Unsupersize Me (2013) Movie Script
1
- Hi!
My name is Tracy and here
I am opening the door
to what would become a
whole new world for me.
At this moment, I think I'm
like any other 29-year-old girl.
I think I'm happy,
successful, popular
and living life to the fullest.
I had no idea what I
was missing out on.
I did not realize what
real happiness was
and I had no idea how
much easier life could be.
When a friend of mine suggested,
I talk with the
owner of Zen Fitness
about being part of a project,
I thought, what
do I have to lose?
I had no idea what I was
going to be able to gain.
Clothes shopping as
a 12-year-old girl
that weighs close to
200 pounds is not easy.
Stylish,
age-appropriate clothing
is not available in your size
and you're forced to shop
in the adult women section.
Clothes are frumpy
and do nothing
to boost your self-esteem
as a young girl.
I remember being made fun of
because of the clothes I wore.
In one particular incident,
I had a crush on a boy.
He saw the large bra
strap through the back
of my shirt and said
it was an old lady bra.
It absolutely broke my heart.
I can vividly remember
when I was young
and had my feelings hurt
because of my weight.
Arguing with school
friends in the playground
and hearing them say,
"What are you gonna do,
"sit on me?"
I remember feeling
embarrassed being left
in the tractor in
Presidential Fitness Days.
I remember never
being able to play
in the teeter-totter
because I was bigger
than the other kids.
I remember not
being able to live
and play like the other kids.
I also remember teaching myself
at a really young
age to not care
what other people
thought or said about me.
I turned off my
emotions and did not let
my feelings get hurt any longer.
Looking back at it, it
would have been easier
to learn how to run than
to learn how to bury
my emotions and
feelings for so long.
I, like many other people
make daily annotations
to their life in
order to accommodate
being obese.
From early on in my years,
I put up an emotional
protective barrier against
all of the negative
and mean-spirited
comments that were said
about my weight.
I honestly think I have
gotten to the point
where I just do not
care what other people
have to say.
I avoid embarrassing situations
and try to live day to day.
I pretend that I am
happy with my life
until I actually
believed that I am.
- I have known Tracy
for a really long time.
And I've been worried about her.
And her health and
I'm really excited
about this opportunity
for her to get healthy.
I know it's gonna be a challenge
and a whole new lifestyle change
but it's something that
I think needs to be done
and I just wish the best for her
and I hope that she
will succeed in this.
Because I do worry about her.
- Hi, I'm Carly Asse.
My interest in health
started at an early age.
My grandfather died of cancer
and my grandmother and aunt,
both died of heart disease.
All three were untimely deaths.
My mother always
stressed the importance
of how eating healthy
made me feel good.
And eating unhealthy
made me feel bad.
I became aware at an
early age how food affects
the way you feel and the
quality of your life.
I was a hard worker in school
and took an avid
interest in sports.
I graduated valedictorian
of my high school
in 1996 and received
a college scholarship
to play tennis.
While majoring in business,
I continued my own
personal studies
in nutrition and exercise.
Things were going well.
Or so it seemed.
When I was 22 years old
and a senior in college,
my life took an unexpected turn.
I was convicted
for selling ecstasy
and sentenced to seven
years and three months
in federal prison.
My world was turned upside down.
I was scared, lost,
unsure of my future.
- One time, when I met with
Carly's 5th grade teacher,
she said, "Marilyn,
what can I say?
"He is the child everyone
wishes was theirs."
Carly was a golden-haired boy.
He worked hard in school.
He had a lot of friends.
Everyone liked him.
He was charismatic.
He was one of the top players
in all the teams in school.
He actually won the
National Junior Olympics.
He came in second place.
Just lost by a stride
and he played tennis
and he was even
valedictorian of his class
from high school.
When he was arrested,
his dad and I were just
stunned,
shocked.
We had no idea.
And he was facing a world
that was so frightening
and scary that I didn't
know anything about
and we just feared for his life
and what was gonna
happen to him.
We didn't know.
We just didn't know.
- I've known Carly
since high school
and it was really in college
that we became
really good friends.
We worked out together.
We hung out a lot.
We had a group of friends
and it was really a
normal college situation.
We played Ping-Pong
all the time.
Carly made great grades
and we really lived a
regular college friend
group lifestyle.
When they got in trouble,
I was worried about Carly.
He didn't seem like
the type of person
that would ever go to prison
and I knew that when
he got in trouble
that he was a good kid.
That he had just gotten
into a bad situation
but I was worried about him.
Seven years in
prison is a long time
that he had to face
and I just remembered
going into it being
really worried about him.
- After Carly was arrested
and it was on the front page
of the Gainesville Sun,
I was having trouble
going around town
because people wouldn't
ask me about Carly
or they act like he had died.
And I've cut out
this picture of him
and safety pinned
it on my shirt.
I wore them for two
years because I wanted
everyone to know he's my son.
I'm wearing him right
here over my heart.
I love him unconditionally.
He might have made a mistake
but he's my son and
he's worthy of being
asked about and
thought of a lot.
- Prison was definitely a world
that I never expected to be in.
I was entering a world
of stabbings, beatings,
gangs and violence
but it was a world
that I have entered
because of my own doing.
It was gonna be the
most daunting challenge
I was ever gonna face.
And I had to prepare myself
if I was gonna
make it out alive.
My deepest darkest moment
came in my first year
when I was put into
solitary confinement.
Solitary confinement
is when you're locked
in a small cell with a
bed, sink and a toilet
for 24 hours a day.
You're by yourself
with no one to talk to
or share your feelings.
I miss my friends and
family so much it hurt.
I was alone in a small
concrete steel prison
and all I could think about was
how am I going to do
these seven years?
Time went by so slowly.
I was so stressed out
and felt such anxiety
and only one thing
made me feel better,
exercise.
I had to be creative
because I had no equipment.
Exercise gave me hope.
Hope got me through
some tough times.
Hope is powerful.
- We went to visit Carly
every chance we had.
We would sometimes
drive 13 or 15 hours
to spend a day with him and
he would come out in
that orange prison suit
and I would always think, he
didn't really belong there.
He didn't belong.
- As I felt more positive,
I made a plan to
do things in prison
that I've never had
time to do before.
I left solitary confinement
after six months.
And began my studies,
I spent my days learning
new things and exercising.
I quickly learned
Spanish and guitar.
After the first year,
I went on to learn
four more languages, history.
I read the classics.
I studied business, yoga
and my favorite, nutrition.
I was intrigued by
what a profound effect
nutrition had on the human body.
I tried many different
ways of eating
and one diet was
without a doubt,
the best for health, performance
and overall well-being.
The plant-based diet.
My body fat dropped
rapidly to under 7%.
I performed better in
sports and workouts.
I slept better and
I had more energy.
Other inmates came
to me for help
and I watched as they
quickly became healthy
following my nutrition
and exercise programs.
That is when I realized, I
love being a personal trainer
and wanted to pursue
a career in training
when I got out.
I finally finished my
sentence and I was so excited
to finally get out of prison.
While prison was a
tremendous learning
growing experience for me,
I was really eager to get out
and see my family and do things
that I haven't done in a while.
- How many people when
they out of prison
have a whole huge
party waiting for them?
And we drove over
and there was a sign,
my friends have put
together at our house
saying, "Welcome home, Carly."
It was wonderful time.
We're so glad to have him back.
We bought him new clothes.
We helped put together a resume
and what concerned me was that
I was seeing that he
was being turned down
from jobs because he was a felon
and I thought, oh my gosh.
This is gonna affect
his whole life.
Is he ever gonna
be able to be more
than a dishwasher?
Because he has so much to give
and so much to share
that He learned during
this experience.
- I wanted to pursue a
job as a personal trainer
but I quickly discovered
that no one wants
to hire a felon.
I kept trying and looking
and trying and looking
but eventually, all I
could find was a job
as a dishwasher, so I
had to settle for that.
I didn't give up hope though
and I kept my pursuit
and my dream of being
a personal trainer.
- During the time that
Carly was in prison,
he learned how to become
a personal trainer
and I had started a
personal training studio.
Naturally, when he
got out, he came to me
and wanted me to hire him
and there was little
controversy about
whether or not to
do that from some
of my co-workers but I did it
and it turned out to
be a great decision.
Carly was a top-selling
personal trainer.
The top selling
personal trainer.
For me from the rest of the time
I own that business.
He put people on a
plant-based diet.
He got the best
results than anybody
and it turned out to
be the best decision
that I had made.
- I had such success
that within three years,
I was able to open my own
personal training studio
called Zen Fitness.
Seeing the fast
results and the lives
I was helping to change
made me want to share
this knowledge on a larger scale
and that is when this film,
Unsupersize Me was born.
My vision was to show
how quickly and easily
you can go from
extremely poor health
to optimal health in a
very short period of time
without surgery, diet
pills, complicated fad diets
or starvation.
The vegan diet was easy
to do and it worked fast.
The following movie
is a personal story
for both myself and
a new friend I made
in the process, Tracy Ryan.
Together, we set a goal
to change the world.
I hope you enjoy this movie
and see how quickly
and easy it is
to become healthy,
starting right
at your dinner plate.
I envision all people regardless
of their current weight
or fitness level,
benefiting from a vegan diet
and improving their health
and ultimately, their life
because life is
difficult to enjoy
if you don't have your health.
What are the top three things
you're looking forward
to with your new body
in your life?
- Just maybe able to get
rid of something like
the daily worries that
have just become normal.
Man, I could be
accomplishing so much more
if I wasn't worrying
about that stuff.
When I go over to
my friend's house,
if she was on the third story,
I have to climb upstairs and
I've recently told my secret
but I've always
climbed up the stairs
and I'm like, man, stairs
always make me have to pee
like I gotta go to the bathroom
but I have never have
to go to the bathroom.
I'm just going into the bathroom
so that I can catch
my breath and pant
and gasp for air
while nobody else
was there trying to talk to me.
So, I just go to the bathroom
to catch my breath
and then I come out
and I'm like, whew!
Good, thank god
for that bathroom.
Like just little
things like that.
- Any big goals
or things you wanted
that you can't do now?
- Travel.
My best friend lives in Oklahoma
and I would love to be
able to see her more often.
We were college roommates.
Best friends from there.
Just I feel really bad
not being able to fly
to visit her because I think
that she's on the verge
of getting engaged to
but I haven't
spent a lot of time
with her boyfriend because
I can't travel out there.
It always seems like
she travels to visit me.
I never travel out there.
Right now, if I go and
do something social,
it's either, hey guys,
let's do something social.
I'll cook dinner for everybody
or let's go to a
bar and get tanked.
I love to say, hey guys,
let's all get together
and go kayaking or do
something that was like
I would never even
consider anything like that
or something active like
I remember years ago,
I went tubing.
Tubing is a disaster.
They don't make the
tubes big enough.
I tip out of the tube.
I can't get through the tube.
The tube got stuck
around my neck
and it's a disaster.
Like embarrassing.
It was me going out on the river
with my arm over the tube.
That's how tubing ended for me.
Dating in general at 345
pounds is very difficult.
You have think ahead on
a lot of other things
that you can take for granted
when you are of the
healthier weight.
When you're heavy,
you have to think
about the car that your
date is picking you up in.
- Hi!
- Smaller cars
have smaller seat belts
and the seat will not
be big enough for you.
You sometimes have to
offer to drive your date
so that the seat belt does fit.
You have to find
out what restaurant
you're going to and
know which restaurants
in town have large booth sizes.
If there is small booth sizes,
you have to call ahead
to ask the hostess
to see to at a table to
avoid an awkward situation
in trying to fit into the booth
and sit at the table
or you have to just
opt to sit at the bar.
If you go into the movies,
it's very difficult.
Movie theater seats
are very small,
especially if the
armrest doesn't move.
So, you basically, can never
go to the movie theater
without being really
uncomfortable.
None of this stuff, you
really have to think of at all
when you're on a
healthier weight.
- I learned a lot
watching Tracy on her date.
I never realized the
hardships an overweight person
has to deal with that most
of us never even think about.
It makes me even more determined
in helping her succeed
in changing her life.
- Yeah, ours was
really embarrassing.
I'm sorry.
But it was really
nice meeting you.
- Hey, it was great to meet you.
Thanks again.
- Thank you.
Have a good evening.
- You too.
Bye-bye.- Bye.
- Here are the rules.
Tracy can eat as
many and as much
plant-based foods as she wants.
No meat.
No dairy.
No eggs.
No products that
come from animals.
Plant based foods, eat
as much as she wants
for one year combined with
an hour of weight training
and cardiovascular
exercise every day.
We are not doing the biggest
loser workout regimen.
While the biggest
loser is a great show
and motivating to many people,
working out six to
eight hours a day
is not feasible for most.
Oh, and one other
rule, no diet drugs
and no surgery.
I have no idea what
Tracy will be able to do.
I'm just hoping she
can get the green light
from the doctor to
start our project.
She is obese and unhealthy.
So, I know she is at a
high risk for cancer,
heart disease and diabetes.
- Going in the Dr.
Caputo's office
is an emotional roller coaster.
Having been heavy my whole life.
I have learned to bury
my fears and worries
about my bad health.
It is more embarrassing to
be weighing in at 345 pounds
than mentally scary.
I am more ashamed about
being grossly overweight
than I am worried about
having a heart attack.
I have been told for
years that my weight
is going to have a negative
effect on my health
but I chose to ignore it.
I buried those thoughts
just like my hurt feelings
when I was being made
fun of on the playground.
I know that the
doctor will lecture me
about my weight.
They have since I was young
but I always just ignored it.
I could have had a
heart attack or worse
at any moment but I chose not
to think about it or care.
I should have seen this
as a major challenge
to my body.
I suppose if I really
care about my health,
I would have done
something sooner.
Which raises the question,
why don't people care?
- What do you
think the vegan diet
is gonna do for her?
- Wow.
That's gonna be amazing.
I don't know what your
diet is now but...
- What would be your prediction?
- I would guess
significant weight loss.
You'll still get your protein
and you'll do well.
- This stress
test measured how long
it would take Tracy's heart
rate to reach 167 beats a minute
while the speed in
incline increase.
Tracy lasted six
minutes and 19 seconds.
The first person I spoke
to is Dr. Neal D. Barnard,
a leader in nutrition
and research.
His research has been cited
by the American
Diabetes Association
and the American
Dietetic Association
on official policy statements
on healthful diets.
You tell me about the most
significant case study
you've done on the
health benefits
of a plant-based diet
versus the traditional
American diet.
- We have been very impressed
by populations that follow
mostly plant-based diet
They tend to be thinner.
We decided to put it to the test
in our research center
and the results are really
very striking.
That even though people
aren't counting calories,
they're basically just
eating healthy food,
the weight starts to come off
and it comes off
and it comes off
and all of the side
effects are good ones.
Their cholesterol comes down.
Their energy goes up.
If they have diabetes,
that gets better.
It's remarkable to see.
- Can you discuss the myth
that you don't get
enough protein,
vitamin B-12 on a vegan diet?
- In the course of our studies,
we also the tracked
the nutrition
that people have.
Are they getting enough protein?
Are they getting enough
calcium and so forth?
And we find that not only
are they getting enough,
their nutrition
is actually better
than it was before.
They're getting adequate
protein across the board
as opposed to getting
too much protein,
which some people
are getting before.
They're getting adequate
fat, adequate minerals
and vitamins but they're
getting much more fiber,
much more of the
powerful antioxidants.
Their vitamin intake
is through the roof.
All in all, they're doing
dramatically better.
Next up is Dr. T.
Colin Campbell.
Jacob Gould Schurman
Professor Emeritus
of Nutritional Biochemistry
at Cornell University
and also the author
of The China Study.
With more than 70
years of peer -reviewed
research funding,
he has authored
over 300 research papers on
diet, nutrition and health.
Derived from laboratory
basic experimental research
and large scale human
studies in China
and the Philippines.
Your study has shown
that we can turn
cancerous growth off by
eating a plant-based diet
and on by eating a
meat and dairy diet.
- Part of my early
research in the early years
was actually an investigation
of the fats from animal protein
on the development of cancer.
It turns on the cancer.
- Wow, that's amazing.
Vegan bodybuilder motivational
speaker and author,
Robert Cheeke grew up on a
farm in Corvallis, Oregon.
Re-adapted a vegan
lifestyle in 1995
at the age of 15.
Today, he's an Amazon.com
best-selling author
of the book, Vegan
Bodybuilding and Fitness.
As a two-time, natural
bodybuilding champion,
Robert has been
considered one of VegNews
Magazine's most
influential vegan athletes.
As a vegan bodybuilder,
did you ever have
any problems putting on muscle?
- You know, like I
said, I went from
120 to 195 and most of that
was in a pretty brief period.
When I was running in college,
155, as soon as I stopped
and hung up the shoes
and put on weightlifting gloves,
I shot up to 195
within a few years.
I gained 30 pounds in one year.
Really no problem.
No issue.
I have that in my book.
Vegan Bodybuilding
Fitness from one year,
157 to 186 and then I was
195, I think the next year.
So, no problem.
Just ate good food.
Trained hard and had some
that was working to it.
- Tracy's first workout is going
to be tough.
She is uncomfortable
being in the gym
and very limited
in what she can do.
When she lays down on a
bench, her workout mat,
she can't get up
without assistance.
I can identify with
Tracy because I know
from my prison experience
what is like to be
in an environment,
you're not comfortable in
and to take on a huge,
seemingly impossible challenge.
Okay, next we have
our core sprint test.
Just gonna test your
abs, lower back,
you're gonna do a plank
to see how long you can hold it.
- I don't know what a plank is.
- I'm gonna show you.
That's what I'm here for, right?
All right, first
you come down here.
Hold that as long as you can.
- Okay.
You made it look pretty easy.
- It's not too bad.
Okay ready and go.
Okay, how's it feeling so far?
- Oh, it's not so easy.
Obviously, I'm not versed on
how to work out.
I did not know the
difference from a squat
to a lunge, to a sprint.
They all just sound
like exercise to me.
While I am never
afraid of hard work,
I simply am not able to
move like other people
in the gym.
I struggled to get on
and off of equipment,
stepping down from a
treadmill is tough,
getting up from a
bench is like a turtle
being stuck on their back
and getting up
from a flat floor,
requires to be pushed up
with a help of a bench.
The trainers even have
a hard time helping me
up from the floor sometimes.
It is embarrassing.
What is surprising is
that while the workouts
are challenging and
definitely leave me sore,
it is worse noticing
how different my body is
from others in the gym.
I did not realize that I
could not do a lunge or squat
like other people.
I saw others doing
it and just assumed
that I could do it as well.
I cannot and this is
one of the first times
I realized how much my
weight is inhibiting me
from living my life.
This might be why so
many people choose
not to continue with
their workout programs.
I wonder why so many
people allow themselves
to be prisoners
of their own body
and this makes me
think of the struggles
Carly had gone through.
He was imprisoned and unable
to live life to the fullest.
Just like my fat
blocks me away now.
- How's the half mile doing?
- It's good.
It's definitely
tingling for sure.
- How're you
feeling in the upper body?
- I'm definitely breathing
hard and sweating.
I can tell I'm
working something.
But I'm good.
I mean it's not hurt hurt.
- It's a good hurt.
- Yeah, it's a good hurt.
- That's what I like.
All right, we're coming
up on the end here.
Half a mile.
Test at 11:25.
She did really good today.
And we have got
a long way to go.
We're gonna climb a mountain.
Her strength is decent though,
which is good.
And the doctor gave her
a clean bill of health.
So, we're gonna be able to
really work hard in here
and she's a hard worker.
So, I think we're moving
in the right direction.
Exactly, what is a
vegan whole foods diet?
A vegan whole foods diet
is avoiding any products
that come from animals.
We eat vegetables, fruits,
nuts, seeds, grains
and legumes.
Instead of meat, we eat
things like tempeh and tofu.
Instead of animal milk,
we drink almond milk,
soymilk and rice milk.
And we aren't just
eating raw vegetables.
With a vegan whole foods diet,
we can make endless amounts
of super tasty meals
and they're not only tasty,
but fun to make too.
Okay, Tracy.
See what we have here
that we shouldn't have.
- Okay.
- Wanna find out
why someone is overweight?
Go look in their fridge.
Tracy is obese and guess what
her fridge is loaded with?
Meat, dairy and processed foods.
The fridge never lies.
I can tell within 10
seconds of looking
in a person's fridge if
they are healthy or not.
We have big changes to make
but I can tell Tracy is
excited to make them.
- If I was to pick like
the top five things
that I should never pass
up in this department.
What should I not pass up?
- You can have
whatever you want.
- Anything?
- Yes.
- Okay, I really like fennel.
- That's good.
Get everything you like.
I can tell that Tracy
really likes the fact
that she can eat as
many fruits and veggies
that she wants.
- I like leeks.
- I'm also
showing her that there are
endless varieties of
tasty combinations
to choose from in
the produce section.
Our shopping is fun and fast.
- It's weird because
I feel rushed
because I think that I
have all these aisles
to walk up and down to.
But if I really think about it,
it's just gonna be here.
And the 20-minute time
spent in the meat department
like you get different
kinds of meats
and thinking about fat normally.
I guess I won't have
to do that anymore.
- No.
- Lot of good groceries.
Healthy grow.
Look at all that.
I'm excited.
I'm noticing as I'm
loading my groceries
that I didn't use
all of the bags
and I normally have
to use all of my bags
when I grocery shop because
I have to keep the meats
separate from everything else
but I didn't need to
do that this time.
- And why do you have
to keep the meat separate?
- Because it's
cross contamination?
- Tracy just
realized how strange it is
that she always had to
keep her meat separate
from the rest of her groceries
to avoid contamination.
Most people accept
without question
that they have to cook
meat until well done
to not get sick.
Want to avoid food pathogens?
Then don't eat animal products.
Food pathogens mostly
come from animals.
Produce that has food
pathogens is contaminated
by animals and does anyone
care that e. coli comes
from cow poop?
Yuck.
Who wants to eat that?
So, tell us about this
tattoo thing you wanna do.
- Somebody
recommended to me that
he wants to make sure
that I don't forget
how far I've come
in what I've done
and accomplishments
and things like that.
He's very concerned
that I forget
what I've accomplished already.
He recommended that
since I like tattoos.
For big weight loss,
he recommended like
every 50 pounds that I
lose, to get a tattoo
on my body that only,
I would know and see
and that it would
kind of remind me
of how far I've come
and what I've lost
and things like that.
- I think that's a great idea.
- It would be
motivating for sure.
- Where we are here is 328
after one week of being
vegan and exercising.
Now, much weight was that?
We started at 345.
- Yeah.
- Tracy's first
weight in is crucial.
I know that she will
become a believer
if she sees good results
and if she believes,
her life will be
positively changed forever.
That is 17 pounds.
- In one week.- Nice.
- Woo-hoo!
- You could
win the biggest loser.
You'd beat everyone
on the ground.
Here we are at the
end, 17 pounds down
end of your workout
to conclude week one.
I mean you've obviously
tried to lose weight
plenty of times in your life,
have you ever lost 17
pounds in one week?
- No, not that much.
- Even all of
the crazy fad diets?
- No.
Never that much, yeah, no.
- That is awesome.
We are proud of you.
- Thank you.
So, 318.
- That's right.
- All right.
- Take it up a notch, baby.
- Here we go.
- I think people
immediately assume
a certain stereotype
about fat people.
I recently switched
my place of employment
and realized that
people view obese people
as lazy, slow, not
productive and a liability.
During one interview,
the owner of the company,
actually asked me if he
was sure I could go up
and down three flights
of stairs that was needed
to get to my office.
Would you have asked
that of a 135-pound woman
on my same age?
No.
It didn't matter how
many degrees I obtained.
How much work experience I had
and how qualified I
was for the position.
My physical appearance
made me look lazy.
I can somewhat
understand why employees
would think this
because unfortunately,
being obese can make
you less productive
than a fitter person.
This is my office.
It's changed a lot over
the past few weeks.
It used to be a
lot more cluttered
and unorganized
and I find myself
being able to manage
my stress and organize
a little bit better
and cross some things
on some to-do-list, just
because when I get in,
I'm not so tired.
I have a little bit more energy.
I don't have to drink
like five cups of coffee
in order to get moving.
