I wish we were the biggest losers.

Do you ever read, listened, attend or watched something and the whole time thought to yourself, "So-and-so totally needs to read/listen/watch this!" I seem to do this often. A lot at church, sometimes while reading a book and just recently while watching a new favorite television show of mine....

Yup, I'm talking about The Biggest Loser. A few of my friends have been long time followers of this show, but this is my first season watching. I have no idea why it has taken me so long to catch on; it's awesome!

The bad part is though that during almost every episode, I can only think about two people...

My mother and father.

My parents are not crazy overweight like some of the folks on the show, but they do top the scales in their own way. And it makes me sad... It hurts me.

My father had a stroke a few years ago that was caused by his diet and body weight. After the whole situation, he was better about walking and eating healthier for a few months, but has since just got back in his old ways. His excuses are "I'm old, I'm going to eat what I want and be happy." What he doesn't get is that his four oreo's every night before bed and dinners that include McDonalds or Wendy's multiple times a week are not good whatsoever. I have the same argument with him many times a week and it's frustrating. Why can't he understand that I want him to eat better so that he will be around longer to see me get married and have kids and even grandchildren not because I'm trying to hurt him and take away his favorite foods? Oh, stubborn man.

On the other end, my mother, well, she's just as bad. I don't live with her or see/talk to her that often but when I do all I hear is the bad foods she is eating. My mother is an amazing cook. She used to cook almost every night when I was young for a family of five. She has skills, seriously! Now, however, not only does she eat almost every meal out anymore, she is a smoker. A few days ago when I was catching up on The Biggest Loser old episodes (thank-you TiVo!), one of the doctor's was telling a contestant that being overweight and smoking is a self-induced death sentence. I actually broke out into tears. My mother is very defensive so every time I try to talk to her about her health, she gets mean and childish and doesn't listen. I remember when I was younger how fit and adorable my mother was. Now I don't even recognize her. I know a lot of her health/diet/exercise choices she makes are based on her happiness, which it at an all time low right now, but still. Just like my father, I want her to be around to see me grow into an adult like her parents have been able to experience with her.

It's so angering to have two parents that are in their early 50's and have already given up on their health. I want them to be around for a long time - but if they keep going with these lifestyles, they might not make it through this next decade. And this actually brings me to tears and hurts my heart in ways I didn't even know were possible.

Does anyone have some advice as to how I can get through to them in another way? I've tried the talks. I've tried to heart-to-hearts. I've tried using examples. I've tried the books and the videos and even work-out materials (weights, machines, etc.) I've even tried having doctors talk to them. Yet still nothing works. Any advice would be great.