TV shows such as BL and Losing w/Jillian

jrich1

I was having a discussion on Facebook on the Losing it with Jillian page about the unrealistic expections of the people on the shows losing 50-55lbs+ in just 8 weeks and shows like The Biggest Loser that the people lose 8-10lbs a week, that this sets an unrealistic image to what weight loss should be, and it can actually discourage the average person trying to lose weight.
Any thoughts, agree or disagree?

diet45

I think the average is 2 lbs a week. I have always heard that if you lose too much too fast you will just gain it back.

Thick80

I was thinking the same thing when I watched Jillian last night. Everything I read says 2 lbs. a week is the max to lose safely but on these shows they lose 5 times that sometimes. It makes me less excited about losing 1-2 lbs in a week when I see that!

jrich1

I think the average is 2 lbs a week. I have always heard that if you lose too much too fast you will just gain it back.

The people last night on losing it with Jillian lost 50-55lbs in 8 weeks, and it had a sound byte during the montage of the kid on the show saying he was mad at himself for only losing 3lbs in one week...

Melis25Fit

I agree. Those shows motivate and depress me at the same time. LOL. I still like them because they give you good ideas for working out, and also teach you to push yourself. It also shows that LARGE people can do it, and can be successful!

melodyg

It doesn't discourage me because I know that is not normal... not to mention I *know* I'm not working as hard as they are! I don't watch just because Jillian annoys me! I have known people who have been in "Biggest Loser" competitions (under doctor supervision) who have lost the amounts of weight on the show... but I also know they were working much harder than the average person is able to do to do so!

georgette70

After watching Losing it with Jillian Michaels last nite, I have been thinking about what motivates the family members to lose the 40-50 lbs in the 8 week period. I wondered if they only receive the $50,000 IF they lose the weight. If so, isn't she then essentially paying people to lose weight??? I don't find the shows discouraging based on the amount of weight lost in a short period of time...I' m quite happy going at my own pace. Having said that, I might pick up the pace if offered a huge sum of money in 8 weeks!!

lilmissy2

Agreed! To be honest, I can't help but wonder if there is something a bit dodgy about the show like maybe it is filmed over a longer period than they let on.

The reason I say that is that in the early seasons (sorry I am referring to the Australian version) people started with a weight loss of about 5-6kg in the first week which you would almost expect when someone very overweight begins an intense program but after that they were losing 2-3kg per week which I think is reasonable considering how much exercise they are doing.

Then in later seasons they are all losing 6-15kg per week! That just seems insane and not really physically possible. I mean ok, you could be losing water but then at some point you would rebound.

Whether it is an honest show or not, the weight loss amounts are motivating at first then very unmotivating when you can't achieve that. I think it's disgusting that they get on the scales and only lose say 4kg (that's a lot!!) for the week and then the trainer gives them a pep talk on how to better their 'slow' weight loss.

khk2010

How they can lose so much in one week really confuses me. They can't be consuming 1200 calories, can they? I also wonder if they end up with more excess skin because of the rapid weight loss. I thought losing slowly helps prevent that somewhat. (that's what I'm hoping anyway.)


On another note they really seem happy at the end and I like watching the last show.

AZDee

Funny that you should mention that, as this morning when I went to weigh myself and found that I had not lost any weight, thought I should find out about her website and see if I can get some of those results or check and see if any one from mfp is following her program since it costs money to do so.....Thinking maybe that's what I need. Or maybe after watching all those shows on TV I am setting myself up for failure. These stars on these types of shows also sell things, so sometimes it's hard to know if it's something that will help us, or just their bank accounts. We have always heard about too rapid weight loss and the regaining of it. I'm not so much wanting rapid weight loss, just some weight loss... For me it's not in the food I'm eating or exercise as much as how over the decades of dieting I have killed my metabolism and I know she deals with that sort of stuff.......

jrich1

After watching Losing it with Jillian Michaels last nite, I have been thinking about what motivates the family members to lose the 40-50 lbs in the 8 week period. I wondered if they only receive the $50,000 IF they lose the weight. If so, isn't she then essentially paying people to lose weight??? I don't find the shows discouraging based on the amount of weight lost in a short period of time...I' m quite happy going at my own pace. Having said that, I might pick up the pace if offered a huge sum of money in 8 weeks!!

They basically are paid 50k to be on the show

georgette70

After watching Losing it with Jillian Michaels last nite, I have been thinking about what motivates the family members to lose the 40-50 lbs in the 8 week period. I wondered if they only receive the $50,000 IF they lose the weight. If so, isn't she then essentially paying people to lose weight??? I don't find the shows discouraging based on the amount of weight lost in a short period of time...I' m quite happy going at my own pace. Having said that, I might pick up the pace if offered a huge sum of money in 8 weeks!!

