Sport dietician's take on "the biggest loser"
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mimielle
Posts: 44 Member
The Athlete's Kitchen
Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
As I write this article, I'm watching The Biggest Loser on TV. Many people have been asking my opinion of this popular show, so I feel obliged to scream out: It's terrible! It’s horrible! It's abusive! I also feel like throwing my shoe at the TV. Here’s why—
The messages in The Biggest Loser are all about deprivation, denial, starvation, and punishment. Exercise is akin to torture. Food is the fattening enemy. The participants use sheer willpower to white-knuckle themselves through each grueling day. They are praised if they lose ten pounds in a week (as if they are now better people), scorned if they lose only two (as if they are scum of the earth), and ridiculed if the scale barely moves. The participants get no credit for having inner beauty that shines from the inside out, nor do they get treated as if they are decent people with tender feelings. The scale is the sole judge of their worthiness.
Right now on the TV, one contestant is yelling at another one for having failed to lose enough weight for their team to stay in the contest. It's an ugly segment, as if the successful loser is superior to the other one. I doubt that. Being able to endure starvation is not a sign of superiority. Now, another contestant is getting applauded and praised for having lost an outrageous amount of weight—14 pounds in a week. Everyone thinks that is just great, as if the man is now a success. Yes, he might be fitter and healthier, but losing weight does not make anyone a better father, son, mother, or daughter. Same person, same problems that may have got him there in the first place.
What happens in the long run, when the Biggest Losers return to the real world with no personal trainer to snap the whip, with no pre-made, pre-portioned food, and no “fat camp” dedicated to full time weight loss? Inevitably, without rigid vigilance, the weight will return with a vengeance. The physiological response to starvation is to overcompensate (commonly known as “binge eating” or “blowing the diet”). This desire to over-eat has little to do with willpower and lots to do with physiology. Just as a person gasps for air if oxygen has been withheld, the same person will grab for carbs if food has been withheld.
The unfortunate message perpetuated by The Biggest Loser is “eating is cheating.” False. Eating satisfies a physiological requirement for food. Just as people need to sleep, urinate, and breathe, they also need to fuel their bodies, ideally with appropriate portions of healthful foods. Yet, you don’t need to eat a “perfect” diet to have a good diet. There's little harm in enjoying a slice of pizza or piece of birthday cake. The E in eating should stand for Enjoyment, not for Excruciating hunger.
The E in Exercise should also stand for Enjoyment. When exercise feels like punishment for having undesirable body fat, the day will come when that dieter no longer feels like whipping his or her body into shape and instead reverts to lazing on the couch. The Biggest Losers lose-out in the long run, because extreme diets (either on TV or in your life) teach nothing about sustainable eating and exercise practices that can be enjoyably maintained for the rest of one’s life. What about moderation, balance, quality of life?
So how does a person lose undesired body fat? Not by dieting! We know that diets do not work. If diets did work, then every person who has ever been on a diet would be lean. We know from research that students who dieted in middle school still struggled with weight in high school. None of their efforts to lose weight resulted in the desired outcome. (1) Rather, diets linked with hunger, denial and deprivation of favorite foods set the stage for binge eating and weight gain. Hence, the question arises: Do diets contribute to the obesity problem? Perhaps. The first 6 months of food restriction tend to result in fat loss. But then, the fat generally creeps back (if not rapidly returns)—plus more.
It’s time to take a different look at how to lose weight. A new task force on obesity suggests people chip away at losing undesired body fat by eating just 100 calories less per day (and for non-exercisers, moving 100 calories more). (2) This contrasts to the Biggest Loser approach of skimping on breakfast, nibbling on salad for lunch, and exercising exhaustively on fumes—all unsustainable efforts that require enduring extreme hunger. How about eating just a little bit less at the end of the day: two fewer Oreos, one less can of soda pop, a smaller snack while watching TV? How about trade-in grueling workouts to burn off calories for meaningful ways to move your body throughout the day: training for a fun event, biking to work, playing with the kids, running with a friend. The rigor of hard training can lose it’s glow; even athletes need rest days and an “off season.”
Food for thought
I repeat: Eating is not cheating! The trick to losing weight is to learn how to eat appropriately—a difficult task in an obesity-producing society. A sports dietitian can help you create a personalized food plan that embraces food as one of life’s pleasures. You can find this weight management expert using the referral network at www.SCANdpg.org.
People who eat appropriately tend to be thin; dieters tend to be heavy. Clearly, the eating approach to weight management paves the road to success! To manage to eat wisely, we need to learn how to manage stress, get enough sleep, exercise our bodies enjoyably, and take care of our souls. Curiously, this self-care has little to do with food...
Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports
Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes in her practice at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill MA (617-383-6100). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Food Guide for Marathoners, and Cyclist’s Food Guide are available via www.nancyclarkrd.com. See also www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.
References
1. Neumark-Sztainer, D., M. Wall, J. Guo, M. Story, J. Haines, and M. Eisenhberg. 2006. Obesity, disordered eating, and eating disorders in a longitudinal study of adolescents: How do dieters fare five years later? J Amer Diet Assoc 106:559-568.
Hill, J Can a small change approach help address the obesity epidemic? A report of the Joint Task Force of the American Society for Nutrition, Institute of Food Technologists, and International Food Information Council. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009; 89(2): 477-484
link http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1674&utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3414172&utm_campaign=BeginnerTriathlete.com Newsletter
Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
As I write this article, I'm watching The Biggest Loser on TV. Many people have been asking my opinion of this popular show, so I feel obliged to scream out: It's terrible! It’s horrible! It's abusive! I also feel like throwing my shoe at the TV. Here’s why—
The messages in The Biggest Loser are all about deprivation, denial, starvation, and punishment. Exercise is akin to torture. Food is the fattening enemy. The participants use sheer willpower to white-knuckle themselves through each grueling day. They are praised if they lose ten pounds in a week (as if they are now better people), scorned if they lose only two (as if they are scum of the earth), and ridiculed if the scale barely moves. The participants get no credit for having inner beauty that shines from the inside out, nor do they get treated as if they are decent people with tender feelings. The scale is the sole judge of their worthiness.
Right now on the TV, one contestant is yelling at another one for having failed to lose enough weight for their team to stay in the contest. It's an ugly segment, as if the successful loser is superior to the other one. I doubt that. Being able to endure starvation is not a sign of superiority. Now, another contestant is getting applauded and praised for having lost an outrageous amount of weight—14 pounds in a week. Everyone thinks that is just great, as if the man is now a success. Yes, he might be fitter and healthier, but losing weight does not make anyone a better father, son, mother, or daughter. Same person, same problems that may have got him there in the first place.
What happens in the long run, when the Biggest Losers return to the real world with no personal trainer to snap the whip, with no pre-made, pre-portioned food, and no “fat camp” dedicated to full time weight loss? Inevitably, without rigid vigilance, the weight will return with a vengeance. The physiological response to starvation is to overcompensate (commonly known as “binge eating” or “blowing the diet”). This desire to over-eat has little to do with willpower and lots to do with physiology. Just as a person gasps for air if oxygen has been withheld, the same person will grab for carbs if food has been withheld.
The unfortunate message perpetuated by The Biggest Loser is “eating is cheating.” False. Eating satisfies a physiological requirement for food. Just as people need to sleep, urinate, and breathe, they also need to fuel their bodies, ideally with appropriate portions of healthful foods. Yet, you don’t need to eat a “perfect” diet to have a good diet. There's little harm in enjoying a slice of pizza or piece of birthday cake. The E in eating should stand for Enjoyment, not for Excruciating hunger.
The E in Exercise should also stand for Enjoyment. When exercise feels like punishment for having undesirable body fat, the day will come when that dieter no longer feels like whipping his or her body into shape and instead reverts to lazing on the couch. The Biggest Losers lose-out in the long run, because extreme diets (either on TV or in your life) teach nothing about sustainable eating and exercise practices that can be enjoyably maintained for the rest of one’s life. What about moderation, balance, quality of life?
