The Biggest Loser on TV (the program)

[5kgLifter]

Anyone else in the UK watching the progam on ITV1 at 4pm Mon-Fri called The Biggest Loser? Talk about a way to teach people really bad habits about weight loss. They work in pairs to lose weight each week, and the two couples that have lost the lowest bodyweight percentage get relegated to be eliminated, only 1 actually does get eliminated (but I missed exactly how they go about that process). But the point is, when one of the two people in the couple is ill, such as dislocated shoulder doing press ups, the other one has to lose more weight to make their percentage of loss higher. Some this week, Friday is their weigh in day, were losing over 14 lbs, others oddly only lost 2 lbs; but the loss of 14+ lbs is not healthy. They do, 2 hours of cardio a day, and 3 hours of weights, if I remember correctly. And one woman passed out (well fainted) twice and her blood sugar was found to be low, and the trainer thinks that it's all in her mind, and therefore her body is responding by producing such symptoms; since I'm not sure they eat before their 2 hour cardio session, it couls just be low blood sugar brought about by the cardio. To top it all, they make them go all out for 60 seconds, and I'm sure that most on this forum know that even the fittest person will find it almost impossible to go at their all-out rate fro an entire minute.

All this just to sensationalise a TV program and give bad advice that people will follow.

TV show or not, people should not be treated with double standards; meaning, I would never condone a workout like that for a healthy person beginning with fitness, so I wouldn't give it to a seriously overweight person either.

This is giving a really bad message to people, anyone have any thoughts on this...

[WolfLady]

I completely agree. The Australian version just finished and while the results were spectacular.. (Bob the winner lost 87kg, more than half his bodyweight).. I seriously don't think it's anyway to teach people how to be healthy.

The other problem is that it's giving people the wrong expectations of themselves. People who are trying to lose weight watch this show and can't understand why they aren't losing between 5 and 10 kg a week. It's just wrong. Really wrong.

[stikfigure]

I do love watching that show just to see what sort of ridiculous things they have to do....and then I think: "well if THEY can do that...!" but yes, I wonder how many people watch thinking that they should also demonstrate such enormous weight loss week to week.

terribly unrealistic.

[Puffin]

I'm in Australia too and like WolfLady says, it has just ended here. The results were amazing and the winners are now doing the rounds of talk shows and radio interviews. I actually don't watch it (I've seen two episodes and it put me off!) and I agree with all the reasons above, especially the unrealistic expectations about weightloss and fitness and the fact (which is overlooked) that the people are very carefully 'screened' before being 'chosen' for the show, they are away from their usual homes/habits and work on their health 24/7. I hate the competitive nature of the program and the snippets we see on TV, but hey, it's a 'reality' TV program so sensationalism is the name of the game.
The ONLY bonus to the show is that a lot of my friends see it as inspiring (although they admit to watching it while eating a block of chocolate (??). Although the inspiration they feel is to support someone on the show, not to actually get off the couch themselves. As a TV show that needs ratings, it has hit the jack pot. As a guide to healthy living, weight loss, and decency, it's a failure (in my opinion). I shuddered the other day to hear that my friends daughters were being called "Losers" at school because they've lost some weight through walking. Eek!! There's a lot I don't like about the show, but it has a phenomenal following here.

[ds1001]

its an entertaining show, but the way that they are encouraged to lose unrealistic amounts of weight really sends the wrong message to all those who are trying to lose weight. also, who has the time to do hours and hours of cardio on a daily basis?