Welcome to Debate Club! Please be aware that this is a space for respectful debate, and that your ideas will be challenged here. Please remember to critique the argument, not the author.
Fat/Fit shows
rpkg62
Posts: 44 Member
What's your opinion on shows like Biggest Loser, My 600lbs Life, Super Sized vs Super Skinny?
Does it help motivate you? Is it discouraging? Neither? Super curious what other people think of these shows
Does it help motivate you? Is it discouraging? Neither? Super curious what other people think of these shows
1
Replies
-
I've actually exercised to My 600lb Life, Lol. I guess seeing them unhappy and trying to make a change motivates me. Am I the only one?13
-
I hate-watch My Big Fat Fabulous Life because it reminds me that there's nothing at all fabulous about obesity. That show is like a continual documentary of stuff that Whitney can't do and cries about.14
-
I actually find them motivating, because they remind me how i do not want to end up.5
-
I used to find them motivating until it was revealed that most of them gain it all back and sometimes more. Losing that much weight in that amount of time is not sustainable. It is not physically healthy and it cannot do much good for your psyche when you can't keep the results.
I have seen the one where the man works with people one on one and takes the weight loss over a year, which is still quick. However they are doing it while conducting the rest of their lives, not isolated at a camp.1 -
jennypapage wrote: »I actually find them motivating, because they remind me how i do not want to end up.
15 -
It is a mixed bag for me. On one hand, it can be motivating to see someone who maybe has the same issues as I work very hard to lose the weight but on the other hand, it does seem almost cruel that the shows helps them lose weight unsustainably and then let them fall back after the show leaves them. So I don't really watch these shows anymore.1
-
I don't find them motivating because I'm not that big, never been, never will be, so I can't relate.
The Kardashian show would have been more interesting here (that revenge body bs), sadly it's so focused on the Kardashian woman and lots of blah and boring styling bs I don't really care for and don't need to see people applying make up to other people's faces for 5 minutes, and to me it seems they don't really get in shape, only a bit.0 -
What's your opinion on shows like Biggest Loser, My 600lbs Life, Super Sized vs Super Skinny?
Does it help motivate you? Is it discouraging? Neither? Super curious what other people think of these shows
I love them all! I typically watch My 600 lb Life while at the gym. I love Whitney and her family from My Big Fat Fabulous Life, I do think she is fabulous! I have no problem with any of those shows, it's not as though the shows are being done without the participants permission.
1 -
Here's my stock answer:
In my opinion, it's a modern-day freakshow. I don't mean that to be unkind to the people involved in it, but that's the purpose of the people who make and produce these kinds of reality TV.
In today's freakshows you're not supposed to gape like yokels at the people on exhibit. That's so early 20th century. Instead you're supposed to be moved to pity, or outrage, or whatever emotion the producers wish to foster.
In my opinion, of course.22 -
What's your opinion on shows like Biggest Loser, My 600lbs Life, Super Sized vs Super Skinny?
Does it help motivate you? Is it discouraging? Neither? Super curious what other people think of these shows
I think shows like the Biggest Loser are horrible...if you read what many of the contestants talk about after the fact, it's really horrible...not to mention it is in no way "reality"...but it's a "reality show" so a lot of people think it is and the people who try to mimic that are idiots.
I've never seen 600 Lb life so can't comment...but my guess is that I wouldn't like it...never heard of Super Sized vs Super Skinny, but I wouldn't want to be either one of those things.3 -
Thanks for the input! Sometimes I enjoy these shows, but they are pretty unrealistic. I use to feel really discouraged, watching all the people lose weight so fast! Now that I have started to keep a steady slow pace of weight loss, it's hit me how unhealthy unrealistic these shows are. I still enjoy them though.0
-
Here's my stock answer:
In my opinion, it's a modern-day freakshow. I don't mean that to be unkind to the people involved in it, but that's the purpose of the people who make and produce these kinds of reality TV.
In today's freakshows you're not supposed to gape like yokels at the people on exhibit. That's so early 20th century. Instead you're supposed to be moved to pity, or outrage, or whatever emotion the producers wish to foster.
In my opinion, of course.