So how does a person lose undesired body fat? Not by dieting! We know that diets do not work. If diets did work, then every person who has ever been on a diet would be lean. We know from research that students who dieted in middle school still struggled with weight in high school. None of their efforts to lose weight resulted in the desired outcome. (1) Rather, diets linked with hunger, denial and deprivation of favorite foods set the stage for binge eating and weight gain. Hence, the question arises: Do diets contribute to the obesity problem? Perhaps. The first 6 months of food restriction tend to result in fat loss. But then, the fat generally creeps back (if not rapidly returns)—plus more.
It’s time to take a different look at how to lose weight. A new task force on obesity suggests people chip away at losing undesired body fat by eating just 100 calories less per day (and for non-exercisers, moving 100 calories more). (2) This contrasts to the Biggest Loser approach of skimping on breakfast, nibbling on salad for lunch, and exercising exhaustively on fumes—all unsustainable efforts that require enduring extreme hunger. How about eating just a little bit less at the end of the day: two fewer Oreos, one less can of soda pop, a smaller snack while watching TV? How about trade-in grueling workouts to burn off calories for meaningful ways to move your body throughout the day: training for a fun event, biking to work, playing with the kids, running with a friend. The rigor of hard training can lose it’s glow; even athletes need rest days and an “off season.”
Food for thought
I repeat: Eating is not cheating! The trick to losing weight is to learn how to eat appropriately—a difficult task in an obesity-producing society. A sports dietitian can help you create a personalized food plan that embraces food as one of life’s pleasures. You can find this weight management expert using the referral network at www.SCANdpg.org.
People who eat appropriately tend to be thin; dieters tend to be heavy. Clearly, the eating approach to weight management paves the road to success! To manage to eat wisely, we need to learn how to manage stress, get enough sleep, exercise our bodies enjoyably, and take care of our souls. Curiously, this self-care has little to do with food...
Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports
Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes in her practice at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill MA (617-383-6100). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Food Guide for Marathoners, and Cyclist’s Food Guide are available via www.nancyclarkrd.com. See also www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.
References
1. Neumark-Sztainer, D., M. Wall, J. Guo, M. Story, J. Haines, and M. Eisenhberg. 2006. Obesity, disordered eating, and eating disorders in a longitudinal study of adolescents: How do dieters fare five years later? J Amer Diet Assoc 106:559-568.
Hill, J Can a small change approach help address the obesity epidemic? A report of the Joint Task Force of the American Society for Nutrition, Institute of Food Technologists, and International Food Information Council. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009; 89(2): 477-484
link http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1674&utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3414172&utm_campaign=BeginnerTriathlete.com Newsletter
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The Athlete's Kitchen
Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
As I write this article, I'm watching The Biggest Loser on TV. Many people have been asking my opinion of this popular show, so I feel obliged to scream out: It's terrible! It’s horrible! It's abusive! I also feel like throwing my shoe at the TV. Here’s why—
The messages in The Biggest Loser are all about deprivation, denial, starvation, and punishment. Exercise is akin to torture. Food is the fattening enemy. The participants use sheer willpower to white-knuckle themselves through each grueling day. They are praised if they lose ten pounds in a week (as if they are now better people), scorned if they lose only two (as if they are scum of the earth), and ridiculed if the scale barely moves. The participants get no credit for having inner beauty that shines from the inside out, nor do they get treated as if they are decent people with tender feelings. The scale is the sole judge of their worthiness.
Right now on the TV, one contestant is yelling at another one for having failed to lose enough weight for their team to stay in the contest. It's an ugly segment, as if the successful loser is superior to the other one. I doubt that. Being able to endure starvation is not a sign of superiority. Now, another contestant is getting applauded and praised for having lost an outrageous amount of weight—14 pounds in a week. Everyone thinks that is just great, as if the man is now a success. Yes, he might be fitter and healthier, but losing weight does not make anyone a better father, son, mother, or daughter. Same person, same problems that may have got him there in the first place.
