"Secret Eaters" TV show
CattOfTheGarage
Posts: 2,745 Member
Just wondered if anyone else likes this show from UK Channel 4. It's a bit trashy but the message is basically sound, and I've actually learned from it.
What they do is they take 2 people - like a couple, brother and sister, 2 friends or whatever - who are overweight and don't understand why. They give it the usual "I eat healthy food, my diet's good, I don't understand why I've put on this weight, I must have a slow metabolism" etc etc, get them to fill in a food diary, and then they rig them with hidden cameras for a few days and then show them what they're really eating. Of course they're shocked etc. Then they put them on a sensible eating plan and revisit them in a few weeks to see how they're doing, and you see that they've lost weight and are healthier.
I like it because although there's some over-dramatisation and what not, there's no pseudoscience, it's all CICO, and they don't put them on a crazy diet. When they revisit the people are generally still overweight but you can see they're lighter than they were and on a good path that is sustainable. They also give some good insights into what makes us more likely to overeat, and demonstrate the principles by running experiments on groups of people to see which group eats more based on plate sizes, food placement and things like that.
If you're in the UK you can find this on the Channel 4 catchup site and app. If not, maybe search YouTube? I don't know if it's on there or not.
What they do is they take 2 people - like a couple, brother and sister, 2 friends or whatever - who are overweight and don't understand why. They give it the usual "I eat healthy food, my diet's good, I don't understand why I've put on this weight, I must have a slow metabolism" etc etc, get them to fill in a food diary, and then they rig them with hidden cameras for a few days and then show them what they're really eating. Of course they're shocked etc. Then they put them on a sensible eating plan and revisit them in a few weeks to see how they're doing, and you see that they've lost weight and are healthier.
I like it because although there's some over-dramatisation and what not, there's no pseudoscience, it's all CICO, and they don't put them on a crazy diet. When they revisit the people are generally still overweight but you can see they're lighter than they were and on a good path that is sustainable. They also give some good insights into what makes us more likely to overeat, and demonstrate the principles by running experiments on groups of people to see which group eats more based on plate sizes, food placement and things like that.
If you're in the UK you can find this on the Channel 4 catchup site and app. If not, maybe search YouTube? I don't know if it's on there or not.
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Replies
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I really like this show and it hit home a lot for me - I am definitely a secret eater! There was one episode where a girl had put on 8 stone in 2 years and couldn't figure out why - had to think that there is some self denial.
you can definitely find it on Youtube1 -
I like it, it is a bit daft as you say, but it does make you more aware of your own habits. It also debunks all of those silly rules and exceptions people think are true. For example, I remember one episode where two sisters thought that because they went to the gym they could eat whatever they wanted within a one hour window after they had been, including a whole pile of profiteroles.0
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I love Anna Richardson as a presenter! I also love this show, especially when they open the false wall and show them exactly what they have eaten in a week set out on a table. Definitely worth a watch0
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I've watched this a few times in the past, finding the fake wall opening up funny.
I've personally never been under any illusions as to what ended up putting the weight on me, so it interests me to see/hear from others who are genuinely surprised and confused, wondering how they piled the weight on. Selective memory? Recall breakfast, but not the meal out you had?
Very curious, no judging.3 -
I've watched this a few times in the past, finding the fake wall opening up funny.
I've personally never been under any illusions as to what ended up putting the weight on me, so it interests me to see/hear from others who are genuinely surprised and confused, wondering how they piled the weight on. Selective memory? Recall breakfast, but not the meal out you had?
Very curious, no judging.
Selective memory is totally a thing and should be more talked about in the weight loss community. I had a friend who, when I recalled a memory of something we both were present for, she would often have a totally different version of the event than I did. And the more personal investment she had in the event (ie something unsavory a boyfriend did etc) the more her memory would be rewritten to suit the personal narrative she had running in her head. Or maybe it was my memory being rewritten but the point still stands, haha.
Just found this show the other day. It's interesting.3 -
I've watched this a few times in the past, finding the fake wall opening up funny.
I've personally never been under any illusions as to what ended up putting the weight on me, so it interests me to see/hear from others who are genuinely surprised and confused, wondering how they piled the weight on. Selective memory? Recall breakfast, but not the meal out you had?
Very curious, no judging.
Selective memory is totally a thing and should be more talked about in the weight loss community. I had a friend who, when I recalled a memory of something we both were present for, she would often have a totally different version of the event than I did. And the more personal investment she had in the event (ie something unsavory a boyfriend did etc) the more her memory would be rewritten to suit the personal narrative she had running in her head. Or maybe it was my memory being rewritten but the point still stands, haha.
Just found this show the other day. It's interesting.
This is true! Everyone remembers things slightly differently. Especially if their focus is on something different than another person's focus in the same event.
Also, memory isn't perfect. A lot of things fail to make it to long term memory simply because that information wasn't deemed as "important" as other information by your brain. So many things go into our working memory but few select things actually make it into our long term memory. Even then, the brain will fill in bits and pieces of information that is absent from your long term memory of an event.
You would think that a person would remember eating that extra slice of pie or whatever it was, but I feel like many times, a person is so focused on whatever else they're doing at that point in time that the memory of that extra slice of pie never makes it to long term memory in the first place.
