# "Biggest Loser" Under Investigation



## Leonard (Dec 8, 2009)

http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/n...s-halt-2020-investigation-biggest-loser-11417

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/business/media/25loser.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

The Times article is particularly interesting. Definitely supports my impression that the show places entertainment over actual, healthy weight loss. Though I suppose that would be obvious to anyone who's ever seen an episode. 

I know I'm an FA and I'm not really supposed to "like" weight loss or anything, but I've watched this show a few times now (at my night job, never voluntarily) and it does tug at the heartstrings, knowing how much weight loss means to the contestants and how happy it makes them. Then again, with the possible exception of the contestants facing serious health risks, it would be even more uplifting to watch them accept and embrace their current bodies.


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## fatlane (Dec 8, 2009)

NBC also rigged the outcome of "Last Comic Standing" starting in Season 2. 

The story about the first winner being back at 330 after urinating blood really moved me. The show is selling a "lose weight, get fit!" idea and the reality is "go insane, sell ad time!" It's lying to everyone that what the contestants are doing is healthy. It's a pile of manipulative crap - and it's dangerous in what it's promoting.


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## LillyBBBW (Dec 8, 2009)

I really have been cringing in anticipation of the day someone drops dead on that show. I'm glad it's being investigated. The dangers and extremes border on barbarism to me.


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## LoveBHMS (Dec 8, 2009)

Not to sound cold, but it's a reality show. It's there for enterainment.

"The Bachelor" was not developed to help anyone find love, it was developed as a TV show about *somebody* finding love. It's entertainment.

There have been numerous reality shows along the lines of "The Starlet" or "American's Next Top Model" or "The Next Action Star" that ostensibly the contestants that they'd be a working actress, "Top Model", or "Action Star" despite the fact that this panned out no more than "Bachelor" contestants getting married. It did not happen (except for in one situation with 1 season out of 14 of 'The Bachelor') because the purpose of the show was _to be a show._ The so called "winners" of reality shows don't ever actually achieve the title of the show. No winner of "American's Next Top Model" has appeared on the cover of Vogue, with one exception, no Bachelor/Bachelorette couples have married, the winners of 'The Starlet' and 'The Next Action Star' were never heard from again once the shows wrapped.

And so goes "The Biggest Loser". "The Biggest Loser" is a TV show. It's not weight loss program, a Registered Dietician, a gym, a personal trainer, or *national weight loss chain*. It exists only to provide entertainment and revenue for NBC. If you want to lose weight; go to a gym, go to a dietician, go to a bariatric doctor, go to Weight Watchers....but don't sign on to appear on a revenue producing prime time television program.


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## fatlane (Dec 8, 2009)

True, true... and therein is the problem. It's a pack of lies, sold as truth.


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## LoveBHMS (Dec 8, 2009)

fatlane said:


> True, true... and therein is the problem. It's a pack of lies, sold as truth.



But when you look at the contracts the contestants sign, you have to place some of the blame there. A while back, "The Smoking Gun" website posted the contract for the woman who appeared on the first "Bachelorette" series. It spelled out in plain English that they could humiliate her (yes it uses those words) and use her image, likeness, and words in any way they wanted to. They clearly say they can do whatever they want to make the show.

The same thing appears to be the case with "The Biggest Loser". When they tell you upfront "You might die or become mentally or physically ill and we're not at fault" that should be a clue right there. 

Reality TV, or as it's now called "unscripted TV" is still done for entertainment. If this were not the case, and the show did not want to be able to manipulate things, they'd just go aim a camera at the nearest fitness center or weight loss support group. Heck, for cheaper than production costs they could likely just pay for 15 random individuals to go to Canyon Ranch or the Duke Weight Loss Center for 6 months. They don't do that because they are not some random group of individuals interested helping with weight loss, they're TV producers.


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## thatgirl08 (Dec 8, 2009)

The best part about this show is that it reminds me SO much of being in fat camp. Except in fat camp we exercised EIGHT hours a day instead of six. Oh, and it cost my parents 7 grand.


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## SocialbFly (Dec 9, 2009)

I always wished they did more follow ups, like who kept the weight off, i think that would make more of an impact in a lot of ways, we all know we can lose weight, but how the hell do you keep it off?


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## dragorat (Dec 9, 2009)

*To me these so-caled REALITY shows are all a crock.IF I'd ever end up on that show(Not gonna happen) the 1st time either of those idiots yelled at me about my weight or that I wasn't trying I'd deck them.I don't give a damned if they are "trying" to help me or not you DON'T get abusive!*


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## Ruffie (Dec 9, 2009)

REALITY? The reality is that the majority of fat people do not have 6 hours a day to exercise. A TRUE reality show would show people living their daily lives and losing weight at a safe rate of 1-2 pounds a week. The biggest loser sets up people who do try to lose weight on their own for disappointment as they compare themselves to the contestants progress.


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## fatlane (Dec 9, 2009)

Ruffie said:


> REALITY? The reality is that the majority of fat people do not have 6 hours a day to exercise. A TRUE reality show would show people living their daily lives and losing weight at a safe rate of 1-2 pounds a week. The biggest loser sets up people who do try to lose weight on their own for disappointment as they compare themselves to the contestants progress.



While that would be a socially responsible and sensible show, it also makes for terrible television.

_... and after 14 weeks, the winner has lost... 17 POUNDS!!!_

Maybe they should just find skinny actors that look kinda like the starting contestants and have them step in at the end. They can hire stuntmen in blurry jogging suits to do the stuff in the middle.


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## BeaBea (Dec 9, 2009)

I confess I have watched a few of The Biggest Loser type shows because I love seeing bigger bodies being active - but I hate they way they get pushed to 'punish' themselves even when they are taking a so-called positive step towards health. For me the show is edging ever closer to The Running Man, which back in 1987 was a Sci Fi film but will probably be coming to a small screen near you very shortly...

Tracey xx


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## tinkerbell (Dec 9, 2009)

SocialbFly said:


> I always wished they did more follow ups, like who kept the weight off, i think that would make more of an impact in a lot of ways, we all know we can lose weight, but how the hell do you keep it off?



They actually did that this season. It was on a couple of weeks ago. And a former winner DID gain it all back. And they talked to him, showed him on camera. And a couple others have gained some weight back, and they commented on that. That it IS hard to keep weight off, and its something that they struggle with a lot. Its not like they hid it at all.

I like this show - I like that they show you can lose weight by healthy eating and by working out. "Their" Dr touched on that last night - that 2 of the heaviest contestants are just typically just told to have WLS and that they cant work out - and work out hard. And that their exercise centric plan wont work. And you can work out, and be active. And you can lose weight without WLS. 

I understand that they work out 6 to 8 hours a day - when they are there - and thats why they have such huge losses each "week" (sometimes its longer than a week between weigh ins). The last 4 months of weight loss is at home. 

One of the former contestants wrote a lot about what happens behind the scenes on her myspace blog. I used to have her as a friend there, I'm not sure if I still do.



> The biggest loser sets up people who do try to lose weight on their own for disappointment as they compare themselves to the contestants progress.



I dont believe that at all. If you think about it logically you CANT have numbers like that at home, unless you ARE able to work out for 8 hours a day. I've never compared myself to anyone on the show - its taken me 3 years to lose 60 lbs, and I'm happy with that. People who think like that have other issues that aren't TBL's fault. Thats on them, not the show, IMO.

The only thing I dislike about the show, is they focus on how bad things were when they were overweight - and how much life they 'missed out on'. Or how their life is NOW beginning because they lost weight. I've rarely let my weight keep me from doing something I love. Its sad that they felt that way.


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## Paquito (Dec 9, 2009)

When I see a grown man reduced to tears because he _only_ lost 2 pounds in a week, it's clear that the Biggest Loser is riddled with bullshit.


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## phatfatgirl (Dec 9, 2009)

Well I watch the biggest loser.. and of course I'm aware that these are people pulled from whatever their situations are in life.. and placed in a home living with strangers with none of the influences or "regular" stresses of day to day life and thrown in a gym for 6-8 hours a day. But..
Some people..and I am one.. am still struggling to come to terms with my own body. Still learning to appreciate and love myself the way I am. And everyday it's a battle. As an overweight teenager and now adult, my weight did hold me back from a lot of the things that I liked or wanted to do. But that was my own fault, my own insecurities. It is all a process and we all haven't overcome them.


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## LovelyLiz (Dec 10, 2009)

tinkerbell said:


> The only thing I dislike about the show, is they focus on how bad things were when they were overweight - and how much life they 'missed out on'. Or how their life is NOW beginning because they lost weight. I've rarely let my weight keep me from doing something I love. Its sad that they felt that way.



THIS. I have only watched a couple episodes of this show, for the obvious reasons that I am not a big fan of the premise. If it was simply a show about learning to make healthier choices, being more active, etc, that would be great (and also, no one would watch it). 

I watched an episode with a friend who LOVES the show, and it was one of the final episodes of last season. In that episode they had life-size photo cutouts of their formerly fat selves. The newly svelte (or at least, svelter) contestants would look at those cutouts and be truly horrified that they could ever be so fat and (inherently) ugly. The trainers underscored and legitimized the horror that should be felt at the contestants' former fatness.

Given the pretty dire stats for people keeping off giant weight loss long-term, it seems like they're setting these contestants up for even greater self-loathing and shame when many of them gain the weight back. I just want them to give their cardboard cutouts a big hug.


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## orin (Dec 10, 2009)

Ruffie said:


> REALITY? The reality is that the majority of fat people do not have 6 hours a day to exercise. A TRUE reality show would show people living their daily lives and losing weight at a safe rate of 1-2 pounds a week. The biggest loser sets up people who do try to lose weight on their own for disappointment as they compare themselves to the contestants progress.



YES .. you are so right .. and it allows for the body to get tighter too ... loosing so much so fast leaves alot of excess skin.

But like one poster said, it does make for bad TV


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## the_captain (Dec 10, 2009)

LoveBHMS said:


> But when you look at the contracts the contestants sign, you have to place some of the blame there. A while back, "The Smoking Gun" website posted the contract for the woman who appeared on the first "Bachelorette" series. It spelled out in plain English that they could humiliate her (yes it uses those words) and use her image, likeness, and words in any way they wanted to. They clearly say they can do whatever they want to make the show.



I took my son to the _American Idol_ tryouts in Orlando this past summer. Their contract has very similar verbage, and says that once you are accepted as a contestant on the show the producers own the rights to anything you do -quoting directly now - "...throughout the universe, in perpetuity." (BTW he didn't make it. Apparently they only wanted certain "looks" for the contestants, talent notwithstanding. But I digress.)



Ruffie said:


> A TRUE reality show would show people living their daily lives and losing weight at a safe rate of 1-2 pounds a week.



Ruffie, I agree that if one is going to lose weight it should be done at a safe rate. Everyone's body responds to weight changes differently, and I think it's asinine to believe anyone could be forced to lose massive amounts of weight fast and remain healthy. I've never watched _Biggest Loser_, but I have seen the promos for it and it seems to me that greed is as much a motivating factor as losing weight. It would be interesting to see how many of these contestants have actually kept the weight off.


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## FA Punk (Dec 10, 2009)

Honestly I wish they cancel ''The Biggest Loser'' already! Now this has nothing to do with me being an FA, I have nothing against someone who wants to loose weight and be more heathly but please don't make it into some half-ass reality tv show for the love of god!

Seriously, the show is fucking boring to say the least! If I was in charge of NBC I would have shot the fucker who picked this fucking show in the first place. The whole show is about people working out and bitching...HOW THE HELL IS THIS ENTERTAINING!? No, wait let me answer my own question, IT ISNT! 

The show is also very insulting aswell, there is no reason to put these people on a trucker scale and parade them around like cattle with a big screen in the backround showing how fat they are. Also that one female trainer is insulting on every level possible! If anyone is gonna die on that show it's gonna be by her hand because she pushes people way too far!

My hate for reality tv doesn't end with ''The Biggest loser'', I hate...just about all of it, I mean there are some cool shows like ''Deadliest Catch'' but in the end most reality tv is dumb bullshit which is why I can't stand it.


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## thatgirl08 (Dec 10, 2009)

I mean, I don't really have any problem with this show other than I feel a little bad for the contestants themselves but then again, they know what they're getting into so I don't know.


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## Inhibited (Dec 11, 2009)

Ruffie said:


> REALITY? The reality is that the majority of fat people do not have 6 hours a day to exercise. A TRUE reality show would show people living their daily lives and losing weight at a safe rate of 1-2 pounds a week. The biggest loser sets up people who do try to lose weight on their own for disappointment as they compare themselves to the contestants progress.



Totally agree, was going to post something similar..... I don't like how they are voted off either, why can't they all stay on the show and whoever loses the most weight still wins.....


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## LoveBHMS (Dec 11, 2009)

Inhibited said:


> Totally agree, was going to post something similar..... I don't like how they are voted off either, why can't they all stay on the show and whoever loses the most weight still wins.....



Once again because the whole point is to create entertainment and drama. A lot of these shows going back to the basic birth of the genre (MTV's "The Real World") are about the idea of putting a group of strangers together in a contained environment and watching them interact. "The Real World" is in something like its 20th season, and i believe "Big Brother" is up to around 12 or 14, and "Survivor" is close to that as well. It's clear that viewers like watching a sort of "Ten Little Indians" style of show where part of the drama is somebody having to leave and and thus creating a survival mentality.

And again, the purpose of these shows is entertainment, not to help anyone lose weight.


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## Inhibited (Dec 11, 2009)

LoveBHMS said:


> Once again because the whole point is to create entertainment and drama. A lot of these shows going back to the basic birth of the genre (MTV's "The Real World") are about the idea of putting a group of strangers together in a contained environment and watching them interact. "The Real World" is in something like its 20th season, and i believe "Big Brother" is up to around 12 or 14, and "Survivor" is close to that as well. It's clear that viewers like watching a sort of "Ten Little Indians" style of show where part of the drama is somebody having to leave and and thus creating a survival mentality.
> 
> And again, the purpose of these shows is entertainment, not to help anyone lose weight.



I think showing contestants losing weight in a everyday environment will bring more entertainment as there are more environments were drama can occur, interactions with work, family members, partners etc...

Not so familiar with the real world, i think last year was big brothers last here, i only watched the first 3 series of big brother, not so sure about survivor i think it might be popular here but i never really got into it..... But with the mentioned shows there is no other way to determine a winner but to have them voted off...


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## DrPhilter (Dec 11, 2009)

I watched Biggest Loser for the first time this season. I'm not someone who is completely uncomfortable with my body. Im really not that far out of shape. I have some chub to me and really I would prefer to be muscular than just lose weight, ya know? But someone told me it was a good show to follow for losing weight and it's clear that they were wrong. Im sorry but I just don't have the motivation to work out even 4 hours a day. I work out 2 hours a day and thats fine by me. 

I also don't really comprehend their whole plan. From what I can tell people are supposed to lose like 8k calories a day, which seems ludacris to me. 

I guess I appreciate that people can make a difference in their life and thats good. I would say to an extent biggest loser is better than some of the other trash reality shows out there but I fear there are a lot of people out there that compare themselves too closely to the contestants as far as weight loss goes and thats really not good.


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## tinkerbell (Dec 11, 2009)

Inhibited said:


> Totally agree, was going to post something similar..... I don't like how they are voted off either, why can't they all stay on the show and whoever loses the most weight still wins.....



Thats what I'd like to see too.

But the people who get voted off do typically continue to lose weight at home and show that you CAN do it at home. True they have an incentive to lose weight - 100,000 to the at home winner, but there are many there who know they aren't going to win that prize (it would just be impossible with their starting weight) who continue to lose weight anyway. 

I dont think the show is boring - I start to like the people on there. 

I really like Jillian. They will show her yelling and being mean in the promos for the show, because that gets people talking and gets people to watch. But if you watch the show enough, you find out she's not as mean as they like to portray her. And many of the former contestants have said she's not as mean as they show her in the clips on the show. When you watch the shows, you see her talking to the contestants, and crying with them, when they share painful stories with her (about being fat, and about their lives - Abby this season lost her WHOLE FAMILY in a car accident, and that triggered a lot of her weight gain). She was slightly overweight as a teen, so she 'gets' a little of what they are going through. 

I get why its not a show that is popular here. But there are many people out there who are not happy being fat - and THAT IS OK! Its ok to not want to be fat anymore. Its ok to do something about it. And here is a show, showing that you can be fat, and can work out hard, and that you dont HAVE to have WLS to lose weight. And that is criticized too. 

As its ok to be happy being fat. Not every fat person hates their bodies. Which is fine.


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## LovelyLiz (Dec 11, 2009)

tinkerbell said:


> I get why its not a show that is popular here. But there are many people out there who are not happy being fat - and THAT IS OK! Its ok to not want to be fat anymore. Its ok to do something about it. And here is a show, showing that you can be fat, and can work out hard, and that you dont HAVE to have WLS to lose weight. And that is criticized too.
> 
> As its ok to be happy being fat. Not every fat person hates their bodies. Which is fine.



I totally agree that if people want to change their bodies pretty much HOWEVER they want to, that is their right. If there's anything in my time around these forums that I've seen as thematic it's that people here believe that others should be able to control their own bodies and do what they like with them and not be forced to be any way they don't want to be. And you raise a good point that it goes for losing weight too -- everyone has the right to lose/gain/remain/whatever as they see fit.

But I think it's at least worth saying that the distinction is that when someone who is fat wants to be thin, they have a TON of social support and social pressure to go that route. And, someone not wanting to be fat anymore and wanting to go on a show like The Biggest Loser, is at least in part connected to the surrounding cultural ethos where fat people are often viewed as miserable/ugly/troubled -- an ethos that is reinforced by shows like the Biggest Loser.

I know the show shouldn't be expected to present all sides of the story. It just makes me sad when people are motivated to do anything through self-hatred; and it seems like the people who go on that show (based on my limited viewing of it) really hate their fat bodies. And, knowing that they may be fat again someday, or even that they have had a lot of life already being in those bodies, I guess I just would rather they be encouraged to love and value their bodies at each point in the cycle (even if they still choose to lose weight). The self-hatred seems like a motivating force, and that just really doesn't sit well with me.


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## John12 (Dec 11, 2009)

I believe the show was created to show the world that it is possible to lose weight, no matter how big you are. It is just a matter of discipline which is very hard to maintain. For those fat people who desperately wants to lose weight and have been trying for years, this show is for them...


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## LovelyLiz (Dec 11, 2009)

I do appreciate that the show inspires some fat people to know they can work out and move their bodies and do all kinds of active things they didn't think they would be able to - and I'm truly glad people feel inspired by that. 

All I'm saying, alongside that, is that it is a bit troubling to me when the motivation for that is self-loathing.


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## Rojodi (Dec 11, 2009)

Celebrity Fit Club has the contestants lose 2, 3, 4, 5 lbs by the "next weigh in." From my understanding, they are NOT weekly. Sometimes they are 10 days between weigh-ins. It's a much healthlier way to lose weight.


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## mithrandirjn (Dec 12, 2009)

The only real positive of the show, to me, at least, is that it emphasizes the importance of diet and exercise for both weight loss and overall health. Anybody at any size can still partake in a sound diet and a moderate-to-high amount of exercise, or at least an active lifestyle, if the gym isn't your thing.

But the negatives of this show are much, much greater, mainly because of the fantasy they peddle to the public.

Nobody has 6-8 hours a day to exercise, unless it's a part of your career, and nobody can operate a normal, everyday life, with jobs, families, chores, commuting, et. al., while working on a diet that involves eating a bare bones minimum of calories, the fuel you'd need to get through the day.

Even if you COULD do it, you'd need constant medical supervision, which is what's available to the contestants on this show.

But the human body is a funny thing. Rapid weight gain or weight loss, either way, the body isn't designed to support either. You can put your body through a grueling 8-10 month schedule where you lose an ungodly amount of weight, but you'll have a HELL of a harder time maintaining that weight than somebody who didn't have to lose 100-200 pounds, or however much they say they lose. Your body needs time to adapt to being a new size, whichever size it may be, and the contestants on these shows are absolutely murdering their metabolisms by barely eating and then exercising like machines. Your metabolism works FASTER if you eat enough (without overeating) and then hit the treadmill/weights/whatever.

Unless you become a millionaire and can hire a dietician, a doctor, a personal trainer, basically a full time "health staff", how can a person possibly keep that level of activity up to maintain their weight, though? You can't radically shift your lifestyle for less than a year, go back to "normal", and hope to keep up what you've gotten. Yes, you can begin leading a healthier life, but what'll happen you begin eating a "normal" amount of calories a day? Or when you only have one hour to work out, not six?

And this isn't even mentioning one of the most disturbing aspects of the show: the self-loathing it promotes.

Look, if you're unhealthy, and you feel unhealthy, blah blah blah, then I can totally understand feeling down on yourself, feeling like you're allowing yourself to miss out on certain things in life, etc.

However, the vast majority of personality types do NOT take positive steps towards a lifestyle change via self-loathing. If anything, when a person is down on themselves, they very likely retreat FURTHER into their unhealthy habits, unless they're on a stupid TV show where they have no choice but to work out/be active.

But if you want the goal of healthiness to be one that people can latch onto, then you MUST promote positive body image. That doesn't mean encouraging people to be fat (since we know that won't happen, at least not explicitly), but it does mean helping a person to reach some level of comfort with themselves and their bodies.

