Tonight on 20/20 ` A Kiwi seeing the world... I left and went to Nepal for a few weeks, and then I went to Australia. And then I came from there to the Pacific. ...while restoring sight to those who can't see. Praise the Lord. (LAUGHS) Say hello to grandma mum. The face of motherhood is ageing. But how old is too old? The birth has ignited a debate about fertility. Is it ever too old to become a new mom? Welcome back. And Body of Proof returns with a new face. This is a good addition, isn't it? He's a very good addition. He's a very good addition. Well, thank you. There is a lot of touching ` leg touching, face touching. Touch it. Captions by June Yeow. www.tvnz.co.nz/access-services Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright TVNZ Access Services 2013 Kia ora. I'm Sonya Wilson. Now, when there's a simple, low-cost and effective solution, why is it so unattainable? It's a problem that eye charity The Fred Hollows Foundation is right now trying to combat. Thousands of people across the Pacific face crippling but preventable blindness, mostly from cataracts. Now, with the help of a young Kiwi doctor, the Foundation's seeking a sustainable solution ` one that involves more than foreign doctors just fixing the worst cases during a fleeting visit. Here's reporter Hannah Ockelford and producer Jane Skinner. GENTLE MUSIC It's a nice, tidy thing to do. People don't bleed or vomit or die. They just can't see very well. And often, they can't see at all. Can imagine NZers banging on the door to get their operation if they were so blind that they couldn't do anything. But in Tonga, they call it a miracle. GENTLE MUSIC Thank you to the Lord for opening my eyes. MUSIC CONTINUES Their life returned to normal after the simplest of surgeries and just 24 hours. MAN: It's a miracle today. WOMAN: It's a special day. It's great value for one 20-minute operation. Dr Jesse Gale ` an ophthalmologist, or eye specialist, has spent the last six months focusing on these cloudy, hard and crippling eye lenses. The reason you do doctoring is to get that satisfaction for making people better. And if you make someone's vision better, they're just so happy, that you get the reward and 'thank you' and satisfaction of improving someone's life. (LAUGHS DELIGHTEDLY) 31-year-old Jesse's part of an international outreach, in Tonga for only one week, performing as many cataract operations as possible. Sometimes it's stressful, and you're operating in a new environment with a new technique. And so, for me, the best moment is the next day, when` when people have a good result. LIVELY UKULELE MUSIC Simple village life can become near impossible when cataracts are left inside the eye. My name is Petsilli. I am 46 years old. I am blind... Both of eyes. Petsilli Halahingano's world began clouding over five years ago. It's, um, very big different with, uh, once she was all right. They, um... She made some food and, um,... washing all my clothes. She's a very big different. She can't do that now. A proud mother-of-five... My mum ` she's a good woman. ...reduced to one spot, one task ` something she does by touch. This is only the thing she can do. Mm. Mm. Mm. Every day. Every day, every day. So she spends all day here? So she spends all day here? Yeah. Petsilli can no longer braid her youngest child's hair, and she's never seen the face of her first grandchild. Does she touch her a lot so she can get to know what she looks like? Does she touch her a lot so she can get to know what she looks like? Yeah. Yeah. All the time. Cos she, I mean, touch all the face, like this. (CHUCKLES) (FUSSES) Being so dependent has left her feeling shamed and withdrawn. Sometimes she, um, she` she says sorry to me because she didn't do anything. (SNIFFLES) (SNIFFLES) < I feel she's lost. As a wife, she's lost? > Yeah. Manase Halahingano, her husband of more than 20 years, works nights so he can help during the day. And, reluctantly, Petsilli relies on her children to take on adult roles. WOMAN SINGS IN TONGAN I am blind. Blind... in both eyes. Mele Puletau, too, has been reduced to the sidelines. She said sometimes she cries just because she feels lonely. (READS IN TONGAN) Blind for four years, she relies on her daughter for the basics. (YELLS) Oh, I need to drink this one. (LAUGHS) I'm thirsty. (LAUGHS) Thousands of families across the Pacific are affected by this curable condition. Does she think you're a good enough cook? > Well, let me ask her. (LAUGHS) (SPEAKS TONGAN) (SPEAKS TONGAN) She said, 'Very good.' (LAUGHS) UPBEAT MUSIC During their week in Tonga, Jesse and the team from Fred Hollows see over a hundred patients. Outreach is tiring and demanding, but it's also not really a long-term solution. (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) The Fred Hollows Foundation has a masterplan. The eye charity is carrying on the work of pioneering Kiwi Dr Fred Hollows,... Hi. I'm Dr Jesse. ...who envisioned