I'm in the US, so I've not seen this show but I'm going to try to look it up online! It sounds interesting!2 -
I've watched old episodes on YouTube. From the title I expected it to be about people sneaking food and then lying about it, but it's not. It's people being surprised by the sheer number of calories they are consuming in their regular diet vs. how few they must consume to lose weight. I like it when they watch the secret footage and talk back to themselves. "Am I going back to the fridge again? No, don't do it!"
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I'm curious now... Is it that they eat things that have a lot calories? Or really that they eat more in quantity than they think?
I mean, I understand how people can eat some things and not realize that they have a lot of calories (hence the 'I eat nothing but gain weight' issue), but do people really not notice that they go back to the fridge for another snack or had a 2nd slice of pie?
I admit it boggles my mind a little bit. I haven't seen the show, but I saw those videos with one woman tracking her food and underestimating it by 1000 calories or something, and I just didn't really get it.2 -
Lose weight for love on bbc is also good. It's on Iplayer x3
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I'm curious now... Is it that they eat things that have a lot calories? Or really that they eat more in quantity than they think?
I mean, I understand how people can eat some things and not realize that they have a lot of calories (hence the 'I eat nothing but gain weight' issue), but do people really not notice that they go back to the fridge for another snack or had a 2nd slice of pie?
I admit it boggles my mind a little bit. I haven't seen the show, but I saw those videos with one woman tracking her food and underestimating it by 1000 calories or something, and I just didn't really get it.
you should go watch it on youtube.
They ask them to write down a diary of what they eat and the calories they think they are eating. They are guesstimating 2 sometimes 3 times less than they are actually eating. Sometimes it's underestimating calories, sometimes them snacking and tasting things while cooking/shopping, sometimes they just forget that they are eating something altogether.
I think the biggest thing for men that i've seen is that some of these guys are drinking 3,000-4,000 calories worth of alcohol.2 -
I'm curious now... Is it that they eat things that have a lot calories? Or really that they eat more in quantity than they think?
I mean, I understand how people can eat some things and not realize that they have a lot of calories (hence the 'I eat nothing but gain weight' issue), but do people really not notice that they go back to the fridge for another snack or had a 2nd slice of pie?
I admit it boggles my mind a little bit. I haven't seen the show, but I saw those videos with one woman tracking her food and underestimating it by 1000 calories or something, and I just didn't really get it.
Apparently. I've only seen one episode too (brother and sister seemed to totally forget about huge dinner at a pub with lots of alcohol, along with many other things) and don't get it either.2 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »I'm curious now... Is it that they eat things that have a lot calories? Or really that they eat more in quantity than they think?
I mean, I understand how people can eat some things and not realize that they have a lot of calories (hence the 'I eat nothing but gain weight' issue), but do people really not notice that they go back to the fridge for another snack or had a 2nd slice of pie?
I admit it boggles my mind a little bit. I haven't seen the show, but I saw those videos with one woman tracking her food and underestimating it by 1000 calories or something, and I just didn't really get it.
Apparently. I've only seen one episode too (brother and sister seemed to totally forget about huge dinner at a pub with lots of alcohol, along with many other things) and don't get it either.
I can understand to a certain extent. For example, I may have a piece or two of candy and if I don't log it right away I may not remember it. Or I'll remember it the next day but not that evening when I'm finishing up my log. But an entire dinner, that I don't get. I could understand forgetting multiple pieces of something, for example if you logged 2 rolls, but you actually had 3. I can understand not remembering the exact amount of fries you had, but to forget an entire meal is ridiculous.6 -
I've watched this a few times in the past, finding the fake wall opening up funny.
I've personally never been under any illusions as to what ended up putting the weight on me, so it interests me to see/hear from others who are genuinely surprised and confused, wondering how they piled the weight on. Selective memory? Recall breakfast, but not the meal out you had?
Very curious, no judging.
I'm in the same boat. I never had any question as to why I was overweight. I wonder if that made losing easier for me than for some others?2 -
Denial is a powerful force.
It also seems a lot of people just don't make the connection between QUANTITY of food and weight loss, they think it's all about quality - so if it's "bad" or "fattening" you should NEVER eat ANY of it, and if it's "healthy", " wholesome" or "home made" then you can eat as much as you like. It's the same thing that causes people to accidentally overdose on painkillers, I think - if a little bit is good, more must be better!
Last night I watched an episode of Secret Eaters where a man was eating Special K for breakfast - a QUADRUPLE portion of it, with about half a pint of milk, two tablespoons of jam (!) and a dollop of cream! "Well, it's healthy," he said, "so I thought the more the merrier."
That's the problem for a lot of people. Add the idea that "I deserve a treat", lack of awareness of how many calories are in treat food, and total ignorance of correct portion sizes and you have a recipe for unwitting obesity while believing you're eating "a healthy diet".6 -
CattOfTheGarage wrote: »Denial is a powerful force.
