Last night I watched the finale of The Biggest Loser Season 9. I was really unhappy with the outcome of that show. It was disappointing that instead of a final four they created an “America’s Vote” which ultimately led to the actual biggest loser getting booted. I was a fan of Koli and hated the fact that he worked hard but was basically cheated out of winning. But life isn’t fair, right? Even if you do all the right things and deserve something, you still might not get it.
But that episode was the final straw with me and The Biggest Loser. I’ve had my moments over the past seasons where I actually enjoyed the show. I even believe underneath all the advertisements, game play, and manipulative editing there are lessons you can learn from The Biggest Loser. Even this season had it’s inspiring moments like O’Neal’s accomplishments and all the final transformations. But those moments are no longer enough for me to like the show.
Basically, watching The Biggest Loser makes me feel bad about myself. I’m still at a weight where I could qualify to be a contestant on the show. They make losing 100 pounds or more look easy. They make running look like something that’s easy and if you can’t do it you are just weak. They make it seem okay to lose as much weight as possible (even going below what you should). They make it all seem quite easy. The show makes me feel quite a bit like a failure.
Also, it sets up unrealistic expectations about what you get when you lose weight. I’m never going to be famous for losing weight. I’m never going to have confetti dropped over me, cameras in my face, millions of fans, or a huge check for my accomplishments. I might want some or all of those things but because I’m not on that show I won’t be getting any of them. Most likely when I hit my goal weight it will just be me and my scale and a quiet victory for myself.
In a way that makes me sad. Because I have watched the show for several seasons I now want those things. I’m jealous of the people on the show that get them. I’m jealous of the people that lose their weight in five months and are done with it while my journey drags on. I’m jealous of the people that get to win things because they complete challenges and lose weight, when I will never get a chance to do that (I really, really love challenges and competition).
I’m also scared to succeed because I won’t get any of those things. In the end I’ll just get me.
That will be enough, you know. When losing weight on your own that has to be enough. It has to be enough that your body is new and can do things it never could before. It has to be enough that you did it for yourself and for your future. It has to be enough that you are worth all the work and deserve the reward of a changed life. It has to be enough because that’s all it is. No fans, no cameras, no confetti.
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{ 57 comments }
I’ve been feeling the same way for awhile. I can’t stand when they stand on the scale and are heart-broken because they’ve only lost 5 pounds. Some weeks I’d kill for 5 pounds.
.-= Lanine´s last blog ..Day 5: An Update =-.
Amen, girl. Unrealistic is right. It’s almost scary.
And you WILL get something when you’re done. You will have yourself, but it will be a you that was on a long journey and worked really, really hard to get there. You will get the life lessons that you learned on your own – not because there was a TV camera in your face.
.-= Jessica @ How Sweet´s last blog ..Cookies and Cream Krispy Treats. =-.
The show is completely unrealistic. Working out 8 hours a day, eating 1200 calories. Come on! I do enjoy seeing if they are able to keep the weight off 6 months to 1 year after the show is over and the contestants are back to real life.
They have had the “America’s Vote” the past few seasons. I do think that is a nice feature – there’s a more personal aspect to the show besides just numbers on the scale.
Great post, makes you think! I wish you the best of luck in your continued weight loss. Regardless of being famous, know that you are inspiring your readers and motivating yourself by documenting your life. That is what is important.
.-= Julie @ Pickley Pear ´s last blog ..Green Day =-.
Ah, okay to the America’s vote thing. I haven’t seen every episode of the past few seasons, so I think I missed the America’s vote thing each time. I really think that’s unfair, but whatever… all reality shows do that, don’t they?
I agree that the weight loss on this show is completely unrealistic. They work out 6-8 hours a day, and I saw some behind-the-scenes clips that show them getting physical therapy and iced every day just so they could continue to work out like that. And where is the limit? This season they had a 500lb+ guy which was a big risk but thankfully, he did okay.