They basically are paid 50k to be on the show

Do they get the 50K regardless of weight loss or do they need to ensure they meet their weight loss committment?

jrich1

After watching Losing it with Jillian Michaels last nite, I have been thinking about what motivates the family members to lose the 40-50 lbs in the 8 week period. I wondered if they only receive the $50,000 IF they lose the weight. If so, isn't she then essentially paying people to lose weight??? I don't find the shows discouraging based on the amount of weight lost in a short period of time...I' m quite happy going at my own pace. Having said that, I might pick up the pace if offered a huge sum of money in 8 weeks!!

I was reading online about one of the former BL contestant "claiming" that the biggest loser pushes the people into dehydation and injury and I think she even said that some of the weighins were actually longer than a week and the show is greatly fabricated... interesting perspective

jrich1

After watching Losing it with Jillian Michaels last nite, I have been thinking about what motivates the family members to lose the 40-50 lbs in the 8 week period. I wondered if they only receive the $50,000 IF they lose the weight. If so, isn't she then essentially paying people to lose weight??? I don't find the shows discouraging based on the amount of weight lost in a short period of time...I' m quite happy going at my own pace. Having said that, I might pick up the pace if offered a huge sum of money in 8 weeks!!

They basically are paid 50k to be on the show

Do they get the 50K regardless of weight loss or do they need to ensure they meet their weight loss committment?

So far everyone has met the goal and has gotten the money, so no way to know for sure

NewImprovedCnbethea1

I love both shows and it doesn't bother me that they lose those numbers each week it actually motivates me because I know that if I had the time and dedication like them I would get those same results however since I don't I should atleast push hard to hit the 2lbs a week which is a healthy realistic loss. Any of us can lose those rapid numbers and keep it off it's just the matter of determination. Because as you see many of them keep it off and there are a few that put it all back on that will be the same for all of us doing it the slow and steady way as well some will keep it off and unfortunately some will put it back on!!!!

PixieGoddess

How they can lose so much in one week really confuses me. They can't be consuming 1200 calories, can they? I also wonder if they end up with more excess skin because of the rapid weight loss. I thought losing slowly helps prevent that somewhat. (that's what I'm hoping anyway.)


On another note they really seem happy at the end and I like watching the last show.

Oh, I can tell you "how" - THEY DON'T HAVE LIVES!! If you didn't go to work, spend time with family or friends, or have to clean house or run errands (the list goes on) and JUST worked out ALL DAY, you'd also lose significantly more than you are now when you're having to juggle your life and time. Having your meals restricted and planned for you prob'ly helps too....

susiewusie

I never realised they got paid for it ,just thought the winner got the prize money ,they lose a huge amount every week as all they seem to do is exercise like maniacs from they get up until they go to bed on BL ,have to say I love watching it .
I dont like the UK version as much as the American one .

jrich1

I never realised they got paid for it ,just thought the winner got the prize money ,they lose a huge amount every week as all they seem to do is exercise like maniacs from they get up until they go to bed on BL ,have to say I love watching it .
I dont like the UK version as much as the American one .

I dont know if BL people get paid, but on LWJ the family gets 50k at the end of an episode

NewImprovedCnbethea1

After watching Losing it with Jillian Michaels last nite, I have been thinking about what motivates the family members to lose the 40-50 lbs in the 8 week period. I wondered if they only receive the $50,000 IF they lose the weight. If so, isn't she then essentially paying people to lose weight??? I don't find the shows discouraging based on the amount of weight lost in a short period of time...I' m quite happy going at my own pace. Having said that, I might pick up the pace if offered a huge sum of money in 8 weeks!!

From my understanding they are unaware of the prize so they are just motivated to lose the weight!!!

cnance

I dont know if BL people get paid, but on LWJ the family gets 50k at the end of an episode

BL contestants actually get paid per episode. So a person like Daris last season gets a healthy nest egg even though he didn't technically 'win' any money. (I have connections with a good friend of Daris that was even in a few scenes with him last season.)

candican

I don't think anything's wrong with it as long as the shows are responsible in highlighting the amount of work they are putting into it. Most of us don't have 5-8 hours a day to exercise! Once the viewers are cognizant of that, they can do the math.

princesspurple

I would say that if I knew America will be watching me in 8 weeks, I would work much harder than I do now!
1-2 lbs a week is safe, but if you have a lot to lose, you could lose a bit more every week! If you change your eating/exercising habits, ANYTHING can happen!
Why bother putting the shows down, let them inspire you:) I do.....

jackpotclown

I find it interesting how people look at this from a negative perspective.....and no I'm not here to defend either show (haven't watched losing it w/jillian but can already gather what's going on there).

What I can say is that the weight loss for these people is somewhat secondary to the emotional damage that each of them have faced because of their weight, childhood, upbringing, etc. I find that to be a bigger triumph than the weight loss alone. I always thought the main idea of the show is to show people that if you work hard enough and try, anyone can lose the weight. It's true, these people had no outside lives to interfere with their weight loss journeys. They probably spent in excess of 6 to 8 hours a day working out. I'll bet if any one of us had that kind of free time, we'd pull similar numbers, especially in a controlled and monitored environment (doctors, trainers, everything facilitated). I'm sure there were people who used dehydration just as well as over (hyper) hydration to fluctuate the numbers because people still treated it like a game......it was a game, but the reality is you'll get more out of people when you make them comptete (have something to strive for). In the end though, these people still looked and felt a lot better about themselves. I look at the show as a motivator because even though I know I'm in range for where I want to be, I won't want to fall into the trap and gain the weight back.....because you never forget what it took to get you there, much less want to have to go through it again.

ANewLucia

Haven't had a chance to watch Jillian's show yet, but, I absolutely love BL!!! We all know what is normal for the avg person to loose. These shows are not the norm. It is ispiring and motivating to say the least. As Jackpotclown stated, they deal with a bit more then weightloss. I tell you whenever BL is on, I am on my elliptical for the entire show...it motivatest me tremendously!!!

lotusfromthemud

Agreed! To be honest, I can't help but wonder if there is something a bit dodgy about the show like maybe it is filmed over a longer period than they let on.

There is, at least in the case of The Biggest Loser, a "week" on the ranch is often 10-14 days. Also, it is a contest for money, and you know the producers can't watch people 24/7. According to veterans of the show, a LOT of dodgy things (dehydration, seriously undereating/overexercising) is going on.

I tried to watch Jillian's show, but it angered me so much in the first five minutes I had to change the channel. She was screaming and humiliating a woman (who was a young widow) in front of her two young children. That's not "inspiration" that is abuse!

I used to find The Biggest Loser inspiring, but now I just worry that the average American will quit because they're not losing double digits every "week".

Sorry, that was opinionated.:ohwell:

jenhodges13

I enjoy watching those shows, but do think that they set up unrealistic expectations for overweight people. I've lost a ton of weight, but didn't do it in 16 weeks. No, it took me 2 years. And I still have a lot of excess skin to contend with.

The contestants on TBL (from what I've read) eat around 1200 calories per day, but burn a MINIMUM of 8,000 calories per day. So when you look at those numbers, it's not hard to see how someone can have a 10lb or greater loss in one week.

simona1972

I love BL but I'm not a fan of her new show. I guess it's because with BL I know the workouts are a full time job and the eating part is restrictive. With her new show there's very little info on the regime these people are on. I watched it a few times - 1st episode and caught the end of last nights episode and I get depressed thinking that these people are losing 50lbs in 2 months and I can't seem to go beyond 1-2lbs a week. I know that's healthier but like most people I want results now.

princesspurple

For the people not thinking these could be slightly realistic .....what about the exercise videos....'results are not typical' but do you stop trying them?!?!?!?

AZDee

If the contestanst are burning min of 8000 calories a day, there simply isn't enough time to eat and they must feel pretty sick from all that working out....I know it looks like they are working out all day when we watch the 1 hour show, but I guess they pretty much are doing so even when the cameras are not rolling. Last month the show came to my town for tryouts, several reasons I would not tryout the first being, I know I could not do those workouts! They deserve the results they get, but what a shame the show sets them up the failure in the long run. many regain since it's not a realistic lifestyle. Oh well it's just for ratings anyway... and seeing someones weightloss is inspiring. They should just have a show that highlights peoples before and after pics, we all love to see those!

pajamamama

I was having a discussion on Facebook on the Losing it with Jillian page about the unrealistic expections of the people on the shows losing 50-55lbs+ in just 8 weeks and shows like The Biggest Loser that the people lose 8-10lbs a week, that this sets an unrealistic image to what weight loss should be, and it can actually discourage the average person trying to lose weight.
Any thoughts, agree or disagree?

I think this every time I watch the show. It almost makes me not want to watch it and is kind of turning me off to JM.

bugs759

I think typically people are eating much more than 1200 cal per day. Men in the 2200 range and women probably more like 1800.....but they are burning way more calories per day.....and they need the extra calories for fuel. In the case of BL those people are working out 8 hours a day or more......that's all they do. Have not watched the new Jillian show.

And yes it is unrealistic to judge what you do at home by the people on BL......they are essentially "working" on losing the weight. We are here working, having families, dealing with everyday life. It is reasonable to lose 1-2 lbs a week.