Disturbing Biggest Loser article
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What is the reward for being the biggest loser? A lot of cash? Honestly never watched it. What do you win?0
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I was just reading the article, and even if only half true...entertainment for the masses comes at a great cost to those participating.
It is easy to say that they can always leave...but I wonder if people are so desperate that they can't bring themselves to leave, that this is their last ditch effort to lose weight, that or an element of stockholm syndrome (not that they kidnapped of course). It addition, I guess there is also loss of face..these people have made grand announcems about what they are doing, embarrassing weigh ins in front of family and friends.
I won't be watching the Australian version this year, but ratings must be good, otherwise it still wouldn't be on the telly.0 -
Wow......man that article, not good.0
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Omg it's horrible0
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What is the reward for being the biggest loser? A lot of cash? Honestly never watched it. What do you win?
http://theashleysrealityroundup.com/2011/05/29/your-biggest-loser-questions-answered/
Q: Do the Biggest Losers get paid to be on the show?
A: Yes, the make a stipend for being on the show. One season it was $900 a week but I don’t know how much it currently is. This is how some of the people are able to support their families despite being gone for so long.0 -
Nobody forced these people to be on the show. They were all in it for the vanity, fame, and prize money to begin with. Can't really feel sorry for them agreeing to go to extremes for such superficial reasons. Zero sympathy on my end.-1
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AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »Nobody forced these people to be on the show. They were all in it for the vanity, fame, and prize money to begin with. Can't really feel sorry for them agreeing to go to extremes for such superficial reasons. Zero sympathy on my end.
yeah, it's sort of like survivor. those people were starving. they knew what they were getting into as well.
as someone who has zero desire to ever be on tv, i can't relate to this and hard to have any sympathy.
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It's not about sympathy for the contestants, though. You have to assume that when there's money and fame involved, there will always be people who are willing to do ridiculous things to get on TV.
It's about whether NBC and the show's creators (and everyone associated with it) are responsible for the damage that they're doing to millions of people who watch. I say yes.0 -
AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »Nobody forced these people to be on the show. They were all in it for the vanity, fame, and prize money to begin with. Can't really feel sorry for them agreeing to go to extremes for such superficial reasons. Zero sympathy on my end.
I doubt they have a full understanding of the risks involved. I doubt it's completely informed consent. Then, they're in a contract. I see this as the show taking advantage of people.0 -
The regime those people are put through is WELL outside any recognizable guidelines. I'm sure even the military has a protocol for fitness for overweight people and I doubt it looks like this.
see this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/31/us/31soldier.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Though the Army screens out the seriously obese and completely unfit, it is still finding that many of the recruits who reach basic training have less strength and endurance than privates past. It is the legacy of junk food and video games, compounded by a reduction in gym classes in many high schools, Army officials assert.
As a result, it is harder for recruits to reach Army fitness standards, and more are getting injured along the way. General Hertling said that the percentage of male recruits who failed the most basic fitness test at one training center rose to more than one in five in 2006, up from just 4 percent in 2000. The percentages were higher for women.
Another study found that at one training center in 2002, 3 recruits suffered stress fractures of the pubic bone, but last year the number rose to 39. The reason, General Hertling said: not enough weight-bearing exercise and a diet heavy on sugared sodas and energy drinks but light in calcium and iron.
The new fitness regime tries to deal with all these problems by incorporating more stretching, more exercises for the abdomen and lower back, instead of the traditional situps, and more agility and balance training. It increases in difficulty more gradually. And it sets up a multiweek course of linked exercises, rather than offering discrete drills.
There are fewer situps, different kinds of push-ups and fewer long runs, which Army officials say are good for building strength and endurance but often lead to injuries. They also do not necessarily prepare soldiers for carrying heavy packs or sprinting short distances.
“We haven’t eliminated running,” General Hertling said. “But it’s trying to get away from that being the only thing we do.” (The new system does include plenty of sprinting.)
Some of the new routines would look familiar to a devotee of pilates, yoga or even the latest home workout regimens on DVD, with a variety of side twists, back bridges and rowinglike exercises. “It’s more whole body,” said First Lt. Tameeka Hayes, a platoon leader for a class of new privates at Fort Jackson. “No one who has done this routine says we’ve made it easier.”