What happens in the long run, when the Biggest Losers return to the real world with no personal trainer to snap the whip, with no pre-made, pre-portioned food, and no “fat camp” dedicated to full time weight loss? Inevitably, without rigid vigilance, the weight will return with a vengeance. The physiological response to starvation is to overcompensate (commonly known as “binge eating” or “blowing the diet”). This desire to over-eat has little to do with willpower and lots to do with physiology. Just as a person gasps for air if oxygen has been withheld, the same person will grab for carbs if food has been withheld.
The unfortunate message perpetuated by The Biggest Loser is “eating is cheating.” False. Eating satisfies a physiological requirement for food. Just as people need to sleep, urinate, and breathe, they also need to fuel their bodies, ideally with appropriate portions of healthful foods. Yet, you don’t need to eat a “perfect” diet to have a good diet. There's little harm in enjoying a slice of pizza or piece of birthday cake. The E in eating should stand for Enjoyment, not for Excruciating hunger.
The E in Exercise should also stand for Enjoyment. When exercise feels like punishment for having undesirable body fat, the day will come when that dieter no longer feels like whipping his or her body into shape and instead reverts to lazing on the couch. The Biggest Losers lose-out in the long run, because extreme diets (either on TV or in your life) teach nothing about sustainable eating and exercise practices that can be enjoyably maintained for the rest of one’s life. What about moderation, balance, quality of life?
So how does a person lose undesired body fat? Not by dieting! We know that diets do not work. If diets did work, then every person who has ever been on a diet would be lean. We know from research that students who dieted in middle school still struggled with weight in high school. None of their efforts to lose weight resulted in the desired outcome. (1) Rather, diets linked with hunger, denial and deprivation of favorite foods set the stage for binge eating and weight gain. Hence, the question arises: Do diets contribute to the obesity problem? Perhaps. The first 6 months of food restriction tend to result in fat loss. But then, the fat generally creeps back (if not rapidly returns)—plus more.
It’s time to take a different look at how to lose weight. A new task force on obesity suggests people chip away at losing undesired body fat by eating just 100 calories less per day (and for non-exercisers, moving 100 calories more). (2) This contrasts to the Biggest Loser approach of skimping on breakfast, nibbling on salad for lunch, and exercising exhaustively on fumes—all unsustainable efforts that require enduring extreme hunger. How about eating just a little bit less at the end of the day: two fewer Oreos, one less can of soda pop, a smaller snack while watching TV? How about trade-in grueling workouts to burn off calories for meaningful ways to move your body throughout the day: training for a fun event, biking to work, playing with the kids, running with a friend. The rigor of hard training can lose it’s glow; even athletes need rest days and an “off season.”
Food for thought
I repeat: Eating is not cheating! The trick to losing weight is to learn how to eat appropriately—a difficult task in an obesity-producing society. A sports dietitian can help you create a personalized food plan that embraces food as one of life’s pleasures. You can find this weight management expert using the referral network at www.SCANdpg.org.
People who eat appropriately tend to be thin; dieters tend to be heavy. Clearly, the eating approach to weight management paves the road to success! To manage to eat wisely, we need to learn how to manage stress, get enough sleep, exercise our bodies enjoyably, and take care of our souls. Curiously, this self-care has little to do with food...
Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports
Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes in her practice at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut Hill MA (617-383-6100). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Food Guide for Marathoners, and Cyclist’s Food Guide are available via www.nancyclarkrd.com. See also www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.
References
1. Neumark-Sztainer, D., M. Wall, J. Guo, M. Story, J. Haines, and M. Eisenhberg. 2006. Obesity, disordered eating, and eating disorders in a longitudinal study of adolescents: How do dieters fare five years later? J Amer Diet Assoc 106:559-568.
Hill, J Can a small change approach help address the obesity epidemic? A report of the Joint Task Force of the American Society for Nutrition, Institute of Food Technologists, and International Food Information Council. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009; 89(2): 477-484
link http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1674&utm_source=streamsend&utm_medium=email&utm_content=3414172&utm_campaign=BeginnerTriathlete.com Newsletter0 -
Our family loves to watch Biggest Loser. The great thing about this show for me is the discussions that it has opened up with my children. I have stuggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. We have discussions about healthy eating, healthy exercise. And we spend a lot of time talking about how losing more than a 1 pound a week is really extreme and probably not healthy. My middle child has become my "personal trainer" in my quest to get in shape. Our greatest discussion is about getting in shape and working to stay there. Hopefully my children never have the struggle with their weight the way I have. So even though the Biggest loser is not showing us the best way to lose weight and get it shape, it sure has given my family subject matter for some great family discussions.