I used to drink about
eight cups of coffee a day
and I'm not drinking any and
I actually have more energy
than I did when I was
drinking the coffee.
I'm drinking a lot
more water now.
Thanks to Carly making
me sweat my butt off
in the gym.
I also used to
have a whole bunch
of leftovers from
my catered events
in my office and
everything is made with
heavy cream and butter and
my favorite was probably,
the mash potatoes.
That when we come
back from an event,
I would eat a whole
Tupperware container
of mash potatoes and that
was just utterly horrible.
Now, I have a big
fruit bowl here.
Today, it has some tomatoes.
I got some tomatoes
from the farmers market
last weekend and some
plums, some apples
and then I've got
a mixture of nuts
down in the bottom in case
I want something crunchy.
Carly says that I'm allowed
to eat that whole bowl
of fruit every day.
I haven't been able to
finish the whole bowl yet
but I've come close a few days.
Today, Carly is teaching
me about juicing.
I know nothing about
drinking fresh juice.
- A couple carrots.
Carrots give a lot of juice.
Nice bright orange color.
So, you know it's good for you.
You like to get all of the
bright colors as you can.
The best thing for
juicing are apples,
pears, beets, oranges, carrots.
You could throw a
little ginger in there.
That's good.
When you start going
outside of those fruits,
others like bananas,
strawberries,
that doesn't provide a
lot of juice, berries.
I like to stick with
stuff that gives me
a lot of juice.
Otherwise,.
Juicing is beneficial
for everyone.
It's a great way to get loads
of nutrients in one shot.
I know Tracy will find it
to be a great supplement
to a plant-based diet lifestyle.
Last through, last
through, one more to go.
Just like that.
Just like that, we
have the essence of
six carrots.
Carrot mustache.
Essential for
drinking carrot juice.
- It's really good.
- And you always
wanna try and drink it
within 20 minutes
after making it.
It's how we keep all
those antioxidants
and phytonutrients alive.
- Okay.
- Okay, Tracy.
This weight vest
weighs 45 pounds,
which is approximately,
how much weight
you've lost to date, correct?
- Yeah.
- We're gonna walk around it
and then tell me what you think.
- But I just lost it.
- We can make
you appreciate it better.
- Okay, all right.
- Talk to me
about the weight vest.
- It's really heavy.
I can't believe I
used to weigh this.
- Something I've been
really excited about,
is Tracy running.
She has not run
since middle school.
It's gonna be a
little bit challenging
but I think she's
gonna be really excited
to start running again.
- Running seems
like a simple thing
to most people.
Running might as well
be a foreign word to me.
At 350 pounds, it's
impossible to run.
It's hard enough to walk.
Now, that I have
dropped enough weight,
Carly clears me to run
and we start off small.
I am not excited about this.
I ran from one light
post to another
and it feels like miles.
Every step hurts.
From my feet to my forehead.
Having my stomach, arms,
chest, butt and legs
bounce up and down
while keeping my breath
seems impossible.
Every step seems to knock
the wind out of my lungs.
- I know how hard
it is for Tracy to run.
I know it hurts her whole being.
Some day, she will
run a long, long way
and love it.
- Two points away.
Made it.
- Yeah.
- Are you scared?
- All right, are you ready?
- Yup.
There we go, 50 pounds.
Done.
- I'm really enjoying eating
lots of fruits and vegetables.
It's surprisingly satisfying.
Not only do I feel much better
but I really enjoy the taste.
My palate has changed to
love fruits and vegetables.
So, this week was fun.
Something really
interesting happened to me.
I was working a catering event
and I was plating a salad,
working in the kitchen,
cutting, chopping,
doing normal job stuff
and my boss took a picture of me
and put it up on Facebook.
When I saw the picture, I
barely recognized myself
and it made me go
look in the mirror
and I'm starting to realize
that I might have had
like a warped
self-image or something
when I was really big.
I would look in the
mirror and I still thought
that I was attractive and I
still had self-confidence.
I did not look in the mirror
and see somebody that was ugly
but when I look in the
mirror, I still see
that same person to the point
where when I saw that picture,
I definitely didn't
recognize who it was
or anything like that.
I'm interested in seeing
some of the progressions
of the photos that
I've been taking
because I personally don't
see it in the mirror.
I definitely saw it
in a picture though.
- I did notice initially,
that Tracy does have
several defense mechanisms.
Ones in particular I
noticed is that she
says things about
herself that aren't true
to try to build herself up
and make people wanna listen
to her and get to know her
and I spoke with her the
other day and told her
that Tracy, you no
longer have to do that.
You're an extraordinary person
doing extraordinary things
and people will wanna
get to know you.
You don't have to
make these things up
about yourself in
order to make people
wanna get to know
you and value you.
So, I think that's
a big weight lifted
off her shoulders and I
see her getting happier now
because she can just be herself.
- 78.
- 78.
- So, I think it was 23?
- I think so.
- That's five pounds.
- Let's do it, baby.
- Yeah, I like it.
- Okay, show me how you like it.
- We're gonna have
to work into dancing.
- Do it.
Let's get up, get
up and shake it.
Okay Tracy, show us
what you've been doing.
- This is my tailoring job.
This is what I've been
using to keep my clothes
on at work.
I have to fold the
waistband of my clothes in
and I just clip it onto myself.
So, this is what I wear.
- And why have
you been using this
as opposed to
buying new clothes?
- Because I bought
some new clothes
and then they're too
big a little bit later
and clothes are expensive.
- And it's best that we probably
get to your weight before
we buy some new clothes.
- So, I'm making do.
- An important
part of the vegan lifestyle
is having fun with cooking
and being creative.
I started vegan iron
chef battles with Tracy
to get her excited about cooking
and to have fun with it.
I'm preparing here
a vegan pizza.
Tracy?
- Yes.
- What's going on here?
- Well, I'm planning my salad.
I made a salad dressing
that attempted to
be a Caesar dressing
but isn't but it is amazing
and then these here, hold on,
let me show you the dressing.
This is the dressing.
How did you describe it?
- Very tasty.
- Okay, all right.
Good deal.
- Unbelievable.
- It's amazing and then we
have some campari tomatoes
that are stuffed with
vegan cream cheese.
It's all about the food for me.
I love food and it's my passion.
Food is a large part of my life
and I get a lot of satisfaction
for making enjoyable
memories for others
through good meals.
My daily work is around
food and in the industry.
These iron chef battles
come with a hidden present.
It shows me how rewarding it is
to not only feed people
a meal that they enjoy
but they can be good for them.
Being able to show people
that a plant-based,
whole food diet can taste good
while being good for you
is the best prize of all.
- That's six-pound loss.
Which means
90 pounds.
- Wow.
- There we go!
Go dancing.
- Dance is
coming next week, baby.
- 249, 96 pounds.
- Hell yeah, baby!
I want Tracy to branch out
and do some new activities.
Today, we're going to have
her first tennis lesson.
We have an exciting day today.
Tracy is gonna have her
first tennis lesson.
Once we got to a
certain amount weight,
we're gonna start doing things
she's never done before.
So, today I'm gonna give
her, her first tennis lesson.
- Yes.
- And how many times
did you play tennis?
- Never, ever.
Maybe some table tennis
back in the day but no.
- Table tennis, it's a
little bit different.
We're gonna try
her hand with this.
She's a little bit
more mobile now.
So, I expect to have
her on the pro tour
within the next
the three months.
All right, nice good.
Okay, this is
Reginald Washington.
Tracy's first match.
She's now taking her lesson
and this is what she
drew first round.
Reginald, how do you
feel about her chances?
I don't know.
I've heard that she's had
lesson from Mr. Asse and...
- The match was a lot of fun.
Nobody got hurt.
Although, there were
some close calls.
And most importantly, Tracy
got to do a new fun activity
with her new body.
All right, we're here waiting.
This is her big day.
Today is Tracy's
100-pound weigh in.
Three and a half
months, 100 pounds,
Unsupersize Me.
It's hard dispute.
She doesn't know that we're
all here waiting for her.
She thinks this is just
a regular weigh in.
We've got a group of people
in the bathroom waiting
that are gonna come
out and surprise her
as soon as the
weigh in is complete
and she loses 100 pounds.
I think it'll be a
good surprise for her.
I'm really excited about it.
We've been working
really hard for this.
So, we're gonna find that today.
If she lost 100 pounds in
three and a half months.
- Hi!
- There she is!
- Here we are.
Today's is the big day.
- Yeah, it's a couple of ounces.
- That's 100 pounds, baby!
- Oh my god!
Wow!
You got to be our baby!
You are it!
Congratulations!
- Okay, this
is compliments of Marilyn.
She wanted to make
sure that she was
the princess of the day.
- You made me a promise
that we're gonna dance.
So, I would like to tango.
- My crown is falling off.
- I couldn't believe it.
I was so happy for Tracy.
I could see in her
face how happy she was
and it just made
me feel so good.
- How do you feel, Tracy?
- I'm excited.
Well, I just got my
100-pound tattoo,
which matches the
50-pound tattoo.
So, it's another 50 pounds.
Matches exactly.
I love it to death.
It's definitely gonna
remind me of all the weight
that I've lost for sure.
- How do you feel about your
first beach workout, Tracy?
- I'm excited.
It reminds me of home.
- Tracy really loves the beach.
So, I want to show her that
you can be active anywhere.
I'm excited for her first
official beach workout.
- I grew up on the beach
and I love the water.
I always think of the beach
when I think of vacation.
I never think of the
beach as a workout though.
It's very challenging
to get my mind
around the fact that the
place where I can relax,
can also be associated
with the place
that I work out.
As a matter of fact,
just the thought
of working out as a way
to relax is foreign to me.
And knowing Carly,
I also realized
what a privilege it is to be
able set foot in the sand.
Not everyone has the
same opportunities
that everyone else
has and it's important
that everyone take full
advantage of the ability
to move around freely.
I see how happy
Carly is of the beach
surrounded by
people that he loves
and he didn't always
have that freedom.
I know he sees the same in me,
every time I'm able
to do something
that I previously cannot do.
- Okay, Tracy.
What are we doing here today?
- We are looking at some clothes
that I've cleaned
out of my closet
When I hit the 100-pound mark,
it became very frustrating
to try to dress in the morning
because I have a whole
bunch of clothes in there
that did not fit me.
So, I weeded out
what doesn't fit me
and I'm gonna donate it
or give it somebody else
or just get it out of here.
So, just to show you.
This was a dress
that I wore to work.
Probably once a week.
As you can see, it's very big.
Do you want me to put it on?
- Put it on.
- I could probably swim in it.
It used to be a little tight and
to the point where
I cut the sleeve
because the elastic was tight.
And now, you can see I could fit
a few people in here with me.
But then I came to the point
where I couldn't wear
this to work anymore
but this was my size before.
You can see quite a difference.
I used to binder
clip the side in.
I binder clip it
so that I could wear them
but it got to a point where
I just cannot wear them.
This was the skirt that I had
and I had it in
black, grey and khaki.
So, you can see that obviously,
this is a fitted pencil skirt.
Which would not be a fitted
pencil skirt anymore.
These were the first
to outgrow for sure.
And now, I have new clothes.
- Woo!
- Here, we are down 130 pounds.
Getting ready to
take on the swamp.
If you don't know,
what the swamp is,
you're not from Gainesville.
It's the UF stadium.
Climbing the stairs is
a new thing for Tracy.
She's never been
able to do this.
So, it's gonna be an
exciting adventure
for her to take this on.
And how you feeling?
- Good!
I think they look
like really big steps.
- Stadiums are tough.
It's something I've really
been wanting Tracy to do.
Now that she's lost
over 100 pounds,
I think she's ready.
It really gives a
sense of accomplishment
to reach the top of those steps.
A metaphor of what she
has overcome so far.
- Running stadiums
for the first time
is a feat I wanted
to do for a while.
I hear many people talk
about running stadiums
and all these people are
fit and in social circles,
I am not a part of.
I still don't feel like
I belong in a place
where health and
fitness is tested
but I wanted to give it a try.
Just to be able to do
something different
is invigorating but also scary.
I have never felt my leg
shake like this before
but I like it.
Being on top of the
stadium is the best feeling
in the world.
