What do we think of The Biggest Loser?
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The show is completely unrealistic and people who are prone to believing everything they see on TV (or read online) shouldn't watch it. However, I believe no one. I love watching BL while I'm doing a long session on my stationary bike or elliptical.0
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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.3
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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.3 -
I have always felt that show to be to the detriment of the participants. They strive actively to lose unhealthy amounts of weight in a ridiculously short time period. This show is nothing more than a ringmaster cracking the whip on the backs of the performing animals. I don't know if this show is even still around or if they just show re-runs. I watched the first season and half of the next then I was done. I caught glimpses as my husband watched long after I tired of the horror.1
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I just read something about this show yesterday. How it permanently changes people's metabolism (and not for the better), how some of the trainers were giving their clients caffeine pills to keep them working out longer. Some of the trainers are absolute a**holes when the cameras were off. Sounds like virtually all the contestants gain the weight back. Apparently they have no idea how to keep up their progress when their trainers are no longer around. TV networks shouldn't be airing shows like this. They're dangerous.1
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I have always felt that show to be to the detriment of the participants. They strive actively to lose unhealthy amounts of weight in a ridiculously short time period. This show is nothing more than a ringmaster cracking the whip on the backs of the performing animals. I don't know if this show is even still around or if they just show re-runs. I watched the first season and half of the next then I was done. I caught glimpses as my husband watched long after I tired of the horror.
I liked the early seasons because I liked seeing the weight loss. But even then I found it frustrating that they didn't talk in detail about the process, about the diet changes and how they ate, about something other than the unrealistic work out all the time and be yelled at and cry, that they didn't really get into the "how I gained and how I plan to maintain" vs. the stupid myth that people all get fat because of trauma and lose when they break down on camera and let it out.
I'd enjoy a longer-term show (check in monthly or something) that focused on the more practical things and went on for a year or some such, but of course they don't think (probably correctly) that that would be as good for ratings, and it would be too expensive.4 -
I have enjoyed watching the show - although I am not a regular viewer but I think it gives people completely ridiculous unrealistic expectations. Those people are exercising for many hours a day and cutting calories to an unhealthy level while doing it. I believe I also read they also dehydrate before weighing. Then people come to MFP cut 250 calories from their diet and exercise for 15 minutes and cry that they aren't losing 20lbs a week.0
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yellingkimber wrote: »
There was one episode that absolutely killed my love for the show, though. It happened towards the middle-end of the season. They threw all of the contestants in a dark room with different pedestals of treats. One would have cake, one would have cookies, one would have donuts. There was some sort advantage to being the person that ate the most calories out of anyone in the room. The contestants were standing there. Some were shaking. Some were crying. They were legitimately scared of eating the junk. I think there was maybe one contestant (I think an older woman) that had the healthy mindset of "I don't want to eat that" instead of "I can't eat that and I will die if I eat that".
Yeah, it kind of jumped the shark for me at that point, too. That being said, I don't have a problem with the intensity of their workout schedules or with borderline unhealthy practices they followed while on the show. They're grown-ups, they can choose to participate or not. And I'm sure they were compensated for their time. (Gee, months of one-on-one personal training, access to a 24-hour private gym, with no rent due or work or family commitments? Sign me right up!)
While we're on the subject of reality tv programs showcasing unhealthy weightloss, anyone watch the last season of Alone?
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Ya I haven't been a faithful watcher either. Just a show here or there. I just recently started watching an earlier season called Challenge America. It's where they were trying to fight childhood obesity and had a few kids on the show. I was worried that they were going to break these kids but all in all I've been impressed with the messaging they are giving them. Eat healthier. Move more. Do things you enjoy. Positive body image. Be motivated to be fit for your health, not your looks. They don't weigh the kids ever but they did do a fitness test at the beginning so they could compare their progress.
I haven't heard of Alone @RunningOnWontons . Is it any good? What's the premise?0 -
I always used to watch it when it was on TV in the UK but with horror that anyone would put themselves through such a program. There is no chance I would never put myself through such crazyness. I would have probably punched one of the trainers within the first week if I got treated like the contestants do.0
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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.0
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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.1 -
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.0 -
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.0
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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.
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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.0 -
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/unacceptable0 -
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.1 -
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
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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What does "kitten" mean here? I've seen it so much and I'm at a loss.
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It's the censor word for anything rude/unacceptable [/quote]
Thank you. I keep seeing it pop up and was so confused.0
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