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Actually, I have seen several episodes where the trainers have chastised contestants for not eating all their calories for the day. They were lectured on how this was NOT the way to do it.
I think most of the viewers understand that this isn't possible for all people without a 24 hour trainer. But we do learn a lot from watching the show.
That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. 0 -
THANK YOU!!!!!
I have to say, I HATE The Biggest Loser. It portrays all the wrong messages about fitness. It normalizes starvation-type diets and multiple-hour-long workouts. It glorifies extreme weight loss, feeds the 'want it now' attitude that keeps people on yoyo-diets, and never brings and attention to body composition over crude weight. I think it's a horrible show that leads people to become discouraged and feel worthless when they don't lose a ridiculous 10 lbs in one week. There's nothing 'reality' about this TV show.0 -
Really?? When it comes to morbid obesity, it is about tough choices, if you keep going down this path you are going to die (young). Besides these people chose to go on this show to lose weight and possibly win money. Not including the fame that they will get from it. Get over it. I would have done it, but I can’t lose half of my body weight.0
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Really?? When it comes to morbid obesity, it is about tough choices, if you keep going down this path you are going to die (young). Besides these people chose to go on this show to lose weight and possibly win money. Not including the fame that they will get from it. Get over it. I would have done it, but I can’t lose half of my body weight.
This is beyond tough choices. This is dumb choices. They should instill values in these people that will promote healthy, sustainable choices for the rest of their lives. They won't be able to sustain 1500 calorie deficits and 6 hours at the gym every day. They won't be able to lose 10 lbs a week. And there's NOTHING wrong with that. They should win money for making good choices when they're out on their own, or for changing their body composition, or for being supportive of one another. Not harping on one another because they didn't lose enough water weight.0 -
Good article. I agree that the Biggest Loser can be a detriment to people who have little to no weight loss experience as they can unrealistically expect to lose the same amount of weight. But I also find it motivational, especially last week as I sat on my couch while the contestants pulled cars a half a mile. It guilted me into doing some situps and pushups during the commercial breaks LOL.0
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I believe that a good diet and ample excercise would be a life change from what obese people do on a daily basis. I have lost 50 lbs total, people ask me "what is going to happen when i go back to eating normal?" my reply is I can't go back to that lifestyle. Biggest Loser is an extreme show, and they do give them the tools to eat healthy and continue to to live a healthier lifestyle. But in the end, its just a show, if you dont like it, you just change the channel.0
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Personally, I feel that this show is a mixed bag.
I watch it, I don't hate it, and I don't love it's message either.
I HATE the message of loosing tons of weight in a week, and would feel much more comfortable about it if the trainers came on every show and spoke for 5 minutes about why this isn't necessarilly healthy or attainable for most.
I like the fact that they do show them eating, and eating healthy, and exercising at a highly intense level. If you watch the show closely you will realize the BIG separation between the ideas that the contestants bring in, and the concepts the trainers are trying to give them.
I almost never see the trainers giving them advice I would consider bad, maybe sometimes different from what I would say, but not outrite bad. What I DO see is contestants saying things, or doing things that are bad. When you see things like this, remember, you're putting a bunch of people together who have been living a horrible lifestyle (health wise) for their whole life, most of them come in with some really bad habbits and some really misguided ideas about weight loss and health, and then leaving them alone for long periods, of course they are going to spout some bad stuff at or about each other.
I agree that many of the people on the show can't sustain the type of exercise and calories that they are on in the show, but I don't blame the show for that, I can't even count how many times I've heard both Bob and Jillian harp on how it will be DIFFERENT when you are home, how you have to take control of your eating and your life. They give them all the tools they need, some people just aren't willing to accept and use those tools.