Counting each silver
step, going to the top
and then looking down
at my accomplishment
while getting ready
to do it all again
makes me feel like
I'm living life.
- Yeah, stadium
number one, baby!
You got it.
You just completed
four stadiums.
How does your body feel?
- My legs are shaky
but I feel good.
- For Tracy's 30th birthday,
I got her a bike.
Tracy is gonna try her...
- Oh, I did.
I'm running a bike!
Oh, it's definitely good.
Look at me going!
Look at me go!
- Come on, bike by.
First day on the bike!
- Woo-hoo, I'm 30!
- Run like a pro.
For Tracy's 30th birthday,
we're going to Puerto
Rico and staying
at a vegan resort.- Yeah!
She couldn't fly before
we started the film.
So, this is a big milestone.
- Being able to
travel at all is a big deal.
Airplane seats at 350
pounds are not comfortable.
- How does it feel to fit?
- This time, I'm able
to sit comfortably in my seat
and travel with ease.
This is our vegan resort.
You come look at the view.
- I also have some more
of interest in mind for her
that will be a surprise.
All things she
was not able to do
before she lost weight.
I'm hoping she can do them
because some of them
are challenging.
- Horseback
riding in Puerto Rico
for my 30th birthday
was a special treat
but also a big challenge for me.
I had an accident with a horse
when I was younger at a
friend's birthday party.
I was only 11 but I was
too heavy to ride a pony
like all of the other kids.
I had to run a grown horse
and it scared me away
from horses for many years.
I never rode a horse again,
until my 30th birthday.
Going to Puerto Rico is a
once in a lifetime experience
where I hope to do many things
I can never have done before.
I turned 30 in the
halfway mark of my journey
and I wanna
celebrate my new life
and thank my trainers
for all the hard work
and dedication they gave to me.
I will always remember the smell
of the wild growing jasmine
that is in the garden
where we eat our
breakfast every morning.
Breakfast normally, has a
huge tropical fruit salad
and everything tastes so fresh.
It is still warm from the sun
and you can tell it was picked
from the tree that morning.
It is then that I realized,
good food is not
only plant-based
but locally grown and seasonal.
And that jasmine scent
will always remind me
of all my new experiences,
I had in Puerto Rico.
- Things you wanna
do once you get your new body
that you can't do now
like running from a race
or climb a mountain or...
- I don't think I'm
a mountain climber
kind of gal but don't
know if I would ever be
a mountain climber.
- Losing the weight allows us
to do a lot of new things.
Number one on the list,
mountain climbing, baby.
Tracy never thought she
would climb a mountain
but I knew she would.
Tracy's been doing so well
that I wanna reward
her with something
she's always wanted, braces.
Dr. Dawn Martin and Dr. Paige
Jacobson were kind enough
to donate braces to
Tracy for our film.
- I am also
self-conscious about my smile.
Formula is simple.
I work out more.
I eat a plant-based diet.
I start feeling better
and I smile more.
I am so lucky to be
given the opportunity
to now, have an amazing smile.
The way I feel about my
teeth is the same way,
many people feel about
their size and weight.
I'm self-conscious.
Won't smile for big pictures
and I'm embarrassed
about their appearance.
I remember after just a
few weeks of having braces,
glancing at myself in
the mirror at the gym.
I was drenched in sweat.
Not a stitch of makeup
on but I was smiling
and for once thought,
I was pretty.
- In honor of Tracy's hard work,
I'm gonna do a little
bit of ink with her.
So, it will be an
ink at the same time.
I'm a little bit nervous
but she's put a lot of
hard work into this.
So, we both put hard work.
So, I'm doing this as a
reward for myself as well.
Just stab myself with a needle.
It's a good reward.
- Tracy, this
is your first fashion show
and how are you feeling?
- This fashion show is something
that is very far
from my comfort zone.
I would not consider
myself fashionable
and I'm struggling to find
out what clothing works well
with my new body.
- Woo!
- I'm definitely not
used to anyone viewing me
as someone, that is
attractive or model wannabe.
I know that I need to force
myself to do this though.
It is one of the most
challenging things
for me to do.
Most people would think,
changing to a vegan diet
and starting a
workout plan would be
the most challenging.
This is nothing compared
to putting yourself
onto a stage and to have
your physical appearance
judged by a crowd of people.
Especially if you've
never been viewed
in that light before.
It is a challenging experience
but as I'm standing on the stage
with the gorgeous
Zen Fitness crew,
I actually feel proud of myself
in what I have done.
I'm feeling proud
of my appearance
is a foreign concept but
I'm beginning to like it.
- So, how's
your doctor visit today?
- Good.
I got some really good news back
from my first appointment
was with the optometrist.
I've always worn
glasses or contacts
since I was real little.
It runs in my family.
Just we all have bad eyesight
and when I went into the doctor,
I thought that I was gonna need
a stronger prescription
because I haven't
been seeing that well
out in my contacts
and what it ended up
being was that my contacts
were too strong.
That my eyesight has
actually gotten better.
The optometrist was
really surprised by it.
He did a few scans on my eyes.
He noticed more
blood flow to my eyes
and he asked me if I
had changed something
in my diet recently.
A few days, it'll be 10
months now as a vegan.
And my eyesight has
improved to the point
where I have a brand
new glasses prescription
and contact lens prescription.
Both eyes have corrected
themselves at the same time.
He said that maybe if one
eye had gotten stronger
or the other eye did it,
that it was something else
but he said that it was
definitely something
more to my diet to
make both of my eyes
get stronger at the same time.
- Okay, so here we
are one year later
and almost 200 pounds down.
So, we're going back for
Tracy's cardiology tests.
Here we go, in this
size right here.
- Oh my god.
- And she filled this out
and she filled it out real
tight last time we were here.
- I think you should
get that thing tailored
for your new body.
- Made into a dress.
- Absolutely, you can
make it into a dress.
Unbelievable.
You're a success story.
- Going into
this second stress test,
I was a lot less worried.
I was way more confident.
I knew that I could do this
and I knew I could do it well.
- Looking at her
when she was lying down
the second time, it was amazing.
I remember how far she had come.
- Is that good?
- Unbelievable.
- Yeah, that wouldn't
happen last time.
- She's laughing now.
How'd you do it?
- Diet and exercise.
- Diet and exercise.
Anything special with the diet?
- Plant-based.
- Plant-based?
- Vegan diet.
- Best thing you ever
did in your life so far?
- Yeah.
- Would you say by far?- Yeah.
What's the secret?
- There's no secret.
- No secret.
- Got nothing to do with it.
Every day?- Yup.
Wow.
You look like a different
lady through here
and everything.
She looks awesome.
- How did she do?
- She did amazingly.
No kidding.
I mean in four and a half
years I've been here,
I've only seen maybe
one or two other people
that have made it to stage five.
So, she did.
She did amazing really.
- When someone is 350 pounds,
they get familiar
with not being noticed
in a crowd for any
positive reasons.
I never have people look at me
and admire my appearance
and I'm very comfortable
knowing that people
do not look at me
based on my appearance
and actually make a point
to make sure I get
noticed for other things
like a good work ethic
or a lot of personality.
I still catch myself
not recognizing myself
in the mirror yet
but it'll get there.
- I was really
proud of Tracy for modeling.
It's funny because of
all the things we did.
That was one of the
hardest things for her.
I could tell that she was
really out of her comfort zone
but just like everything,
she was a warrior.
She got in there and
she tried her hardest
and she did great and I
don't think she realizes
how many people she's inspired.
Her pictures and
her change has made
so many people wanna
lose weight and inspired
so many people across
the board to be healthy.
- Shopping
now is a lot more fun.
There is a lot
more variety to it.
There's also a
social aspect to it.
I'm able to go shopping
with my friends.
Before, I can never go
shopping with my friends
because we would clearly have
to shop in different stores.
They would go into
stores in the mall
and nothing in that
store would fit me
and you can only look at
earrings and necklaces
for so long.
Recently, I got to shop
for bridesmaid dresses
with my best friend
and her little sister
and that was really fun.
It's something that
I couldn't have done
in the past.
There's the social aspect to it.
There's a lot more variety.
I can buy stuff on sale.
I can return things.
Just an endless variety
and it's a lot cheaper.
Grocery shopping has
changed a lot for me
now that I'm vegan.
When I was not vegan, I
would have to go up and down
every single aisle in the store.
I would have to look at
the produce department.
As well as the
meat, dairy, eggs.
Gees, now, I can pretty
much grocery shop
in my produce department
and my local farmers market
and get everything
that I ever needed
with occasional visits to
the bulk section for beans
and whatnot.
Definitely, can
run in and run out,
much easier to shop.
Dating now is a lot
more fun in general.
It's a lot easier.
I have a lot more options.
I can do active things on dates.
I can go on bike rides.
I can go for a walk in the park.
I can go for a run.
I can basically go
anywhere and do anything
with all the options
that I have now.
Ow!
Just another cardio day.
- Yeah, good job.
- Not too bad.
Definitely could have
done it a year ago.
I didn't finish last.
- Now, you did and
you had a lot of people.
- Go Tracy, go!
- When we started, her
waist was 58 inches.
Last time I remember
we measured.
So, let's see where she is now.
Down 200 pounds.
You are at 31 inches.
As you could see, that
is quite an improvement.
How does it feel?
- It feels good.
- I am vegan.
- I am vegan.
- I'm a vegan.
- I'm a vegan.
- I'm a vegan.
- I'm vegan.
- For health reasons
and for the planet.
- For my health.
- For the planet.
- I am vegan because
it's the healthiest way to be.
- I'm vegan for my health.
- I am vegan.
- I'm a vegan.
- I love vegetables
and I love fruits.
- I have a family
history of cancer.
My grandfather, my father
had both battled cancer.
Research has shown that
there's strong correlation
between a vegan diet and
reducing your chances
of cancer.
- My health but also
because, it gives me
a lot of energy when I workout.
- Good for the heart.
Good for the body.
- For my health.
- For my health.
- Because it's
good for my health.
- I am vegan.
Because I wanted to get
the most out of life.
I feel my best.
I look my best.
Being vegan is not
only good for me
but good for the planet.
I am vegan.
- I am vegan because
it gave me a new life.
It's the easiest way to
live life to its fullest.
My only regret is that
I didn't do it sooner.
I'm capable of more now than
I ever thought I could do.
I feel healthy,
strong and happy.
I had no idea how much I
was missing out on life.
People ask me all the time now,
if I'm gonna
continue being vegan.
My only response is that
there's no reason not to be.
My one piece of
simple advice for you
is to do it now.
It's difficult to know
that I lived 29 years
of my life like that.
Nowadays, every aspect
of my life is better.
I no longer have to
hide or lie about
who I really am.
My daily life is easier
and I have so many more
opportunities available to me.
I was able to move
into a new home
that's up three
flights of stairs.
I have a new career
that's more rewarding
and productive.
I've developed relationships
with new friends that
influence my good habits.
I have continued to be vegan
and see no reason to stop.
I work out on a daily basis
and I'm currently training
for a marathon.
I love spin classes.
I was even able to trade
in my gas-guzzling SUV
for a smaller two-seater car.
The most unexpected
reward from this project
was that I have found
it to be truly rewarding
and motivating to show others
how easy it is to be
happy and healthy.
I write a blog that lists some
of my favorite vegan recipes
and love to help
others get motivated
about a healthier eating habit.
I never expected
to have my photos
in magazine articles and
my recipes being featured
but to know that we
could possibly help
get one person
happier and healthier
and feel the way I
do, is the best reward
I could ever ask for.
I just don't feel like
I did anything special.
I followed simple
lifestyle changes
and so could you.
That's a year of my
life being filmed
as I lost 200 pounds.
What a great experience
to be a part of.
I hope that I can motivate
you to try something new.
Try being vegan.
It worked for me.
- Well guys, Unsupersize Me
was a tremendous success.
Without question, one of
the greatest achievements
of my life.
I can still be found at
Zen Fitness every day,
helping people get
healthy and teaching them
how to enjoy a
plant-based lifestyle.
I also have launched
a new whole foods
beet juice supplement
called Red Ace
that helps people with
cardio performance
and overall health.
You have seen our
story firsthand
and now know how
quickly plant-based diet
helps you reach your
optimum level of health.
I hope this film inspires you.
