Biggest Loser story today in NY Post

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NikonPal
NikonPal Posts: 1,346 Member
Like many people, I have sneaked a peek at “The Biggest Loser” show, to get a glimpse of the changes in people after they lose a lot of weight…but not for a second did I ever buy into the “The Biggest Loser” approach to weight loss.

Reading this story (I bought the paper on a lark, at the grocery checkout), I had a hard time finding sympathy for someone that went along with having her cell phone & laptop confiscated for 24 hrs., fat-shaming and isolation and then says she was “brainwashed.” She tells the story of one contestants’ child becoming seriously ill and being cared for in the ICU; he didn’t want to leave because the show would drop him!!! HELLO…your kid is in ICU!!!

She goes on to say “by the end of the show, I was running on 400 calories and 8-9 HOUR workouts PER DAY.” It doesn’t take a genius to know what will happen (short or long term). We are also asked to believe that she submitted a video to be on “The Biggest Loser” but never saw the show.

I could go on with an in-depth analysis and shared responsibility / common sense – but will let people make up their own minds. The following is a link to the story.

http://nypost.com/2015/01/18/contestant-reveals-the-brutal-secrets-of-the-biggest-loser/

Replies

  • krp97
    krp97 Posts: 167 Member
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    This is a terrible article to read. I can't believe the "professional" trainers on this show think that kind of weigh loss and malnutrition is acceptable. This show doesn't give people proper education on how to keep the weight off at home when they begin to eat normally and aren't working out 4-8 hours a day. I don't understand why anyone would want to be a part of this show.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I have a hard time believing all that. I certainly don't believe that everything that happens while the contestants are on the ranch is shown in the show, but some of those claims goes against what's happened in the past.

    In past seasons, contestants have been allowed to leave and come back when they've had family members pass away, babies that have been born, or family members ill. I have a hard time believing that the show would drop someone if they went to see their child in the ICU.

    Also, the 400 calorie thing goes against what they teach on the show all the time. They always say that the women can't eat less than 1200 and the men can't eat less than 1500. They actually yell at the contestants when they eat less. So if someone was eating only 400 calories, that was probably not known to their trainer. Now the don't eat back exercise calories, so they may have been netting 400, but I don't believe that they were only eating 400 calories.

    I'm sure that there are sketchy things that happen on the show, but these two just don't make sense. It really just sounds like a contestant who was dropped and isn't happy telling a sensationalized story to make some money. I remember this particular contestant. She wasn't happy the whole time she was there and complained about everything. It doesn't surprise me that she would want to "expose" the show, even if she's exaggerating the truth.