Biggest Loser is back! :(

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,691 Member
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    It's a "diet" program with about the same success rate as most diets.............10%. That's why only about 20 or so BL alumni are ever shown when there's been well over 250 contestants. Even previous winners have regained a significant amount of weight.

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  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    It's a reality show made for entertainment purposes, not for educational purposes. No need to read too much into it. All reality and game shows dramatize and misrepresent. I don't think people are that stupid. Most know it's a show of extremes, and that trying to replicate what is done would be unrealistic. Some people derive value from the show despite of its issues, be it entertainment, motivation...etc, otherwise it wouldn't have been this successful at holding an audience for this many seasons.

    Personally, I find reality shows boring and the drama makes me roll my eyes. I do sometimes watch the odd episode when it's on and I have nothing else to do.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    Lourdesong wrote: »
    It's a terrible show. Fat people killing themselves for hours in the gym while some psychologist wannabe PT screams in their face and goads fat people to air their dirty laundry and mental issues on television for our entertainment.

    The weigh-in is ok. The lack of focus on diet, and the hyper focus on working out your body and your 'issues' is an annoying and tiresome spectacle.

    Totally agree with you. They need to focus more on diet.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    edited January 2016
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    susan100df wrote: »
    I let the shows stack on DVR and watch when I'm having one of those "this sucks, hate this" days when exercising. I tell myself that at least no one is screaming at me and I'm losing without that insanity.

    It puzzles me how those people can exercise the way they do. I understand their motivation but don't understand their endurance.

    Not saying that the exercise routines on that show are right or realistic - but re: the bold, most people who've never been through an actual, real life boot camp type experience (I'm talking military-style, not the "boot camp" fitness classes) don't realize that their limits are far beyond what they thought. When somebody is up in your face screaming at you and pushing you harder (and you don't have an easy way to just quit and walk out), most people are capable of a lot more than they thought possible, and a lot more than they've ever done. Not that you don't suffer in the process, but you learn a lot about yourself in that kind of environment.

    With that said, I'm not a fan of the show. They're not teaching sustainable weight loss habits and they focus too much on the drama, emotion and petty conflicts (like most reality shows do). It's more like a fat people freak show.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    endlessloser wrote: »
    Lourdesong wrote: »
    It's a terrible show. Fat people killing themselves for hours in the gym while some psychologist wannabe PT screams in their face and goads fat people to air their dirty laundry and mental issues on television for our entertainment.

    The weigh-in is ok. The lack of focus on diet, and the hyper focus on working out your body and your 'issues' is an annoying and tiresome spectacle.

    They actually do focus a lot on diet - just not on screen unfortunately, that's where they do need to improve (rather than the annoying jenny-o sponsor spots...) That does drive me nuts.

    Why is it not on screen? I could watch an episode or two that solely focus on diet and nutrition. Don't they have like 24 episode per season?
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    For being a so called "reality show", it is the complete opposite of what real life is.

    4-6 hours of exercising
    1200 caloric diet per day
    medical staff 24/7
    trainers everyday
  • Obnoxa
    Obnoxa Posts: 187 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    I don't think people are that stupid.

    You have way more faith in humanity than I do :D

    I watched a few episodes in the past, but I just couldn't get into it, its bogus and dramatic and unrealistic in my opinion.
  • PetiteInProgress
    PetiteInProgress Posts: 3 Member
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    1200 isn't unrealistic. To get a 500 calorie deficit and maintain a lb per week loss, I'm on 1200!
  • PetiteInProgress
    PetiteInProgress Posts: 3 Member
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    The constant exercise isn't something you could do if you had other things to do - namely work. But the diet is a healthy one.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited January 2016
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    PetiteInProgress wrote: »
    1200 isn't unrealistic. To get a 500 calorie deficit and maintain a lb per week loss, I'm on 1200!

    See, when you are on a 1200 calorie diet and burn 200 more through exercise, if you don't eat them back (to a total of 1400 calories which is very highly recommended) you are pushing it, but it's still relatively fine. Now when you are at a 1500 calorie deficit, AND burning at least 1200 calories a day without eating them back, that's basically like not eating at all. A 1200 diet in this case is anything but healthy.