I don't always agree with the message of this show, but I don't think it's the great evil either. I think that if it helps even one person out there, then it was worth it. Don't fool yourself into thinking everyone who comes on this show wasn't already depressed and in danger, but almost everyone of them comes out with the realisation that they CAN eat healthy and exercise hard. Whether they choose to do so after, well, that's up to them.0 -
I have lost 50 lbs total, people ask me "what is going to happen when i go back to eating normal?" my reply is I can't go back to that lifestyle.
That is a great statement. I find it interesting that we (as a society) refer to chronic overeating (usually portion control) as "normal."
The Biggest Loser? Its right up there all of the TV shows that "send the wrong" message; it is entertaining for some and disgusting to the others.
Like soap operas....
Talk shows....
ALL "reality" TV shows....
etc....0 -
I believe that a good diet and ample excercise would be a life change from what obese people do on a daily basis. I have lost 50 lbs total, people ask me "what is going to happen when i go back to eating normal?" my reply is I can't go back to that lifestyle. Biggest Loser is an extreme show, and they do give them the tools to eat healthy and continue to to live a healthier lifestyle. But in the end, its just a show, if you dont like it, you just change the channel.
Well said. And congrats on the 50 lbs!0 -
Although I enjoy the show, it makes me sick to see someone crying and depressed because they "only" lost 4 pounds in a week! This sends an awful, unrealistic message to those trying to do this at home. I would love to see a show that reveals how every past contestant has done maintaining their weight loss. I know many of them have gained back most of their weight.:noway:
Nice topic!:flowerforyou:0 -
Frankly, I find it ridiculous that anybody would suggest to somebody who is 200 pounds overweight (as some of these contestants were) to start chipping at it by cutting their eating by 100 calories a day. That is a loss of about 12 pounds a year. I don't think even the most ardent enthusiasts for losing weight slowly believe that it should take anybody 15 years to lose 200 pounds.
Eventually, as Jillian Michaels has said repeatedly, it all boils down to math. And in order for that person who is 100-200 pounds overweight to take off that 100-200 pounds even at the rate of 1 pound a week, they are going to have to start making some hard cuts in calories. And the more a person loses, the less they have to eat just to keep their body going, so more calories are going to have to be cut. When looking at these Biggest Loser contestants, this isn't about getting the extra 10-20 pounds off (which, yes, somebody could do if they wanted by cutting 100 calories a day and doing that for a year). This is about making some hard and significant changes. It isn't easy and, in my opinion, it shouldn't be portrayed as easy.
I don't have any problem with how The Biggest Loser shows food or exercise because I believe anybody observing the show can physically see how these things change the contestants. Every year I watch the show, I am amazed at how much healthier and alive the contestants start appearing (especially in their faces). I think that physical transformation in and of itself is an incredibly positive message to be sending that shouldn't be ignored.
Why some of these contestants regain the weight (and I'm still not convinced that they regain the weight at a higher rate than the average non-Biggest Loser person who loses 100 pounds and then gains it back) is not because they were deprived for 16 weeks. It is because they made the choice to start eating too much food again--and probably unhealthy food at that. Nobody, including this dietician, is going to convince me that there is a physiological need in anybody for Krispy Kremes or Buffalo Wings. Eating such things on a regular basis is NOT a biological need, but a choice.
To say that binge eating is a physiological reaction is, in my opinion, taking the responsibility away from a person for their eating habits. But I know for a fact that I am responsible and in control of everything I put into my body, and I believe the same could and should be said about everybody.0 -
Frankly, I find it ridiculous that anybody would suggest to somebody who is 200 pounds overweight (as some of these contestants were) to start chipping at it by cutting their eating by 100 calories a day. That is a loss of about 12 pounds a year. I don't think even the most ardent enthusiasts for losing weight slowly believe that it should take anybody 15 years to lose 200 pounds.
