The Biggest Loser - Opinions?

[Trek420]

I wish they would have 'em do a century as the Great Test of Strength at the end. Even after weeks at the ranch they are so heavily taped, obviously major joint problems. I questioned it since two were really struggling early on I didn't think they'd make it and still would not be surprised to hear if they "take a shortcut" in the car.

But cycling's easy on the joints, with the spinning they've been doing that's both very hard and doable.

[shootingstar]

I haven't watch 1 full episode of the show that's being discussed here. I actually find it vaguely disrepectful to the contestants, even though I realize they are after the money.

[Deborajen]

I... this is just mindboggling. I mean, I'm all for big dreams and all that, but there is a point where optimistic turns plain stupid. And I dunno, to me it seems a bit disrespectful, to all of the talented, determined athletes out there who train hard and well and healthily over a long period of time and prepare themselves properly to be able to do something like this without killing themselves or sustaining long-term injury.

Well said. I've never cared for "Biggest Loser" because it's - well, it's not smart. The idea of losing weight, looking better, doing things you never dreamed you could do is great. But sometimes the long way is the better way and the healthier way, and this "Hollywood shortcut" does in some ways seem to mock those who worked hard over a period of time to do something big like lose a lot of weight or run a marathon. At the very least, the show promotes a quick-fix, which in this case can be downright dangerous.

[katluvr]

I was going to stay away from my original rant. I really don't want to take this away from them IF they really did the full marathon. But I swear they weren't really sweating at the end. They looked so fresh. You should of seem my sweat and what I looked like after my 4 miler this AM. And if they did do it the show should talk more about proper training. That is all. No more ranting--I promise ()

[GLC1968]

I was going to stay away from my original rant. I really don't want to take this away from them IF they really did the full marathon. But I swear they weren't really sweating at the end. They looked so fresh. You should of seem my sweat and what I looked like after my 4 miler this AM. And if they did do it the show should talk more about proper training. That is all. No more ranting--I promise ()

If I recall correctly, Rudy's t-shirt was soaking wet as he and his previous partner came up on 1 mile to go. It looked like he'd jumped in a pool! It is possible that they clean them up a bit right before crossing the finish line so that they are slightly more presentable - I mean it IS tv.

I think they would talk more about proper training if it were a show about running marathons...but its a show about weight loss (and apparently Multigrain Cheerios & Britta water filters ) so that's what they focus on.

[kacie tri-ing]

Don't forget that they HAVE been caught cheating on a marathon before.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/show...st-losers.html

I wouldn't put it past them.

I did, however, watch the "where are they now," and I certainly teared up when he didn't make the ironman cutoff. No rides in Kona, that's for sure.

[Crankin]

Katluvr, I feel the same way you do. *I* know the show is not really focused on running a marathon or riding, but the millions of people out there don't. It is just plain irresponsible to present training in this way. After my brief foray into running this year, I have totally messed up my back. And, I am in shape, prepared, stretched, had PT, etc. So if this happened to me, what's going to happen to the out of shape, overweight person who thinks they can train for a marathon in 60 days?
I know I err on the side of super conservatism when it comes to training, risk, etc. But really, the whole show is just to make $. I watched the "Where are they now?" show and it was interesting, but nothing surprising.

[Tuckervill]

Well said. I've never cared for "Biggest Loser" because it's - well, it's not smart. The idea of losing weight, looking better, doing things you never dreamed you could do is great. But sometimes the long way is the better way and the healthier way, and this "Hollywood shortcut" does in some ways seem to mock those who worked hard over a period of time to do something big like lose a lot of weight or run a marathon. At the very least, the show promotes a quick-fix, which in this case can be downright dangerous.

The people on that show will NEVER be the kind who take the long way. It's also IMPOSSIBLE to do the "Hollywood shortcut" on your own (or without a LOT of money), so no one seriously thinks it could be done outside of the show, do they?

Karen

[dinabean]

Well, as someone who is very, very, very overweight, my take is a little different. I don't think the problem is that these people don't "want" to take the long way. I think they are so desperate, confused, and overwhelmed with life that they truly need to get away from their life and hit the ranch for 12 weeks to transform themselves. The positives of this show:

(1) It shows fat people that it is possible to swim, bike, run, lift weights, and just generally exercise. That even if you are fat, you are capable of more than you realize with just a wee bit of tenacity. That has been very, very inspiring to me. That's part of what got me out there training for a triathlon. And I know I am not alone.
(2) Despite all of the product placements, they do more than pay lip service to teaching them to heat healthily. They bring in chefs, take them grocery shopping, teach them to count every calorie and really understand the diet end of things.
(3) They force them to work on their psychological issues that got them fat to begin with.
(4) They impress upon them that this has to be a life long thing to work. On the recent where are they now episode, one person said she was told she would have to work out 1-2 hours a day 5-6 days a week to maintain.

The negatives of this show:
(1) They do push them too hard. The one mile run on day one put two contestants in the hospital. That marathon route? It's *hilly*. And while they had been working out 4-6 hours a day, 7 days a week for 12 weeks prior to undertaking that, 8 weeks to marathon is really way overboard. My DH, who is training for a marathon right now, was pretty floored.
(2) The editing. :lol: Enough said.
(3) They force them to work on their psychological issues that got them fat to begin with in front of a TV camera for our entertainment.