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Yup, even the US army has modified its training to deal with the risks of overtraining for obese recruits.0 -
It's about whether NBC and the show's creators (and everyone associated with it) are responsible for the damage that they're doing to millions of people who watch.
NBC's intentions are exploitative, reckless and profit driven, no doubt.
But the damage this show causes or has the potential to cause does have to be agreed to.
And with that said, I do feel sorry for anyone who signs up for the show and anyone duped into thinking this would be a good way to lose weight.
I'm so glad I got rid of cable TV a year ago!
Do they really know what they're getting into, though?0 -
Reality TV is about making money more than healthy weight loss I expect. Eating processed food from the sponsors does not sound right the way they workout. I expect after years of abuse due to being overweight makes more abuse just seem normal in some ways. It is a heart breaking story.
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It's about whether NBC and the show's creators (and everyone associated with it) are responsible for the damage that they're doing to millions of people who watch.
NBC's intentions are exploitative, reckless and profit driven, no doubt.
But the damage this show causes or has the potential to cause does have to be agreed to.
And with that said, I do feel sorry for anyone who signs up for the show and anyone duped into thinking this would be a good way to lose weight.
I'm so glad I got rid of cable TV a year ago!
but isn't it on nbc? that's not cable tv.
never saw the show.0 -
It's about whether NBC and the show's creators (and everyone associated with it) are responsible for the damage that they're doing to millions of people who watch.
NBC's intentions are exploitative, reckless and profit driven, no doubt.
But the damage this show causes or has the potential to cause does have to be agreed to.
And with that said, I do feel sorry for anyone who signs up for the show and anyone duped into thinking this would be a good way to lose weight.
I'm so glad I got rid of cable TV a year ago!
Do they really know what they're getting into, though?
They probably don't, no. That's why I feel sorry for them. But it's up to them to investigate every angle independently before signing up or confer with someone in the know who is relatively unbiased. Plus, they've probably watched the show so although they may be unfamiliar with the real medical risks, they do have an inkling of the suffering and hardship involved.
If their sense of what's going to happen is from the finished show, they're just as deceived as other viewers0 -
and i really doubt the producers are offering a clear, detailed exposition of risks like stress fractures, etc. they probably gloss over it.0
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It's not about sympathy for the contestants, though. You have to assume that when there's money and fame involved, there will always be people who are willing to do ridiculous things to get on TV.
It's about whether NBC and the show's creators (and everyone associated with it) are responsible for the damage that they're doing to millions of people who watch. I say yes.
are millions of people who watch going to extreme measures to lose weight and making themselves sick in the process? without the trainers on the show to push them, i doubt it.0 -
This is obviously an extremely intense experience and not for everybody...not for most people really. This is not something people can do on their own...first of all most people don't have the time to work out five hours a day. But they ARE supervised by doctors. I think the 3 or 4 serious health issues the show has had are not that surprising considering how many contestants they have had over the years... All seriously obese. Most just have minor things most athletes or people trying to get in shape on their own deal with.
Some people are motivated by the blunt and harsh language, some are not. But in a situation like this you deal with the trainers you are given...you're not paying for it, so you don't have the luxury of picking someone you like. And conflict makes for good TV...they signed up for this. And shin splints? Bursitis? Those are common sports injuries even to people who take an easy jog a couple of times a week.
Is this an experience I would want? No...but then I would NEVER go on any reality TV show. When you agree to an experience like that, you are doing it because you are willing to deal with the negatives in the hopes of getting something else out of it. Some of the people kept weight off, some did not. What they do after the show is on them.
It's sad some of the people undid all the progress they made on the show...but I don't blame the show for that.
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oooooh. yeah, i got rid of cable over a year ago and finally figured out how to use a digital antenna, so now i have most of the basic non-cable channels again. never getting cable again though.0 -
AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »Nobody forced these people to be on the show. They were all in it for the vanity, fame, and prize money to begin with. Can't really feel sorry for them agreeing to go to extremes for such superficial reasons. Zero sympathy on my end.
I AGREE!! Anyone that signs on is NOT a victim but a willing participant. Get over it!