^^This^^ So much this. It takes a serious national problem and turns it into a spectacle to gawk at and shore up the esteem of viewers but assuages their conscience by saying "Look, we're helping these folks lose weight by heaping abuse on them in an unrealistic situation and system that they'll be unable to maintain once they leave us."
7 -
Neither for me. I just don't care for them because reality shows aren't entertaining to me (which is all they are, entertainment, no need to read too much into them).0
-
I've never seen one.1
-
SiegfriedXXL wrote: »Here's my stock answer:
In my opinion, it's a modern-day freakshow. I don't mean that to be unkind to the people involved in it, but that's the purpose of the people who make and produce these kinds of reality TV.
In today's freakshows you're not supposed to gape like yokels at the people on exhibit. That's so early 20th century. Instead you're supposed to be moved to pity, or outrage, or whatever emotion the producers wish to foster.
In my opinion, of course.
^^This^^ So much this. It takes a serious national problem and turns it into a spectacle to gawk at and shore up the esteem of viewers but assuages their conscience by saying "Look, we're helping these folks lose weight by heaping abuse on them in an unrealistic situation and system that they'll be unable to maintain once they leave us."
You can't place all the blame on the creators and producers though. Those people sign on and after how many years of the shows being on television now know what they're getting themselves into.1 -
And I should add I don't watch the shows for any kind of motivation or encouragement but in all honesty because I truly want to know how they came to be in their current situation so I can try and understand how people get to that point in their lives since it's baffling to me.7
-
BurlzGettingFit wrote: »SiegfriedXXL wrote: »Here's my stock answer:
In my opinion, it's a modern-day freakshow. I don't mean that to be unkind to the people involved in it, but that's the purpose of the people who make and produce these kinds of reality TV.
In today's freakshows you're not supposed to gape like yokels at the people on exhibit. That's so early 20th century. Instead you're supposed to be moved to pity, or outrage, or whatever emotion the producers wish to foster.
In my opinion, of course.
^^This^^ So much this. It takes a serious national problem and turns it into a spectacle to gawk at and shore up the esteem of viewers but assuages their conscience by saying "Look, we're helping these folks lose weight by heaping abuse on them in an unrealistic situation and system that they'll be unable to maintain once they leave us."
You can't place all the blame on the creators and producers though. Those people sign on and after how many years of the shows being on television now know what they're getting themselves into.
I thought that comment was placing most of the blame on the people watching.
Watchers motivate advertisers, who fund and energize creators and producers, which results in more of this manipulated, unrealistic, unhealthful, voyeuristically-slanted nonsense being available for viewers. Even if the participants sign on with full knowledge - people will do anything for money, judging from the scope of reality shows in general - I'm not an enthusiast.
At first, I watched 'Biggest Loser' when it was first on, until I heard how the participants were being manipulated and used, and understood what a bad example the show was for average people. We see folks posting here regularly who think they're losing weight "so slowly" at 2-3 pounds a week, and think they have to starve themselves and exercise like maniacs, or they're failures.
So wrong, in so many ways. But JMO. I'd rather spend my time on something positive or productive.11 -
I was over 'reality' TV almost as soon as it started but it just won't go away. I assume it's cheaper to produce, and since millions of people still lap it up, why should the networks change a winning formula? I watched a few seasons of The Amazing Race but other than that prefer my television viewing to be purely fiction, not fiction dressed up as truth of some perverted sort.5
-
I used to watch BL mainly for Alison Sweeney, Bob and Jillian but I'm not too keen on the format of the show. The only show like it that I do like is Chris Powell's extreme weight loss, because it's done over a full year and people still have to work/go to school/take care of their kids while at it. It's obviously still "extreme" but I feel like Chris attempts to really deal with all aspects of the journey, the mental and the physical bit.2
-
I watch My 600lb life like a horror movie, me yelling at the tv "no..no don't go in there its not safe..close the damn fridge". Its inspiring, frustrating, funny, nerve wracking....good entertainment. I used to watch SS vs SS solely for the low key mukbangs.3
-
I know unless you are really sick, morbidly obese or going through a deep depression where your appetite lessens, losing 4 or more pounds a week is unrealistic and very unhealthy, but I do find the biggest loser still motivating even though I know a lot of the stuff that goes on on the show is as fictional as Buffy the vampire slayer if not more so.
