Ruby Gettinger

From LoveToKnow Reality-TV

Ruby Gettinger is one brave lady. In her attempt to shed hundreds of pounds of weight, she turned to reality television for help. Her show, Ruby, on cable's Style Network, chronicles her weight-loss journey, including all of the highs and lows that come along with this type of self-improvement.

Ruby Gettinger, second from left, with Niecy Nash, Kathy Griffin, Suze Orman and Rachel Ray at the 34th Annual AWRT Gracie Awards.

Who Is Ruby Gettinger?

A Southern Belle from Savannah, Georgia, Ruby Gettinger was born January 24, 1975 and has battled her weight since she was 10 years old. It was so out of control that at one point she topped the scales at more than 700 pounds. Her wake-up call came when her doctor told her to lose weight or she would be dead within three years. It was then she decided to do something about her obesity without the help of surgery or drugs. Ruby wanted to live life to its fullest and didn't want her weight to hold her back any longer.

Eating plans such as Weight Watchers and the Atkins Diet worked for her, but only for a short time. She lost her motivation and the weight came back.

Ruby on Style Network

In 2008, after getting down to 477 pounds from healthy eating and exercising, Ruby Gettinger was approached by the Style Network to journal her weight-loss efforts on a reality television show. She agreed and decided to give herself two years to get down to her goal weight of about 150 pounds. In the first season, titled Ruby: The First 100 Pounds, she showed the world exactly what she is made of: Courage, forgiveness and a woman who has a sense of commitment. Ruby also stars:

Georgia Thompson (friend)
Ben Thompson (Georgia's son)
Zachary Thompson (Georgia's son)
Jeff Parsons (friend/roommate)
Jim Gettinger (nephew)

In six months she lost 100 pounds, but gained a lot more including her self-respect, self-esteem and willpower to reach her [[|weight-loss goal. In the summer of 2009, the second season of Ruby hit the airwaves and turned out to be the highest rated program to date on the Style Network.

This reality show highlights Ruby Gettinger's personal journey as she discovers why she gained so much weight. It is also about discovering that a woman of her size can be accepted in the world where so many are critical of obese individuals. Ruby is not about "quick fixes" or gimmicks when it comes to losing weight. It's about about finding the root of the cause and dealing with it. Her hope is to inspire others to do the same. Show highlights include:

Finding fast food that is healthy
Fighting sugar cravings
Shopping for swimsuits
Smart grocery shopping
Trying Pilates
Doing a room makeover

Keeping a Positive Attitude

Losing weight -no matter if it's 50 pounds or 500 pounds- is an emotional roller coaster ride. Ruby vows, as seen through her attitude on the show, that even though her obesity has pulled her down physically, she won't let it bring her down emotionally and she won't let it control her. She refuses to let people's negative opinions affect her and she has chosen to surround herself with only good people.

Ruby Online

Besides watching her on television, you can also follow Ruby's journey online. You can find her fan pages on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, on which she already has tens of thousands friends and supporters.

Ruby's Walk Across America

In her attempt to get her viewing public healthier, Ruby Gettinger wants everyone to walk with her. She is urging people of all ages and fitness levels to start walking. Visit Ruby's walking forum for additional information on how to start a walking team in your community. You can also receive additional information on how to purchase "Team Ruby" merchandise for your walking group.