The Biggest Loser, the worst show on TV

Some will say the show is so motivational, but what is motivational about someone who could not better themselves without dangling a huge cash prize in front of them, sequestering them in a remote location and having crappy trainers berate them while forcing them through exercise for 6-8 hrs a day? Why couldn't they find the motivation and will power to adhere to a diet and exercise program without all that? There are many stories here of people who did just that, those people should be commended and celebrated well before any Biggest Loser constant should.

And that, dear sir, is why this post is awesome.

Biggest Loser is just sad beyond belief, and it just feeds into the ever-present notion that weight loss has to be a miserable 100% balls-to-the-wall-burning-2000-calories-per-workout-and-be-hungry-or-stay-fat-forever endeavor. The notions of patience, relearning a healthy relationship with food and the body, and building that new body from within are totally missing from that show. It is downright dangerous IMHO.

And, now that I've agreed with you, I'll post this nugget:

Totally agree with both posts quoted.

Note - MASSIVE TRIGGER WARNING FOR ABUSE, DEHUMANIZATION AND EATING DISORDERS - http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/09/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-1-of-3/

This is just...horrifying. Wow. Makes you look at the show in a whole different light, yikes!!!

Isn't the VS Fashion Show unrealistic results?

...I take different things from it that others might. I see a bunch of people working out every week that are much heavier and in poorer health than I am and it makes me feel like I have no excuse not to exercise...

This is the ONLY half positive thing I see in that show.

Well, to me, it's a full positive.

I can't think of anything positive at all from shows like Jersey Shore, whatever Housewives of whatever place, so.... The Biggest Loser isn't the worst there is on TV.

Excellent post, my friend who once was a shill for Scott Hermann Fitness.

I see nothing wrong with Jillian as a person or her fitness videos. I totally forgot about the dehydration before the weigh-ins since it's been years since I've seen the show. I do remember one contestant from an early season who gained every pound back after losing a LOT (200 lbs or so?) of weight. I remember seeing him on tv saying how he just 'failed' in the real world. It's true - when the contestants are locked away in a remote location away from their lives and families and the real challenges of sustaining weight loss, how could they not have problems keeping the weight off after the show?

I guess it's just a double-edged sword. It makes great television to see people make major physical changes. That in itself is motivating. It's just sad to see what actually goes on behind the scenes. Next season each contestant is going to be assigned a CHILD too. How is the show going to help the kids battle self esteem issues? --- SIGH---

Kind of reminds me of the Ringling Brothers, "The Greatest Show On Earth" --- it's excellent entertainment until you find out that the poor animals are being abused in order to learn the tricks. UGH!!!!

I'm not a fan anymore anyways... but I'm especially ticked off when I saw the commercial that next season they are putting KIDS on the show too. Those poor kids are going to be so screwed up. Exploitation at its finest.

I thought I was the only one. My objection to the show started with the title, and I've never had time for it.

I only have two issues with the articles the OP quoted. One is the contempt for people who get to that size. I don't believe this happens for no reason and I think often it's a way of self medicating. I don't have any way to back that up, just a sense.

The other is that I don't believe it's only about the money - I do believe these people desperately want to lose weight, and I bet they feel it's their last chance. And I think people can make changes much more easily when you take them out of their usual environment, away from all the frustrations of their day to day lives.

Two cents.

I used to watch the show. It is impossible not to be intrigued and fascinated by watching people do something so difficult and [apparently] succeeding.
That said, I think it is horrible how the show presents the results as almost entirely due to how the people work out. Losing weight is about how you eat. The show barely touches on how the contestants eat. It is an incredibly important teaching moment lost -- week after week, season after season.

I'm a reality TV junkie, so I have watched several seasons of Biggest Loser. I have also read the horror stories. I like Jillian Michaels, but I like her better off the show. That said, I just found out today that a local lawyer is going to be on this season. I'll be watching, or at least watching everything but the challenges--I hate that part. I record it every week and end up watching about 1/3 of the show, to include the weigh-in and the end where they show the kicked off contestant at home. I am also interested to watch because they have decided to have the contestants wear BodyMedia Fit armbands again this season.

Don't care anything about the VS Fashion Show, but I did wear VS products today. Don't own any Biggest Loser products.

It motivated me... because I didn't want to become the people on the show. I didn't want to get to that point. So it made me take a close look at myself and make changes NOW instead of continuing down the path I was on.

But that was it.

Otherwise, the show is junk and unrealistic.

I adore JM workouts, but find that show utterly unwatchable.

I think the Biggest Loser is basically public atonement/confession. It's not bad because they need to work out, they get abused into working out. Don't like that.

The Victoria Secret Fashion show is nothing but ladies wanting attention and getting it for it from millions of people they find personally unattractive.

So yeah, neither are very appealing.

I love watching the show, probably watch reruns of it almost everyday.

It's reiterated throughout the show that you can't reach that level of weight loss at home, but, you may have missed that if you've never actually watched an episode.

I would never expect to lose what they're losing, wouldn't want to.

What is good about the show is that it's a showcase of the hyperobese actually losing weight and often even keeping most of it off. Yeah, some do regain, but there are plenty of people who lose weight slowly at home who regain too, that's not surprising. It's a good show for that person who has watched their family members fail at weight loss, who is obese, to see other obese people lose the weight. The most amazing thing for people to see is the people who were sent home early in the season who show up at the finale 30% + lighter having lost the weight at home. There is nothing I love more than seeing someone who thought they couldn't lose weight end up going home early in the show and then winning it at the end.

Honestly, I don't really care if a lot of people on here hate the show, there is plenty about it to hate. Some of their tips are idiotic, the product placement is over the top, and the emotional breakthroughs are just another reality stunt. What I love to see is how great someone who was 400 lbs can manage to look 8 months later having used diet and exercise to their advantage.

If anyone benefits from that show by deciding to make changes in their lives, then, well, it's a whole lot better than Jersey Shore.

Any obese person at some point though has to have their own moment of realization. For me, it was sitting in a local Chinese buffet. I looked around and noticed that half the clientele that particular day were beyond obese and a whopping 25% of those in the restaurant were using motorized carts to get around. It just hit me that we were all in their trading our freaking mobility for a couple extra plates of cheap food. It was mortifying. I probably would have noticed that at some point even if I had never watched Biggest Loser.. lol

There just are much worse things on TV to vilify..

No, I don't care about the VS fashion show either.. lol I bought a few of their bra's and they had the underwire's popped through a couple months later, didn't last anywhere near as long as any others I've bought, so I haven't been back. I don't own any Biggest Loser stuff either though..

I don't watch the show, though I did see some of it a few times. If you are morbidly obese and willing to exercise a ton and eat sparsely you can do it yourself. Maybe not to the degree that these people do but you can lose 100 pounds in a year or more. People do it.

You don't have to exercise a ton or eat sparsely to loose 100 lbs in a year, I've lost over 160 lbs in 13 months while not ever starving and having a normal exercise plan.

From what I can find on the internet, 40-50% have kept their weight off after 2 years after their show, which is a high rate for any program type.

But I don't care for the show for many of the same reasons already mentioned. The fact they're putting kids on this year is disturbing. Having an adult go into that situation is one thing, kids who probably don't have the cognitive skills yet to deal with who they are and what they're getting in to is just wrong.