I've enjoyed the show (never got in to it before this season) because it proves the point of good diet + consistent exercise = results.
The contestant's results aren't so far fetched if you consider they are living in a basic training type environment where they work out probably twice a day, do at least an hour of cardio and an hour of strength training a day and someone else makes all their food choices for them.
What I find the most interesting is to see the transformations of the people who got voted off. They are the ones to really look at for inspiration because they had to go back to the real world much sooner and apply all they learned.
I was talking to a lady I know last night - and she is overweight and not happy with how she feels. I kept encouraging her - she thought she was trapped in bad food choices because of her grocery budget and I was like - get frozen veggies instead of hamburger helper. Do brown rice and veggies and ground beef instead of pre=packaged chemicals and white flour. You will feel better!
No one can make a choice for me (or you or any one else) to loose weight. We can have the greatest motivations of all time, and until we decide to move on it, we'll stay at square one.
You know, my motivation was Kirsty Alley? I saw all her Jenny Craig commercials over the course of the year she lost all her weight and I kept telling myself that if I just started I would progress. I didn't get off that first square until last January.
Bikinibound, don't give up on your mom. You are being a good example for her, and you don't know what kind of steam needs to build up in her life before she'll move out of the station and onto the track for better health. Just lead by example and when you cook for her - give her healthy alternatives

Sometimes a person needs to see that it is safe to move forward, they have been stuck in one place for so long.
God Bless,
mik