The plant-based diet can
change your life too.
- Hi!
My name is Tracy and here
I am opening the door
to what would become a
whole new world for me.
At this moment, I think I'm
like any other 29-year-old girl.
I think I'm happy,
successful, popular
and living life to the fullest.
I had no idea what I
was missing out on.
I did not realize what
real happiness was
and I had no idea how
much easier life could be.
When a friend of mine suggested,
I talk with the
owner of Zen Fitness
about being part of a project,
I thought, what
do I have to lose?
I had no idea what I was
going to be able to gain.
Clothes shopping as
a 12-year-old girl
that weighs close to
200 pounds is not easy.
Stylish,
age-appropriate clothing
is not available in your size
and you're forced to shop
in the adult women section.
Clothes are frumpy
and do nothing
to boost your self-esteem
as a young girl.
I remember being made fun of
because of the clothes I wore.
In one particular incident,
I had a crush on a boy.
He saw the large bra
strap through the back
of my shirt and said
it was an old lady bra.
It absolutely broke my heart.
I can vividly remember
when I was young
and had my feelings hurt
because of my weight.
Arguing with school
friends in the playground
and hearing them say,
"What are you gonna do,
"sit on me?"
I remember feeling
embarrassed being left
in the tractor in
Presidential Fitness Days.
I remember never
being able to play
in the teeter-totter
because I was bigger
than the other kids.
I remember not
being able to live
and play like the other kids.
I also remember teaching myself
at a really young
age to not care
what other people
thought or said about me.
I turned off my
emotions and did not let
my feelings get hurt any longer.
Looking back at it, it
would have been easier
to learn how to run than
to learn how to bury
my emotions and
feelings for so long.
I, like many other people
make daily annotations
to their life in
order to accommodate
being obese.
From early on in my years,
I put up an emotional
protective barrier against
all of the negative
and mean-spirited
comments that were said
about my weight.
I honestly think I have
gotten to the point
where I just do not
care what other people
have to say.
I avoid embarrassing situations
and try to live day to day.
I pretend that I am
happy with my life
until I actually
believed that I am.
- I have known Tracy
for a really long time.
And I've been worried about her.
And her health and
I'm really excited
about this opportunity
for her to get healthy.
I know it's gonna be a challenge
and a whole new lifestyle change
but it's something that
I think needs to be done
and I just wish the best for her
and I hope that she
will succeed in this.
Because I do worry about her.
- Hi, I'm Carly Asse.
My interest in health
started at an early age.
My grandfather died of cancer
and my grandmother and aunt,
both died of heart disease.
All three were untimely deaths.
My mother always
stressed the importance
of how eating healthy
made me feel good.
And eating unhealthy
made me feel bad.
I became aware at an
early age how food affects
the way you feel and the
quality of your life.
I was a hard worker in school
and took an avid
interest in sports.
I graduated valedictorian
of my high school
in 1996 and received
a college scholarship
to play tennis.
While majoring in business,
I continued my own
personal studies
in nutrition and exercise.
Things were going well.
Or so it seemed.
When I was 22 years old
and a senior in college,
my life took an unexpected turn.
I was convicted
for selling ecstasy
and sentenced to seven
years and three months
in federal prison.
My world was turned upside down.
I was scared, lost,
unsure of my future.
- One time, when I met with
Carly's 5th grade teacher,
she said, "Marilyn,
what can I say?
"He is the child everyone
wishes was theirs."
Carly was a golden-haired boy.
He worked hard in school.
He had a lot of friends.
Everyone liked him.
He was charismatic.
He was one of the top players
in all the teams in school.
He actually won the
National Junior Olympics.
He came in second place.
Just lost by a stride
and he played tennis
and he was even
valedictorian of his class
from high school.
When he was arrested,
his dad and I were just
stunned,
shocked.
We had no idea.
And he was facing a world
that was so frightening
and scary that I didn't
know anything about
and we just feared for his life
and what was gonna
happen to him.
We didn't know.
We just didn't know.
- I've known Carly
since high school
and it was really in college
that we became
really good friends.
We worked out together.
We hung out a lot.
We had a group of friends
and it was really a
normal college situation.
We played Ping-Pong
all the time.
Carly made great grades
and we really lived a
regular college friend
group lifestyle.
When they got in trouble,
I was worried about Carly.
He didn't seem like
the type of person
that would ever go to prison
and I knew that when
he got in trouble
that he was a good kid.
That he had just gotten
into a bad situation
but I was worried about him.
Seven years in
prison is a long time
that he had to face
and I just remembered
going into it being
really worried about him.
- After Carly was arrested
and it was on the front page
of the Gainesville Sun,
I was having trouble
going around town
because people wouldn't
ask me about Carly
or they act like he had died.
And I've cut out
this picture of him
and safety pinned
it on my shirt.
I wore them for two
years because I wanted
everyone to know he's my son.
I'm wearing him right
here over my heart.
I love him unconditionally.
He might have made a mistake
but he's my son and
he's worthy of being
asked about and
thought of a lot.
- Prison was definitely a world
that I never expected to be in.
I was entering a world
of stabbings, beatings,
gangs and violence
but it was a world
that I have entered
because of my own doing.
It was gonna be the
most daunting challenge
I was ever gonna face.
And I had to prepare myself
if I was gonna
make it out alive.
My deepest darkest moment
came in my first year
when I was put into
solitary confinement.
Solitary confinement
is when you're locked
in a small cell with a
bed, sink and a toilet
for 24 hours a day.
You're by yourself
with no one to talk to
or share your feelings.
I miss my friends and
family so much it hurt.
I was alone in a small
concrete steel prison
and all I could think about was
how am I going to do
these seven years?
Time went by so slowly.
I was so stressed out
and felt such anxiety
and only one thing
made me feel better,
exercise.
I had to be creative
because I had no equipment.
Exercise gave me hope.
Hope got me through
some tough times.
Hope is powerful.
- We went to visit Carly
every chance we had.
We would sometimes
drive 13 or 15 hours
to spend a day with him and
he would come out in
that orange prison suit
and I would always think, he
didn't really belong there.
He didn't belong.
- As I felt more positive,
I made a plan to
do things in prison
that I've never had
time to do before.
I left solitary confinement
after six months.
And began my studies,
I spent my days learning
new things and exercising.
I quickly learned
Spanish and guitar.
After the first year,
I went on to learn
four more languages, history.
I read the classics.
I studied business, yoga
and my favorite, nutrition.
I was intrigued by
what a profound effect
nutrition had on the human body.
I tried many different
ways of eating
and one diet was
without a doubt,
the best for health, performance
and overall well-being.
The plant-based diet.
My body fat dropped
rapidly to under 7%.
I performed better in
sports and workouts.
I slept better and
I had more energy.
Other inmates came
to me for help
and I watched as they
quickly became healthy
following my nutrition
and exercise programs.
That is when I realized, I
love being a personal trainer
and wanted to pursue
a career in training
when I got out.
I finally finished my
sentence and I was so excited
to finally get out of prison.
While prison was a
tremendous learning
growing experience for me,
I was really eager to get out
and see my family and do things
that I haven't done in a while.
- How many people when
they out of prison
have a whole huge
party waiting for them?
And we drove over
and there was a sign,
my friends have put
together at our house
saying, "Welcome home, Carly."
It was wonderful time.
We're so glad to have him back.
We bought him new clothes.
We helped put together a resume
and what concerned me was that
I was seeing that he
was being turned down
from jobs because he was a felon
and I thought, oh my gosh.
This is gonna affect
his whole life.
Is he ever gonna
be able to be more
than a dishwasher?
Because he has so much to give
and so much to share
that He learned during
this experience.
- I wanted to pursue a
job as a personal trainer
but I quickly discovered
that no one wants
to hire a felon.
I kept trying and looking
and trying and looking
but eventually, all I
could find was a job
as a dishwasher, so I
had to settle for that.
I didn't give up hope though
and I kept my pursuit
and my dream of being
a personal trainer.
- During the time that
Carly was in prison,
he learned how to become
a personal trainer
and I had started a
personal training studio.
Naturally, when he
got out, he came to me
and wanted me to hire him
and there was little
controversy about
whether or not to
do that from some
of my co-workers but I did it
and it turned out to
be a great decision.
Carly was a top-selling
personal trainer.
The top selling
personal trainer.
For me from the rest of the time
I own that business.
He put people on a
plant-based diet.
He got the best
results than anybody
and it turned out to
be the best decision
that I had made.
- I had such success
that within three years,
I was able to open my own
personal training studio
called Zen Fitness.
Seeing the fast
results and the lives
I was helping to change
made me want to share
this knowledge on a larger scale
and that is when this film,
Unsupersize Me was born.
My vision was to show
how quickly and easily
you can go from
extremely poor health
to optimal health in a
very short period of time
without surgery, diet
pills, complicated fad diets
or starvation.
The vegan diet was easy
to do and it worked fast.
The following movie
is a personal story
for both myself and
a new friend I made
in the process, Tracy Ryan.
Together, we set a goal
to change the world.
I hope you enjoy this movie
and see how quickly
and easy it is
to become healthy,
starting right
at your dinner plate.
I envision all people regardless
of their current weight
or fitness level,
benefiting from a vegan diet
and improving their health
and ultimately, their life
because life is
difficult to enjoy
if you don't have your health.
What are the top three things
you're looking forward
to with your new body
in your life?
- Just maybe able to get
rid of something like
the daily worries that
have just become normal.
Man, I could be
accomplishing so much more
if I wasn't worrying
about that stuff.
When I go over to
my friend's house,
if she was on the third story,
I have to climb upstairs and
I've recently told my secret
but I've always
climbed up the stairs
and I'm like, man, stairs
always make me have to pee
like I gotta go to the bathroom
but I have never have
to go to the bathroom.
I'm just going into the bathroom
so that I can catch
my breath and pant
and gasp for air
while nobody else
was there trying to talk to me.
So, I just go to the bathroom
to catch my breath
and then I come out
and I'm like, whew!
Good, thank god
for that bathroom.
Like just little
things like that.
- Any big goals
or things you wanted
that you can't do now?
- Travel.
My best friend lives in Oklahoma
and I would love to be
able to see her more often.
We were college roommates.
Best friends from there.
Just I feel really bad
not being able to fly
to visit her because I think
that she's on the verge
of getting engaged to
but I haven't
spent a lot of time
with her boyfriend because
I can't travel out there.
It always seems like
she travels to visit me.
I never travel out there.
Right now, if I go and
do something social,
it's either, hey guys,
let's do something social.
I'll cook dinner for everybody
or let's go to a
bar and get tanked.
I love to say, hey guys,
let's all get together
and go kayaking or do
something that was like
I would never even
consider anything like that
or something active like
I remember years ago,
I went tubing.
Tubing is a disaster.
They don't make the
tubes big enough.
I tip out of the tube.
I can't get through the tube.
The tube got stuck
around my neck
and it's a disaster.
Like embarrassing.
It was me going out on the river
with my arm over the tube.
That's how tubing ended for me.
Dating in general at 345
pounds is very difficult.
You have think ahead on
a lot of other things
that you can take for granted
when you are of the
healthier weight.
When you're heavy,
you have to think
about the car that your
date is picking you up in.
- Hi!
- Smaller cars
have smaller seat belts
and the seat will not
be big enough for you.
You sometimes have to
offer to drive your date
so that the seat belt does fit.
You have to find
out what restaurant
you're going to and
know which restaurants
in town have large booth sizes.
If there is small booth sizes,
you have to call ahead
to ask the hostess
to see to at a table to
avoid an awkward situation
in trying to fit into the booth
and sit at the table
or you have to just
opt to sit at the bar.
If you go into the movies,
it's very difficult.
Movie theater seats
are very small,
especially if the
armrest doesn't move.
So, you basically, can never
go to the movie theater
without being really
uncomfortable.
None of this stuff, you
really have to think of at all
when you're on a
healthier weight.
- I learned a lot
watching Tracy on her date.
I never realized the
hardships an overweight person
has to deal with that most
of us never even think about.
It makes me even more determined
in helping her succeed
in changing her life.
- Yeah, ours was
really embarrassing.
I'm sorry.
But it was really
nice meeting you.
- Hey, it was great to meet you.
Thanks again.
- Thank you.