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I doubt the studio execs spent much time or thought into caring for the contestants beyond what was legally required and even then i bet they went with the cheapest bidders. They're out in hollyweird so they pretty much see fat folks as subhuman little people to be used like their celebs and then tossed away.0
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It's about whether NBC and the show's creators (and everyone associated with it) are responsible for the damage that they're doing to millions of people who watch.
NBC's intentions are exploitative, reckless and profit driven, no doubt.
But the damage this show causes or has the potential to cause does have to be agreed to.
And with that said, I do feel sorry for anyone who signs up for the show and anyone duped into thinking this would be a good way to lose weight.
I'm so glad I got rid of cable TV a year ago!
Do they really know what they're getting into, though?
They probably don't, no. That's why I feel sorry for them. But it's up to them to investigate every angle independently before signing up or confer with someone in the know who is relatively unbiased. Plus, they've probably watched the show so although they may be unfamiliar with the real medical risks, they do have an inkling of the suffering and hardship involved.
If their sense of what's going to happen is from the finished show, they're just as deceived as other viewers
There's definitely an element of deception built into the show, but the article posted by the OP and the subsequent responses on this thread are optimistically grounded in common sense, thank goodness!
Ok, so maybe those who went on the show have less common sense. Maybe they're less intelligent, even. (I'm not saying they are!) but what if they are. Or they're more desperate. Or have lower self-esteem, as was suggested above. Do they deserve to be treated like this? It's abusive.0 -
I hope more people will pay attention to this article. When the show first came out...it seemed too good to be true...and it is. We all knew it...but this puts it all out there in a succinct article. Stick to what is better...eating healthy...exercising....and not going at it in a way that damages your body.0
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It's about whether NBC and the show's creators (and everyone associated with it) are responsible for the damage that they're doing to millions of people who watch.
NBC's intentions are exploitative, reckless and profit driven, no doubt.
But the damage this show causes or has the potential to cause does have to be agreed to.
And with that said, I do feel sorry for anyone who signs up for the show and anyone duped into thinking this would be a good way to lose weight.
I'm so glad I got rid of cable TV a year ago!
Do they really know what they're getting into, though?
They probably don't, no. That's why I feel sorry for them. But it's up to them to investigate every angle independently before signing up or confer with someone in the know who is relatively unbiased. Plus, they've probably watched the show so although they may be unfamiliar with the real medical risks, they do have an inkling of the suffering and hardship involved.
If their sense of what's going to happen is from the finished show, they're just as deceived as other viewers
There's definitely an element of deception built into the show, but the article posted by the OP and the subsequent responses on this thread are optimistically grounded in common sense, thank goodness!
Ok, so maybe those who went on the show have less common sense. Maybe they're less intelligent, even. (I'm not saying they are!) but what if they are. Or they're more desperate. Do they deserve to be treated like this? It's abusive.
yeah, there's that point too. it bugs me when people are taken advantage of just because they are less intelligent. for those people, yeah, i feel bad for them.0 -
yeah, there's that point too. it bugs me when people are taken advantage of just because they are less intelligent. for those people, yeah, i feel bad for them.
And if not them, it would be somebody else. There's no shortage of people applying for these shows, even though it's fairly well established that they humiliate, abuse and take advantage of their participants.
The blame lies not with the victims, but with the perpetrators. And yes, those of us who watch and "entertain" ourselves feed into that machine, too.0 -
As a trainer, I really hate how portrayal of how to lose weight this way is acceptable. While impressive, what the show doesn't show are the 90% of contestants who gained back a SIGNIFICANT amount of weight (season 3 winner Erik Chopin was the exception and where is he now again?). The only contestants they show are those that kept it off (which is about 10% of them). Even Ali Vincent regained up to a weight of 170lbs (she's 5'5") after winning it at 122lbs.
The reality is that that type of training regimen is never used even in weight loss clinics. Training people to complete exhaustion doesn't get them to keep doing it consistently. And while it's a competition, the network puts it out like this is THE WAY, that people should approach weight loss in real life.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I know a Personal Training facility here in St. Louis and they have pics (and brag) about Trainer Bob Harper attending their facility. They work people out pretty intensely and to be honest many of the trainers don't understand the concepts of proper training. Some of them use similar tactics but in subtle ways.
It's not right. If I were a trainer, I want to understand the person I am training. That means not employing a strategy that says "this is how it is". That's morally wrong and repugnant.
