 50 TO 60 POUNDS. I JUST USE FOOD AS A CONSTANT, YOU KNOW, DISTRACTION, IF YOU WILL, AND SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE EMOTIONS AROUND IT AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EMOTIONS ARE DRIVING ME TO OVEREAT. WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR, I SEE A WOMAN THAT HAS LET HERSELF GO IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, WHO HAS TRIED TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY FIXING IT BY DYING HER HAIR AND WEARING FANCY CLOTHES. I FEEL LIKE I'M IN CONTROL OF MY BUSINESS CAREER. I FEEL LIKE I'M IN CONTROL OF MY LOVE LIFE. I'M MADLY IN LOVE, AND I AM NOT IN CONTROL OF MY WEIGHT AND HOW MY WEIGHT IS PLAYING OUT IN MY LIFE AND THE HAPPINESS AROUND IT. SO ISN'T IT TRUE WHEN YOUR WEDDING PLANNER ASKED YOU WHEN YOU WANTED TO GET MARRIED, AND YOU SAID, "IN ABOUT 35 POUNDS." YEAH. AND HE SAID, "ARE YOU DISCIPLINED?" I SAID, "WELL." WHATEVER MONTH THAT IS. RIGHT. YEAH. CAN IT BE A ROLLING DATE? SO YEAH. IT ALL STARTED WITH SHOPPING FOR A VERA WANG DRESS, AND THEY DON'T QUITE COME IN MY SIZE, SO... YEAH. QUITE HONESTLY, THAT'S A PROBLEM IN ITSELF, TYING A WEDDING TO A WEIGHT. YOU COULD HAVE A SHOW ABOUT THAT, AND WE BROUGHT THAT UP THE OTHER DAY. AND WE PROBABLY WILL. YEAH. WHAT, TYING A WEDDING TO A WEIGHT? YEAH, BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE. THE EXCESS WEIGHT HAS TO BE VIEWED AS A SYMPTOM. IT IS NOT THE PROBLEM, AND THAT'S A KEY, AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING... WE ALL LOOK FOR HAPPINESS, SO BE HAPPY TODAY AND YOU'LL BE A THOUSAND TIMES MORE LIKELY TO WAKE UP AND TREAT YOURSELF RIGHT TOMORROW. SO YOU'RE DENYING YOURSELF HAPPINESS OFF INTO THE FUTURE. YOU'RE LEVERAGING IT, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM IN ITSELF. YOU'RE SAYING, "I'LL BE HAPPY WHEN..." YES, I WAS DOING JUST THAT. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ASK IN "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAYS, "I'LL BE HAPPY WHEN..." ONE OF TWO THINGS IS HAPPENING. YOU'RE EITHER DELAYING THE WEIGHT-LOSS PROCESS OR DELAYING YOUR WEDDING, AND NEITHER SITUATION IS A GOOD ONE. YES. YEAH. LET'S LOOK AT THAT. [ LAUGHTER ] IT'S TRUE. YES, BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOTTEN MARRIED, AND THEY WERE A SIZE 16, AND THEY WERE VERY HAPPY WITH THAT. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, BUT NOT ON TELEVISION. OKAY. OKAY. NEXT, YOU'LL MEET OUR THIRD VIEWER WHO'S GOING TO COMMIT TO BOB'S PROGRAM FOR SIX MONTHS. WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. Oprah: BOB SAYS THAT EATING CAN BE A COPING MECHANISM THAT ALLOWS YOU TO AVOID THE RESOLUTION OF EMOTIONAL ISSUES THAT NEGATIVELY AFFECT YOUR LIFE. THE ISSUES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, NOT JUST THE EATING. OKAY, SO LaTONYA, OUR THIRD CANDIDATE WHO HAS COMMITTED TO TRY BOB'S "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" PLAN IS A WORKING MOTHER WHO SAYS THAT SHE'S SO EMBARRASSED ABOUT HER WEIGHT, SHE WON'T TAKE A FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH. I THINK THIS IS MARVELOUS. YOU WON'T TAKE A FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH, BUT YOU'RE SITTING ON TV. [ LAUGHTER ] AND TV ADDS 15 POUNDS. -I KNOW. -OKAY, SO SHE IS DESPERATE TO GET A HANDLE ON HER EMOTIONAL EATING BEFORE SHE TURNS 40. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. I'M LaTONYA SIMELTON. I'M 39 YEARS OLD. I WEIGH ABOUT 195. MY SON WILL SOMETIMES SAY, "MOM, YOU HAVE FAT LEGS." I'M CONSTANTLY DIETING AND LOSING THE WEIGHT AND GAINING IT BACK. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS 30 YEARS. THAT'S RIDICULOUS. I'M ABOUT 45 POUNDS HEAVIER THAN I WANT TO BE. OH, THAT SOUNDS TERRIBLE. I KNOW I'M AN EMOTIONAL EATER. I THINK I USE FOOD AS A REWARD. IT IS SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD BECAUSE I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING. IT'S A SPECIFIC TYPE OF FOOD THAT I EAT, WHICH ARE DESSERTS, AND SO IF I'VE DONE SOMETHING WELL, I FEEL THAT THAT'S MY REWARD. I'M AN EXECUTIVE AT A BANK, AND IT'S A VERY STRESSFUL JOB, SO I FIND MYSELF AFTER MEETING A BIG DEADLINE, A BIG CHALLENGE, I REWARD MYSELF WITH SWEETS. I DON'T HAVE TO BE HUNGRY TO EAT SWEETS. PUBERTY WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME, BUT I JUST ATE MY WAY THROUGH IT. I WOULD SIT IN MY BASEMENT AND EAT TWINKIES, YOU KNOW? I USED TO BE A CONNOISSEUR OF SUZY Qs. I'D LICK THE SIDES, YOU KNOW. HOWEVER YOU COULD EAT A SUZY Q, THAT'S THE WAY I ATE THEM. I LOVE CHOCOLATE. IN MY HOUSE, YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO FIND SOMETHING CHOCOLATE, AND EVEN THOUGH CHOCOLATE LITERALLY BREAKS ME OUT, I'M STILL EATING IT. YOU'LL ALWAYS FIND SWEET CEREALS. MY WORST INDULGENCE IS PROBABLY PECAN PIE. IT'S JUST FULL OF SUGAR. THIS IS MY SOCK-IT-TO-ME CAKE. I BOUGHT IT YESTERDAY, AND HALF OF IT IS ALREADY GONE, AND I ATE MOST OF IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS REWARDING MYSELF FOR. THE EMOTIONS THAT I FEEL WHEN I'M EATING THE CAKE ARE SATISFIED. I DON'T THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES WHEN I'M EATING IT, JUST WHEN I PUT ON MY SLACKS. GIVE ME ANOTHER CARD FOR THAT BECAUSE YOU LOOKED AT THAT. I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY 6-YEAR-OLD BECAUSE HE DOESN'T NEED TO SEE THAT TYPE OF EATING IN HIS HOUSEHOLD. I DISLIKE THE WAY I LOOK SO MUCH, WE DON'T TAKE FAMILY PICTURES, AND MY SON IS NOW 6, AND WE'VE NEVER HAD A FAMILY PICTURE TOGETHER, AND THAT REALLY MAKES ME SAD. WHAT IS A SUZY Q? A HOSTESS! [ LAUGHTER ] OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW. WHAT IS IT? IT'S A PASTRY FROM HOSTESS. IT'S CHOCOLATE AND CREAM. CHOCOLATE AND CREAM. OKAY. DOES EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT A SUZY Q IS? All: YES! WELL, EXCUSE ME. [ LAUGHTER ] I'M NOT A SWEET EATER, SO IF ANYTHING YOU EVER READ ABOUT ME EATING SWEETS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. I JUST SAID TO BOB, "THANK GOD I DON'T LIKE SWEETS, OTHERWISE I WOULD BE, NO TELLING." BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH FOOD, RIGHT? IT'S A SYMPTOM THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, AND FOOD IS THE COPING MECHANISM, SO THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. OKAY, SO EMOTIONAL EATING IS A COMPLEX ISSUE. ANYBODY WHO'S DEALT WITH IT ALL THEIR LIFE KNOWS THIS, AND SUCCESSFULLY ELIMINATING THIS DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR REQUIRES YOU TO MAKE SEVERAL CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE, BOB SAYS. HERE ARE A FEW OF HIS SUGGESTIONS. "ORGANIZE YOUR EATING," WHICH, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? WELL, THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS EAT THREE MEALS, LIKE WE'VE BEEN TOLD ALL OUR LIVES, AND YOU CAN HAVE TWO SNACKS. THEN IT BECOMES VERY EASY TO RECOGNIZE WHEN YOU'RE EMOTIONALLY EATING. IF YOU EAT OUTSIDE THOSE GUIDELINES, CHANCES ARE IT'S EMOTIONAL EATING. AND KNOW EVERY GRAPE COUNTS. EVERY GRAPE COUNTS BECAUSE YOU ADD IT UP OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR. EVERY GRAPE, EVERY SUZY Q, EVERY TWIZZLER, WHATEVER. BUT EVERY GRAPE COUNTS, BECAUSE YEAH. YEAH, YEAH. YOU THINK, "OH, IT'S NOT THAT MUCH DAMAGE," BUT COMPOUND THAT BY 365 DAYS OF THE YEAR, AT THE YEARS END, THAT'S 15 POUNDS. OKAY. "MAKE EATING A CONSCIOUS ACTIVITY." ORGANIZING YOUR EATING IS GOING TO HELP WITH THAT, BUT IT HAS TO BECOME CONSCIOUS. THINK OF THE TIMES THAT YOU EAT WHERE IT'S UNCONSCIOUS AND YOU DON'T REGISTER THE JOY AND THE COMFORT OF THAT EATING. THAT'S ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF EATING. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE JOYFUL, BUT IF IT'S UNCONSCIOUS, YOU LOSE THAT BENEFIT AND THEN IT'S A BOTTOMLESS PIT, AND YOU CONTINUE EATING. OKAY, AND "LEARN THE DIFFICULT BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HUNGER." THIS IS WHAT I WAS SAYING TO YOU BEFORE. THAT'S A TOUGH ONE BECAUSE YOU'RE FEELING LONELY. YOU CAN FOOL YOURSELF INTO THINKING THAT THAT'S PHYSICAL HUNGER, WHEN IT'S NOT. AND ALSO A LOT OF IT'S HABIT, YOU KNOW? A LOT OF IT'S JUST, FIRST THING I DO WHEN I GET HOME IS I PUT DOWN MY STUFF, THE DOGS, THE WHOLE THING, AND THE FIRST THING I DO IS WALK THROUGH THE KITCHEN. YOU OPEN THE REFRIGERATOR TO SEE WHAT ART HAS LEFT. IT'S A HABIT. YEAH. AND YOU NEVER TOOK THE TIME TO ASK YOURSELF, "AM I HUNGRY?" AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING PEOPLE TO DO. OKAY. "IDENTIFY THE REASONS AND OCCASIONS YOU EAT OUT OF EMOTION." LET'S SAY IT'S LATE AT NIGHT, AND THAT'S VERY COMMON. ANY OF YOU THAT ARE AFFECTED BY LATE-NIGHT EATING, THAT IS SAYING A LOT. THAT'S SAYING THAT SOMETHING IN YOUR DAY IS MISSING. I'M GENERALIZING, BUT BASICALLY THAT'S WHAT IT'S SAYING TO MOST PEOPLE, THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED DURING YOUR DAY, AND THAT FOOD IS COMPENSATING FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED IN YOUR LIFE. BUT, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING I DID WITHOUT ANY KIND OF CHANGING MY LIFE PLAN JUST A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR, I LOST ABOUT, WHAT, 8 TO 10 POUNDS. DEPENDING ON WHICHEVER DAY I STAND ON THE SCALE, THIS YEAR JUST BY... OR WHICH FOOD I STAND ON WHEN I'M ON THE SCALE, BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME THAT IF I JUST CUT OFF MY EATING AFTER 7:00. SET A TIME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO STOP IT, AND YOU ABSOLUTELY DON'T EAT PAST THAT TIME. THIS IS THE AMAZING THING. FOR YOU, THAT TRANSLATED TO HOW MANY POUNDS? JUST THE CHANGE OF BEHAVIOR. 8 TO 10. 8 TO 10. YEAH, FOR SOMEONE ELSE IT MIGHT BE 5 POUNDS. FOR SOMEONE ELSE, THEY MAY LOSE ALL THEIR WEIGHT SIMPLY BY NOT EATING PRIOR TO THEIR BEDTIME. WELL, AND SOMETIME I'D SAY, SO I'D SET THE TIME AT 7:30. I'M NOT GOING TO EAT PAST 7:30, AND I'D BE LIKE, "I GOT TO GET HOME!" [ LAUGHTER ] IT'S 7:13, AND I GOT TO MAKE THE DEADLINE!" YEAH, YOU DON'T REMEMBER. ONE TIME YOU CALLED ME AND SAID, "I MISSED MY DEADLINE!" I MISSED MY DEADLINE! I DON'T GET TO EAT UNTIL TOMORROW NOW! OH, MY GOD. MOST PEOPLE JUST CHANGE THEIR BEDTIME. IT'S TRUE. SOMETIMES I'M IN THE CAR, I'VE BEEN DRIVING, I GO, "WE GOT TO GET HOME OR WE GOT TO STOP SOMEWHERE!" OKAY. SO JUST DOING THAT ONE THING, HAVING, SAY, 7:00 OR 7:30 IS YOUR CUTOFF TIME AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO EAT ANOTHER THING PAST THEN. THAT SAVED ME. YEAH, BUT IT'S ALSO BETTER TO EAT SOMETHING PRIOR TO THAT THAN TO DEPRIVE YOURSELF. THAT'S RIGHT. YEAH. OKAY. AND TO "WRITE YOUR THOUGHTS IN A JOURNAL." CRITICAL. AND YOU HAVE JOURNALING SPACE HERE, BUT NOT ENOUGH. I MEAN, YOU GOT ONE PAGE FOR THE FULL JOURNAL MARK UP. YEAH, I DO RECOMMEND THAT YOU FREE UP SOME MORE SPACE OR KEEP A SEPARATE JOURNAL EITHER BY YOUR BED OR TAKE IT TO WORK WITH YOU, AND YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT CRITICAL MOMENT WHEN YOU'RE TEMPTED TO EAT. IT'S LIFE-CHANGING IF YOU'RE ABLE -- SO THE MOMENT THAT YOU'RE MOST TEMPTED, INSTEAD OF REACHING FOR THE SUZY Q, YOU WOULD THEN DO WHAT? ASK YOURSELF WHAT'S MISSING, WHY AM I EATING? BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR EATING. WHY ARE YOU DOING IT? AND AT THAT MOMENT, YOU'RE CLOSEST TO KNOWING WHY YOU ARE EATING AND WHAT'S OFF IN YOUR LIFE. SO WRITE ABOUT IT. OKAY, NEXT WE'LL MEET ONE WOMAN WHO LOST 175 POUNDS. THIS IS INSPIRATION FOR US ALL, BUT FIRST, BOB SPENT SOME TIME TALKING TO MINA, TO ERIN, AND LaTONYA TO FIND OUT IF THEY WERE REALLY READY TO GET WITH THE PROGRAM. DO YOU FEEL YOU'RE READY? I AM READY BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE HARD WORK. I LOOK AT IT AS GOING THROUGH A TUNNEL, AND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ASPECTS OF MY LIFE THAT ARE GOING TO BE CHALLENGED, WHETHER IT'S MY JOB, MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, THE WAY I'M TREATING MYSELF IS GOING TO CHANGE. DO YOU FEEL YOU'RE READY FOR THIS PROCESS OF SELF-DISCOVERY? ABSOLUTELY. I'M THERE. OKAY, I WANT YOU TO LOOK ME RIGHT IN THE EYE AND TELL ME THAT YOU ARE REALLY READY FOR THIS AND THAT YOU ARE IN IT FOR THE LONG-TERM. I'M REALLY READY. I'M IN IT FOR THE LONG-TERM. GOOD. OKAY, SO YOU'RE LOOKING ME RIGHT IN THE EYE AND SAYING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET IN REGULAR EXERCISE ON A WEEKLY BASIS. ABSOLUTELY. GET IN REGULAR EXERCISE ON A WEEKLY BASIS. EXCEPT YOU LOOKED DOWN WHEN YOU SAID THAT. DID I? YEAH. [ BOTH LAUGH ] WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I DON'T KNOW. WE'LL SEE. NO, NO. I'M WILLING. WHEN I COMMIT TO SOMETHING, I'M A GOAL-SETTER. OKAY, IF YOU'VE STRUGGLED WITH EMOTIONAL EATING, WE HAVE STORIES FOR YOU BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE HAVE STRUGGLED AND CONQUERED. THEY'VE PROVED BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT THE FIGHT AGAINST FOOD AND YOUR EMOTIONS CAN BE WON. AT THE AGE OF 26, KATHRINE NEWLAN WEIGHED OVER 330 POUNDS. SHE USED FOOD TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY. TO HIDE THE PAIN OF NOT FEELING LOVED AND NOT BEING HEARD, BECAUSE FOR EVERYBODY, IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT. FOR HER, THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. AND AFTER YEARS OF FAILED DIETING, KATHRINE BELIEVED THAT SHE WOULD BE OVERWEIGHT FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE. LOOK AT HER STORY. Kathrine: MY WEIGHT HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE FROM AN EMOTIONAL STANDPOINT. IN MY FAMILY, WE USE FOOD IN CONNECTION WITH EVERY CELEBRATION, EVERY SADNESS. THE ONLY TIME I FELT CONNECTED TO MY FAMILY WAS WHEN FOOD WAS AROUND. BOTH OF MY PARENTS WERE AT LEAST 100 POUNDS OVERWEIGHT AS LONG AS I COULD REMEMBER. I WAS OVERWEIGHT MOST OF MY LIFE. WHEN I WENT INTO COLLEGE, I WEIGHED ABOUT 150, AND BY THE TIME I WAS IN MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, I WEIGHED 190 TO 200 POUNDS. I WAS TO THE POINT WHERE I WOULD LEAVE A PARTY EARLY SAYING I DIDN'T GOOD AND GO THROUGH THE DRIVE-THRU AND GET ENOUGH FOOD FOR TWO PEOPLE, AND I WOULD GO BACK TO MY DORM ROOM AND EAT AND BE ALONE. WHEN I WAS ALONE AND EATING THE FOOD, I DIDN'T FEEL ANYTHING. BUT IT WAS AFTERWARDS THAT I FELT ALL THE SHAME. THE HEAVIEST I EVER WEIGHED WAS 331 POUNDS. MY WEDDING DRESS WAS THE BIGGEST WEDDING DRESS WE COULD FIND. IT WAS A SIZE 28, AND I BARELY FIT INTO IT. IT WAS THE WORST TIME IN MY LIFE. WHEN YOU'RE AN EMOTIONAL EATER, ALL EATING IS UNCONSCIOUS. I DON'T EVEN THINK I TASTED THE FOOD THAT I WAS EATING, BUT IF FILLED A VOID IN MY HEART, IN MY EMOTIONS, BUT IT WOULD GO AWAY VERY QUICKLY, AND THEN THE SHAME AGAIN WOULD SET IN. MY LIGHT BULB MOMENT WAS THE DAY I HEARD THE WORDS, "KELLY AND THE BABY DIED LAST NIGHT." MY BEST FRIEND WAS 9-MONTHS PREGNANT. SHE HAD AN AORTIC ANEURYSM, AND WE LOST BOTH HER AND HER BABY. ALL I COULD THINK OF IS HOW SHORT LIFE IS AND HOW MUCH I MISSED OF LIFE WITH HER BECAUSE I WOULD MAKE EXCUSES ABOUT DOING THINGS BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT, AND THEN SHE WAS GONE. I'LL NEVER FORGET COMING HOME FROM THE FUNERAL AND LOOKING IN THE MIRROR AND SEEING MYSELF FOR THE FIRST TIME AT 330 POUNDS. IT WAS THE DAY THAT I QUIT BUYING THE LIE THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FAT, THAT THIS IS WHAT MY LIFE WAS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. I MADE THE DECISION THAT DAY THAT I WOULD NEVER DIET AGAIN. I STARTED TO RESEARCH WHAT IT TOOK TO BE HEALTHY. WHEN THE WEIGHT STARTED COMING OFF, I FELT HOPEFUL AGAIN BECAUSE I WASN'T ON A DIET. I WAS JUST MAKING HEALTHIER CHOICES. I WAS DEALING WITH MY EMOTIONS. WHEN THEY WOULD COME UP, I WOULD GO TO THE REFRIGERATOR TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT, AND BEFORE I WOULD GRAB IT, I WOULD THINK, "WHAT DID YOU JUST THINK? WHY ARE YOU STANDING HERE IN FRONT OF THE REFRIGERATOR?" I FOUND NEW WAYS OF NOURISHING MYSELF EMOTIONALLY. WHEN A STRESSFUL TIME HITS, INSTEAD OF RUNNING TO THE FOOD, I'LL GO AND GET A HUG FROM MY KIDS OR WALK OUTSIDE AND SMELL A FLOWER. I FILL MYSELF WITH THINGS THAT BUILD UP MY LIFE INSTEAD OF TEARING THEM DOWN. I'VE LOST OVER 175 POUNDS, AND IT'S BEEN OFF OVER FIVE YEARS. I MADE THE DECISION THAT THIS IS WHO I AM, AND THIS IS THE WAY I'M STAYING. FANTASTIC. COME ON OUT, KATHRINE. COME ON OUT. YOU LOOK GOOD, GIRL. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION! AN INSPIRATION! YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION! THANK YOU. YES, YOU ARE. YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] YOU LOOK GOOD. OKAY, FOR EVERYBODY WHO THINKS THEY COULDN'T DO IT. OKAY, YOU WERE SAYING YOU REPLACED THAT EMOTIONAL WHATEVER WAS GOING ON WITH YOU AT THAT TIME WITH SOMETHING ELSE. -YES. -WHAT DID YOU REPLACE IT WITH? I REPLACED IT WITH THE LOVE THAT I WAS ALWAYS SO HUNGRY TO GET THAT WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. MM-HMM. THAT I WASN'T WORTHY, I DIDN'T FEEL WORTHY OF RECEIVING. YEAH. BOB, YOU JUST SAID TO ME, "IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO LOVE." IT REALLY DOES. EACH PERSON HAS TO FIND THEIR SATISFACTION, BUT WHEN YOU BOIL DOWN MOST ISSUES, THEY COME FROM A LOVE STANDPOINT. YES. FANTASTIC. AREN'T YOU PROUD OF YOURSELF? I AM. I LIKE ME NOW. OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL. YEAH. THANK YOU. COMING UP, HE LOST OVER 300 POUNDS! 300 POUNDS. THAT'S TWO PEOPLE. IMAGINE THAT. I THINK IT MAY BE ONE OF THE GREATEST WEIGHT-LOSS SUCCESS STORIES WE'VE EVER TOLD. THAT IS NEXT. COMING UP. BACK IN A MOMENT. THIS NEXT STORY WILL MAKE YOU BELIEVE THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. 44-YEAR-OLD REVEREND RAY THOMAS MINISTERS TO NEEDY PEOPLE EVERY DAY, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO HIS OWN WEIGHT PROBLEMS, HE FELT HELPLESS. HE IS ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE WEIGHT-LOSS SUCCESS STORIES WE'VE EVER SEEN. LOOK AT HIS STORY. THIS SHOULD INSPIRE YOU. Ray: TWO YEARS AGO I REACHED MY HIGHEST WEIGHT, WHICH WAS 524 POUNDS. WHAT WOULD TRIGGER ME TO EAT WAS DEFINITELY MY FAMILY. BAD RELATIONSHIPS, OR IF SOMEONE HAD HURT ME I WOULD FIND COMFORT IN FOOD. IT'D EASE THE PAIN. FOR BREAKFAST, I MAY HAVE SEVEN EGGS, A POUND OF BACON AND SAUSAGE ON THE SIDE. I REMEMBER ONE TIME I WENT TO BURGER KING AND GOT 10 WHOPPERS. I WOULD ALWAYS EAT IN SECRET, ALTHOUGH I KEPT PREACHING. I KEPT STOPPING AT RESTAURANTS AFTERWARDS, EATING AND EATING BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE MY INNER PAIN AWAY. I WAS CALLED "SLOB." I WAS CALLED "FATTY." GETTING AROUND WAS VERY DIFFICULT. ONCE I WAS GOING TO BE IN THE AUDIENCE ON THE "OPRAH" SHOW, AND I WAS ABOUT 500 POUNDS. I GOT UP THAT MORNING, I DROVE THERE, BUT I SAW ALL THE PEOPLE STANDING OUT FRONT, AND MY EYES FILLED UP WITH WATER BECAUSE I KNEW THAT I COULDN'T PARK A LONG WAYS THEN WALK BACK THERE, AND I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO STAND IN THAT LINE BEING AS BIG AS I WAS, BECAUSE I KNEW THAT PEOPLE WAS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ME AND STARING. MY BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT WAS WHEN I HAD FOUND OUT THAT I WAS A DIABETIC, AND MY DOCTOR SENT ME TO A DIETITIAN. WHEN I WENT THERE, HE SAID, "MR. THOMAS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT WEIGHT TODAY." HE SAID, "HAVE YOU HAD ANY PAST HURTS?" AND WHEN HE SAID "PAST HURTS," MY EYES FILLED UP WITH WATER JUST INSTANTLY. JUST LIKE SOMEONE GO TO THE FAUCET AND JUST TURN IT ON, AND I BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT THE DEATH OF MY GRANDMOTHER, AND MICHAEL, MY BROTHER, AND A BAD MARRIAGE. I NEVER DREAMED THAT IT WAS THAT DEEP. I EVEN TOLD ABOUT BEING MOLESTED AS A BOY, WHICH WAS SWEPT UNDER THE RUG. I CAME HOME FROM THE DIETITIAN'S OFFICE, AND I SAID, "I'M GOING TO FACE IT. I'M GOING TO FACE THE HURTS." I'M GOING TO FACE THE PAIN, AND I JUST FELL BACK IN THE BED, AND I BEGAN TO CRY. THAT NEXT MORNING, I COULD EVEN SEE THE DIFFERENCE. I DIDN'T HAVE EIGHT EGGS, I HAD FOUR. I BEGAN TO GET UP EVERY MORNING AND GET ON THE STATIONARY BIKE. I WAS SO BIG, MY STOMACH COVERED THE BIKE, AND I COULD ONLY RIDE FOR, LIKE, ABOUT A MINUTE, AND I WOULD BE OUT OF BREATH. THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS WAS A NIGHTMARE. IT WAS PURE HELL. I WOULD WAKE UP FEELING LIKE A DRUG ADDICT THAT JUST HAD TO HAVE THAT FIX. I WOULD WANT ITALIAN BEEF SO BAD. I WOULD WANT FRENCH FRIES. I ATE BABY CARROTS, AND I WANTED TO JUST SCREAM. I WOULD FALL, AND I WOULD GET RIGHT BACK UP. IT'S JUST LIKE A KID RIDING A BICYCLE. YOU JUST KEEP GETTING UP. I KEPT GETTING UP, AND I KEPT GETTING UP UNTIL I GOT IT! I GOT IT, AND IT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, IT WAS SO HARD. IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO BE, LIKE, REBORN AGAIN. GIVING UP FOOD WHEN I USED TO LIVE TO EAT. NOW I WEIGHT 222 POUNDS. I'VE GONE FROM A 70 WAIST TO A 34 WAIST. I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN TO BE IN BONDAGE AGAIN AS FAR AS MY WEIGHT. I USED TO LOVE TO WATCH "THE WIZARD OF OZ" AS A KID, AND JUST LIKE DOROTHY, SHE ALWAYS HAD THE POWER TO GO BACK TO KANSAS, BUT SHE JUST DIDN'T KNOW SHE HAD IT. I ALWAYS HAD THE KEY OF LOSING THE WEIGHT, CHANGING MY LIFE. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THAT I HAD IT. ALL THOSE YEARS I HAD THE POWER. I HAD THE KEY. ALL I HAD TO DO WAS JUST TURN THE KNOB. THAT IS A MIRACLE! COME ON OUT, REVEREND RAY. GOD BLESS YOU. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] WHOO-HOO! BRAVO! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] BLESS YOU! BLESS YOU. WHAT AN INSPIRATION. WHAT AN INSPIRATION. THAT'S RIGHT, HONEY. TAKE IT OFF! THAT'S FABULOUS. YES. [ APPLAUSE ] -THAT IS GREAT. -WHAT A GREAT STORY. THAT IS GREAT BECAUSE YOU HAD SOME EMOTIONAL BARRIERS TO BREAK THROUGH. -YEAH. -YES. I HEAR YOU BROUGHT YOUR BEFORE PANTS. YOU'RE BEFORE PANTS, AND THAT YOU KEEP PICTURES OF YOURSELF AT 500 POUNDS STILL AROUND THE HOUSE. THESE PANTS, OPRAH, USED TO FIT ME SKIN-TIGHT. REALLY? SKIN-TIGHT. AND EVERYONE WOULD SAY THAT I HAD A BUTT THE SIZE OF LAKE MICHIGAN. [ LAUGHTER ] NOW MY WHOLE BODY FITS IN ONE LEG OF THESE PANTS. [ APPLAUSE ] YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AN INSPIRATION. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK. [ APPLAUSE ] Oprah: IN "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!", BOB SAYS, "STOP COMFORTING YOURSELF BY STUFFING DOWN YOUR FEELINGS OF BEING SAD, OF REGRET, OF FEAR AND FRUSTRATION WITH FOOD. STOP COMFORTING YOURSELF BY NUMBING YOURSELF FROM THE EVERYDAY STRESSES, BY FALLING PREY TO OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE SNACKING. STOP COMFORTING YOURSELF BY FOOLING YOURSELF THAT YOU CAN FILL A VOID IN YOUR LIFE SIMPLY WITH FOOD." OKAY, REMEMBER THIS -- ANY TIME THAT YOU EAT WHEN YOU'RE NOT HUNGRY, IT IS CALLED EMOTIONAL EATING. BOB'S "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" PLAN IS NOT A DIET PLAN. ACTUALLY, PHASE ONE IS ABOUT FIGURING OUT IF YOU ARE READY FOR THE PROGRAM BY ASKING YOURSELF A SERIES OF QUESTIONS. AND DON'T INVEST THE TIME UNTIL YOU ARE READY. OKAY, OKAY, AND GETTING READY, AND PHASE TWO IS JUST ABOUT STARTING TO MOVE. STARTING TO MOVE AND ADDING SOME EXERCISE TO YOUR LIFE. OKAY, AND YOU OUTLINE IN HERE WHAT ARE THE BEST EXERCISES. EXERCISES AND HOW TO PROGRESS YOURSELF. I WILL GIVE YOU A HINT, POWER WALKING IS NUMBER ONE, AND THEN YOU GO DOWN THE LINE ABOUT BIKES AND SWIMMING AND WHEREVER THEY FALL IN LINE, BUT POWER WALKING IS NUMBER ONE. FOR MOST PEOPLE. YEAH. YEAH. WELL, YOU SAID POWER WALKING IS NUMBER ONE. IT SAID, "A -- POWER WALKING." NOW YOU DON'T QUALIFY IT! WELL, YOU KNOW IT'S JUST... OKAY, AND THEN IT'S HANDLING THE EMOTIONAL COMPONENT, AND THEN PHASE FOUR IS THE LONG-HAUL. THE LONG-HAUL, AND IF YOU HAVE THREE WORDS, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, START LIVING YOUR LIFE. OKAY, START LIVING YOUR LIFE. NOW IT SAYS BIG AS DAY IN HERE, "POWER WALKING, A." SOMEBODY MIGHT NOT LIKE WALKING, YOU'RE GOING TO... OKAY, BUT YOU HAVE OTHER OPTIONS. OH, ABSOLUTELY. BUT POWER WALKING IS THE BEST. SINGLE BEST EXERCISE, AND ANOTHER TECHNIQUE IS YOU WANT TO ADD SOME OTHER EXERCISES. DON'T JUST POWER WALK. THROW ONE OR TWO OTHERS IN THERE AND ROUND OUT YOUR WEEK. OKAY. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO TELL YOU HOW TO "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" WITH ALL OF US HERE AT "OPRAH" SHOW. [ APPLAUSE ] NOW, WHAT KIND OF FRIEND IS THIS? ONE OF THE CREW GUYS JUST GAVE ME A SUZY Q! [ LAUGHTER ] SUZY Q. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF MY GUESTS TODAY. BOB GREENE'S BOOK IS CALLED "GET WITH THE PROGRAM!" BYE, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU! [ APPLAUSE ]