a world free of avoidable blindness. I'm not here to fix the problem of` of poor people with cataracts in the Pacific. Instead, they're training local doctors and nurses to deliver these specialist eye services. A great thing in Tonga is developing a workforce that they didn't have a few years ago. So one day your skills and input won't be necessary? We're doing ourselves out of a job, aren't we? If we're training Pacific people to train Pacific people, then they won't need us, uh, visiting palagis. And that's how it should be. And that's a really great vision for the future. But for now, this outreach is welcome, treating those unwilling or unable to seek help. Sometimes it might be not knowing that there's an operation that can cure it. And sometimes it` it's fear. And other times, there are socio-economic barriers. People can't afford to get to the hospital or they can't afford to stop looking after their kids to` to travel for an operation. Hi. Is it Petsilli? Yeah. Yeah. Hi. I'm Dr Jesse. Hi. Hi. Hi. Nice to meet you. Chair up a bit. She's got advanced cataracts in both eyes. I'm not sure why she's got them so young in her life, cos there's nothing else wrong with her. So we can do an operation today to take the hard yellow lens out and put a clear plastic lens inside. I think that will make a big difference for you. < Are you feeling scared or are you feeling excited? < Are you feeling scared or are you feeling excited? I'm feeling good. Mele's case is more complicated. Hand up like this. Hand up like this. Ua. Two. > Yeah. Yeah. Taha. > I can't promise her vision will be clear after the operation, because the diabetes might have damaged the retina. She's already lost her leg from diabetes. And now she may lose her sight... permanently. On, uh, operating day, I get nervous, cos I know it doesn't always go well. For each patient, there's lots of things to consider, and sometimes it's stressful. And you're operating in a new environment, with a new technique. Tonga is just one destination of many. Jesse's been on the road with the Fred Hollows team for months. In December, I left and went to Nepal for a few weeks. And then I went to Australia in January. I was working in Alice Springs. Very interesting to explore that, uh, strange part of the world, where it hardly rains and it's very hot. And then I've came from there to the Pacific. I've been in a different place each week. We had a trip to Samoa, where we did around 85, uh, operations, and then we went to Nadi, and then back to Suva, and then I've been in NZ, and then here we are in Tonga. My passport's getting a battering. But that's` That's good fun. After you've chewed it, you rub it on your hand? After you've chewed it, you rub it on your hand? Yeah. OK. There's a little down time. New flavours, new cultures and experiences. Malo e lelei. Can I grab a big one? But for the most part, it's work. The biggest sacrifice is time away from home. Especially given what he's returning to at the end of each long day. Small beds, lots of cockroaches, no air-conditioning. WOMAN: Good morning. ALL CHATTER, LAUGH I'm washing shirts in the sink and` and hanging things out to dry, but it's all manageable. I wouldn't say I'm suffering. CONGREGATION SING IN TONGAN The Sunday before her surgery, Petsilli goes to church for the first time in years. CONGREGATION SINGS She's stayed away, embarrassed about being blind. SINGING CONTINUES But that's all about to change. This is JT. He's a nurse who's got a lot of experience from, uh, Honiara in the Solomons. < What are you about to do, Jesse? < What are you about to do, Jesse? So, this is called a small incision cataract operation. A cheap and fast procedure. Only 20 minutes of surgery. And once we're in the eye, we open the clear envelope which holds the lens and then free the lens up into the front of the eye and then out through the wound. And then put a plastic lens into the envelope where the cataract was. And seal the skin of the eye back using the cautery. All done. The operation all just went fine. There was a pretty big white cataract. It was, um, hard, like a barley sugar or something. Always feels good to take those ones out. A couple of hours later, Mele's in surgery. OK like this? It wasn't my most, uh, slick and beautiful operation. But it's looking like it's successful, despite her complications from diabetes. Malo. RELAXING MUSIC Hi, Mele. How are you? > Well, let's have a look. Well, let's have a look. Yeah. MUSIC CONTINUES OK! Yeah? (LAUGHS) Yeah? (LAUGHS) WOMAN CHEERS, SPEAKS TONGAN > Yeah? (LAUGHS) WOMAN CHEERS, SPEAKS TONGAN > Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. No problem. It's our pleasure. It's unpredictable, which means that lots of people do well and some people don't do so well. So, um, I'm pleased that she's done well. An eye at a time, sight is restored. Ohhhh. Ohhhh. Is it good? Ohhhh. Is it good? Nice. Yeah. LAUGHTER Praise the Lord. Can you see something? > Yeah. I see. Yeah. I see. Can you see more, do you think? Yeah. I see. Can you see more, do you think? Yeah. Everyone I see. Oh, that's good. Thank you. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. The person after the pad came off was different. It was just so charming how instantly she was making friends in the corridor and she wouldn't stop talking. She had that big banana smile. It was` It was totally gorgeous. 'Thank you to the Lord to open my eyes.' We've seldom seen someone so dramatically changed so instantly, uh, by taking the eye pad off. Everything is new. (LAUGHS) Everything is new. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) It's a very miracle today. It's a miracle today. Yeah, it's a special day. Yeah. See? She's speaking English now. Yeah. See? She's speaking English now. BOTH LAUGH Beautiful. And now Petsilli is seeing the face of the granddaughter she's only ever been able to touch. (SPEAKS TONGAN) After five years in the dark, the gift of sight is, for this family, God's work. But for Dr Jesse Gale, it's science. How's your vision? How's your vision? Uh, fine so far. Yeah. 20/20? (LAUGHS) Yep. It's, uh, it's fine. I don't need glasses or contacts or anything. My name is Petsilli. My eyes is blind, but now is open. I can see. Now I can see. CHEERING, APPLAUSE Awesome. If you want to know more about the work of the Fred Hollows Foundation, we'll put up a link on our Facebook page. Coming up next ` we all know women are delaying having children longer and longer, but how long is too long? I think the six sort of hit a nerve with people. Hit a nerve and set off a media firestorm. And the birth has ignited a debate about fertility. Is it ever too old to become a new mom? ...any concerns with the fact that you'll be close to 80 when the boys go to college? The scrutiny may have been a surprise, but for Frieda and her husband, Ken, parenthood was nothing new. 35 years ago, they welcomed their first child. Now we're just gonna top with soda water. Add bitters for just a little hint of spice. Getting a whisky to taste this exceptional is an art. Twist your lemon zest and round the rim. This mix treats Johnnie Walker Black Label with full respect. The Discovery ` it's simple but perfect, with soda water and bitters so you really taste the flavours that Johnnie Walker Black is famous for. To make a Discovery, first up, fill a glass with ice. Next up, you want 45ml of Johnnie Walker Black Label. Now we're just gonna top with soda water. Add bitters for just a little hint of spice. Twist your lemon zest and round the rim. If you think that's good, use Johnnie Walker Double Black and you'll get even deeper, oakier flavours. A whisky to celebrate. The Discovery using Johnnie Walker Black or the Double Discovery with Double Black. Cheers. For the recipe... or go to themix.co.nz, where you can also win prizes. Johnnie Walker Black comes with a free four-pack of soda on The Mix stand this month, while stocks last. 1 Welcome back. It seems women are choosing to have children later in life these days, and with advances in fertility treatment, there seems to be no scientific age limit to motherhood. But how old is too old? 50? 60? Should there be a limit? UPBEAT MUSIC The face of motherhood is ageing. When this provocative magazine cover hit newsstands, it raised eyebrows and had many people asking 'just how old is too old to become a mother?' Turns out that cover was a fake ` a doctored photo inspired by this iconic shot. But this extreme mother is real. Meet Frieda Birnbaum. Five years ago, she became the oldest American woman to give birth to twins. I was just as shocked that I turned 60 while I was pregnant. I think the 6 sort of hit a nerve with people. Hit a nerve and set off a media firestorm. And the birth has ignited a debate about fertility. Is it ever too old to become a new mom? ...any concerns with the fact that you'll be close to 80 when the boys go to college? The scrutiny may have been a surprise, but for Frieda and her husband, Ken, parenthood was nothing new. 35 years ago, they welcomed their first child, Jaeson. I was 26, and I had a wonderful, beautiful son. And my daughter came next, four years later. UPBEAT MUSIC While raising her children, Frieda went to school and became a psychoanalyst. But after years of juggling work and family, with her kids off to college, something surprising happened. You started to feel a biological urge to have more children once you hit your 40s? I just had this instinct when I saw a baby, that I just wanted to take that baby away and run. You know, hold it and hug it. As you get older, I found I had more of an urge to have children than when I was younger. That urge wasn't just to be a mother again, but to give birth herself. For Frieda, that would mean turning to in-vitro fertilisation. But even with the latest in fertility technology, the chances of a woman in her late-40s becoming pregnant are microscopic. What were doctors telling you when you were saying, 'I'd like to get pregnant'? They said, 'Fine. Come on. We'll do it.' But this doctor that was` We worked with them for many months. He didn't seem like his heart was in it. Well, I'm sure he didn't think you'd get pregnant. Well, I'm sure he didn't think you'd get pregnant. He said it could be done. Against extraordinary odds, he was right. At 53, with two children already in their mid-20s, Frieda gave birth to her and Ken's third child, Ari. It was such a wonderful thing. Everybody in the family was so excited, and I said, 'You know what? 'Maybe we could do it again.' (LAUGHS) You heard that right. Frieda had four frozen, unused eggs on the off-chance she might wanna try her luck again. And she did. So why did you decide to get pregnant again? The real story is I didn't have children because I wanted to feel younger or look younger. I had children for my husband. Call me stupid, which I am,... I had children for my husband. Call me stupid, which I am,... BOTH CHUCKLE ...but I did it because` The look on your face ` I did it because, um, he said to me, 'Try it.' But at 59, Frieda was well past the age most fertility doctors considered safe to perform IVF. Undeterred, the Birnbaums kept searching and found a solution 8000 miles away, where age was less of a concern. In South Africa, it was different. They were not as strict. They seemed very flexible with everything. So nobody asked for a birth certificate? So nobody asked for a birth certificate? Nothing. Nothing at all. But did you tell them that you were younger than you were? I told them that I was` You may have. (CHUCKLES) You may have. (CHUCKLES) I may have. You may have. (CHUCKLES) I may have. (LAUGHS) Certain details may now be fuzzy for Frieda, but her older children's reaction at the time was crystal clear. Jaeson was angry at me. He actually called the clinic, said we were crazy. Said he would make trouble. And Frieda's son wasn't the only one questioning her sanity. How did you find a doctor, and were you honest with the doctor when you came back to the US? Yes, I was honest, and the doctor didn't believe me. And then he must have thought I was a little... whatever when I told him the age. So he says, 'Let's go see` Let's look at the sonogram, then we'll talk.' Scepticism that was easy to understand. At 60, the birth of Frieda's twins was unprecedented and some thought irresponsible. When these 5-year-olds enter college, Frieda will be 78, and her husband will be 81. So, Ari, does it feel like your mom and dad have enough energy for all of you guys? No. No. No? You think`? No. No? You think`? They seem to get very tired easily. They do? Do your friends sometimes ask you how old your mom and dad are? Yes. Yes. What do you say? Yes. What do you say? I say... they are very old. they are very old. (LAUGHS) I'm sure they really appreciate that (!) But these days, the Birnbaums seem determined to prove the old adage 'children keep you young',... Don't touch again. I love you. I love you, and I love you. But I don't like what you did. Wasn't nice. Chasing after not only their own three boys but now two grandchildren as well. Why not lavish all that love and attention on your grandkids? Well, we love them, but why` why should we? I mean, who's setting the rules here? As you get older, you see that the authority is you. Can you push me? Can you push me? And who's Jaeson? My brother. My brother. Jaeson's your brother? Jaeson didn't see the children for two years. And now his daughter plays with Josh a lot, and he loves the kids. Rose is who, Josh? Rose is who, Josh? My niece. Rose is who, Josh? My niece. Mommy knows` You're her uncle? You're her uncle? Yeah. Do you really think that it's fair to these little boys to have parents as old as you? I can only say that I have no less energy now than I had when I was younger. Uh... You think you're just as energetic at 64 as you were at 26? You think you're just as energetic at 64 as you were at 26? I think I'm more energetic. I am definitely more energetic. WHINES: Mommy, that's mine! 'We have to redefine age, cos it's changed.' No! I want it! This is not` This is not` YELLS: It's mine! This is not` YELLS: It's mine! ...not unusual. Why do you think, though, so many people are so critical of your decision to have children this old? Because this age is supposed to mean something else. This age is supposed to mean retirement. Well, don't you wanna relax and travel and have fun and not be up for, you know, like`? I would` You know what? I'll do that when I'm 80. I'm so inspired by life; I'm so excited by life. I am more excited by life now than ever before. GENTLE MUSIC Next up on 20/20 ` the lengths some people will go to for a bit of extra cash. The insurance company was suspicious and placed Martin under surveillance. She certainly looks hurt as she's seen