Not all people are athletes - and this article is very illuminating - so are your comments - good to see that you are an ethical trainer.-1 -
That's horrible. I've read a similar article about it before, too. How they were deprived of water and made to wear garbage bags while working out in order to make sure they didn't gain any water weight. For me, it was always demotivating to see them losing so much weight every week, like 10 lbs per week or something equally as unrealistic. As with all 'reality tv', it's just not real life.0
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What is the reward for being the biggest loser? A lot of cash? Honestly never watched it. What do you win?
http://theashleysrealityroundup.com/2011/05/29/your-biggest-loser-questions-answered/
Q: Do the Biggest Losers get paid to be on the show?
A: Yes, the make a stipend for being on the show. One season it was $900 a week but I don’t know how much it currently is. This is how some of the people are able to support their families despite being gone for so long.
I hate to think of someone desperate enough to put themselves at risk for $900/week.
This whole thing is a little disturbing and if NBC purposely picked weak and/or financially desperate people - and I'm not saying they did! But IF they did - they should have to pay the piper.
However, people gaining all that weight back - that's their own deal. I get that they weren't necessarily taught how to maintain it and I'm not slamming them for gaining it back - that happens! They can't blame NBC for the fact that they ate themselves back into fatness, though.
Such a shame, all of it.
I was just looking at the Biggest Loser cookbooks the other day on amazon. SO GLAD I got Skinnytaste instead.0 -
It's about whether NBC and the show's creators (and everyone associated with it) are responsible for the damage that they're doing to millions of people who watch.
NBC's intentions are exploitative, reckless and profit driven, no doubt.
But the damage this show causes or has the potential to cause does have to be agreed to.
And with that said, I do feel sorry for anyone who signs up for the show and anyone duped into thinking this would be a good way to lose weight.
I'm so glad I got rid of cable TV a year ago!
Do they really know what they're getting into, though?
They probably don't, no. That's why I feel sorry for them. But it's up to them to investigate every angle independently before signing up or confer with someone in the know who is relatively unbiased. Plus, they've probably watched the show so although they may be unfamiliar with the real medical risks, they do have an inkling of the suffering and hardship involved.
If their sense of what's going to happen is from the finished show, they're just as deceived as other viewers
There's definitely an element of deception built into the show, but the article posted by the OP and the subsequent responses on this thread are optimistically grounded in common sense, thank goodness!
Ok, so maybe those who went on the show have less common sense. Maybe they're less intelligent, even. (I'm not saying they are!) but what if they are. Or they're more desperate. Do they deserve to be treated like this? It's abusive.
No, I don't think anyone deserves to be treated like this as, yes, it is abusive.
As far as common sense goes, I think NBC knows exactly what its demographic is when it comes to who would be enticed to be a contestant on this show.
And, yes, common sense, or more specifically, the lack of it would factor heavily into whether an individual would fall into that demographic.
I'm not a Darwinist but the guy's theory, outside of pure biology, has some validity. Survival of the fittest (figuratively speaking) is something to considered here.
I don't know if you're joking? Well, I completely disagree with that. But that's a bigger discussion, and it's one that NEVER goes well on MFP, so with that I will bow out of this thread.0 -
Did you read the article??MoiAussi93 wrote:they ARE supervised by doctors. I think the 3 or 4 serious health issues the show has had are not that surprising considering how many contestants they have had over the years... All seriously obese. Most just have minor things most athletes or people trying to get in shape on their own deal with.
The part where the gal says her period stopped, and even now, years after the show, it's still irregular? (And she's only in her 30's.)
Or the part where her knees are wrecked, and they were OK before?
Or the part where her hair fell out during the show, and it still happens now?
Or the part where her friends took her to the doctor as soon as she got home, and the doctor was amazed she was still walking, she was so badly injured?
If the show taught them how to lose weight in a healthy way, instead of what they do, it's more likely they'd keep (most of) the weight off long-term.It's sad some of the people undid all the progress they made on the show... but I don't blame the show for that.
What they're put through is a VLCD + extreme workouts (hours per day, like more than 6 hours per day).
That's not realistic.
Learning to eat a varied diet of healthy foods in reasonable amounts, plus exercising at least 30 minutes every day, is realistic, and will result in healthy weight loss while being sustainable.
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