The Biggest Loser (US version--spoiler)

Julie_Donahue

Anybody watch the Biggest Loser? (I realize some of you are not from the US, and your version may be different).

Did anybody watch the first episode?

I was disappointed with the casting. Every year I find someone who I can kind of identify with. Someone who is about my size to start with. Most of the girls starting weights were around 250 (give or take 25 pounds.). The heaviest one was 280. What am I complaining about? At 306, I'm bigger than all of the girls. :noway: That is so frustrating!

And then, the biggest girl walked off before the first weigh in. Now the biggest girl has a starting weight of 267. I realize that is still a lot of weight to lose, but it makes me feel even bigger.

Okay....that sounds petty, now that I type it.. But it's where I am right now.

Anybody else watch it? What were your thoughts?

msjanetcole

As a victim of severe childhood abuse by both parents, of every imaginable kind and being deprived of food, I'm pretty sure it's the root of my need to feel the void with food. I do realize these people bargained for this abuse, but it hurts me too much to see people being humiliated and verbally abused. It brings up horrible memories and frankly, I can't condone abuse of any kind, even when someone signs for it and stays the course. Many marriages are examples of that. I can't come up with any reasons to justify watching it. I came to MFP because of the mean and horrible things people have said to me for almost 60 years, much of it about my weight, looking for positive support, not abuse. I think there are other ways than humiliating people and abusing them to get the same results. MFP is proof of that. Just my honest opinion.

TisMissyKIA

I don't watch the show, it's misleading and completely unrealistic. I'm sure they are medically supervised, but whenever you condense something like that for public broadcasting, some of the most important aspects are lost on the editing floor. Besides, instead of sitting on my butt and watching, I'm ... oh who am I kidding? I'm sitting on my butt writing. :laugh:

Honestly? I think you're better off not even putting yourself through the agony of watching. Do something good for yourself instead!

Redladystl

I don't "consistently" watch this. However, today I did watch it and ask the very same question. "WHERE ARE THE FAT PEOPLE?!" Yeah I was looking at the woman thinking they are not really overweight. Every season I glance at this show to see what's going on and every season I'm disappointed. I will not be glancing anymore. They WILL NOT be getting ratings from my household.

I also agree with the above comments.

lissavlog

i watched the show. i like the cast. even though i know childhood obesity is a problem, i really don't care to see kids on the show. i was upset that the one girl walked off the show. i was also upset w/ who got eliminated b/c of his story about he & his son's car accident & the promise he made to lose the weight. i was pulling for him as soon as i saw that clip. as far as the starting weight's of the women...they're all obese/morbidly obese. are we really going to complain about exactly how obese they are? c'mon. they need help. we need help. therefore we're all in the same boat!

mjhuddleson

Funny that you started this thread! This is what I wrote on my Facebook last night after watching the last half hour of the show:

"As much as I like watching The Biggest Loser, it just isn't realistic for normal people. These people are living at ranch, full time, with every healthy food possible at their fingertips. They have a personal trainer and are working out all day long with tons of support. Of course they can lose 15-20 lbs. a week! If I had that I would lose it that fast too! I do think it is a great motivator, just not realistic..."

I don't normally watch this show because I think that while it is a great motivator for some people, it just isn't realistic for most. I do agree that I am always disappointed in the weight of the women because they are always around the 250 lbs. weight. I started my journey at 339 lbs. - hard to relate when you are almost 100 lbs. bigger than they are! Hey NBC, add some girls that are bigger to help them out too! If I had Jillian or Bob yelling in my face everyday, I would be working my butt off too! SMH.... What's even worse to me is these people need help, but they are eliminated off this show and sent home. Why not have a reality show where they all stay on and the person to lose the most wins. Makes it more fair since they all have the tools at hand to do it. Idk...just my opinion...

beckimj

I think they should have tried to match her with a different trainer. Jillian works wonders for people who have the mental stamina to handle her approach. I also think they should not have eliminated someone since there was already someone out of the house that week. DH hopes he is the one that works his way back if they offer the option for somene who was eliminated to earn their way back onto the ranch.

nsapp

I use tp watch it, but don't much any more. It's like any of the "reality" shows. They are not always real and often edited so much you loose the "real" factor if there is one.

Julie_Donahue

mjs,

I agree with your idea of a show where they all stay. Do any of your remember the show Fat March? It only lasted one season. They marched (walked) from point A to point B (many miles!!). Nobody was eliminated, but they could quit. The prize decreased with each person who quit. The remaining members divided the pot at the end.

I like the idea of a cooperative "competition". I win when you win. If I lose weight and help you lose weight, we both win.

I know the show isn't very real. (In fact, it is the only reality show I watch). I wish Jillian would learn that she doesn't have to be mean to motivate. Bob does a good job of using positive re-enforcement. He yells sometimes, but it isn't his normal tone of voice.

lisa,
I admitted that my reaction was petty. I know they are obese. But it is hard to relate to them when the "fat" girls are 75 pounds lighter than me.

I have a friend who recently lost 27 pounds and was sharing on Facebook how she went shopping for the first time in 2 years without crying. I realize when you are 150 pounds, 27 pounds can be a huge amount. But I know that when I lose 27 pounds, nobody will even notice. They might start noticing when I've lost another 27 pounds. And it will be 150 or more pounds before I reach my friend's starting weight.

My frustration does not diminish her weight loss. (And I would never say anything to her to discount it.) But it is part of my struggle.

lissavlog

maybe its different for me. i used to weigh 309. today i weigh 200.6 pounds. so for me, those girls are much heavier than me. but i can say "i've been there." so even though there is a big weight difference, the struggle is the same for all of us. next season i hope to be a normal weight, and i will still watch the show & appreciate the struggle.

Bechard05

I watched it and plan to continue watching it. I do have to say I was a bit taken back by the fact that the largest man was 444 and the largest woman was 280 a difference of 164lbs that is another person. It has been shown men lose weight faster than women so why not even the odds as much as possible and get some bigger girls too. However we also have to think we don't know how many women auditioned and what size they were. I was disappointed to see the largest woman quit and the show not try another approach like a different trainer but the drama gets ratings i suppose. I am glad they are bringing awareness to Childhood obesity but don't think they need to have children on the show. I irrates me how hard *kitten* Jillian is with her team and then she turns into a totally different person with the kids doesn't she know bears are drawn to honey lol I however adore Bob Harper he knows how big an impact it has on mind and spirit along with body. I too thought the shouldn't have eliminated TC since someone had already left, but it is what it is.

gdneff

I watched this once a couple of years ago, and then lost it. Just watched the show online. Like most of you here, I tend to agree that some bigger ladies are needed. Is hard to "compare" or "sympathize" with someone when they are already smaller than you. I also agree that no matter how big or "small" you are, if you need to take some weight off and you are taking the steps to do it, then go for it. I do tend to think that there should have been an adjustment made since the one team did have one walk off. Kind of hard to compete with other teams when you are down a player. Overall, the show may be unrealistic, but you do begin to understand that you aren't the only one coping with issues, struggles, and such. That this can be done. Whether it is at a ranch, in your own home, or whatever. Inspriation is inspiration. Personally if I were on the show, I would need a cross between Jillian and Bob. I need someone to push me, and tell me that I can't do it, and such. I have a tendency to want to prove people wrong. But then at the end of the workout, whether it was good or bad, I would need someone to cover and tell me that I did a good job, to provide the encouraging words then.