visiting her doctor's office on crutches. But later, she's seen running like a gazelle ` SPRIGHTLY MUSIC in sky-high heels, no less. What's going through my mind is she's a fake. 1 Welcome back. Ever thought about faking an injury to make a quick buck? Private investigator John Hakala shows Cecilia Vega how these alleged con artists are often busted by their own greed and surveillance cameras. QUIRKY MUSIC Police. We've had some complaints about conmen pretending to be blind and crippled. I'd love to help you, but I ain't seen nothing since I stepped on that landmine in Vietcong back in '72. In the movies, faking injury to make a buck is a tried and true scam. Until, that is, you're busted by the cops. I can see! I can see! I have l`! I have legs! Eddy's made a remarkable recovery, but he's got nothing on real-life con artists caught on tape. Ignacio Maciel collected disability payments after claiming he hurt his back working at a department store cosmetics counter. Watch as he limps to his doctor's office for an appointment. But this doc must be a miracle worker. Maciel immediately heads to the gym, where he's caught on camera burning up the elliptical machine, pumping iron, even taking a 45-minute exercise class. The pay-off for all that hard work? Hard time. In 2011, Maciel was convicted of insurance fraud. Catching fake injury scammers is just another day at the office for Southern California PI John Hakala. His personal hall of shame includes this man Hakala says he caught at the driving range, despite his supposed back, neck and arm injuries. Talk about a no-handicap golfer! When he's out on a stakeout,... Video camera. Video camera. Weapon number one. ...Hakala comes armed with the tools of his trade ` The pen is not a pen. Camera. Camera. There's a camera there. That's the lens right there. hidden cameras to catch the suspect in the act ` even one inside a cigarette box. You're a sneaky guy! You're a sneaky guy! You have to be. These people are pretty sneaky themselves. According to Hakala, it took years of surveillance to get the goods on this guy, who Hakala says claimed to have injuries to his knee, back and arm. Yet here he is, loading a heavy lawnmower into the back of his pickup truck. Maybe he went to Lourdes and, uh, bathed in the fountains over there and got healed. Behold! A similar miracle on the streets of San Mateo, California. Our subject? Modupe Martin, who collected almost $30,000 in disability payments after claiming she hurt her ankle while working as a school janitor. The insurance company was suspicious and placed Martin under surveillance. She certainly looks hurt as she's seen visiting her doctor's office on crutches. But later, she's seen running like a gazelle,... SPRIGHTLY MUSIC ...in sky-high heels, no less. What's going through my mind is she's a big old fake. She's committing fraud. She's lying to her doctors, she's lying to her employers. But the icing on the cake for investigators was her, hmm,... activity on this day. She starts with another visit to the doctor ` her trusty crutches doing the legwork. Later, she hooks up with her boyfriend, and they head to the park. She may be too injured to go to work, but she's certainly healthy enough to get right down to business. She is, uh, engaging in, uh, activity with, uh, this young man. Dare I ask what you mean by 'activity'? Well` (LAUGHS) Uh, it appears some sexual activity. And this is where we have to stop the tape to avoid an X rating. And investigators had seen enough too. Martin was convicted of insurance fraud and is serving nine months in jail. Why is this worth doing ` running a scam like this that takes so much energy for these people? What are they getting out of it? What are they getting out of it? Big, big payday, and it takes very little effort. Doesn't cost the person a penny. And if you think you've seen it all, please consider the curious case of James Farkus Cohan. Cohan is notorious for filing more than 180 lawsuits against Los Angeles businesses, including this bike store, this beauty salon and this tyre store. His MO? According to these business owners, an ingenious shakedown. He demands fat payouts, claiming the businesses haven't made the necessary modifications to accommodate his severe disability. He hit businesses up and down the street here. Pizzeria owner Chris Caminiti says many businesses simply paid Cohan off for a few thousand bucks, rather than take on the expense of fighting him in court. It's a terrible, you know, terrible circumstance, um, and` and a lot of our neighbours were victimized and` and paid him. Business owners say during court appearances like this one, Cohan certainly looked like a suffering senior. In fact, in a court document, Cohan claimed he had 'end-stage emphysema', which he said limited his ability to 'walk, work, speak and breathe' and required him to use a wheelchair and a oxygen tank. But a suspicious business owner