‘This Is Us’: Is Toby Dangerously Obsessed With His New Diet?

NBC’s drama series, This Is Us, is unique in its genre because it showcases an obese couple, Toby and Kate.

In a world were most TV characters are thin, it’s refreshing to see something new. But this season, a major plot point is Toby’s new diet. We’re all excited to see him get healthy, but some are concerned that Toby may be taking this new lifestyle too far.

Could this damage his relationship with Kate or be dangerous to his health? Let’s find out what people are saying about this season. 

Chris Sullivan wore a fat suit to play Toby

Weight concerns have always been a part of Toby and Kate’s relationship. They met at a weight-loss support group and bonded over calorie-counting. But since the birth of their new son, Jack, they’ve gone in different directions.

While Toby has focused on healthy living, Kate is back to overeating. However, Toby has a good reason for these changes. At the end of season three, Toby had a heart attack. 

Fans predict that major weight loss may be in store for Toby, but if they’re basing this prediction on the actor that plays him, Chris Sullivan’s current body weight than they could be off track.

According to US Weekly, Sullivan actually wears a fat suit to play Toby. So when his character slims down, Sullivan won’t have to make any diet changes in his own life to continue playing him.

However, Sullivan does have previous experience with weight loss and understands what it’s like to struggle. During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Sullivan’s co-star, Chrissy Metz who plays Kate, explained why he was the perfect actor for this role. “Chris has been heavier,” she said, “and I think he does understand the plight of being overweight.”

Toby and Kate’s relationship may be in trouble

However, most fans are reacting to Toby’s recent obsession with his new diet and exercise program. The general consensus among fans is that they’re happy to see him get healthy but worry about his relationship with Kate because of the changes. The problem seems to be that Toby isn’t just losing weight, but last season, he was actively hiding his new routines from Kate. 

Although it may seem strange that Toby would hide his healthy changes from his wife, co-showrunner Isaac Aptaker explained to Entertainment Weekly that it’s because he’s protecting her.

“[Kate’s] breastfeeding,” Aptaker said, “she’s tending to an infant around the clock, she’s not at a place in her life where she is necessarily most suited to being on a strict diet or on a strict weight-loss plan. But Toby has found this path that’s working for him, and because he doesn’t want to rub it in her face he’s making the choice to keep it a secret. That’s dangerous in any relationship, keeping secrets like that.”

This season, Kate saw Toby’s transformed body, and she isn’t happy about it. Most fans resented her for acting like that. One commenter explained it well on Reddit. “…Instead of being happy that her husband who almost died of a heart attack is taking responsibility to lose weight and be a healthy father,” they wrote, “she instead loathes him for it and in addition, goes back to overeating herself making her already obese and unhealthy self an even bigger risk of leaving her child without a mother.”

All the secrets and now drastic lifestyle changes and resentment, Toby and Kate have plenty of obstacles to tackle this season. 

Is Toby’s new weight loss obsessive?

With all the new changes in Toby’s life, some were concerned that he may be taking things too far. However, Aptaker explained that the new lifestyle is actually really healthy, mentally and physically, for Toby. 

“He’s a guy … who’s had significant mental health problems and struggled with clinical depression,” Aptaker told Entertainment Weekly. “And now he’s faced with this massive curveball finding out his son is blind, and he’s found an outlet for himself for all that anxiety, for all of that pain, and that is at the CrossFit gym.”

This Is Us doesn’t appear to be taking Toby in an obsessive direction. Instead, he’s moving towards a really healthy place. We just hope he doesn’t pay for that with his relationship.