ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition is now casting for the upcoming season. The highly successful transformation show will air its new season Monday nights on ABC. They currently are holding open casting calls around the country in various cities along with accepting applications.

The show will select a few individuals who will be documented as they set out to lose half of their body weight in a year’s time. Trainer Chris Powell will be by their side as the participants learn how to properly eat, exercise, and live healthy for the first time. Viewers watch all this take place in the course of an hour. The transformation is so surprising that it is properly called the “metamorphosis.”

Individuals who want to apply are encouraged to either see if an open casting call is coming to their city or submit their application online. Formal applications must be accompanied by a video. The video is intended to help the producers get to know the applicant. They explain the elements they’re looking for on the website. “For example, if there is a high school letterman’s jacket, military uniform or wedding dress you hope to wear again, show us. If you are doing this for your kids, show us!”

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Trainer and self-described “Transformation Specialist” Chris Powell is releasing a book today, titled Choose to Lose: The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution. Known for his work on the reality show Extreme Makeover, Powell tweeted yesterday that his book is “Just in time for New Year’s resolutions.”

As the title suggests, Choose to Lose does not shy away from carbs, unlike many other weight loss plans that are currently popular. Instead, the book instructs readers to cycle between high-carb days and low-carb days. According to Powell, the system allows the body to burn fat while still keeping the metabolism high.

The book also lays out a workout plan that increases in intensity over the course of 90 days. There are two types of workouts, which Powell calls “shapers” and “shredders.” Shredders are cardio workouts that are to be done six times per week, however they only take 6 minutes to do. The shaper workouts focus on strength training, and are to be done on low-carb days. At first glance, the Choose to Lose system seems complicated, however the book aims to break the process down step-by-step. The book also includes motivational tips, shopping lists and recipes.

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Anyone who watches reality television knows that it isn’t all real, after all, whether it’s Loser, Housewives, or Hills, they still have a story to tell and a show to produce. But it’s one of those things that no one talks about.  Until now. James Garrison, a participant in Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition‘s first season earlier this year, is calling himself a whistle blower and exposing what he describes as mistreatment of the shows participants.

“You read it here first… The Biggest Extreme Makeover Loser WhistleBlower,” said Garrison at the end of a nearly 2000-word diatribe against Extreme Makeover’s producers and cast, calling out by name JD Roth (the man also behind Biggest Loser) and the show’s trainer Chris Powell.

In our interview with James after his episode aired he described health problems he was having as, he says, a result of his rapid weight loss, which meant losing 313 pounds in 365 days. This month he had another rush to the hospital which resulted in the removal of his gall bladder. It got him thinking.

“Well it took another near death stay in the hospital, my second in a year, to realize exactly what I was promoting. Yes, I lost 313lbs in one year on ABC’s Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition, but should you? The answer is no. No one should lose that much weight that fast and if anything I am proof positive as to why its not a good idea. Those are unrealistic expectations that in reality are more harmful than good,” is the statement Garrison wrote in the blog post that started it all.

He says that post was also followed up by personal emails to Roth and Powell, explaining his health problems, the $50,000 in hospital bills from the past year, and asking for help with it all, which he says were ignored.

“I guess what is hard to understand is, after emailing JD. Roth and Chris Powell asking for assistance with my medical and over $50,000 in hospital bills I was ignored.”

The only response he got was a cease and desist from show attorneys, which he posts a copy of on his blog.
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Tune in today, October 10, 2011 to catch Chris Powell on The Dr. Oz Show.

Health and weight loss superstar Chris Powell joins the show to challenge common thoughts about carbohydrates and weight loss. Powell and Dr. Oz will discuss how to boost metabolism and burn more fat through proper diet and exercise. Most intriguing is how they will explain how to use carbohydrates to win the war on weight.

Catch today’s show to learn how to battle the bulge once and for all.

If you haven’t heard the concept behind the hit new television show, Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition, then you have been missing out on a very inspiring show. This show follows a different obese person each episode as they complete one of the hardest challenges of their lives: losing weight and redefining their lives in one year.

This week’s episode featured Alex, who at 23-years old weighed 459 pounds, which made him morbidly obese. Alex had battled his weight since he was a young child. Although Alex has always loved the sport of baseball, he quit playing in high school because he was afraid of being made fun of due to his weight. His lack of physical activity and  his love of fast food and hamburgers (one of his favorite meals: a hamburger with the bacon and cheese cooked into it and on top of it) showed a diet high in fat and calories that obviously lead to his obesity. Before his mother died from cancer 4 years prior, she made him promise that he would take better care of his health and lose weight. Alex finally decided it was time to honor his mother’s memory.

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