I sometimes wish too that I could drop 10lbs in a week, but if you look at all the past contestants, they all gained back some of the weight, some 20-30lbs a week after the final show.
For me, I watch it as motivation, if they can work out that long every day, I can find time to squeeze in 30-60 minutes. And I can be thankful that Jillian isn’t screaming in my face. :)
Losing weight is living a different lifestyle, and in order to make a change so great, you must make it slowly or it won’t stick. If I decided I wanted to be a lawyer, could I join a firm right away? No, you have to go through months or years of school and earn your degree before you can change your career. Just like you have to go through months of learning to eat healthy and exercise before you become the healthy person you wanted to be. Of course there are slip-ups along the way, but look at each one as a learning experience.
I can’t tell you how much I have struggled this year with my eating and weight, but every time I fall off the wagon I try to brush myself off and get back on again. It doesn’t help that I’m incredibly impatient, but I know I can get there.
Sometimes, you need to overcome your fears to become the person you want to be.
You can do it! :)
.-= Gina´s last blog ..Broad Street Run: Race Recap =-.
I have never seen any of the other seasons of the show, but though I agree that Koli lost more weight (by percentage) than Michael, it happened this way and that’s it. I felt like the other contestants who hadn’t even come close to winning their spot for the $100k were happier with their progress than Koli was when he won. Sure, if they hadn’t done the vote, he’d have won, but to be honest, I don’t think he deserved it as much. It seems like he did not put on any muscle (unlike Sam, who kept seeing smaller weight loss numbers – probably due to his adding of muscle), so who knows. It happened, it’s done.
But, I disagree that they make it look easy to lose 100 lbs. Yes, they do it in months and no, that’s not normal for the rest of us. But they admit that they work out 6 HOURS a day or more! How is that easy? Sure, we don’t see every minute of the workouts, but they don’t look easy. At least not to me.
You should be proud that you’re working towards your own goal and not compare yourself to the people on the show or the show itself. You should celebrate your own little victories instead of worrying about how you are not able to see the weight loss that these people saw. I understand that to do that, you may not be able to watch the show. I know that I’ve been overweight since the show began (though, like I said, I didn’t watch it), but I feel a sort of motivation from the show (more the people in it that the show), so I hope you can find something to motivate you rather than make you feel worse.
You like challenges and competitions? Do you do races or play any competitive sports? That could be a way to get that desire met.
And try to remember that there will be your own kind of confetti – you’ll have friends and loved ones acknowledge your accomplishments, you’ll have your readers (who find you as an inspiration, I’m sure), and you’ll have yourself. You’ll be able to be proud of yourself. Don’t forget that.
I’ve watched the show too periodically (I have not watched the finale yet, it’s DVR’d) but the problem I have with the show is the rewarding for mass amounts of weight lost in the quickest time possible. It’s just not realistic. It perpetuates the “Microwave Society” we live in. I’m happy for anyone that can lose weight, but can you keep it off long term and for life? That is the real question.
.-= Anonymous Fat Girl´s last blog ..Nothing that’s worthwhile is ever easy – remember that =-.
This is my first season watching The Biggest Loser so I didn’t know what to expect. While my husband and I sat down to watch every Tuesday we went through a myriad of emotions: annoyed by the cheesiness of some parts, pissed about the number of commercials and shameless endorsements, inspired by the changes in their bodies, and yes, jealous. While I think I will still watch next season, we felt a lot like you (even though I though Daris should’ve won.) You’re right, it’s a bit disheartening that we (without the aid of trainers, a private gym, chefs, etc.) will someday reach our goal only to celebrate in our minds and move on – no confetti, no camera. . . just us.
;/
This is an effin fantastic post Mary!
I think I watched the first season and that was it. I agreed with the concept but never agreed with the actual show. I’ve been on this journey for 5 months and it has messed with me both physically and emotionally. I hope every contestant is given the tools to leave the ranch and continue on their journey, minus the constant watch, the cameras, the chefs, the physical therapist, the doctors and america’s eyes.