    Actually I remember seeing a study done on biggest loser contestants that shows an extreme metabolic adaptation to where they were burning 500 calories less in average than they should have been at their new weight despite maintaining a good muscle mass. This kind of extreme adaptation is only seen in starving people, which biggest loser contestants practically were because their calorie intake did not account for the amount of exercise they do.
  • LHWhite903
    LHWhite903 Posts: 208 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    Actually I remember seeing a study done on biggest loser contestants that shows an extreme metabolic adaptation to where they were burning 500 calories less in average than they should have been at their new weight despite maintaining a good muscle mass. This kind of extreme adaptation is only seen in starving people, which biggest loser contestants practically were because their calorie intake did not account for the amount of exercise they do.

    That's why I've slowed down. I set mine to lose 1/2 a pound per week and I'm currently getting an allowance of 1440 net calories. I am so done with that happening to me like it did when I had the diet mentality of an anorexic and I'm pretty sure that watching the show would bring that mindset back.
  • KittyInBoots
    KittyInBoots Posts: 226 Member
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    i actually like watching this show as a form of motivation but I do have some issues with it.

    I have to agree with others, the biggest issue with it is they don't focus on the food part of it, which is the most important! They just say,"Ok, hit the gym!" and then it shows them wearing tight tops to emphasize every flab roll for the viewers' amusement. They do not show them eating less in comparison to exercise. The message it gives is, people are fat due to lack of exercise and as soon as you hit the gym you will lose it. This is why some people make fun of overweight people.

    Notice how they always zoom in on unpleasant parts too, like they are just walking to an event or something, and they will zoom in on their flabby backs and cellulite thighs, or when they are running they zoom in on somebody's flab bouncing around.

    The commercials are at annoying parts too at the weigh in. They get depressed if they "only" lose 8lbs a week and stuff. And too much time wasted on voting a person out. They sit there crying while they analyze why to vote them out. It makes me depressed lol.

    However, it is a lot better than some other stuff on tv these days!
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    PetiteInProgress wrote: »
    1200 isn't unrealistic. To get a 500 calorie deficit and maintain a lb per week loss, I'm on 1200!

    Depending on how big you are 1200 might be to low. All of these contestants on average are over 300 lbs. So 300 lbs person male or female 1200 is to low. That doesn't include exercising.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    I use to watch this show very long time ago. Now it's just becoming rediculious. It makes fun of fat people and portrays them as lazy. They make exercising like the magic bullet to losing g weight. For people who are obese like the contestants on the show. Exercising that much is dangerous.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    I would say focusing on your diet and gradually incorporating regular exercise regiment. But this idea doesn't get ratings lol.
  • pitcherday
    pitcherday Posts: 18 Member
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    You should not be pushed so hard you are getting stress fractures. Then basically be told to put some tape on and suck it up. I remember one episode where the teams had to create a meal under a certain number of calories and the best meal won an advantage. One team used butter because butter tastes better than butter flavored cooking spray. It was still under the calories, and the judges berated them for using real butter. It was like a tablespoon and the dish was supposed to be tasty. They acted like they used a pound of lard. They disqualified them for using butter. I would think it would have been a good thing, being able to have a little indulgence and still making a healthy meal. I can't imagine restricting my diet like that. I couldn't keep my weight off if certain foods were completely off limits, no matter what. Cooking spray grosses me out. I always use real oil from an oil sprayer. I'd be disqualified in five seconds.
  • 1cand0it2
    1cand0it2 Posts: 169 Member
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    I have never watched a full episode, and only a couple minutes the maybe 3 times I've glanced at it. Maybe I saw the wrong 2-minute segments, but it was cringe-inducing for me, watching people's real-life struggles being reduced to entertainment. Sad.
  • Ryan70286
    Ryan70286 Posts: 122 Member
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    I think it needs to be taken down, it exploits fat people and I read that 90% of the contestant either gain all the weight back or gain more weight. How could you say this show is successful in changing peoples lives. When 90% of the contestant gain back the weight? Yes, it is nice and motivating to see the contestant transform, but you have to look at this way. If you work out 4-6 hours a day and eat 1200 calories, you are going to lose weight no matter what.

    Losing weight needs to be a lifestyle change not temporarily changing your lifestyle and expecting the weight to not comeback.

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