made a surprising discovery about Cohan and tipped off our LA affiliate, KABC,... BRIGHT MUSIC ...which shot this video of Cohan outside his home in 2011. Apparently, the fresh air had worked wonders for that end-stage emphysema. The wheelchair and oxygen tank were nowhere in sight. Just the bronzed, if slightly saggy, torso of the 72-year-old as he trekked up this steep slope. We just saw you take a pretty nice hike up that hill. Any explanation for that? Why don't you talk to my attorneys or doctors about all that? The business owners sued by Cohan gathered at a local bar to screen the footage of their suddenly nimble tormentor. WOMAN: He's in better shape than I am. Look at him! He's hiking with his dog! MAN: He's actually waiting for the dog to catch up. He wants to be in good shape to spend all the money he's getting from everybody. But guess what? Cohan later showed up in court. His condition had apparently taken a turn for the worse. Cue the crutches. You really can put down the crutches now. We know you can walk. I can walk, yeah. And` And sometimes I have trouble. KABC's expose helped business owners win their cases, and Cohan's now in even more trouble. He's accused in a different scheme of bilking government agencies out of benefit money. He's pleaded not guilty. So, for all you wannabe scammers out there, watch out. The investigators are on the prowl with their cameras, just waiting to bust you. They always think, 'I'm such a small fish. Who's gonna bother with me?' Well, likelihood is if they do it, they're gonna get caught. Next up on 20/20 ` ever noticed that when you try and lose weight, there are some foods that are impossible to give up? Proven phenomenon ` trigger foods do exist. (GRUNTS) (GRUNTS) Whenever we commit to something... Chris Powell is the trainer on Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. Especially the folks I work with ` there are certain foods that if they have them, it's like crack cocaine for them. I found this in your trash can. If you're Maori and you're 18 or over, you can still choose whether you want to be on the Maori Roll or the General Roll, but there's not much time left. Your choice needs to be with us by Wednesday. If you're still not sure what to do, contact us now. Maori Roll or General Roll? It's your choice. He aha oo whakaaro. 1 For some people, losing weight is easy. It's the 'keeping it off' that's the hard part. Why do the majority of dieters fail to keep the weight off permanently? Well, tonight, 20/20 learns the secrets of long-term weight loss from people like Pete Thomas, who once weighed in at 182kg. He has kept 84 of those kgs off for eight years and counting. Congratulations. One of those quick, 'just stop eating that' diets has helped you lose tons of weight. Well, guess what? Experts estimate a belt-busting 95% of dieters will eventually regain those lost pounds. MAN: Come on. Let's go. Let's push. So if staying trim for keeps is your goal, Pete Thomas is your guy. He's maintained his own weight loss for eight years now. The author of lose it Fast, Lose it Forever is a sleek 238 today. He used to be more than 400 pounds... when he first tipped the scales on The Biggest Loser. Dropping 185 pounds made him a winner. (SCREAMS) (SCREAMS) AUDIENCE CHEERS Pick it up, Pete. Still, he remembers the agony of failure while on the show, when he found... chocolates in a laundry room. These things had me. The only way that we could get those out of the way, out of the house, was to put them in a garbage can and to pour liquid Tide on them. Having them in the garbage can wasn't bad enough? > That's the thing! That's the thing! You would've been willing to go into the garbage can to eat them? I did. I did! I did. I did! And this is on a weight loss show. On a weight loss show. Proven phenomenon ` trigger foods do exist. (GRUNTS) (GRUNTS) Whenever we commit to something... Chris Powell is the trainer on Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. Especially the folks I work with ` there are certain foods that if they have them, it's like crack cocaine for them. I found this in your trash can. Can you not have a bag of cookies even in your home? It's best to keep that kind of food outside of the house. A can of Pringles in my house won't last 20 minutes. Another thing` You ` the ultimate success story? Yes. Yes. You can't have a can of Pringles in your home? No, I can't. Well, I can, but then I would be gaining it back, and I wouldn't be here talking to you. Go. One. Two. Even with workouts like these, what makes maintaining weight loss so hard? Argh! Science says even 12 months after slimming down, parts of your body want you to get fat again, according to Dr David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Centre. Fat cells do not like being starved, and they make a fuss about it. And so the way they complain about being starved is they stop sending your brain the signal that