Eventually, as Jillian Michaels has said repeatedly, it all boils down to math. And in order for that person who is 100-200 pounds overweight to take off that 100-200 pounds even at the rate of 1 pound a week, they are going to have to start making some hard cuts in calories. And the more a person loses, the less they have to eat just to keep their body going, so more calories are going to have to be cut. When looking at these Biggest Loser contestants, this isn't about getting the extra 10-20 pounds off (which, yes, somebody could do if they wanted by cutting 100 calories a day and doing that for a year). This is about making some hard and significant changes. It isn't easy and, in my opinion, it shouldn't be portrayed as easy.
I don't have any problem with how The Biggest Loser shows food or exercise because I believe anybody observing the show can physically see how these things change the contestants. Every year I watch the show, I am amazed at how much healthier and alive the contestants start appearing (especially in their faces). I think that physical transformation in and of itself is an incredibly positive message to be sending that shouldn't be ignored.
Why some of these contestants regain the weight (and I'm still not convinced that they regain the weight at a higher rate than the average non-Biggest Loser person who loses 100 pounds and then gains it back) is not because they were deprived for 16 weeks. It is because they made the choice to start eating too much food again--and probably unhealthy food at that. Nobody, including this dietician, is going to convince me that there is a physiological need in anybody for Krispy Kremes or Buffalo Wings. Eating such things on a regular basis is NOT a biological need, but a choice.
To say that binge eating is a physiological reaction is, in my opinion, taking the responsibility away from a person for their eating habits. But I know for a fact that I am responsible and in control of everything I put into my body, and I believe the same could and should be said about everybody.
Very well said!0 -
I have lost 50 lbs total, people ask me "what is going to happen when i go back to eating normal?" my reply is I can't go back to that lifestyle.
That is a great statement. I find it interesting that we (as a society) refer to chronic overeating (usually portion control) as "normal."
I was thinking the same thing. When I started this journey back in Jan 08----I was shocked at what a serving size really was...."normal" eating is why this country ( and others) have so many people that are obese.0 -
I've only watched the show few times and couldn't stand it, I think it's just awful that weight loss isn't celebrated but berated if not enough plus they kick people off the show each week? Yeah, punish people for only losing 5lbs instead of 10lbs one week. What a horrible idea! And the show does so well.
There are much better weight loss shows out there. X-Weighted follows a person over 6 months and they usually lose 30-50lbs. There's a British one I've only seen a couple of times now called Supersize and Superskinny or something like that. They pair up an obese person with an anorexic person and they swap meals for a week, hang out with each other, and see the side of a different eating disorder. Then they follow the people as they get healthier (over a few months, I'm not sure) and they meet back up at the end to see each others progress.
On these shows you see positive messages and realistic lifestyle changes.0 -
I like the contestants on the show and enjoy cheering them on during the ridiculous challenges. I'm happy for them when they lose weight, and get angry when they are so disappointed about only losing a few pounds in a week. I don't enjoy the end of the show when they have to vote someone off. It's so lame and fake, just like any other "reality" show.
What I really hate about this show are the personal trainers, especially Jillian. I hate the yelling, the insults, and the cursing. But most of all, I hate it when they make the contestants do unsafe exercises such as carrying another obese contestant back and forth across the room, or doing leg presses with a 300 pound man standing on the machine. It's just dangerous and idiotic. It's all crazy attention-getters just for ratings.0 -
Good article and thank you for sharing Mimielle. A tv show that has some good points and bad points. Please I don't believe in puking my guts out when I workout and I especially don't like it when Jillian says "unless you puke pass out or die keep moving!" I mean I like that she's tough but c'mon seriously. This is a very thoughtful article. Good for you for posting it.0
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I like the contestants on the show and enjoy cheering them on during the ridiculous challenges. I'm happy for them when they lose weight, and get angry when they are so disappointed about only losing a few pounds in a week. I don't enjoy the end of the show when they have to vote someone off. It's so lame and fake, just like any other "reality" show.
What I really hate about this show are the personal trainers, especially Jillian. I hate the yelling, the insults, and the cursing. But most of all, I hate it when they make the contestants do unsafe exercises such as carrying another obese contestant back and forth across the room, or doing leg presses with a 300 pound man standing on the machine. It's just dangerous and idiotic. It's all crazy attention-getters just for ratings.