I started working out regularly by doing the couch to 5K program for running back in September. At that time, I weighed 245 pounds. 3x a week for 35-50 min a day, for 9 weeks. Toward the end, I bought a bike, and try to ride at least once a week. I've added in spin classes on Sat. morning, and am working on upping the running to 4x a week. I am also trying to be more conscious about my eating. I've now run 2 5K races, can run 4 miles without stopping (at a VERY SLOW pace; it takes me an hour) and bike 5-8 miles at a time. I still can't do all the climbs in spin class. And I've lost 11 pounds. For me, I it's hard not to get frustrated that I don't see the numbers they do, but I just remind myself that I am also not working out 4-5 hours a day. For me, slow but steady will win it. My hopefully realistic goal is to be down under 220 by Christmas, and under 200 by my race on Mothers' Day. But before seeing that show and seeing some overweight friends of mine complete a sprint triathlon, I just didn't think I was capable of succeeding at exercise or being athletic, because I never have been. For getting me past that mental block, that show has been priceless.

[Trek420]

The people on that show will NEVER be the kind who take the long way. It's also IMPOSSIBLE to do the "Hollywood shortcut" on your own (or without a LOT of money), so no one seriously thinks it could be done outside of the show, do they?

Karen

I disagree. For one thing we don't know the contestants personally; no way to know if they would take the long way to health given time, info and resources,

Also I don't think it's a shortcut at all. A shortcut would be (my opinion with no medical training) dangerous quick fixes like surgical options. Yes it's quick in terms of time but by no means easy.

If I was able to train full time, no work or distractions with a trainer for months I'd tone up and drop weight too.

I would like to see more emphasis on getting the family involved, that seems key. Incorporating an active lifestyle, some could have a challenge weaning an entire family off junk food, soda, sedentary lifestyle choices.

Also lastly; go dinabean GO! You rock! And welcome to TE BTW.

[Possegal]

Kudos dinabean for all you've accomplished and your input.

Has anyone seen the Lifetime show called DietTribe? They've done 2 of them. Five women, all friends, needing to lose weight, some with not nearly the amount that biggest loser women need to lose. They are still in their everyday lives, with their families and their jobs. They usually have a goal of 50 lbs to lose. Not sure of the time frame but it is a good time and I think they weigh in like every 2 weeks and often the weight loss is in the 4-6 lb range. This last season their end goal was to do a sprint tri. I find it more relatable for those reasons. It is sort, not many episodes. But I've enjoyed both seasons.

[GLC1968]

For getting me past that mental block, that show has been priceless.

Exactly! Thank you for sharing your experience/feelings!

I know this is a hard sell to a forum where everyone here is already active to some degree....but as we all know, there is a HUGE segment of our population that would never even dream of exercising. Of them, many are obese. I can't tell you how many people I've met in my lifetime with the mentality of "I'll just diet to lose weight first and then once I get smaller, I'll start exercising" and then they never quite get to the point where they feel comfortable buying a bike, or going to the gym, or to even be seen running/walking on a public roadway or park becasue of their size. So they give up on the weight loss and as a result never got off the couch in the first place (so to speak)! What if we got all those people up moving FIRST??

I mean, speaking as myself, I've never been classified as obese. But I've certainly been overweight for a vast majority of my life. Now that I'm in my 40's, I don't give a rats *** what others think of me at the gym or out on the road...but when I was younger, I certainly did. I remember distinctly being only about 15 lbs overweight and not wanting to attend step aerobics classes in the 90's because I'd be the 'fat girl'. Seriously! Now multiply that by ten-fold for some of these people and just imagine being in their shoes. Had I seen the BL back then, I'd certainly have been inspired to get moving. Hell, I'm inspired by these people now and I'm already active!

Yes, walking a mile on day one was a stretch since they made a competition out of it and that made a bunch of them over-exert themselves. But did you notice Daniel on that day? He was the returning contestant from the previous season. He was still 150 lbs overweight and yet he ran that mile with relative ease. It's not about the weight - it's about the conditioning and that's a big point of the show.

I do think the 'marathon' is misleading. Except for Rudy - no one ran the whole thing (and we don't know that he did either - he averaged a 13 min mile so there could have been some walking). That's a bit different than someone who is training to run one for time (or a cut-off). And if you figure that they got off the couch and started working out 6 hours a day a full 12 weeks before the '60 days' started, that means they 'trained' for this event for 20 weeks. Honestly, that's not unrealistic. I know plenty of women who have trained to walk a marathon (for breast cancer, I believe) in 20 weeks.

What I don't like is how the show leaves a lot of these minor details out. Yes, it would get tedious to recount them, but by not doing so, it is misleading...no doubt about it.

[shootingstar]

Keep pluggin' away dinabean. And congrats. so far.

Do you like any of the sports you are doing now? It's important in terms of staying with some form of exercise...for life. Because many of us here, will say that...it is for life...even after getting down to one's healthy good weight.

So the more you love to do something, the more your body will crave to do the exercise/sport several times per week.

Try the bike to explore the world..not just to grind away for weight loss.

[Tuckervill]

I disagree. For one thing we don't know the contestants personally; no way to know if they would take the long way to health given time, info and resources,

Then why haven't they already? Do you think if TBL didn't exist, that a large percentage of these contestants would do anything about their obesity? One or two, maybe. The rest of them would still be waiting for their kick in the ***.

Karen

[Trek420]

I don't know why not. There are quite a few on this board who used to be either dangerously/unhealthily out of shape, overweight or both and who have found/are finding a way to fitness through biking and all the other things we here do.

We might try asking: what was your wake up call?