Re-watching Biggest Loser after losing 20 lbs; It's so toxic.
Options
dkeofkfbdjsgdvfl
Posts: 16 Member
For a reason I can no longer remember I've been rewatching episodes of Biggest Loser this weekend. I was obsessed with this show when I was at my fattest. It was one of those things I would watch and use as an excuse for why I wasn't losing weight despite eating healthy and vegan, because I could never exercise like that. But I still loved the show, and thought that was what it would take to lose weight.
Now, watching episodes of untrained people being pushed to exercise until they collapse or puke, all while having abuse screamed at them? And the only nutritional advice that get's repeated is "Eat Subways". And it is so toxic. No wonder they all ended up gaining weight again after the show with how it doesn't seem like they learn anything to bring into thir real lives.
And Jillian Michaels is the worst.
Now, watching episodes of untrained people being pushed to exercise until they collapse or puke, all while having abuse screamed at them? And the only nutritional advice that get's repeated is "Eat Subways". And it is so toxic. No wonder they all ended up gaining weight again after the show with how it doesn't seem like they learn anything to bring into thir real lives.
And Jillian Michaels is the worst.
38
Replies
-
Participating on the MFP forums has ruined Biggest Loser for me.
Also Stephen King's "Thinner".12 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Participating on the MFP forums has ruined Biggest Loser for me.
Also Stephen King's "Thinner".
😂0 -
The saddest part of it all is the follow-up The Big Fat Truth, where they talk to Biggest Loser contestants who gained it all back. It's like these poor people are just continuing cannon fodder for an entertainment spectacle, like some bizarre show in the Roman Colosseum or the Hunger Games.
The problem with any diet that you can't maintain is that you won't maintain it. A person with a history of obesity is going to regain the weight unless they've learned and internalized new behaviors while dieting.28 -
.
The problem with any diet that you can't maintain is that you won't maintain it. A person with a history of obesity is going to regain the weight unless they've learned and internalized new behaviors while dieting.
It’s heartbreaking to see in real life too. A relative had a gastric sleeve operation 2 years ago and lost 170lb. Everyone was delighted for her and amazed at how quickly the weight came off, but I was scared for her. It was so drastic for someone who hadn’t tried other ways to lose weight first. She said she’d tried but couldn’t say how. Seeing her only eat a few spoonfuls and then being stuffed was weird. She wouldn’t join family occasions at restaurants for obvious reasons but in the last 8 or so months she has and the portions slowly got bigger and now she’s gained 60lb. I spoke to her about it recently and she said she doesn’t know how to eat healthy as she didn’t have to and she lost the weight even though she was eating jam tart - because it was only a bite of jam tart. Now she eats 4 jam tarts. I keep telling her she can have jam tart as long as it’s weighed, logged and in her calorie allowance.
Added to this is her emotional issues (heck we’re all emotional) and she was an emotional eater to get obese, but she didn’t attend her post op counselling sessions or nutrition classes as ‘I’m losing weight so don’t need them’. She said I was the reason she recently had a full on binge til she vomited as she’d seen how good I looked 3 sizes down. I wish she’d never had the op and had worked hard at losing the weight instead.50 -
@wannabeskinnycat That is so incredibly sad. It is also a very teachable moment. Thanks for sharing.5
-
@wannabeskinnycat thank you for sharing that story. A lot of times we forget how ingrained our eating patterns are. I also need to be reminded that eating well needs to be a conscious decision for those of us who struggle with emotional eating.5 -
Hi @LyndaBSS & @KadenStrength, she used to say she was obese because she was depressed but she was still depressed at her lowest weight. She knows she needs to see someone about her mental health but it’s easier to push it aside and carry on making bad decisions
6 -
I feel her pain. I suffer from anxiety and severe depression. It can be overwhelming at times. I have to say though, that being here for 6 weeks, my symptoms for both have lessened.24
-
I’m currently eating well and losing weight and a friend who often crash diets told me I’d gain it all back because she always does. I told her she needs to create new eating habits so she doesn’t and she legit didn’t understand what I meant9
-
The sad truth is that over 80% of people who lose weight gain the weight back within 5 years, no matter how they lost the weight. Some gain even more than they lost. None of us are immune. Learning new eating habits and following them for your lifetime isn’t easy for anyone. It takes diligence and perseverance.
