Disturbing Biggest Loser article

It's not about the yelling. Personally I find it doesn't motivate me, but that's neither here nor there.

It's about the extremely unhealthy methods supported by the show. It's about the long-term medical damage done to the contestants. It's about feeding into the media stereotypes around fat-shaming and feeding unhealthy expectations around body image and rapid weight loss.

No, BL didn't invent any of the above, but it's certainly one of the major perpetrators of it recently, and is very influential on a lot of people. After all, what is criticizing the media for fostering unhealthy habits if not that? BL *is* media. It's fostering unhealthy habits. Should it be beyond reproach because some people find it entertaining to watch fat people suffer?

The counter-argument -- that slow, steady weight loss in a healthy, sustainable way doesn't make for "good TV" -- is the main reason why we can't let profit be the only consideration. I bet it would be "good TV" to watch people die on screen, too. People would watch. Thankfully there are laws against this, or else the Hunger Games would probably exist for real.

As for Jillian Michaels, she has done very nicely from the show, profiting by turning herself into a fitness enterprise. She got to the point where she was making more money by quitting the show and branching out. I don't think she deserves a trophy for that. It's all business, and most of her public persona (as well as her advice, like don't eat broccoli) is nonsense anyway, but hey, she's a celeb, that's what they do.

These people aren't forced to be there. They can leave if it's too hard.

I've never watched the show, because it's not realistic for the rest of us at home. There's not many of us who can give over their lives to this.... we have lose weight and try to be healthy in the real world.

RGv2 wrote: »

Aviva92 wrote: »

neveragain84 wrote: »

newmeadow wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

newmeadow wrote: »

segacs wrote: »

It's about whether NBC and the show's creators (and everyone associated with it) are responsible for the damage that they're doing to millions of people who watch.

NBC's intentions are exploitative, reckless and profit driven, no doubt.

But the damage this show causes or has the potential to cause does have to be agreed to.

And with that said, I do feel sorry for anyone who signs up for the show and anyone duped into thinking this would be a good way to lose weight.

I'm so glad I got rid of cable TV a year ago!

Do they really know what they're getting into, though?

They probably don't, no. That's why I feel sorry for them. But it's up to them to investigate every angle independently before signing up or confer with someone in the know who is relatively unbiased. Plus, they've probably watched the show so although they may be unfamiliar with the real medical risks, they do have an inkling of the suffering and hardship involved.

This. Can't help but to feel bad for them. Yes they choose to do it, but I'm sure wanting to lose weight is just as important as the money. Unrealistic eating and exercising goals are a recipe for disaster and one, paycheck or not, I probably wouldn't be willing to push myself towards.

the money of $900 a week? that isn't a lot of money. i doubt that's a big motivator at all.

I'm guessing it's the prize money that's really the motivator.

On the flip side of this, there are people that pay $2,500 a week to go to a Biggest Loser resort (there are 3 of them). The website makes it sound more like a spa with some activity and cooking lessons thrown in.

segacs wrote: »

The counter-argument -- that slow, steady weight loss in a healthy, sustainable way doesn't make for "good TV" -- is the main reason why we can't let profit be the only consideration. I bet it would be "good TV" to watch people die on screen, too. People would watch. Thankfully there are laws against this, or else the Hunger Games would probably exist for real.

Hell yeah. History and the Roman Empire prove this to be true.

GingerbreadCandy wrote: »

I don't even find it entertaining, really. It just makes me sad.

Same here. Then again, I don't watch Survivor or the million other "reality" shows either. I watched Amazing Race for a few seasons 'cause I love to travel and liked to see the places they went, but eventually I got annoyed watching people bicker in airports and moved on. There are better travel shows on TV that aren't so much of a waste of my time.

But millions of people do watch -- probably more than would admit it -- because they do find it entertaining. "Brain candy" or "amusing" are adjectives I've frequently heard. I think most healthy people know that what they see on the show is unrealistic, but then, lots clearly don't either, judging by the number of people who come around here regularly thinking they should be able to lose 10 pounds a week. Plus, they also probably feel that it's fair game to mock and humiliate obese people for sport.

GingerbreadCandy wrote: »

Hell yeah. History and the Roman Empire prove this to be true.

Yeah. Not just the Roman Empire either. Most early societies have documented sports that involved killing or human sacrifice. We humans seem to find this entertaining. Which is why an evolved society has laws to keep our baser instincts in check. And it would be nice if some of those laws stopped greedy studio executives from causing permanent long-term medical damage to people on TV in the name of profit.

snowflake930 wrote: »

I have never watched the show. I just read the article, and it certainly does not surprise me. At the point where I had lost 90#(October 2012), I discovered Ali Vincent's (first female Biggest Loser)syndicated show on tv. It was inspiring to me, but she had obviously gained some of the weight she had lost on "Biggest Loser".

Others are correct. There are a lot of people out there willing to be a contestant. It is very sad that people are exploited in this way.

Too bad they can not do a weight loss series like the movie "Boyhood", over a period of years and doing it in a healthy way. We could all learn from it and emulate a positive program of weight loss. Kind of like MFP for television.

I would watch the he'll out of this show. A bunch of people of varying weights/fitness levels struggling with losing 1-2 pounds a week and becoming more fit. Even a year would be fine.

Not to throw a different spin on this debate, but I think yelling at the contestants has zero to do with motivation and everything to do with trying to make compelling TV.