600lb life is more realistic to me in their drastic weight loss because they have so much to lose and they need to actually lose between 5 to 10lbs a week in the beginning.
And extreme weight loss I think I like the most because most of the contestants are shown to be losing the weight within a year versus 4 or 5 months on biggest loser and they are home dealing with real life stuff the whole time.
But reality shows are still just that...a show so a lot of what goes on is going to be scripted and I don't expect for everything to be real. You can't go into it thinking it's reality but just fun entertaining stuff.1 -
My wife and I are My 600lbs Life junkies. It's like Scared Straight for us LOL. I always pull for the folks and then get pissed at them when they fudge the diet. Then I look in the mirror and say, well what about you, hmm??
Biggest Loser is one of the worse reality shows on TV IMO. It should be forced off the air. I can't believe no one has died on that show yet. I bet you many of those folks received life long injuries from their time on that fat shaming show. Its soooooo unrealistic its laughable. Teaches the total opposite of everything a person wanting to lose weight should do!2 -
I think these weight loss shows are looking for ratings under the guise of education. Same goes for shows that film people who have hoarding disorder. The people they record are brave considering they know their private stories will be made public. Maybe it's a last resort for them, or it's free help, but I wonder how many of them are harassed by strangers or neighbors after the show is aired. I go online and see people making gross and cruel comments about people on these type of shows. Reflects how people are willing to feel superior and kick someone when they are down. It also seems like public shaming in a sense. Very sad.3
-
Annoying, mindnumbingly stupid, and frustratingly addictive.4
-
Here's my stock answer:
In my opinion, it's a modern-day freakshow. I don't mean that to be unkind to the people involved in it, but that's the purpose of the people who make and produce these kinds of reality TV.
In today's freakshows you're not supposed to gape like yokels at the people on exhibit. That's so early 20th century. Instead you're supposed to be moved to pity, or outrage, or whatever emotion the producers wish to foster.
In my opinion, of course.
This is how I feel about it. I don't find the shows inspiring. But everyone loves a freak show and it makes you feel like "well at least I'm not THAT bad." When I first saw my fat fabulous life I watched a bunch of them because I felt good that at least I'm not Whitney who does nothing but make excuses. Then I realized that if everything about her down to her voice annoys me I shouldn't watch the show just because it makes me feel better about myself.
Like there was one episode where she rode like two miles on a bike and it was a huge accomplishment for her. And I thought, wow it's really not hard to ride two miles, I can ride 30 miles! But how does that help me? It leads me to believe I'm in better shape than I actually am and I'm never going to better myself if all I do is compare myself to some slob who makes excuses.2 -
I LOVE watching my 600 lb life! It drives me nuts though when the people think the surgery will do everything for them and they don't have to make an effort. I wish in one episode Dr. N would have the person lose 50 lbs (like usual) for the surgery but then say another 50, and another and so on. I yell at the screen a lot when the people say "I can't lose weight" I'm like "you just lost like 50lbs!!!"2
-
I've never watched them. They don't interest me.2
-
I LOVE watching my 600 lb life! It drives me nuts though when the people think the surgery will do everything for them and they don't have to make an effort. I wish in one episode Dr. N would have the person lose 50 lbs (like usual) for the surgery but then say another 50, and another and so on. I yell at the screen a lot when the people say "I can't lose weight" I'm like "you just lost like 50lbs!!!"
i always wonder why none of these people ever back down from the surgery after they lose those 50lbs before the surgery. Obviously they can do it, with the surgery done they will still have to follow a miserable diet for the rest of their lives,possible surgery complications, and regaining the weight is always a big possibility.So, when they see that they can lose weight if they stick with it, and they can move a bit easier,why not postpone the surgery and try on their own? Unless there are people,but they don't air the episodes.2 -
I looooove Supersize vs. Superskinny, because I'm like, "well I eat *kitten* but I don't eat THAT much *kitten*."
Also a girl from my school (who was enormous and continues to be enormous) was on there with her mum.1
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 176K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 431 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions