Ruby Gettinger Talks 700-Lb Weight Battle (VIDEO)

Once 716 pounds, Ruby Gettinger has lost 387 of them. This morning she sat down with Natalie Morales on the Today show to talk about how she did it and promote her new memoir, "Ruby's Diary: Reflections on All I've Lost and Gained."

"I was at death's door," said Ruby, who has her own self-titled show on the Style Network.

Ruby's doctor suggested she start taking insulin, but she saw that as a cop-out. "I felt like if I was taking insulin I was giving up. I said, 'No, I have to fight this. I'm not going to give myself shots,'" she said.

Ruby claims her long and public battle with her weight has served a purpose.

"I believe I'm a better person being big because I don't judge people, I don't look at people on their shell, I look at the inner person," she said. "I feel like this is my destiny because I want to help people."

You can read excerpts from Ruby's memoir here.

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Comments

[atienne]

I've watched this show a couple of times and I hate reality shows but I was taken in by her. 387 pounds...I can't imagine even being at THAT weight and to lose that much...how impressive! I do wonder about eating disorders and if they shouldn't be categorized as disease. At one time, alcoholism wasn't a disease but we now know the addictive properties. Well, we already know that certain foods have certain addictive qualities and works with chemicals in our bodies to change and alter moods, i.e. chocolate. I think whether were think or heavy or somewhere in between, we've all known or heard of a person that could not stop eating.

I've been really skinny AND overweight. While overweight, I never got called any names and still always received compliments. Perhaps I wasn't heavy enough to warrant that but I can't get over the hostility of some people in regards to heavy people. I would like to hear why? Is it because it's something you fear? I'm around many larger people and I just don't get why people are so nasty about it. Why sit back and hate? Does it make you feel better? I'd really like to hear thoughts, please.

[factotem]

Wow. And I'mjust trying to lose ten,
Well done, Ruby.

[pwallace]

Ok.... wait. If by "doing it herself" you mean with the help of a nutritionist, a weight management physician, a personal trainer, her cousin and friends to cook healthy for her... and on and on. She has hardly done this alone and, honestly, who couldn't loose weight if you had that kind of support and no pesky job to distract you from your weight loss program. Which also gives you time to write a book - how handy!

[GO-BAMA]

Seriously! And she's still 330lbs! I mean, don't get me wrong, losing what she did is hard, but it's NOWHERE near as hard as the next 200lbs.

[Haditup2here]

Why the hate? Losing weight is a challenge to most. However, when someone weighs over 300-400 lbs over their ideal weight, they not only have to lift their muscles --but that additional weight also. And even if losing the last 100 lbs may demand more work, why should that be a concern for anyone else other than her.

[Gasparilla]

i don't buy the "disease" part. It's called self control. But I'm glad she is losing the weight. Feel free to express your indignation. I've heard it all before.

[seattle music]

For you it's "self-control".

For others it's a disease.

Is that so hard to understand?

[GO-BAMA]

So ... she still weight 329lbs? And she's an inspiration? To whom, exactly? Those who half ass things!? At my biggest, I was 280, and as of this morning I'm 192. I'm starting my memoir right now. Maybe I'll get an article on Huffpo too!

[goldbry]

So, you lost 90 pounds. She lost almost 350. Deal with it. She's better than you.

[GO-BAMA]

Mhm. Apparently so. It wasn't my intention to resort to that level of childish reasoning. However, as someone who has gone through a dramatic weight loss I can tell you that the real battle for her hasn't even begun yet.

[hulagirrrl]

Go for it, why not. With so many people struggling with weight, if she can inspire and encourage them to live a healthier lifestyle, she is to be commended for it. The weight issue in America will cost us all dearly.

[Haditup2here]

You act as if she had received gastric bypass and maintained her weight loss with slim fast.

"So ... she still weight 329lbs? And she's an inspiration? To whom, exactly? Those who half ass things!?"

Why would you think she would be half-@**ing it if she is obviously still working on her weight loss. Would you have rather her to wait in writing her book after finishing her weight loss. Don't get me wrong. I for one, know how tough it is to find time to exercise and try to consistently cook healthy meals -- especially on a demanding schedule. Therefore, I don't take the lecturing of those too well who virtually gets paid to exercise or to look a certain way. However, this is different and I don't think anyone plans to weigh 700lbs in their lifetime so they can live to lose that excess weight and then write a book about it.

[GO-BAMA]

"Would you have rather her to wait in writing her book after finishing her weight loss?"

Yes! That's precisely my point. When I started getting healthy, I lost 20lbs in a month. It took me almost 14 additional months to lose the next 70lbs. I have a friend who weighed over 400 lbs, and he lost almost 50lbs in the first month, and another 30 in the next. It took him another year to lose another 30. That's what people don't understand about weight loss. It's easy to lose a lot quickly, but the real challenge is when your metabolism levels off, can you keep it up over the long haul? This woman, according to this interview, seems happy to stay at 330. Fine for her, but that's not an inspiration to me, at all. That's finishing before the real hard work has even started.

[w8aminute]

She lost the equivalent of YOU at your highest weight PLUS a Nichole Richie and you don't think that's (at the very least ) admirable? She lost the equivalent of SHAQ and a big bag of dog food and his dog! ! Geez. Or maybe to put it in perspective she lost the equivalent of (Superbowl champ quarterback) Ben Roethlisberger PLUS Paris Hilton....­or at least the equivalent of Marilyn Monroe AND Anna Nichole Smith AND Steven Tyler. Just think about it before you make your judgments, ok?

[redhead61]

Ruby is an inspiration to many...She­s a gorgeous woman too. I wish her well and know that she will achieve her goals.
I have known several women who have gone for gastric bypass because they had no luck losing weight with exercise and diet.
Ruby is doing it the long way and to be honest..is going to be better off than with gastric bypass because she will not be bound to taking all those vitamins and pills after wards to keep her body healthy.

[Gasparilla]

If you exercise and control what you eat, you will lose weight. Period.

[w8aminute]

Sorry - depends on age and genetics and past yo-yo dieting behavior too. Just saying.
Look at Oprah. She exercises and diets more than me, and she still weighs more than me. And my sister-in-law is a size 2 or 4 and she eats more than me - but my bp & cholestrerol is way lower than hers and I'm much stronger.

[EKD]

I am reading a lot of really mean comments here which is totally unacceptable. Obesity is a disease which is harder to control than smoking or drinking because you HAVE to eat every day. If you all would read her story you wouldn't be so quick to judge. There is a huge chunk gone from her childhood and she remember nothing about a lot of years. Something terrible happened to her and she has suffered emotionally from it. We should applaud her courage and stamina in doing one of the hardest things there is to do. Shame on you that judge. Let's see a picture of you so we can critique it.

[Conk]

Obesity is NOT a disease! It is gluttony.

[redhead61]

That shows that you clearly do not understand disease at all. Obesity IS a disease. Just like alcoholism is a disease.
Please get informed.

[SaquaroSue]

Obesity is not a disease, it is a self-inflicted condition. Kudos to Ruby for doing what so many won't, taking responsibility for herself and succeeding. She is a fantastic example for the whiners that want to make excuses and shift blame off their own behavior.

[seattle music]

Thank you Dr. Conk and Dr. SaquaroSue.

It's so refreshing to get the insight of people who have spend over a decade working night and day to get their medical degree in order to become an expert in obesity.

Oh, wait. You didn't?

Huh.

[kathy001]

I wouldn't call obesity a disease but I would call it a mental or emotional disorder. Still, that's not saying it's a good thing. I've only ever had to lose 40 pounds and it was very hard. I can't imagine having to lose the amount of weight that obese people need to lose. I can't imagine where I would get the emotional strength, much less the will power and focus. Carrying around extra pounds is exhausting and saps the energy that you need to exercise and to keep focused on your diet. And the added emotional drain of knowing that people - like Conk and SaquaroSue- are thinking and saying such cruel things makes it even harder to keep your focus on getting in shape. I am thoroughly impressed that Ruby and people like her keep working at it. They are doing something so much harder than most of us ever have to do.

But no, I don't believe it's harder than quitting smoking or drinking - because you GET to eat every day - more than once a day, even. Quitting smoking or drinking mean you never get to do it again and nicotine and alcohol are drugs that have a major effect on your brain chemistry.

[lilkunta]

What caused you to get so obese? Metabolism? Depression?
Do you work?
How do you support yourself since you cannot go about life easily?

Good job. Keep on working to loose the weight.
Seeing that you're on tv & on the style channel I know they are gonna give you free plastic surgery & cut off all your stretch excess skin.

[kozmik]

I'm all for people getting healthier and inspirational stories, but this just sounds like a ton of BS.

[alieninvader]

why?

[GO-BAMA]

... because the real battle for her hasn't even begun yet. And from the sound of that interview ("I believe I'm a better person being big because I don't judge people..."­) it doesn't sound like it will.

[dezzu]

Show needs to be renamed to "Eating in Front of Ruby"

[cocolola]

At least she takes responsibility for her weight. A lot of people blame their glands.

[Truth4Voters]

You're one of my hero's Ruby. Keep it up girl. "Love ya, Ya'all."

[hereinlou]

I love Ruby! Her spirit is so wonderful.­... she is a very inspiring woman... not solely for the obese, but for all people battling their issues.

[Caaro]

ALL morbidly obese people should have their own reality show (if they have an attractive face--no uglies need apply) so they can help people. I mean, it just makes sense, doesn't it? If you weigh 700 lbs. and have a good personality, you're special and should have your own show AND write a book!

[TimLB]

I suggest 'The Biggest Loser'. It's some truly inspirational stuff. The trainers are excellent. (I wish they'd focus on more trainer/contestant interaction actually.)

[charlot]

This woman has made tremendous, positive changes in her life toward self-improvement and has inspired millions of people. Why do you knock that? How can you be so snide?

[redsongia]

So true! And what have the Dr. Phils of the world done to prove that they know how to better themselves? At least this woman actually accomplished something very difficult before she started telling everyone else how to live.

Lucky for me, I've never been 700 lbs, so I don't know how that feels, but if someone is 700 lbs and they need help or inspiration, I'm pretty sure they'd rather hear from someone who's been there, rather than some self-proclaimed expert telling them how simple it is to lose weight on their new program for 29.95.

[LiberalBuzz]

Keep it up Ruby. Only another 170 pounds to go.