It also seems a lot of people just don't make the connection between QUANTITY of food and weight loss, they think it's all about quality - so if it's "bad" or "fattening" you should NEVER eat ANY of it, and if it's "healthy", " wholesome" or "home made" then you can eat as much as you like. It's the same thing that causes people to accidentally overdose on painkillers, I think - if a little bit is good, more must be better!
Last night I watched an episode of Secret Eaters where a man was eating Special K for breakfast - a QUADRUPLE portion of it, with about half a pint of milk, two tablespoons of jam (!) and a dollop of cream! "Well, it's healthy," he said, "so I thought the more the merrier."
That's the problem for a lot of people. Add the idea that "I deserve a treat", lack of awareness of how many calories are in treat food, and total ignorance of correct portion sizes and you have a recipe for unwitting obesity while believing you're eating "a healthy diet".
Plenty of people on MFP are that way. "I'm eating whole grains, chicken breast, getting my 5 a day, and drinking a gallon of water. How come I'm not losing weight?" Doesn't matter if it's whole grain flax or Wonder bread, eating too much is eating too much.
I can totally see people not remembering what they ate or forgetting entire meals (latter especially with alcohol). Selective memory happens all the time. There are times I don't remember eating something and have to look in the garbage for the empty wrapper.4 -
CattOfTheGarage wrote: »Denial is a powerful force.
It also seems a lot of people just don't make the connection between QUANTITY of food and weight loss, they think it's all about quality - so if it's "bad" or "fattening" you should NEVER eat ANY of it, and if it's "healthy", " wholesome" or "home made" then you can eat as much as you like. It's the same thing that causes people to accidentally overdose on painkillers, I think - if a little bit is good, more must be better!
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On several episodes, participants seem to believe that jacket (baked) potatoes have powerful weight loss benefits. In one show, a young woman visited her grandmother every day for lunch. The grandmother showed the crew what she asks for: a baked potato covered with baked beans, cheese and I don't know what else. "She says it's healthy", Nana says dubiously.
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OMG I love trashy UK shows. I'm watching this one now.4
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hahah
well thank you for getting me hooked! Watched 4 episodes back-to-back! 2 -
Its a great show! I got the impression though that they ask the participants to log an average week's eating. Then, at a later date, they film them and show them what their average consumption actually is.
The best show was in the first series, when this women claimed that she was some kind of medical miracle and there was no reason why she couldn't lose weight. They showed her what she was actually eating (like half a pot of mayonnaise in one sitting) and the look on her face was priceless, she just totally would not accept that she wasn't eating healthily. Then when they did the follow up show after they'd been on the healthy diet for 2 months or however long it is, she refused to come back on the show.0 -
I will use all my powers of google-fu to find a way to watch this!
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I can totally get this happening when you don't realize what portions are supposed to be like. So many times on my weight loss journey I've measured out a serving of something and realized that in the past, I would have eaten 3x that.3
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MissusMoon wrote: »I will use all my powers of google-fu to find a way to watch this!
I just watched it on YouTube
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this show made me realise how much i eat in my car! I was so deluded i wouldnt log it because i couldn't remember it! I would have sandwiches alllll the time whilst driving, how stupid is that?! Yeah love this show!0
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O man, thanks for the new show to watch!!!1
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Wouldn't those 'I don't remember eating' issues be solved if you made it a point never to eat anything while distracted (driving, TV, computer, etc)? I don't know, I've never experienced it (love food too much not to enjoy it, honestly), so I'm probably daft about it.
I'll watch the show if I can, but I'm not sure I want to watch that kind of stuff with the kids home... already too many talks of calories and unhealthy foods at 8 (and it's coming from their friends, not me!).0 -
Yes, I try to limit calorie talk in front of mini-me, it's not really a healthy subject for kids. They learn good eating habits by copying, not by joining in the weight loss obsession.2
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Ehhh, I can see people taking bites of food here and there and not counting it, but IDK how you can forget eating an entire donut/pastry.
Another recurring theme seems to be not tracking liquid calories like booze and such.1 -
Watched this once, they had a segment where they set up a buffet table at a party complete with hidden camera. At one point a young girl (looked no older than 12) who was at a perfectly healthy weight helped herself to a few things and Anna on voiceover was so mocking of her it was cruel. Imagine mocking a young girl for having something to eat at a party, that's the sort of thing which if she sees could push her into an eating disorder. Whatever useful message their show delivers, the host is a cruel bully.0
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Colorscheme wrote: »Another recurring theme seems to be not tracking liquid calories like booze and such.
And that's a bad one, because alcohol has 7 calories per gram - more than sugar. Even apart from the carbs contained in the drink, your body will burn the alcohol itself, like a happy drunken spirit stove (and playing havoc with your blood sugar in the process - there's a reason for all those late night kebabs).
Track your booze, people!1 -
I have never heard of this show (I live in Canada) and saw the heading while I was searching the Community boards. I'm on You Tube right now watching the very first episode. I like what the host had to say...you have to be honest with yourself about what you are eating !!!
That is so very true. There are times when I don't want to track what I've eaten but that's not helping me !!! I need to be honest with myself and take my journey day by day.
By the looks of the opening of the show, I think this brother and sister team is going to get a huge eye opening. I might too !!!
Let's see how it unfolds0
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