Have a good evening.
- You too.
Bye-bye.- Bye.
- Here are the rules.
Tracy can eat as
many and as much
plant-based foods as she wants.
No meat.
No dairy.
No eggs.
No products that
come from animals.
Plant based foods, eat
as much as she wants
for one year combined with
an hour of weight training
and cardiovascular
exercise every day.
We are not doing the biggest
loser workout regimen.
While the biggest
loser is a great show
and motivating to many people,
working out six to
eight hours a day
is not feasible for most.
Oh, and one other
rule, no diet drugs
and no surgery.
I have no idea what
Tracy will be able to do.
I'm just hoping she
can get the green light
from the doctor to
start our project.
She is obese and unhealthy.
So, I know she is at a
high risk for cancer,
heart disease and diabetes.
- Going in the Dr.
Caputo's office
is an emotional roller coaster.
Having been heavy my whole life.
I have learned to bury
my fears and worries
about my bad health.
It is more embarrassing to
be weighing in at 345 pounds
than mentally scary.
I am more ashamed about
being grossly overweight
than I am worried about
having a heart attack.
I have been told for
years that my weight
is going to have a negative
effect on my health
but I chose to ignore it.
I buried those thoughts
just like my hurt feelings
when I was being made
fun of on the playground.
I know that the
doctor will lecture me
about my weight.
They have since I was young
but I always just ignored it.
I could have had a
heart attack or worse
at any moment but I chose not
to think about it or care.
I should have seen this
as a major challenge
to my body.
I suppose if I really
care about my health,
I would have done
something sooner.
Which raises the question,
why don't people care?
- What do you
think the vegan diet
is gonna do for her?
- Wow.
That's gonna be amazing.
I don't know what your
diet is now but...
- What would be your prediction?
- I would guess
significant weight loss.
You'll still get your protein
and you'll do well.
- This stress
test measured how long
it would take Tracy's heart
rate to reach 167 beats a minute
while the speed in
incline increase.
Tracy lasted six
minutes and 19 seconds.
The first person I spoke
to is Dr. Neal D. Barnard,
a leader in nutrition
and research.
His research has been cited
by the American
Diabetes Association
and the American
Dietetic Association
on official policy statements
on healthful diets.
You tell me about the most
significant case study
you've done on the
health benefits
of a plant-based diet
versus the traditional
American diet.
- We have been very impressed
by populations that follow
mostly plant-based diet
They tend to be thinner.
We decided to put it to the test
in our research center
and the results are really
very striking.
That even though people
aren't counting calories,
they're basically just
eating healthy food,
the weight starts to come off
and it comes off
and it comes off
and all of the side
effects are good ones.
Their cholesterol comes down.
Their energy goes up.
If they have diabetes,
that gets better.
It's remarkable to see.
- Can you discuss the myth
that you don't get
enough protein,
vitamin B-12 on a vegan diet?
- In the course of our studies,
we also the tracked
the nutrition
that people have.
Are they getting enough protein?
Are they getting enough
calcium and so forth?
And we find that not only
are they getting enough,
their nutrition
is actually better
than it was before.
They're getting adequate
protein across the board
as opposed to getting
too much protein,
which some people
are getting before.
They're getting adequate
fat, adequate minerals
and vitamins but they're
getting much more fiber,
much more of the
powerful antioxidants.
Their vitamin intake
is through the roof.
All in all, they're doing
dramatically better.
Next up is Dr. T.
Colin Campbell.
Jacob Gould Schurman
Professor Emeritus
of Nutritional Biochemistry
at Cornell University
and also the author
of The China Study.
With more than 70
years of peer -reviewed
research funding,
he has authored
over 300 research papers on
diet, nutrition and health.
Derived from laboratory
basic experimental research
and large scale human
studies in China
and the Philippines.
Your study has shown
that we can turn
cancerous growth off by
eating a plant-based diet
and on by eating a
meat and dairy diet.
- Part of my early
research in the early years
was actually an investigation
of the fats from animal protein
on the development of cancer.
It turns on the cancer.
- Wow, that's amazing.
Vegan bodybuilder motivational
speaker and author,
Robert Cheeke grew up on a
farm in Corvallis, Oregon.
Re-adapted a vegan
lifestyle in 1995
at the age of 15.
Today, he's an Amazon.com
best-selling author
of the book, Vegan
Bodybuilding and Fitness.
As a two-time, natural
bodybuilding champion,
Robert has been
considered one of VegNews
Magazine's most
influential vegan athletes.
As a vegan bodybuilder,
did you ever have
any problems putting on muscle?
- You know, like I
said, I went from
120 to 195 and most of that
was in a pretty brief period.
When I was running in college,
155, as soon as I stopped
and hung up the shoes
and put on weightlifting gloves,
I shot up to 195
within a few years.
I gained 30 pounds in one year.
Really no problem.
No issue.
I have that in my book.
Vegan Bodybuilding
Fitness from one year,
157 to 186 and then I was
195, I think the next year.
So, no problem.
Just ate good food.
Trained hard and had some
that was working to it.
- Tracy's first workout is going
to be tough.
She is uncomfortable
being in the gym
and very limited
in what she can do.
When she lays down on a
bench, her workout mat,
she can't get up
without assistance.
I can identify with
Tracy because I know
from my prison experience
what is like to be
in an environment,
you're not comfortable in
and to take on a huge,
seemingly impossible challenge.
Okay, next we have
our core sprint test.
Just gonna test your
abs, lower back,
you're gonna do a plank
to see how long you can hold it.
- I don't know what a plank is.
- I'm gonna show you.
That's what I'm here for, right?
All right, first
you come down here.
Hold that as long as you can.
- Okay.
You made it look pretty easy.
- It's not too bad.
Okay ready and go.
Okay, how's it feeling so far?
- Oh, it's not so easy.
Obviously, I'm not versed on
how to work out.
I did not know the
difference from a squat
to a lunge, to a sprint.
They all just sound
like exercise to me.
While I am never
afraid of hard work,
I simply am not able to
move like other people
in the gym.
I struggled to get on
and off of equipment,
stepping down from a
treadmill is tough,
getting up from a
bench is like a turtle
being stuck on their back
and getting up
from a flat floor,
requires to be pushed up
with a help of a bench.
The trainers even have
a hard time helping me
up from the floor sometimes.
It is embarrassing.
What is surprising is
that while the workouts
are challenging and
definitely leave me sore,
it is worse noticing
how different my body is
from others in the gym.
I did not realize that I
could not do a lunge or squat
like other people.
I saw others doing
it and just assumed
that I could do it as well.
I cannot and this is
one of the first times
I realized how much my
weight is inhibiting me
from living my life.
This might be why so
many people choose
not to continue with
their workout programs.
I wonder why so many
people allow themselves
to be prisoners
of their own body
and this makes me
think of the struggles
Carly had gone through.
He was imprisoned and unable
to live life to the fullest.
Just like my fat
blocks me away now.
- How's the half mile doing?
- It's good.
It's definitely
tingling for sure.
- How're you
feeling in the upper body?
- I'm definitely breathing
hard and sweating.
I can tell I'm
working something.
But I'm good.
I mean it's not hurt hurt.
- It's a good hurt.
- Yeah, it's a good hurt.
- That's what I like.
All right, we're coming
up on the end here.
Half a mile.
Test at 11:25.
She did really good today.
And we have got
a long way to go.
We're gonna climb a mountain.
Her strength is decent though,
which is good.
And the doctor gave her
a clean bill of health.
So, we're gonna be able to
really work hard in here
and she's a hard worker.
So, I think we're moving
in the right direction.
Exactly, what is a
vegan whole foods diet?
A vegan whole foods diet
is avoiding any products
that come from animals.
We eat vegetables, fruits,
nuts, seeds, grains
and legumes.
Instead of meat, we eat
things like tempeh and tofu.
Instead of animal milk,
we drink almond milk,
soymilk and rice milk.
And we aren't just
eating raw vegetables.
With a vegan whole foods diet,
we can make endless amounts
of super tasty meals
and they're not only tasty,
but fun to make too.
Okay, Tracy.
See what we have here
that we shouldn't have.
- Okay.
- Wanna find out
why someone is overweight?
Go look in their fridge.
Tracy is obese and guess what
her fridge is loaded with?
Meat, dairy and processed foods.
The fridge never lies.
I can tell within 10
seconds of looking
in a person's fridge if
they are healthy or not.
We have big changes to make
but I can tell Tracy is
excited to make them.
- If I was to pick like
the top five things
that I should never pass
up in this department.
What should I not pass up?
- You can have
whatever you want.
- Anything?
- Yes.
- Okay, I really like fennel.
- That's good.
Get everything you like.
I can tell that Tracy
really likes the fact
that she can eat as
many fruits and veggies
that she wants.
- I like leeks.
- I'm also
showing her that there are
endless varieties of
tasty combinations
to choose from in
the produce section.
Our shopping is fun and fast.
- It's weird because
I feel rushed
because I think that I
have all these aisles
to walk up and down to.
But if I really think about it,
it's just gonna be here.
And the 20-minute time
spent in the meat department
like you get different
kinds of meats
and thinking about fat normally.
I guess I won't have
to do that anymore.
- No.
- Lot of good groceries.
Healthy grow.
Look at all that.
I'm excited.
I'm noticing as I'm
loading my groceries
that I didn't use
all of the bags
and I normally have
to use all of my bags
when I grocery shop because
I have to keep the meats
separate from everything else
but I didn't need to
do that this time.
- And why do you have
to keep the meat separate?
- Because it's
cross contamination?
- Tracy just
realized how strange it is
that she always had to
keep her meat separate
from the rest of her groceries
to avoid contamination.
Most people accept
without question
that they have to cook
meat until well done
to not get sick.
Want to avoid food pathogens?
Then don't eat animal products.
Food pathogens mostly
come from animals.
Produce that has food
pathogens is contaminated
by animals and does anyone
care that e. coli comes
from cow poop?
Yuck.
Who wants to eat that?
So, tell us about this
tattoo thing you wanna do.
- Somebody
recommended to me that
he wants to make sure
that I don't forget
how far I've come
in what I've done
and accomplishments
and things like that.
He's very concerned
that I forget
what I've accomplished already.
He recommended that
since I like tattoos.
For big weight loss,
he recommended like
every 50 pounds that I
lose, to get a tattoo
on my body that only,
I would know and see
and that it would
kind of remind me
of how far I've come
and what I've lost
and things like that.
- I think that's a great idea.
- It would be
motivating for sure.
- Where we are here is 328
after one week of being
vegan and exercising.
Now, much weight was that?
We started at 345.
- Yeah.
- Tracy's first
weight in is crucial.
I know that she will
become a believer
if she sees good results
and if she believes,
her life will be
positively changed forever.
That is 17 pounds.
- In one week.- Nice.
- Woo-hoo!
- You could
win the biggest loser.
You'd beat everyone
on the ground.
Here we are at the
end, 17 pounds down
end of your workout
to conclude week one.
I mean you've obviously
tried to lose weight
plenty of times in your life,
have you ever lost 17
pounds in one week?
- No, not that much.
- Even all of
the crazy fad diets?
- No.
Never that much, yeah, no.
- That is awesome.
We are proud of you.
- Thank you.
So, 318.
- That's right.
- All right.
- Take it up a notch, baby.
- Here we go.
- I think people
immediately assume
a certain stereotype
about fat people.
I recently switched
my place of employment
and realized that
people view obese people
as lazy, slow, not
productive and a liability.
During one interview,
the owner of the company,
actually asked me if he
was sure I could go up
and down three flights
of stairs that was needed
to get to my office.
Would you have asked
that of a 135-pound woman
on my same age?
No.
It didn't matter how
many degrees I obtained.
How much work experience I had
and how qualified I
was for the position.
My physical appearance
made me look lazy.
I can somewhat
understand why employees
would think this
because unfortunately,
being obese can make
you less productive
than a fitter person.
This is my office.
It's changed a lot over
the past few weeks.
It used to be a
lot more cluttered
and unorganized
and I find myself
being able to manage
my stress and organize
a little bit better
and cross some things
on some to-do-list, just
because when I get in,
I'm not so tired.
I have a little bit more energy.
I don't have to drink
like five cups of coffee
in order to get moving.