I was right there with you right up until the exercise stuff, and how Jillian trains. I don't agree with you about the exercises being dangerous. they may not be what many people consider normal, but not any more dangerous then others. You forget that these trainers have intimate knowledge of their students, and they have a solid idea of what their students can handle. I'm not saying anyone should just go out there and do these, nope, THAT would be dangerous, if you are going to do highly strenuous exercise, you should test your fitness levels first (which they have done). A lot of people who don't exercise regularly don't know what they can do, and doing some of these max weight exercises is just as important to the contestants mentally, to show that they CAN do it, as it is physically to improve their body. And if you notice, people who have physical limitations don't perform these activities (Ron for example), which shows that they are tailoring each person's workout to their level of health.
I love how Jillian trains. It's not for everyone, I admit, but some people thrive in a situation where they are yelled at, I do, and I know many others that do. Bob takes a different approach, which works for others, which is why some like Jillian, and some like Bob. Neither is right, or better, they are just different. For me, someone encouraging me and talking in my ear about what I'm going to do when I'm healthier is just annoying, I would be at Bob's throat in 1 day. Jillian? I would be yelling right back at her in minutes, and I guarantee she would be loving it. The grunting, the swearing, the righteous rage. Glorious!
All that said, I HATE the way they track them, weighing them in every week is ridiculous and horrible, but it's a show, they needed some way to do it, and the producers decided this was the best way, c'est la vie. I'll bet you if you asked Bob and Jill privately they would say the same thing. And as to the contestants attitudes toward cheering and the like during the weigh in's, well, all I can say is, as detestable as it is, these people all came to this show knowing what was in store. It sucks, and is demeaning, but with the exception of season one, they knew what they were getting into.0 -
I disagree with the article and don't think that anyone can make a real assessment of the show based on one or two episodes. I'm what's considered morbidly obese. On Wednesday, I weighed in at 286 lbs., I'm 5'3 and I'm 34 years old. Here's what I've learned from the Bigggest Loser:
Fat people can exercise. As we get fatter and fatter, there is an ACTUAL FEAR that exercising will cause you to have a heart attack, that you'll pass out, etc. Watching people on TBL workout gave me the incentive to workout myself.
You have to eat to lose. I'm not sure what episode the author saw... but there have been several episodes that I have watched where BOTH trainers have told the contestants that they NEED to eat more.
Losing the weight can make you a better person. Contrary to what the author said... losing weight can make you a better mother, a better father, a better employee, etc. Don't get me wrong... I'm a wonderfully nice person! But as a fat mom, I wasn't able to play with my son as much as I would have liked. I haven't been able to take him to amusement parks for fear that the seat belts/fasteners might not fit around me. I've often been tired, cranky or just plain sick. Healthy, thinner people have more energy - which makes them more positive, more helpful and more easy to be around.
Do they send people home??? Yes... they do - but they also bring them back to show you how amazingly well they have done at home. TBL teaches the importance of a support system. It gives the contestants a "kick start".
I think Jillian would be a great trainer for some people. Quite frankly, she reminds me of my sons football coach. Would I like working with her? Probably not. Why? I'm a wuss. I would respond much better to Bob's kinder and gentler approach. But, if you watch the show you know that the trainers care about every single one of the people on their team.
After watching TBL, it made it much easier for me to commit to "trying again" to lose weight - because I saw that it can be done in a year or so... that I wasn't confined to losing a pound a week. When you SEE how quickly the changes can take place - it makes it easier. Do they lose weight quickly? Yes, at first. Fat people lose weight faster... they have more to lose. I know that it's a life long change - but you don't want it to take a lifetime to see results.
As for contestants getting angry at each other for not losing "enough". It's important to realize that they're coming into the whole thing much like many new people on MFP... they don't realize that ANY loss is a loss! They don't realize that they have to eat to lose. They don't realize that some weeks the scale is just not going to budge not matter WHAT you do... they're learning, just like us.
With that being said... I'm down another 3 pounds! YAAAAY ME!0
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