Getting back to OP. I agree. It’s a demeaning and bullying show, but most reality shows are.17 -
I didn't care for the way they stood them up there like livestock. I've spent my share of time at livestock sales, auctions and rodeos. There was nothing about those presentations that would bolster self-esteem. I found all of it incredibly deflating and depressing including the rebound weight gain stats. The format was a flop.
9 -
Losing 40# over a year doesn’t make for great TV, but it’s a much better “reality”20
-
Just saw a commercial for Biggest Loser. The show is coming back in 2020.0
-
-
missysippy930 wrote: »The sad truth is that over 80% of people who lose weight gain the weight back within 5 years, no matter how they lost the weight. Some gain even more than they lost. None of us are immune. Learning new eating habits and following them for your lifetime isn’t easy for anyone. It takes diligence and perseverance.
Getting back to OP. I agree. It’s a demeaning and bullying show, but most reality shows are.
Yes ma'am... most people are unwilling to give up the pleasures of the palate..4 -
missysippy930 wrote: »The sad truth is that over 80% of people who lose weight gain the weight back within 5 years, no matter how they lost the weight. Some gain even more than they lost. None of us are immune. Learning new eating habits and following them for your lifetime isn’t easy for anyone. It takes diligence and perseverance.
Getting back to OP. I agree. It’s a demeaning and bullying show, but most reality shows are.
I thought it was 80 percent never make it to goal of the 20 percent that do 15 percent will gain it back.
I never saw the show. I don't watch much reality tv and even without ever seeing the show I always kind of knew it was fat exploitation.5 -
psychod787 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »The sad truth is that over 80% of people who lose weight gain the weight back within 5 years, no matter how they lost the weight. Some gain even more than they lost. None of us are immune. Learning new eating habits and following them for your lifetime isn’t easy for anyone. It takes diligence and perseverance.
Getting back to OP. I agree. It’s a demeaning and bullying show, but most reality shows are.
Yes ma'am... most people are unwilling to give up the pleasures of the palate..
I would argue it's not that simple (I mean, we have to eat).
Plus, one of the horrible messages about eating healthy is that it has to be boring, bland, and lackluster. '
Also not saying there shouldn't be accountability and people need to make good choices. But it's easy to be fooled into thinking something is healthy (or not).
12 -
Just saw a commercial for Biggest Loser. The show is coming back in 2020.
Oh no
I hope they've revamped it with more emphasis on education and maintenance. It could be a great motivator to reach people who don't think they can lose the weight. It probably wouldn't have the same ratings though...5 -
kenyonhaff wrote: »psychod787 wrote: »missysippy930 wrote: »The sad truth is that over 80% of people who lose weight gain the weight back within 5 years, no matter how they lost the weight. Some gain even more than they lost. None of us are immune. Learning new eating habits and following them for your lifetime isn’t easy for anyone. It takes diligence and perseverance.
Getting back to OP. I agree. It’s a demeaning and bullying show, but most reality shows are.
Yes ma'am... most people are unwilling to give up the pleasures of the palate..
I would argue it's not that simple (I mean, we have to eat).
Plus, one of the horrible messages about eating healthy is that it has to be boring, bland, and lackluster. '
Also not saying there shouldn't be accountability and people need to make good choices. But it's easy to be fooled into thinking something is healthy (or not).
Agreed, though simple, homemade food can be both healthier and satisfying. It's all a matter of prospective. Yes ,it is that easy.3
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 390 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 921 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions