Those poor Bigst Losers

used2bskinny · Post by **used2bskinny** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 2:06 pm

Did anyone see last night's Biggest Loser show on tv? Those poor people were almost tortured in addition to being humiliated. Someone should have told them about No S !

Post by **reinhard** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 2:12 pm

I've never actually seen an episode. I probably should, just out of "professional" interest. Sounds awful, though.

Tricia · Post by **Tricia** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 2:57 pm

I think some of them end up feeling good about themselves, and it would be pretty boring to watch if they were all on no s! But, the amount of exercise seems a little unsustainable.

I wish them all the best, but won't watch the show myself. It's too easy to get sucked in!

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 3:05 pm

Tricia wrote:I think some of them end up feeling good about themselves, and it would be pretty boring to watch if they were all on no s! But, the amount of exercise seems a little unsustainable.

I wish them all the best, but won't watch the show myself. It's too easy to get sucked in!

I think the diet is unsustainable, too. For the people on the show the whole process of losing weight becomes a full time job.

staclinusa · Post by **staclinusa** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 4:19 pm

I can't watch that show... it makes me feel like if I'm not putting in the amount of effort they are I don't deserve to lose weight.

I'd love to see some of the contestants from the first couple of seasons, though. I can't imagine anyone keeping up that lifestyle for very long.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 4:49 pm

staclinusa wrote:I can't watch that show... it makes me feel like if I'm not putting in the amount of effort they are I don't deserve to lose weight.

I couldn't disagree more. I feel like they're doing something totally unrealistic and (even with medical advice) potentially dangerous. Especially now -- the last two seasons they've had the biggest people ever -- +/- 500 pounds.

bluebunny27 · Post by **bluebunny27** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:02 pm

I watched the first couple of seasons ... then I gave up.

I didn't like how they were humiliating the contestants all the time, the scheming, people being voted off for no good reason ... I gave up on the show after watching a show where the contestants each had to carry a HUGE CAKE through a desert on a wheel barrell if I recall ... that was the turning point : The melting ice cream, the wheel barrel, the heat ...

It's just entertainment but there are much more realistic weight loss shows out there with people training 60 minutes per day, not 4 to 6 hours a day as they do on TBL. I like X-Weighted, The last 10 pounds, Bulging Brides...

I saw a 'TBL Reunion special' that was on TV the other day too and a lot of contestants gain quite a bit of weight back once the show is done, one had even regained all his weight back and he had lost over 200 pounds ...

Cheers !

Marc

37 Years Old. 5'10" Tall.
Nov. 1st. 2008 : 280 Pounds
Nov. 1st. 2009 : 190 Pounds (1 Year : - 90 Pounds)

staclinusa · Post by **staclinusa** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:28 pm

wosnes wrote: I couldn't disagree more. I feel like they're doing something totally unrealistic and (even with medical advice) potentially dangerous. Especially now -- the last two seasons they've had the biggest people ever -- +/- 500 pounds.

That's what I mean, though. I think it sets up unrealistic expectations for people trying to lose weight. What normal person can devote 4-6 hours a day to exercise? What normal person would be able to eat the way they do for the rest of their life? Yet the show gives the impression that we should be able to make those sacrifices if we really want to lose weight. It's not healthy, but the way it's presented on the show makes me feel guilty for not being willing to do what they're doing.

sophiasapientia · Post by **sophiasapientia** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:33 pm

DH and I have watched this season so far, although once "Lost" (our one and only 'must see' show) starts up again, we won't be tuning in. I give kudos to the folks for trying to make a change but it certainly isn't realistic to maintain that level of exercise, etc and we find ourselves shaking our heads at the set much of the time. "Oh, woe is me, I only lost 5 pounds this week."

Nichole · Post by **Nichole** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 8:00 pm

Yeah, I haven't watched too much of that show. The quick weight loss and everything doesn't seem to healthy or attainable. What humiliating thing did they have to put up with?

lelovelady · Post by **lelovelady** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 9:58 pm

I only watched the first or second season. They were cruel to those people, and it felt more like a game show than something designed to really help them.

I really detested the female trainer, and it disgusts me that she has become such a big name now. Screaming at people, calling them names, making them exercise until they collapse ... it's torture, not help. I don't subscribe to the "break them down so you can build them back up" school of thought. I don't train animals that way, and don't feel you should do that to humans either.

The show is designed to make freaks out of people who are fat so the producers can make money.

Laura

used2bskinny · Post by **used2bskinny** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:37 pm

I totally agree with you all! Although there is a quarter of a million dollars at stake for the eventual winnners )biggest losers) I don't know if any amount would pay the price opf the humiliation those people go through!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 12:20 am

I'm not in favor of the show either; I think they should have to use the relatively new body scan for bodyfat %. Of course, the test takes about 20 minutes. Much less drama than stepping on a scale.

I also think it's nuts that those trainers actually are glad when contestants lose that much weight weekly. Can they really believe a person burned 10 x 3,500 calories in a week to lose 10 pounds? However, I did a little research on previous contestants and a surprising number of them aren't terribly far off than when they were on the show. Sure, many gained some weight, but I expected almost all of them to regain and then some.

That being said, I'm staying here. This crowd here is pretty "healthy" food conscious, actually, yet not righteous. I also think we have the best sense of humor.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:55 am

oolala53 wrote:

I also think it's nuts that those trainers actually are glad when contestants lose that much weight weekly. Can they really believe a person burned 10 x 3,500 calories in a week to lose 10 pounds?

When diet and exercise becomes your full time job, I don't think it would be difficult at all. Considering how many calories these folks were probably eating daily to get to 300-500 pounds, the diet change combined with any exercise would probably cause way more than average or normal rates of weight loss.

Cantab · Post by **Cantab** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 5:56 pm

I agree with all of you. It sets up an unrealistic standard. I can't believe how many people on Sparkpeople say things like "I've only lost 10 pounds this month".

It can be inspiring to some people, though. A friend decided to make weight loss her full time job after losing hers, and did a similar 4-6 hours a day of exercise, and it's worked wonderfully. I hope she doesn't regain.

Personally, though, I don't know how people stick to such low-calorie diets. What I like about No S is that I don't feel like I ought to be eating only 1200-1500 calories a day. Physiologically, it seems like such low calorie diets make people binge.

Everyday Systems

Those poor Bigst Losers

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