The Biggest Loser - Opinions?

[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.