The Biggest Loser - Opinions?

[Tuckervill]

My wake up call came way way waaaaaay before I reached 300 lbs (206 is my high weight). In the time it takes to put on 200 extra lbs., you have probably considered and declined many many wake up calls. The percentage that take advantage of them at any given point in time is definitely not large enough to solve the obesity problem.

Karen

[divingbiker]

My highest weight was around 240. I've lost weight several times through the years, but the latest wake up call was when I was approaching 50. I lost 60 pounds, gained 40 of it back, and now have lost that 40 plus a few more. Still have about 20 to go at age 53.

Both of my parents died in their early fifties, and my sister is 55, obese, and has a pacemaker/defibrillator, so I'm doing what I can to fight my family history.

Plus it's fun to be able to do triathlons, half marathons, kayaking, and pretty much whatever else I want.

[katluvr]

Great job and keep it up Dinabean. Just keep moving...really that is what we all have to do!

I do think for many the message is that no matter how big you are it is not toooo late and you can get moving.

I just really got hung up on the marathon and that message.

You can bet I 'll be watching the finale. As much as I rant and parts of it drive me crazy, I do like to see the progress and love to see the end results. I do know they do a tremedous amount of work and do have to change their life to keep it off (even if they don't keep ALL of it off).

K

[nscrbug]

For those TBL fans...a few links for a preview at season 9, which starts Jan. 5th. Wow...I sure hope nobody keels over or gets seriously hurt.

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/biggest-los...ontestant--868

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/1...ser/index.html

[Trek420]

Season opener, a contestants is a Fat Cyclist, and I mean that in a good supportive TE way. She has a road bike! Break out the Cycleops, TBL is on.

Go Sophia!

[malkin]

Saw part of the show, but not the cyclist.
Lots of hard stories.

[dinabean]

Yes, I saw the fat cyclist too! (And for those who didn't, that's what she called herself -- she said "I am tired of being a fat cyclist.").

Anyway, looking forward to seeing how the season unfurls. I always feel like I need to be on the trainer when I watch. And continues to inspire me to step up the exercise and work on the eating.

[Trek420]

Yes, I saw the fat cyclist too! (And for those who didn't, that's what she called herself -- she said "I am tired of being a fat cyclist.").

Yeah, she has a pretty nice bike too

always feel like I need to be on the trainer when I watch.

Yep, I'm dusting have to be moving while I watch.

[GLC1968]

Yep, I watched it from the trainer, too! I can't remember, which one was the cyclist? I saw it, but it just didn't register at the time...

And seriously, there are some REALLY tough stories this season! It's like they sought out the most devastating stories they could find! I really felt for the woman who's daughter almost killed herself trying to not be fat like mom. Wow. And more than a couple of these contestants already tried lap band surgery, too. Unreal.

[badgercat]

Sophia is the cyclist. I didn't actually watch the episode, but I was intrigued by all your discussions so I started poking around online. She's also a spin instructor! I've never followed the show religiously, but it seems like contestants have tended toward the more sedentary side, so I'm guessing she would have less trouble than most with the physical demands--maybe her major issues are dietary in nature?

[Trek420]

Sophia is the cyclist. I didn't actually watch the episode, but I was intrigued by all your discussions so I started poking around online. She's also a spin instructor! ....so I'm guessing she would have less trouble than most with the physical demands--?

Ah. so when they had the first challenge I had a feeling she'd dust the 2 men. Go, fat cyclist chickies, go!

[GLC1968]

Sophia is the cyclist. I didn't actually watch the episode, but I was intrigued by all your discussions so I started poking around online. She's also a spin instructor! I've never followed the show religiously, but it seems like contestants have tended toward the more sedentary side, so I'm guessing she would have less trouble than most with the physical demands--maybe her major issues are dietary in nature?

Awesome, thanks! I liked her anyway, so that makes sense.

There were a couple of them who did appear to be a bit more active than typical contestants and I really, really like that. I mean, not everyone who is obese is a couch potato. Hopefully by having more active heavy people on the show, they can highlight that fact and perhaps appeal to a whole new segment of our population.

[ScaldedCat]

At my heaviest I was 322lbs but still reasonably active by virtue of not driving, I had to walk everywhere or catch the bus.
I've since lost 114lbs and have a little way to go to reach my goal weight of 196 or below.
I've done it on my own, sensible eating (although I still eat treats regularly and drink alcohol several times a month) walking, running, going to the gym ( I quit the gym and have have used my monthly gym fee to buy my custom road bike) and cycling.
I have watched TBL occasionally (manily the Aussie version) if only because the size of some of the contestants makes me feel fantastic about myself).
What strikes me is that even though the participants do huge amounts of high intensity excersise many don't seem to lose much more than I have and still do on some weeks on just moderate activity, everyone is different though I guess.

I haven't found losing weight and getting fit to be especially difficult, making the decision to begin down that path just took me quite a while. My main incentive was that I wanted to be sporty, I wanted to be one of those people whose main hobby is some kind of athletic activity as I had always admired those types of folks.

A few (not very good) pics of me over the past 24 moths or so,

2008

May this year, still wearing clothes a size too big though (shopping budget struggling to keep up with weight loss)
Have enjoyed having my hair cropped now that I have lost the weight from my face and neck.

July this year at a premiere of a friends movie (it was a long night lol and that's all I'm saying regarding my dishevelled appearance)

[badger]

that's AWESOME, scaldedcat!! Looks like you're on your way to attaining your goal weight and you're doing it sensibly.

***
What I noticed while watching TBL premiere is that like anything else in life it's the mindset of people that will dictate who will achieve their goals. Those who said "I was going to win that thing no matter what" were the ones who got in the game. That black woman (don't know her name or which city) was so painful to watch, moaning and whining and making the biggest production ever running a mile.

[GLC1968]

What I noticed while watching TBL premiere is that like anything else in life it's the mindset of people that will dictate who will achieve their goals. Those who said "I was going to win that thing no matter what" were the ones who got in the game. That black woman (don't know her name or which city) was so painful to watch, moaning and whining and making the biggest production ever running a mile.

Very, very, very good point. I'm actually working on this myself (to change what I say to myself on a daily basis) and I noticed that watching the show as well. It's also so much more motivating/enjoyable to watch the people who do think and speak positive about what they want than it is to watch those who whine. NBC should take note of that! ;-)

And awesome job, scaldedcat! Great transformation!!