we've had enough food, so we wind up being hungry. What happens when you have a bad night? > Whew. Yeah. Had a few of those. And what I teach is: a bad night and a bad day does not equal a bad week. And so you simply have to catch yourself and get back on track. UPBEAT MUSIC All right. Come on, Kristie. Slow and easy. > It's not all the time when you can see not one but two Miss South Carolinas... Keep it tight. ...working out side by side. You got this, Kristie. Hurry. Push it up. Helping to train 1994 winner Kristie Greene Lee, who's already lost 14 pounds since getting started, is 2011 Miss South Carolina Bree Boyce. Like millions of Americans and such celebrities as Kirstie Alley, Janet Jackson and Carnie Wilson, Bree spent years as a yo-yo dieter. The soup diet,... (LAUGHS) the carb diet. Yes, I have tried every single diet that you could think of. How much weight did you lose when you went on the Atkins diet? How much weight did you lose when you went on the Atkins diet? I lost 60 pounds. And what happened after that? And what happened after that? I gained 70. (LAUGHS) She weighed 234 pounds in high school, where she'd get teased and feel ashamed. Her date cancelled on her the night before the prom. Oh, you feel like such a failure. I was in a really dark place at a young age. TEARFULLY: It was just really tough for me, being so young and missing out on those things in life. UPBEAT MUSIC Four years ago, Bree lost more than 100 pounds and has kept if off by getting educated about exercise and nutrition. Scrambled egg whites. Oatmeal, half a grapefruit. And not just dieting. You're setting yourself up for failure if you say, 'Oh, well, I'm on a diet. I can't eat that', because then you're restricting yourself. You're going to end up binging and gaining weight back. MUSIC PUMPS, AUDIENCE CHEERS Instead, Bree regained her self-esteem after winning the Miss South Carolina pageant. MAN: Miss South Carolina. She was one of 12 semi-finalists at last year's Miss America, but Bree says now that she overdid it ` That the super-skinny form she sported in the fitness competition didn't suit her. It's not all about just being skinny, because I've been there and done that, and I wasn't healthy. The thing that matters most is you believe in yourself, love yourself, and you're taking care of your body. Awesome job. Awesome job. (PANTS) Now at 134 pounds, Bree keeps her old size 18 jeans around as motivation to maintain her new, healthy self. Push! Push! Instead of saying you need to lose weight, you should be saying, 'I will achieve a healthy weight and maintain it for the rest of my life.' Who's strong? Who's strong? ALL: You're strong! Who's strong? ALL: You're strong! What are we?! ALL: We're strong! < Round of applause. < Round of applause. CHEERING, APPLAUSE Yep, much easier said than done, that one, eh? Next up ` the stars of Body of Proof are back and talk to 20/20's Erin Conroy. Sounds like, yes, you and Megan may... (CLICKS TONGUE) have little, uh, sparks flying? Would that be right? > Would that be right? > Maybe. Yeah. (CHUCKLES) (CHUCKLES) Yeah, we'll see. And, Jeri, you're back from your brain-eating disease ` in NZ. Yes. Yes. Obviously you make a full recovery. Yes. Obviously you make a full recovery. I survive. Yes. Oh my God. I totally missed it. Oh my God. I totally missed it. Spoiler alert. (LAUGHS) Yeah, I almost died. 1 Welcome back. You know the feeling ` when it's quite clear that you're the third wheel in the room. Well, that's what happened to our reporter Erin Conroy when she went to LA and met the stars of Body of Proof. They are really really good-looking people, but she did wonder whether they couldn't wait till just after the interview. (KNOCK ON DOOR) Welcome back. Welcome back. What's with the shrine in the lobby? Welcome back. What's with the shrine in the lobby? Hello to you too. You might know the show. It's called Body of Proof, and it stars these two hot babes. You can't just brush this off like you do everything else. And, no offence, but when it comes to the blokes,... Filthy creatures. ...well, they could do with a little more eye candy. And that is exactly what they've done. Tommy. Tommy. Megan. Tommy. Megan. You've met? Meet Mark Valley. He's joining the cast. This is a good addition, isn't it? This is a good addition, isn't it? It's a very good addition. This is a good addition, isn't it? It's a very good addition. Wow. Thank you. If you're into that type of guy, that is. And his co-host seems to be. During this interview, there's a lot of touching. Leg touching; face touching. Touch it! But on set, Jeri Ryan's character won't be getting any of Mark Valley. It's Dana Delaney's new man. It's just a coincidence you're here? You just happened to get this detail? They dated 20 years ago, and it did not end well. So he's come back to Philadelphia to, kind of, claim her. Sparks may fly. Sparks may fly. Yes. Yes. She seems to have had all the luck with the menfolk. She even got to be romantically involved with our own Cliff Curtis. < Mom?! < Mom?! (YELPS) What was he like? I love Cliff. I've known him for a long time. He actually has a child with a friend of mine. Really? Really? So I was happy to get him on the show. I'm glad that sentence finished like that. I'm glad that sentence finished like that. (LAUGHS) Not with me. With a friend. (LAUGHS) So her new man has some big shoes to fill. Is he up to it? So, what are you going to call on ` a bit of that soap opera acting to get the ladies a-fluttering? > I'm gonna call on whatever's necessary to get what I want. I'm gonna call on whatever's necessary to get what I want. (LAUGHS) And that's that. And if it means being Dashing Jack, it means Dashing Jack. When he says 'Dashing Jack', he means this Dashing Jack. You know I'm right. You know I'm right. No. You're not right. Can you just drop it? Besides a long run on Days of Our Lives, read his bio and you'll see hobbies include rugby. Right. Well, all us Kiwis will be interested in just what kind of player he is. Right now, I just take a rugby ball and go to the park and just kick it by myself. That's really sad. (LAUGHS) That's really sad. (LAUGHS) But I don't want to play with other people, cos then I can get hurt. You know? So... I don't` I don't wanna get tackled. You know? So... I don't` I don't wanna get tackled. He's a delicate flower. Have you got any favourite players from the All Blacks? No, I don't really` I couldn't really name any of them. I'm a big fan of the... the kata that they do. Isn't it called the ka` No, the haka! The haka. The haka. It's good stuff. The haka. It's good stuff. Can you give us a rendition? > No! No, I cannot. I can sing some rugby songs if you want. Oh yeah? Give us a whirl. You got a good singing voice? # Four-and-20 virgins came down from Inverness. # When the party ended, there was four-and-20 less. # 'OK... Points for creativity.' (LAUGHS) Keeping it classy (!) (LAUGHS) Welcome to Body of Proof. (LAUGHS) Keeping it classy (!) (LAUGHS) Welcome to Body of Proof. That's it, yeah. Before Body of Proof, the two ladies found success in series of a different genre. For Jeri Ryan, it was Star Trek Voyager. Your vocal modulations deviated by 0.30 decihertz. 'And it seems sometimes she has a little trouble letting go.' Each Christmas, what do you hang on your Christmas tree? It's not an angel at the top, is it? It's not an angel at the top, is it? I also have myself hanging on my Christmas tree ever year. I saw that. > I saw that. > ...yourself an effigy. It's a little weird, but it's fun. For Dana, you have to go back a couple of decades to find her most famous series, China Beach. What do we got? Massive face wound. Blood pressure ` 40 over nothing. Massive face wound. Blood pressure ` 40 over nothing. OK. Start the clock. Let's go to work. And notice to that ` China Beach ` rerelease. Yes. Finally. Yes. Finally. First time? First time box-set China Beach in the spring. Very excited about that. So what about being the lead female in a current series and the having one released some 25 years? Pretty damn good, isn't it? (LAUGHS) I feel good about that. Except people will be going, 'Wow. Look at her then. Look at her now. Oh. Oh.' Dana then. Dana now. Then. Now. Not bad, Dana. And just to make you all feel great about yourself,... she's 57 years old. How are you feeling about those comparisons? How are you feeling about those comparisons? You know what? It happens. As for the show this season, we're back from one hell of a cliffhanger. (GRUNTS) (GRUNTS) GUNSHOT (GRUNTS) GUNSHOT (GRUNTS) < Oh my God. Oh my God. Peter! Peter. Come on. Peter. Come on. I'm OK. I'm OK. 'And a few clues the actors can give us about the new storyline?' Sounds like, yes, you and Megan may... (CLICKS TONGUE) have little, uh, sparks flying? Would that be right? > Would that be right? > Maybe. Yeah. (CHUCKLES) (CHUCKLES) Yeah, we'll see. And, Jeri, you're back from your brain-eating disease ` in NZ. Yes. Yes. Obviously you make a full recovery. Yes. Obviously you make a full recovery. I survive. Yes. Oh my God. I totally missed it. Oh my God. I totally missed it. Spoiler alert. (LAUGHS) Yeah, I almost died. And as for old eye candy over here ` I had no idea you almost died. I had no idea. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) He's a really big fan of the show (!) He loves it (!) clearly just hired for one reason ` You OK? You OK? No! You ruined my outfit. being eye candy. Now, if you want to see any of tonight's stories again, you can head to our website. It's... You can also email us at... or of course go to our Facebook page. We're at... and let us know your thoughts on tonight's show. Thanks for all your feedback. We're interested in your stories too, so keep those ideas coming in. That's our show for tonight. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next week.