What do we think of The Biggest Loser?

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  • northerngirl09
    northerngirl09 Posts: 14 Member
    We are a bit behind in the UK but I watched the last series aired here - usually while at the gym. I was so shocked to see the woman who won at the end (Rachel?) that it kind of made me see the programme in a different light.
  • charlieandcarol
    charlieandcarol Posts: 302 Member
    I find it interesting that one of the criticisms was that the show didn't show ordinary people and was just about weight loss and now that in Australia they have made it about transforming your life and showing cooking etc and included people who are overweight rather than morbidly obese and now nobody is watching it and it hsbeen demoted to day time tv.

    The other thing that happened is that one of the contestants who was definitely overweight, loads of people were on social media saying that this woman was not overweight and were outraged that she was on there, reflecting, I think, that so many of us are overweight that we don't even recognise it anymore.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    jelleigh wrote: »
    So I'm indulging in my guilty pleasure of watching The Biggest Loser (while eating a bowl of chips and salsa. Lol) and we all know this isn't real life. Few people can work out for at least 2 hrs per day with crazy good trainer and a controlled diet that's handed to you. And they have a lot to lose so pulling big numbers is doable. But seriously - people are creating over losing ONLY 6 lbs for the 6th week in a row. What do you think of this all? I love seeing the before/after of these folks - it makes it seem like drastic changes are possible for anyone. But at the same time it seems pretty realistic with such big losses being posted. What so you think - is the show inspiring or part of the problem of setting unrealistic expectations for people on their weight loss journey?

    Its tv. Its not reality. They can film for more than 7 days and put it in a weekly episode to help insure big weight loss #s because that makes it more exciting. Or they can film a short 'week' to showcase occasional 'bad' #s. Its not realistic.
  • omgstfualready
    omgstfualready Posts: 63 Member
    In the US there have been many reports of what is only able to be described as mental and emotional abuse. Off camera the contestants have said they were strongly urged to take pills they didn't know what they were but suspected it was for energy since they were encouraged to work out for EIGHT hours a day. Also they said trainers and producers warned them to push through all injury and ignore the doctor's advice to rest or risk being edited to look lazy. Some said the trainers would tell them how they'd die and their family wouldn't care because they were so fat and gross - basically the opposite of what was on the screen. Many afterwards said their metabolism basically stopped functioning and now can't take any weight off. It's all 'allegedly' since the contracts they sign won't allow them to speak openly without getting their butts sued off so the truth is only known to the contestants, trainers, and producers. That said I used to find it motivating and when I read that stuff and how consistent the reports were from people across multiple seasons, I don't find it motivating at all but very sad.
  • freshmama06
    freshmama06 Posts: 36 Member

    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    freshmama06 wrote: »
    I know someone who was on the show and has managed to keep the weight off. She exercises and eats at a deficit.

    That being said, I don't watch the show.

    One should eat at maintenance to keep the weight off...not a deficit...that's actually kinda *kitten* up.

    My mistake. Not deficit.

    What does "kitten" mean here? I've seen it so much and I'm at a loss.

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    It's garbage and they blatantly lie...guess what, a week isn't a week...reality tv isn't reality. They do a ton of unhealthy things because it's a competition...just google what many past contestants have to say and see how it has destroyed their lives and their bodies.

    ^ Never watched the show, but it's the opposite of healthy weight loss.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    freshmama06 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    freshmama06 wrote: »
    I know someone who was on the show and has managed to keep the weight off. She exercises and eats at a deficit.

    That being said, I don't watch the show.

    One should eat at maintenance to keep the weight off...not a deficit...that's actually kinda *kitten* up.

    My mistake. Not deficit.

    What does "kitten" mean here? I've seen it so much and I'm at a loss.

    It's the censor word for anything rude/unacceptable
  • omgstfualready
    omgstfualready Posts: 63 Member
    freshmama06 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    freshmama06 wrote: »
    I know someone who was on the show and has managed to keep the weight off. She exercises and eats at a deficit.

    That being said, I don't watch the show.

    One should eat at maintenance to keep the weight off...not a deficit...that's actually kinda *kitten* up.

    My mistake. Not deficit.

    What does "kitten" mean here? I've seen it so much and I'm at a loss.

    If you say bad words they edit it. So an a-hole is now *kitten* thanks to MFP.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,050 Member
    It's neat to see the changes, but many of the contestants workout more than 4 hours a day.

    Here's what you're NOT shown: 90% of the contestants REGAIN a significant amount of weight. No different than most of the statistics for any other diet plan. These contestants use the SHOW as their motivation because they put themselves out there. Once they are off the show and back to regular life (with the exception of some of the winners), they don't have as much of an incentive to do the same grueling workouts.

    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
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  • freshmama06
    freshmama06 Posts: 36 Member


    What does "kitten" mean here? I've seen it so much and I'm at a loss.

    [/quote]

    It's the censor word for anything rude/unacceptable [/quote]

    Thank you. I keep seeing it pop up and was so confused.
  • menotyou56
    menotyou56 Posts: 178 Member
    edited April 2017
    I think that show should be outlawed. It is a torture show for fat people, period.

    It teaches the viewers total lies about how to lose weight as well and 99% of the contestants gain back most of the weight they risked their lives to lose on that joke of a show.

    I have to believe many of those folks suffer life long bad effects and injuries to their health and well being after appearing on that show.

    How any trainer on that show can claim to be a professional after the garbage they subject their victims to on TBL is beyond me!
  • Geocitiesuser
    Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
    I did a one week stay at the biggest loser resort in Niagra NY.

    It. sucked.

    Calories were way too low. The personal trainers we amateur, and since we were in a group there was no individualized attention (despite it costing 3k for a week stay).

    Oh? And exercise? WALKING. All walking. There was nothing fun. They purposely built it so that there was no team sport or activity. The majority of everything was walking until your feet were blistered. It was horrible. I would never go back. I would never recommend it.

    I lost 126+ lbs on my own in better conditions with better food and more interesting exercise. Screw that place.
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