When a person becomes more positive about those issues, they tend to become more outgoing, and thus, inevitably, more active. Maybe they won't be jogging 5 miles a day, but maybe they'll go outside more to take a nice walk, or go out at night more often just to have some fun, anything that encourages just getting up and DOING something.

...Ok, I've ranted long enough. Sorry.


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## ksandru (Dec 13, 2009)

*


FA Punk said:



Jillian Michaels? A former fat girl who now berates the people she once was. Can't stand the bitch & I would tell her to fuck off in a minute!  

My hate for reality tv doesn't end with ''The Biggest loser'', I hate...just about all of it, I mean there are some cool shows like ''Deadliest Catch'' but in the end most reality tv is dumb bullshit which is why I can't stand it.

Click to expand...


Yeah, I would rather watch Deadliest Catch myself and documentaries as well as that crap. NO ONE is going to tell me to give up my Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! :eat2:*


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## Rojodi (Dec 13, 2009)

ksandru said:


> *
> 
> Yeah, I would rather watch Deadliest Catch myself and documentaries as well as that crap. NO ONE is going to tell me to give up my Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! :eat2:*


*

History Channel, History Channel International, Discovery Channel, those are REALity tv. TLC use to be, until the Duggars and Jon and Katie plus 8 invaded. I hope to God, Jesus, all the saints and angels that people will wake up to the dangers that "The Biggest Loser" bring. The weight loses per week are incredibly life-threatening. I know I couldn't do it. I can do an hour's worth of LIGHT exercise before I'd have to stop, rehydrate and have something to eat: Type II diabetic here.*


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## Baba Fats (Dec 14, 2009)

Rojodi said:


> History Channel, History Channel International, Discovery Channel, those are REALity tv.



Discovery is a freak show, and just about as factual as a spiel from P.T. Barnum. I love the History channels, but every other program seems to be about UFOs, vampires, or the DaVinci Code. Even those that stick to history tend to dumb down the facts and smooth over a lot of uncertainties, while playing up the most sensational events. 

Reality TV is an oxymoron. It's all about what sells. *There is no such thing as reality on television.* (Well, maybe R. Lee Ermey. I'm only saying that because I wouldn't want to get on his bad side.)

Sing with me, people:

_It ain't necessarily so
It ain't necessarily so
Whatever you're able
To watch on your cable
It ain't necessarily so_


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## pdesil071189 (Dec 14, 2009)

I was always taught in health class that healthy weight loss is 6 to 8 lbs a week. Some of these shows do push it to the extreme. Just because you can lose 20 lbs a week dosent mean you should. Seriously wanna lose weight walk like a mile or so a day and never step on a scale it works. Weighing yourself in my opinion just stresses you out. Which isnt good for weight loss. I mean seriously last time I just exercised and didnt worry bout weight my clothes were starting to fall of me like crazy (aka my Gangsta phase) I gained it back but still.


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## moniquessbbw (Dec 14, 2009)

SocialbFly said:


> I always wished they did more follow ups, like who kept the weight off, i think that would make more of an impact in a lot of ways, we all know we can lose weight, but how the hell do you keep it off?



The day before Thanksgiving they ran a special show about all the past contestants. Only one guy gained it back. They made him an offer to weigh in at the season 9 finale and he said yes. He has almost 200 pounds to loose again.


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## LovelyLiz (Dec 14, 2009)

moniquessbbw said:


> The day before Thanksgiving they ran a special show about all the past contestants. Only one guy gained it back. They made him an offer to weigh in at the season 9 finale and he said yes. He has almost 200 pounds to loose again.



Was it only one guy from all the contestants who had gained the weight back? Or only one guy from among the smaller group who agreed to appear on the update show?


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## the_captain (Dec 14, 2009)

pdesil071189 said:


> I was always taught in health class that healthy weight loss is 6 to 8 lbs a week. Some of these shows do push it to the extreme. Just because you can lose 20 lbs a week dosent mean you should. Seriously wanna lose weight walk like a mile or so a day and never step on a scale it works. Weighing yourself in my opinion just stresses you out. Which isnt good for weight loss. I mean seriously last time I just exercised and didnt worry bout weight my clothes were starting to fall of me like crazy (aka my Gangsta phase) I gained it back but still.



Losing a lot of weight is all well and good, but the issue for most people is keeping it off, and that requires eating habit changes. A while back (I think on TLC) there was a mini series called _I Can Make You Thin_ with Paul McKenna. His approach was to eat what you want, but eat slowly, putting down the fork and chewing each mouthful thoroughly. Eventually you recognize the "full" signal your body sends, and you stop eating. That's an overly simplistic explanation of his plan, but it makes sense that once you've lost a bunch of weight you can't just go back to old eating habits. I don't know if the _Biggest Loser_ trainers tell that to the contestants, but I highly doubt it.


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## Elfcat (Dec 14, 2009)

I already watch a reality TV show. It's called Democracy Now.


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## fatlane (Dec 16, 2009)

Elfcat said:


> I already watch a reality TV show. It's called Democracy Now.



Amy Goodman has one of the best damn news shows on the planet.

When Robert Fisk is her guest, it's THE best damn news show on the planet.


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## tinkerbell (Dec 18, 2009)

mcbeth said:


> Was it only one guy from all the contestants who had gained the weight back? Or only one guy from among the smaller group who agreed to appear on the update show?



Not everyone who had been on the show was on the update show. I'm not sure the reason behind it. But they didn't just show the success stories, like you would think.

Eric was the first winner of the show. He's gained back all of the weight. And he was on the update show.

Matt and Suzy both were on the show, and Matt one the season they were on (they met, fell in love, and are married with 2 kids now) and they both have gained weight back. And admitted that its hard to keep it off. That its not easy. 

Another woman on there had a child, and gained some weight back, and was having a hard time getting it off again, but was working at it.

Another woman (sorry I dont know the names of all of them!) said that she didn't believe the Dr at the ranch, that she would have to exercise for a couple of hours a day to keep the weight off. And so she didn't, and started to gain weight back. And has to work HARD to keep the weight off. 

Carla from 2 seasons ago, has continued to lose weight, but she's not thin. She was still in the 240's but they showed her, and that she was running the Detroit 1/2 marathon this year. 

So, IMO, they didn't paint this as a cure all to being overweight. They showed that even being on the show, you have the potential to gain weight back. And didn't say it was easy, and the people pointed out that they struggle with it everyday. They didn't only show the "success" stories of people who kept it off without a problem. They showed that its hard, and that people still can and do gain weight back.


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## thatgirl08 (Dec 18, 2009)

I used to be a fan of this show but then my mom, who was a HUGE fan of it (and still likes it to an extent) met a girl that was on the show.. she didn't win but she got pretty far. She's from Rochester and now goes around the state doing talks about losing weight and stuff. My mom hired her to come to her workplace as part of their "Wellness Program" so she was talking to her about the show after her speech and she was saying they were encouraged not to drink any water in the 24 hours before weigh in and also rarely ate anything during that time either. She was telling my mom like about how horrible it was because she'd feel so sick and dizzy while trying to exercise dehydrated and starving. The best part though is that she told us how she had to give up her office job and work as a personal trainer just so she could work out enough to keep the weight off and now she has to do these speeches for extra money. Like, wow.. I get the whole lifestyle change idea but.. that's a little extreme. 

I guess part of the reason I hate is because this show seriously reminds me so much of being at fat camp.. we exercised eight hours a day, drank nothing but water and ate 1000 calories a day.. for nine weeks. Me and some other girls weren't losing fast enough so we all started getting up early to go running before our eight hours started.. so we were exercising like, 9 or 10. I was exhausted all the time and had horrible, horrible shin splints all summer. 

I lost 45 pounds but the second I went home I gained 5 back .. like in a week because I started drinking more. I was so scared to put all the weight back on but it happened because you know, reality took over that yeah, I had to go to school. I was in 8th grade. I didn't exactly have the chance to exercise 8 hours a day anymore. 

I mean, I don't really have a problem with the show itself, like I'm not saying it should be pulled or something, because the only people it really negatively influences is those on the show and they signed contracts to be there. I just think the whole thing is stupid. Not to mention, the show itself sucks.. it's like 20 minutes action, 40 minutes commercials & them talking about nothing. Oh and my favorite is that now they have commercials in the actual show itself. Like, one of the contestants will be like HELLO OTHER CONTESTANT, DID YOU KNOW THAT CHEWING GUM.. LIKE THIS ORBIT GUM HERE (pan to gum).. WILL HELP CURB CRAVINGS AND MAKE WEIGHT LOSS EASIER. The whole thing is a marketing scheme based on fat bigotry. 

/rant


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