I used to drink about
eight cups of coffee a day
and I'm not drinking any and
I actually have more energy
than I did when I was
drinking the coffee.
I'm drinking a lot
more water now.
Thanks to Carly making
me sweat my butt off
in the gym.
I also used to
have a whole bunch
of leftovers from
my catered events
in my office and
everything is made with
heavy cream and butter and
my favorite was probably,
the mash potatoes.
That when we come
back from an event,
I would eat a whole
Tupperware container
of mash potatoes and that
was just utterly horrible.
Now, I have a big
fruit bowl here.
Today, it has some tomatoes.
I got some tomatoes
from the farmers market
last weekend and some
plums, some apples
and then I've got
a mixture of nuts
down in the bottom in case
I want something crunchy.
Carly says that I'm allowed
to eat that whole bowl
of fruit every day.
I haven't been able to
finish the whole bowl yet
but I've come close a few days.
Today, Carly is teaching
me about juicing.
I know nothing about
drinking fresh juice.
- A couple carrots.
Carrots give a lot of juice.
Nice bright orange color.
So, you know it's good for you.
You like to get all of the
bright colors as you can.
The best thing for
juicing are apples,
pears, beets, oranges, carrots.
You could throw a
little ginger in there.
That's good.
When you start going
outside of those fruits,
others like bananas,
strawberries,
that doesn't provide a
lot of juice, berries.
I like to stick with
stuff that gives me
a lot of juice.
Otherwise,.
Juicing is beneficial
for everyone.
It's a great way to get loads
of nutrients in one shot.
I know Tracy will find it
to be a great supplement
to a plant-based diet lifestyle.
Last through, last
through, one more to go.
Just like that.
Just like that, we
have the essence of
six carrots.
Carrot mustache.
Essential for
drinking carrot juice.
- It's really good.
- And you always
wanna try and drink it
within 20 minutes
after making it.
It's how we keep all
those antioxidants
and phytonutrients alive.
- Okay.
- Okay, Tracy.
This weight vest
weighs 45 pounds,
which is approximately,
how much weight
you've lost to date, correct?
- Yeah.
- We're gonna walk around it
and then tell me what you think.
- But I just lost it.
- We can make
you appreciate it better.
- Okay, all right.
- Talk to me
about the weight vest.
- It's really heavy.
I can't believe I
used to weigh this.
- Something I've been
really excited about,
is Tracy running.
She has not run
since middle school.
It's gonna be a
little bit challenging
but I think she's
gonna be really excited
to start running again.
- Running seems
like a simple thing
to most people.
Running might as well
be a foreign word to me.
At 350 pounds, it's
impossible to run.
It's hard enough to walk.
Now, that I have
dropped enough weight,
Carly clears me to run
and we start off small.
I am not excited about this.
I ran from one light
post to another
and it feels like miles.
Every step hurts.
From my feet to my forehead.
Having my stomach, arms,
chest, butt and legs
bounce up and down
while keeping my breath
seems impossible.
Every step seems to knock
the wind out of my lungs.
- I know how hard
it is for Tracy to run.
I know it hurts her whole being.
Some day, she will
run a long, long way
and love it.
- Two points away.
Made it.
- Yeah.
- Are you scared?
- All right, are you ready?
- Yup.
There we go, 50 pounds.
Done.
- I'm really enjoying eating
lots of fruits and vegetables.
It's surprisingly satisfying.
Not only do I feel much better
but I really enjoy the taste.
My palate has changed to
love fruits and vegetables.
So, this week was fun.
Something really
interesting happened to me.
I was working a catering event
and I was plating a salad,
working in the kitchen,
cutting, chopping,
doing normal job stuff
and my boss took a picture of me
and put it up on Facebook.
When I saw the picture, I
barely recognized myself
and it made me go
look in the mirror
and I'm starting to realize
that I might have had
like a warped
self-image or something
when I was really big.
I would look in the
mirror and I still thought
that I was attractive and I
still had self-confidence.
I did not look in the mirror
and see somebody that was ugly
but when I look in the
mirror, I still see
that same person to the point
where when I saw that picture,
I definitely didn't
recognize who it was
or anything like that.
I'm interested in seeing
some of the progressions
of the photos that
I've been taking
because I personally don't
see it in the mirror.
I definitely saw it
in a picture though.
- I did notice initially,
that Tracy does have
several defense mechanisms.
Ones in particular I
noticed is that she
says things about
herself that aren't true
to try to build herself up
and make people wanna listen
to her and get to know her
and I spoke with her the
other day and told her
that Tracy, you no
longer have to do that.
You're an extraordinary person
doing extraordinary things
and people will wanna
get to know you.
You don't have to
make these things up
about yourself in
order to make people
wanna get to know
you and value you.
So, I think that's
a big weight lifted
off her shoulders and I
see her getting happier now
because she can just be herself.
- 78.
- 78.
- So, I think it was 23?
- I think so.
- That's five pounds.
- Let's do it, baby.
- Yeah, I like it.
- Okay, show me how you like it.
- We're gonna have
to work into dancing.
- Do it.
Let's get up, get
up and shake it.
Okay Tracy, show us
what you've been doing.
- This is my tailoring job.
This is what I've been
using to keep my clothes
on at work.
I have to fold the
waistband of my clothes in
and I just clip it onto myself.
So, this is what I wear.
- And why have
you been using this
as opposed to
buying new clothes?
- Because I bought
some new clothes
and then they're too
big a little bit later
and clothes are expensive.
- And it's best that we probably
get to your weight before
we buy some new clothes.
- So, I'm making do.
- An important
part of the vegan lifestyle
is having fun with cooking
and being creative.
I started vegan iron
chef battles with Tracy
to get her excited about cooking
and to have fun with it.
I'm preparing here
a vegan pizza.
Tracy?
- Yes.
- What's going on here?
- Well, I'm planning my salad.
I made a salad dressing
that attempted to
be a Caesar dressing
but isn't but it is amazing
and then these here, hold on,
let me show you the dressing.
This is the dressing.
How did you describe it?
- Very tasty.
- Okay, all right.
Good deal.
- Unbelievable.
- It's amazing and then we
have some campari tomatoes
that are stuffed with
vegan cream cheese.
It's all about the food for me.
I love food and it's my passion.
Food is a large part of my life
and I get a lot of satisfaction
for making enjoyable
memories for others
through good meals.
My daily work is around
food and in the industry.
These iron chef battles
come with a hidden present.
It shows me how rewarding it is
to not only feed people
a meal that they enjoy
but they can be good for them.
Being able to show people
that a plant-based,
whole food diet can taste good
while being good for you
is the best prize of all.
- That's six-pound loss.
Which means
90 pounds.
- Wow.
- There we go!
Go dancing.
- Dance is
coming next week, baby.
- 249, 96 pounds.
- Hell yeah, baby!
I want Tracy to branch out
and do some new activities.
Today, we're going to have
her first tennis lesson.
We have an exciting day today.
Tracy is gonna have her
first tennis lesson.
Once we got to a
certain amount weight,
we're gonna start doing things
she's never done before.
So, today I'm gonna give
her, her first tennis lesson.
- Yes.
- And how many times
did you play tennis?
- Never, ever.
Maybe some table tennis
back in the day but no.
- Table tennis, it's a
little bit different.
We're gonna try
her hand with this.
She's a little bit
more mobile now.
So, I expect to have
her on the pro tour
within the next
the three months.
All right, nice good.
Okay, this is
Reginald Washington.
Tracy's first match.
She's now taking her lesson
and this is what she
drew first round.
Reginald, how do you
feel about her chances?
I don't know.
I've heard that she's had
lesson from Mr. Asse and...
- The match was a lot of fun.
Nobody got hurt.
Although, there were
some close calls.
And most importantly, Tracy
got to do a new fun activity
with her new body.
All right, we're here waiting.
This is her big day.
Today is Tracy's
100-pound weigh in.
Three and a half
months, 100 pounds,
Unsupersize Me.
It's hard dispute.
She doesn't know that we're
all here waiting for her.
She thinks this is just
a regular weigh in.
We've got a group of people
in the bathroom waiting
that are gonna come
out and surprise her
as soon as the
weigh in is complete
and she loses 100 pounds.
I think it'll be a
good surprise for her.
I'm really excited about it.
We've been working
really hard for this.
So, we're gonna find that today.
If she lost 100 pounds in
three and a half months.
- Hi!
- There she is!
- Here we are.
Today's is the big day.
- Yeah, it's a couple of ounces.
- That's 100 pounds, baby!
- Oh my god!
Wow!
You got to be our baby!
You are it!
Congratulations!
- Okay, this
is compliments of Marilyn.
She wanted to make
sure that she was
the princess of the day.
- You made me a promise
that we're gonna dance.
So, I would like to tango.
- My crown is falling off.
- I couldn't believe it.
I was so happy for Tracy.
I could see in her
face how happy she was
and it just made
me feel so good.
- How do you feel, Tracy?
- I'm excited.
Well, I just got my
100-pound tattoo,
which matches the
50-pound tattoo.
So, it's another 50 pounds.
Matches exactly.
I love it to death.
It's definitely gonna
remind me of all the weight
that I've lost for sure.
- How do you feel about your
first beach workout, Tracy?
- I'm excited.
It reminds me of home.
- Tracy really loves the beach.
So, I want to show her that
you can be active anywhere.
I'm excited for her first
official beach workout.
- I grew up on the beach
and I love the water.
I always think of the beach
when I think of vacation.
I never think of the
beach as a workout though.
It's very challenging
to get my mind
around the fact that the
place where I can relax,
can also be associated
with the place
that I work out.
As a matter of fact,
just the thought
of working out as a way
to relax is foreign to me.
And knowing Carly,
I also realized
what a privilege it is to be
able set foot in the sand.
Not everyone has the
same opportunities
that everyone else
has and it's important
that everyone take full
advantage of the ability
to move around freely.
I see how happy
Carly is of the beach
surrounded by
people that he loves
and he didn't always
have that freedom.
I know he sees the same in me,
every time I'm able
to do something
that I previously cannot do.
- Okay, Tracy.
What are we doing here today?
- We are looking at some clothes
that I've cleaned
out of my closet
When I hit the 100-pound mark,
it became very frustrating
to try to dress in the morning
because I have a whole
bunch of clothes in there
that did not fit me.
So, I weeded out
what doesn't fit me
and I'm gonna donate it
or give it somebody else
or just get it out of here.
So, just to show you.
This was a dress
that I wore to work.
Probably once a week.
As you can see, it's very big.
Do you want me to put it on?
- Put it on.
- I could probably swim in it.
It used to be a little tight and
to the point where
I cut the sleeve
because the elastic was tight.
And now, you can see I could fit
a few people in here with me.
But then I came to the point
where I couldn't wear
this to work anymore
but this was my size before.
You can see quite a difference.
I used to binder
clip the side in.
I binder clip it
so that I could wear them
but it got to a point where
I just cannot wear them.
This was the skirt that I had
and I had it in
black, grey and khaki.
So, you can see that obviously,
this is a fitted pencil skirt.
Which would not be a fitted
pencil skirt anymore.
These were the first
to outgrow for sure.
And now, I have new clothes.
- Woo!
- Here, we are down 130 pounds.
Getting ready to
take on the swamp.
If you don't know,
what the swamp is,
you're not from Gainesville.
It's the UF stadium.
Climbing the stairs is
a new thing for Tracy.
She's never been
able to do this.
So, it's gonna be an
exciting adventure
for her to take this on.
And how you feeling?
- Good!
I think they look
like really big steps.
- Stadiums are tough.
It's something I've really
been wanting Tracy to do.
Now that she's lost
over 100 pounds,
I think she's ready.
It really gives a
sense of accomplishment
to reach the top of those steps.
A metaphor of what she
has overcome so far.
- Running stadiums
for the first time
is a feat I wanted
to do for a while.
I hear many people talk
about running stadiums
and all these people are
fit and in social circles,
I am not a part of.
I still don't feel like
I belong in a place
where health and
fitness is tested
but I wanted to give it a try.
Just to be able to do
something different
is invigorating but also scary.
I have never felt my leg
shake like this before
but I like it.
Being on top of the
stadium is the best feeling
in the world.
Counting each silver
step, going to the top
and then looking down
at my accomplishment
while getting ready
to do it all again
makes me feel like
I'm living life.
- Yeah, stadium
number one, baby!
You got it.
You just completed
four stadiums.
How does your body feel?
- My legs are shaky
but I feel good.
- For Tracy's 30th birthday,
I got her a bike.
Tracy is gonna try her...
- Oh, I did.
I'm running a bike!
Oh, it's definitely good.
Look at me going!
Look at me go!
- Come on, bike by.
First day on the bike!
- Woo-hoo, I'm 30!
- Run like a pro.
For Tracy's 30th birthday,
we're going to Puerto
Rico and staying
at a vegan resort.- Yeah!
She couldn't fly before
we started the film.
So, this is a big milestone.
- Being able to
travel at all is a big deal.
Airplane seats at 350
pounds are not comfortable.
- How does it feel to fit?
- This time, I'm able
to sit comfortably in my seat
and travel with ease.
This is our vegan resort.
You come look at the view.
- I also have some more
of interest in mind for her
that will be a surprise.
All things she
was not able to do
before she lost weight.
I'm hoping she can do them
because some of them
are challenging.
- Horseback
riding in Puerto Rico
for my 30th birthday
was a special treat
but also a big challenge for me.
I had an accident with a horse
when I was younger at a
friend's birthday party.
I was only 11 but I was
too heavy to ride a pony
like all of the other kids.
I had to run a grown horse
and it scared me away
from horses for many years.
I never rode a horse again,
until my 30th birthday.
Going to Puerto Rico is a
once in a lifetime experience
where I hope to do many things
I can never have done before.
I turned 30 in the
halfway mark of my journey
and I wanna
celebrate my new life
and thank my trainers
for all the hard work
and dedication they gave to me.
I will always remember the smell
of the wild growing jasmine
that is in the garden
where we eat our
breakfast every morning.
Breakfast normally, has a
huge tropical fruit salad
and everything tastes so fresh.
It is still warm from the sun
and you can tell it was picked
from the tree that morning.
It is then that I realized,
good food is not
only plant-based
but locally grown and seasonal.
And that jasmine scent
will always remind me
of all my new experiences,
I had in Puerto Rico.
- Things you wanna
do once you get your new body
that you can't do now
like running from a race
or climb a mountain or...
- I don't think I'm
a mountain climber
kind of gal but don't
know if I would ever be
a mountain climber.
- Losing the weight allows us
to do a lot of new things.
Number one on the list,
mountain climbing, baby.
Tracy never thought she
would climb a mountain
but I knew she would.
Tracy's been doing so well
that I wanna reward
her with something
she's always wanted, braces.
Dr. Dawn Martin and Dr. Paige
Jacobson were kind enough
to donate braces to
Tracy for our film.
- I am also
self-conscious about my smile.
Formula is simple.
I work out more.
I eat a plant-based diet.
I start feeling better
and I smile more.
I am so lucky to be
given the opportunity
to now, have an amazing smile.
The way I feel about my
teeth is the same way,
many people feel about
their size and weight.
I'm self-conscious.
Won't smile for big pictures
and I'm embarrassed
about their appearance.
I remember after just a
few weeks of having braces,
glancing at myself in
the mirror at the gym.
I was drenched in sweat.
Not a stitch of makeup
on but I was smiling
and for once thought,
I was pretty.
- In honor of Tracy's hard work,
I'm gonna do a little
bit of ink with her.
So, it will be an
ink at the same time.
I'm a little bit nervous
but she's put a lot of
hard work into this.
So, we both put hard work.
So, I'm doing this as a
reward for myself as well.
Just stab myself with a needle.
It's a good reward.
- Tracy, this
is your first fashion show
and how are you feeling?
- This fashion show is something
that is very far
from my comfort zone.
I would not consider
myself fashionable
and I'm struggling to find
out what clothing works well
with my new body.
- Woo!
- I'm definitely not
used to anyone viewing me
as someone, that is
attractive or model wannabe.
I know that I need to force
myself to do this though.
It is one of the most
challenging things
for me to do.
Most people would think,
changing to a vegan diet
and starting a
workout plan would be
the most challenging.
This is nothing compared
to putting yourself
onto a stage and to have
your physical appearance
judged by a crowd of people.
Especially if you've
never been viewed
in that light before.
It is a challenging experience
but as I'm standing on the stage
with the gorgeous
Zen Fitness crew,
I actually feel proud of myself
in what I have done.
I'm feeling proud
of my appearance
is a foreign concept but
I'm beginning to like it.
- So, how's
your doctor visit today?
- Good.
I got some really good news back
from my first appointment
was with the optometrist.
I've always worn
glasses or contacts
since I was real little.
It runs in my family.
Just we all have bad eyesight
and when I went into the doctor,
I thought that I was gonna need
a stronger prescription
because I haven't
been seeing that well
out in my contacts
and what it ended up
being was that my contacts
were too strong.
That my eyesight has
actually gotten better.
The optometrist was
really surprised by it.
He did a few scans on my eyes.
He noticed more
blood flow to my eyes
and he asked me if I
had changed something
in my diet recently.
A few days, it'll be 10
months now as a vegan.
And my eyesight has
improved to the point
where I have a brand
new glasses prescription
and contact lens prescription.
Both eyes have corrected
themselves at the same time.
He said that maybe if one
eye had gotten stronger
or the other eye did it,
that it was something else
but he said that it was
definitely something
more to my diet to
make both of my eyes
get stronger at the same time.
- Okay, so here we
are one year later
and almost 200 pounds down.
So, we're going back for
Tracy's cardiology tests.
Here we go, in this
size right here.
- Oh my god.
- And she filled this out
and she filled it out real
tight last time we were here.
- I think you should
get that thing tailored
for your new body.
- Made into a dress.
- Absolutely, you can
make it into a dress.
Unbelievable.
You're a success story.
- Going into
this second stress test,
I was a lot less worried.
I was way more confident.
I knew that I could do this
and I knew I could do it well.
- Looking at her
when she was lying down
the second time, it was amazing.
I remember how far she had come.
- Is that good?
- Unbelievable.
- Yeah, that wouldn't
happen last time.
- She's laughing now.
How'd you do it?
- Diet and exercise.
- Diet and exercise.
Anything special with the diet?
- Plant-based.
- Plant-based?
- Vegan diet.
- Best thing you ever
did in your life so far?
- Yeah.
- Would you say by far?- Yeah.
What's the secret?
- There's no secret.
- No secret.
- Got nothing to do with it.
Every day?- Yup.
Wow.
You look like a different
lady through here
and everything.
She looks awesome.
- How did she do?
- She did amazingly.
No kidding.
I mean in four and a half
years I've been here,
I've only seen maybe
one or two other people
that have made it to stage five.
So, she did.
She did amazing really.
- When someone is 350 pounds,
they get familiar
with not being noticed
in a crowd for any
positive reasons.
I never have people look at me
and admire my appearance
and I'm very comfortable
knowing that people
do not look at me
based on my appearance
and actually make a point
to make sure I get
noticed for other things
like a good work ethic
or a lot of personality.
I still catch myself
not recognizing myself
in the mirror yet
but it'll get there.
- I was really
proud of Tracy for modeling.
It's funny because of
all the things we did.
That was one of the
hardest things for her.
I could tell that she was
really out of her comfort zone
but just like everything,
she was a warrior.
She got in there and
she tried her hardest
and she did great and I
don't think she realizes
how many people she's inspired.
Her pictures and
her change has made
so many people wanna
lose weight and inspired
so many people across
the board to be healthy.
- Shopping
now is a lot more fun.
There is a lot
more variety to it.
There's also a
social aspect to it.
I'm able to go shopping
with my friends.
Before, I can never go
shopping with my friends
because we would clearly have
to shop in different stores.
They would go into
stores in the mall
and nothing in that
store would fit me
and you can only look at
earrings and necklaces
for so long.
Recently, I got to shop
for bridesmaid dresses
with my best friend
and her little sister
and that was really fun.
It's something that
I couldn't have done
in the past.
There's the social aspect to it.
There's a lot more variety.
I can buy stuff on sale.
I can return things.
Just an endless variety
and it's a lot cheaper.
Grocery shopping has
changed a lot for me
now that I'm vegan.
When I was not vegan, I
would have to go up and down
every single aisle in the store.
I would have to look at
the produce department.
As well as the
meat, dairy, eggs.
Gees, now, I can pretty
much grocery shop
in my produce department
and my local farmers market
and get everything
that I ever needed
with occasional visits to
the bulk section for beans
and whatnot.
Definitely, can
run in and run out,
much easier to shop.
Dating now is a lot
more fun in general.
It's a lot easier.
I have a lot more options.
I can do active things on dates.
I can go on bike rides.
I can go for a walk in the park.
I can go for a run.
I can basically go
anywhere and do anything
with all the options
that I have now.
Ow!
Just another cardio day.
- Yeah, good job.
- Not too bad.
Definitely could have
done it a year ago.
I didn't finish last.
- Now, you did and
you had a lot of people.
- Go Tracy, go!
- When we started, her
waist was 58 inches.
Last time I remember
we measured.
So, let's see where she is now.
Down 200 pounds.
You are at 31 inches.
As you could see, that
is quite an improvement.
How does it feel?
- It feels good.
- I am vegan.
- I am vegan.
- I'm a vegan.
- I'm a vegan.
- I'm a vegan.
- I'm vegan.
- For health reasons
and for the planet.
- For my health.
- For the planet.
- I am vegan because
it's the healthiest way to be.
- I'm vegan for my health.
- I am vegan.
- I'm a vegan.
- I love vegetables
and I love fruits.
- I have a family
history of cancer.
My grandfather, my father
had both battled cancer.
Research has shown that
there's strong correlation
between a vegan diet and
reducing your chances
of cancer.
- My health but also
because, it gives me
a lot of energy when I workout.
- Good for the heart.
Good for the body.
- For my health.
- For my health.
- Because it's
good for my health.
- I am vegan.
Because I wanted to get
the most out of life.
I feel my best.
I look my best.
Being vegan is not
only good for me
but good for the planet.
I am vegan.
- I am vegan because
it gave me a new life.
It's the easiest way to
live life to its fullest.
My only regret is that
I didn't do it sooner.
I'm capable of more now than
I ever thought I could do.
I feel healthy,
strong and happy.
I had no idea how much I
was missing out on life.
People ask me all the time now,
if I'm gonna
continue being vegan.
My only response is that
there's no reason not to be.
My one piece of
simple advice for you
is to do it now.
It's difficult to know
that I lived 29 years
of my life like that.
Nowadays, every aspect
of my life is better.
I no longer have to
hide or lie about
who I really am.
My daily life is easier
and I have so many more
opportunities available to me.
I was able to move
into a new home
that's up three
flights of stairs.
I have a new career
that's more rewarding
and productive.
I've developed relationships
with new friends that
influence my good habits.
I have continued to be vegan
and see no reason to stop.
I work out on a daily basis
and I'm currently training
for a marathon.
I love spin classes.
I was even able to trade
in my gas-guzzling SUV
for a smaller two-seater car.
The most unexpected
reward from this project
was that I have found
it to be truly rewarding
and motivating to show others
how easy it is to be
happy and healthy.
I write a blog that lists some
of my favorite vegan recipes
and love to help
others get motivated
about a healthier eating habit.
I never expected
to have my photos
in magazine articles and
my recipes being featured
but to know that we
could possibly help
get one person
happier and healthier
and feel the way I
do, is the best reward
I could ever ask for.
I just don't feel like
I did anything special.
I followed simple
lifestyle changes
and so could you.
That's a year of my
life being filmed
as I lost 200 pounds.
What a great experience
to be a part of.
I hope that I can motivate
you to try something new.
Try being vegan.
It worked for me.
- Well guys, Unsupersize Me
was a tremendous success.
Without question, one of
the greatest achievements
of my life.
I can still be found at
Zen Fitness every day,
helping people get
healthy and teaching them
how to enjoy a
plant-based lifestyle.
I also have launched
a new whole foods
beet juice supplement
called Red Ace
that helps people with
cardio performance
and overall health.
You have seen our
story firsthand
and now know how
quickly plant-based diet
helps you reach your
optimum level of health.
I hope this film inspires you.
The plant-based diet can
change your life too.