Cracked - 5 details they cut from The Biggest Loser

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http://www.cracked.com/article_21137_5-details-they-cut-from-my-season-the-biggest-loser.html

Not sure if this belongs here, but it's a pretty interesting read. They talk about all the stuff the contestants were made to do, and its effects on their physical and mental well-being. Basically DON'T do any of the stuff they do on that show!

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  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
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    bump to read at home!
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
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    Cracked has some good ones. Another good one was the experience of one of the writers being a model for a weight loss program.

    http://www.cracked.com/article_21211_5-shocking-realities-behind-ads-weight-loss-products.html

    I was skeptical of them before but this personal account of how it was done (at least for this one program and undoubtedly others) just confirmed it.

    "I lost 25 lbs in two weeks." Takes on a whole new perspective.
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
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    Wow! Thanks for posting this. I knew that show was seriously effed up, but not how badly.
  • tabbyblack13
    tabbyblack13 Posts: 299 Member
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    I'm going to have to take a look at this later.
  • lessertess
    lessertess Posts: 855 Member
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    I will never understand the public fascination with this show. I consider it to be a public health threat. How can people be inspired by watching people being treated like like sub-humans and humiliated for not acting super-human? Not to mention supportng the notion that the most important consideration in your health is how much you weigh? The inherent sexism in how they present women and men, the message that you don't deserve respect unless you're thin, the deliberate endangerment of someone's health, even if they're complicate......it's all unacceptable. All of this to make a lot of money for a lot of unscrupulous people who have no problems dupping the public if they're stupid enought to buy into it. Additionally, who are these nut-jobs who watch these shows and post death threats if someone isn't meeting up with their expectations? It's crazy! They need to be committed.

    I don't watch the show and I do not purchase ANY products that are advertised or supported by the show or anyone on it.
  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
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    I will never understand the public fascination with this show. I consider it to be a public health threat. How can people be inspired by watching people being treated like like sub-humans and humiliated for not acting super-human? Not to mention supportng the notion that the most important consideration in your health is how much you weigh? The inherent sexism in how they present women and men, the message that you don't deserve respect unless you're thin, the deliberate endangerment of someone's health, even if they're complicate......it's all unacceptable. All of this to make a lot of money for a lot of unscrupulous people who have no problems dupping the public if they're stupid enought to buy into it. Additionally, who are these nut-jobs who watch these shows and post death threats if someone isn't meeting up with their expectations? It's crazy! They need to be committed.

    I don't watch the show and I do not purchase ANY products that are advertised or supported by the show or anyone on it.


    OMG not this *kitten* again. This was just posted.

    1) Nowhere on the show is anyone treated "sub-human." They have trainers that push people to their limits. You can learn a lot about yourself by being pushed.

    2) When you're 400-500 lbs, the most important consideration to your health is how much you weigh. It's not about vanity. The people WHO SIGN UP for this show are morbidly obese and desperately need help in losing weight.

    3) Sexism?? ...Ugh...please.

    4) Endangerment of their health? As if being 450 lbs isn't a clear and present danger to someone's health? It's more dangerous to work towards losing weight while being on a health resort with the requisite number of doctors on site keeping track of your vitals day in/day out?

    5) I'm apparently stupid enough to buy it. I like watching the show. I find it inspiring. I find it hard to tell myself I'm too "achy" to go to the gym when I watch a 400 lb person do it day in and day out.

    6) If you don't watch the show, how do you know which products are supported and or advertised on the show in order for you to get on your high horse and boycott them?

    If watching a morbidly obese person lose weight, deal with their eating issues, become healthier and end up being who they want to be makes you uncomfortable, perhaps it says more about you than it says about the show.
  • kbeloved
    kbeloved Posts: 67 Member
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    I read this too! It's crazy I can't/can believe how terrible this show is. This show is definitely promoting unrealistic and unhealthy approaches to weight loss. I love cracked! they have the best articles.
  • glickman1
    glickman1 Posts: 87 Member
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    thats how reality shows work
    Are you saying you didn't expect something like this?
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
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    thats how reality shows work
    Are you saying you didn't expect something like this?

    Are you saying there aren't people who believe it hook line and sinker?

    Pro tip: Your view and understanding of the world is not shared by everyone else on the planet as evidenced by your threads today.
  • TheStephil
    TheStephil Posts: 858 Member
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    I will never understand the public fascination with this show. I consider it to be a public health threat. How can people be inspired by watching people being treated like like sub-humans and humiliated for not acting super-human? Not to mention supportng the notion that the most important consideration in your health is how much you weigh? The inherent sexism in how they present women and men, the message that you don't deserve respect unless you're thin, the deliberate endangerment of someone's health, even if they're complicate......it's all unacceptable. All of this to make a lot of money for a lot of unscrupulous people who have no problems dupping the public if they're stupid enought to buy into it. Additionally, who are these nut-jobs who watch these shows and post death threats if someone isn't meeting up with their expectations? It's crazy! They need to be committed.

    I don't watch the show and I do not purchase ANY products that are advertised or supported by the show or anyone on it.


    OMG not this *kitten* again. This was just posted.

    1) Nowhere on the show is anyone treated "sub-human." They have trainers that push people to their limits. You can learn a lot about yourself by being pushed.

    2) When you're 400-500 lbs, the most important consideration to your health is how much you weigh. It's not about vanity. The people WHO SIGN UP for this show are morbidly obese and desperately need help in losing weight.

    3) Sexism?? ...Ugh...please.

    4) Endangerment of their health? As if being 450 lbs isn't a clear and present danger to someone's health? It's more dangerous to work towards losing weight while being on a health resort with the requisite number of doctors on site keeping track of your vitals day in/day out?

    5) I'm apparently stupid enough to buy it. I like watching the show. I find it inspiring. I find it hard to tell myself I'm too "achy" to go to the gym when I watch a 400 lb person do it day in and day out.

    6) If you don't watch the show, how do you know which products are supported and or advertised on the show in order for you to get on your high horse and boycott them?

    If watching a morbidly obese person lose weight, deal with their eating issues, become healthier and end up being who they want to be makes you uncomfortable, perhaps it says more about you than it says about the show.

    Did you bother reading the article before you jumped to the defense of the show?
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    I will never understand the public fascination with this show. I consider it to be a public health threat. How can people be inspired by watching people being treated like like sub-humans and humiliated for not acting super-human? Not to mention supportng the notion that the most important consideration in your health is how much you weigh? The inherent sexism in how they present women and men, the message that you don't deserve respect unless you're thin, the deliberate endangerment of someone's health, even if they're complicate......it's all unacceptable. All of this to make a lot of money for a lot of unscrupulous people who have no problems dupping the public if they're stupid enought to buy into it. Additionally, who are these nut-jobs who watch these shows and post death threats if someone isn't meeting up with their expectations? It's crazy! They need to be committed.

    I don't watch the show and I do not purchase ANY products that are advertised or supported by the show or anyone on it.

    No one forces people to be contestants on that show. Rumors have circulated since the beginning and people still apply.

    Shouldn't the contestants share in some of the blame? No one forces them to apply and no one forces them to stay.
  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
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    Did you bother reading the article before you jumped to the defense of the show?

    I DID in fact read the article. I read it two days ago when it was posted here. Did you bother to read the article or my responses?

    Let's see...just what is it about this article that highlights how "awful" the show is....

    hmmm. Oh, that's right, she's mad that she was "locked" up and had to remain on campus throughout the entirety of the show....THAT WAS THE FRIGGIN' POINT!!!!!

    Oh, here's another valid complaint....She's mad that the romances that developed on screen weren't portrayed....Ummm.. It's a weight loss show, not "The Bachelor."

    Wait, wait, here's the best one yet. They gave her a challenge to run and instead she decided to walk....then she was mad at the fact they portrayed her as being lazy and not being able to finish.


    Yea.... All those things are truly horrible. Shame on NBC for not making the show more kind to her.
  • VoodooSyxx
    VoodooSyxx Posts: 297
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    I agree this show has some issues but seriously, this article is stupid.

    1. It's in Cracked and not a real publication for a reason.

    2. Nobody who watches this show is interested in seeing two large people porking in the bushes. Just no.

    3. She claims that the 12 pound numbers are actually over a span of 3 weeks. That would be 4 pounds a week. Not exactly hard to accomplish for us big folk. And frankly if she legit put in 6 hours a day for a week working out and had anything less to show for it, she is phoning it in.