I was crying last night (which I do a lot it seems) because I’m so fed up with the micromanagement of my life right now. I’m scared because I’m down 50 and what if I can’t do another 50. I’m frustrated because I want to be strong and I wanted it last month. I’m unsure of my commitment today even though I’ve been present in this journey 120% since the beginning. I want my glitter and lights and what I’m left with is a 430a weigh in, in the middle of the kitchen with the lights off because the scale light is so bright I don’t need another light to see the numbers.
Thanks for your solidarity today.
.-= Tara´s last blog ..Official time… =-.
I had an epiphany last night, after listening to what Ashley’s mom said to her. When before-the-ranch-Ashley said, “What if I can’t do this, Mom?” Her mom said, “But what if you CAN?”
So it’s not about what if you can’t do another 50. It’s about what if you can.
Hang in there, friend.
Great reply Krissie.
I forgot Ashley’s mom saying that. But I needed to here it.
And Tara? You can do another 50. We believe in you.
I was upset too at first that Koli kind of got cheated, but this is what I decided. The America’s Vote thing has been on for several years, and for that reason, the contestants KNEW that was probably going to happen, and they “played the game” accordingly.
Sort of like when people complain about the whole Electoral College method of voting for President. The candidates and their campaign managers know that’s how it’s done, and they run their campaings accordingly. If our voting system were different, they would campaign differently.
Anyway, I agree with everything you said. The whole show concept is unrealistic, and sometimes it does just make me feel bad about myself, rather than motivating me to do better. I’ve joked about turning the show into an eating game, and having some snack food on hand and eating a bite every time someone on the show cries.
.-= Janet´s last blog ..I Was Told There’d Be Cake =-.
You are enough. I promise.
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..Roots & Rock Stars =-.
I’m not the biggest BL fan either. My gripes have to do with all the extra uneccessary stuff they include to try to make it interesting… the gameplay, the voting off, the drama… when the inspirational stories of these people working hard and losing weight would be awesomely compelling in and of itself (I think).
You’re right that there may not be confetti and a big check when you hit goal weight, make no mistake that it’s a life-changing accomplishment. I can’t begin to tell you how much better I feel… and how much better I feel about myself… right now as compared to a year or so ago.
Those folks won the weight-loss lottery. We’re gonna have to work for what we get.
.-= Jack Sh*t´s last blog ..Unleash Your Inner Warrior =-.
Hey,
So you didn’t gain back as much as I suspected halfway through reading this blog but you haven’t gotten much further either. Here’s the thing (and I’m really not saying this to be mean) you need to stop making excuses. One day you set a goal, then the next week when you don’t do what you need to do to reach the goal, you announce that the goal wasn’t realistic because of xyz. Granted you’ve done some great things that took guts – quitting your job, bungee jumping, moving out of your house, etc but when it comes to weightloss, you’re not doing what you say you will. You gave up on running (because of your needs), you gave up/are not as strongly pursuing being under 200 (because the number doesn’t really matter), you gave up on giving up/cutting down sugar (because it wasn’t realistic) and some other minor things. Listen, I’m not saying that goals can not change and it’s not possible to learn along the way but it seems you only change your mind with doing things related to weight loss.
When you decided to pursue writing, you did it. You are taking way more pictures (And getting better btw), you wrote an ebook and now your are saving for New Zealand. You have focus and determination, you know what you need to do to lose weight. Why not put those together? Or at least figure out why you’ve not done that in the past TWO years.
I recommend this book called slim for life. It’s a UK book so I think you can only get it on amazon. I don’t necessarily think raw is the way to go but he makes some good points about food addiction. Okay this is kind of long so I’m going to wrap it up. I’m about to start a (lose)100lb in 1 year so it’s not like I’m speaking from an expert point of view. But hey, it’s always easier to get a picture of others than yourself.
Hope you take this in the spirit it was intended.
Mimi
an undercover vixen
.-= Mimi´s last undefined ..Response cached until Thu 27 @ 18:18 GMT (Refreshes in 23.02 Hours) =-.
Here’s the thing Mimi…
I gave up on running because I started too early. 215+ pounds running on my knees is a bad idea and it HURT me. I will run eventually, but my body wasn’t ready for that.
I didn’t give up on no sugar. I did that as a one week experiment. I currently don’t eat sugar during the week. I didn’t exactly give up, did I?
And getting under 200 pounds is going to happen. I didn’t give up on that. I’m not sure where you got the idea that the number doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what weight I’m at in the grand scheme of things, but 200 is a goal and I will reach it. I’m still getting closer to it every day.
I know you don’t actually know me, so I’m trying hard not to listen to your advice. I don’t make excuses. If something isn’t working, I quit, reevaluate, then start again. I never fucking give up and it pisses me off that you keep implying that I do. I’m sorry if you got the wrong impression of me from reading blog posts. They only show a portion of what I’m thinking, feeling, doing and going through. You might think I make excuses and give up. But guess what? I don’t.
I hope that when you go through your own journey you have an easy time. Good luck.
Certainly wasn’t trying to piss you off. You’re right, your blog only shows a portion of you. That’s the portion I was commenting on. You know yourself better than I do and my comment should only make you reflect not angry. Reflect and either decide the comment had merit or dismiss it because it doesn’t. Only you can make that call.
I just know that it’s easier to see patterns from the outside and some times a fresh perspective helps provoke change.
Thanks for the good wishes. I was definitely not trying to imply the journey would be easy. If it were, I’d be there already.
I guess I’ll just go back to lurking.
I’m sorry that it made me mad, but I’m just being honest about it. I reflected on your first comment all night and it just made me mad. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say… sorry to disappoint you by not gaining all my weight back already? Honestly, after the first comment I really wasn’t in the mood for the second. Sorry if that’s not what you intended. It’s just what happened.
Feel free to comment any time. Just don’t be upset when I disregard your perspective because you don’t know what you are talking about. ;)
And like I said. Good luck.
mary, i hate to say it, but i completely agree with mimi. i have been reading your blog from the very beginning, and every time you write a new post recently i have similar thoughts. your positive attitude and energy is so inspiring and you are an amazing writer. but i think that you are constantly making excuses for yourself, and its not fair to YOU. a few posts ago you said you were going to stop making the blog about weight loss…. why? because you know that you are no longer focusing on it, even though thats why you initally started the blog. if you had lost a significant amount of weight since starting this blog, it would make sense for you to steer clear of the weight loss talk. but you havent. you still have a ways to go, and youre not going to get there if you keep making excuses and letting yourself become distracted. losing weight is crucial for your HEALTH. you often say that you are healthier and more active than other overweight people… but the truth is that you cant run. your weight is so high that you cannot run without the risk of seriously injuring yourself. that in and of itself should be enough to motivate you to lose weight. i agree with mimi, you are so determined in all other areas of your life. i truly believe you have the determination to lose the rest of your weight. but it seems like you have become too comfortable with where you are… youre in love with someone who accepts you for the way you are, and trust me i have been there. but you clearly are not giving your weight loss efforts 100% and i think you know it. im sure that you will respond to my comment with a long list of refutations just like you did to mimis. but i think your defensiveness also shows that you know you arent giving it your all, and you are angry someone saw through your excuses and is calling you out. i believe in you and i cant wait to see what you can do…
I like how you try to guess my reasoning behind decisions. It’s actually quite funny. I’m going to try to not get defensive, but just explain.
I said I wanted to make my blog less about weight loss because it’s boring. It’s boring as hell to write about the same things related to losing weight for so long. Sometimes I want to write about other things here, but I can’t because it’s supposed to be all about the health. That was my choice, but the super laser focus on weight loss over such a long period is incredibly boring. When I’ve got other majorly exciting things going on in my life I’d rather do that.
The truth is I can run. I wouldn’t “seriously injure myself.” I decided not to run because it’s a pain to ice down my knees when instead I could just wait until I lose more weight, strengthen my legs (which is what I’m currently doing) and not worry about that. Don’t get me wrong, I can run. It’s a choice not to. Not everyone in the world needs to be running.
I guess that sounds defensive. You and Mimi and whoever else can go off thinking you know something about me because of it. That’s fine. I know I’m not giving weight loss 100%. I’ve even said that. You guys aren’t shining some special light into my life where I was confused about things. I’m being healthy and living life and no, not focused 100% on losing weight. Does that make this a cray weight loss blog? Maybe. Feel free to stop reading. ;)
I can’t run either. It hurts my knees. And I’m at a “normal” weight. I’m just sayin’. I walk instead. And bike. And lift weights. And its fine.
I’m an objective outsider and I really don’t see how the above comments are motivating. Since when are people obligated to be 100% dedicated to weight loss efforts 100% of the time? This kind of thinking is really dangerous from a public health perspective. It sets the tone that if you can’t give it your all, you might as well not even try. Imagine the benefits to society if everybody made better choices just 50% of the time. That would be HUGE. Maybe some people could only swing 30% at first – still an improvement.
I know we don’t know each other – sorry to barge in like this. But I’m a public policy geek and when I read the above comments my bullshit detector went haywire. Health is not an all-or-nothing game, and its dangerous to frame it as such. You are there in mind, and you’re mostly there in practice. And its not a race.
Cheers,
Janene
Okay, I feel like I am in a minority in blogland, but I’ll admit it.
I love Biggest Loser.
And not just because I love Bob Harper (which I do – so much I actually do the yoga video just to hear him say “lay-nthen” for “lengthen”), but because I admire what they do. Is it realistic for me? No. The show is their JOB. They have trainers (ahem – Bob) and nutritionists and physical therapists and so many people helping them that we don’t even see. But if losing weight was my full-time job and I had their resources I know I could do it too. I know I could. But that’s not my life. But knowing that I can work full time, care for a husband and a house, run a blog (or 2), and still lose a little weight? Awesome.
The same goes for you.
And as far as challenges and competition? Have you ever played the BL game on the Wii? I love the challenges. it’s like I’m there. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine. I love chopping that freaking wood.
Mary, Mary, Mary. The celebration will never be just you. Hello? Do you blog? Do you have a following? Don’t we celebrate you every step?
And if it is just you? So what. Get your own freaking confetti when you’re a few pounds away. So you can throw your own party and show us pictures of the aftermath.
You know, I’m actually thinking about carrying confetti for the marathon finish…
.-= krissie´s last blog ..it wasn’t in the deal =-.
Okay, I love you.
And bob Harper. He is one of my favorite things about that show. ;)
I have not played that game. I should find someone with a Wii and try it! I love challenges. I like to challenge myself but I thrive more on competition with others (or a computer, haha).
And thanks for the reminder that I’ll have people celebrating for me. ;)
I totally wish I could throw confetti for you at the marathon finish. You have no idea how awesome I think you are, Ms Runner!
I love The Biggest Loser and have watched every season since the beginning. Of course, it’s not realistic, but that doesn’t bother me at all. It’s a TV show and it’s for entertainment. It is motivational for me to see the changes in the contestants over the course of the show, but you have to realize that most of them will gain the weight back because they don’t learn how to live in a healthy way for the long haul. It’s not “5 months and done”. More like 5 months, and now go try to keep this off in the real world.
When I first started watching the show, I was heavy enough to be a contestant. Then came the season where I weighed less than all the contestants at the beginning of the show. Now, I’m getting close to weighing less than any of the contestants at the end of the show. It’s taken me about 6 seasons of BL to get there, but I’ll bet that I keep my weight off because I’ve learned so much along the way. One thing that BL has taught me is that I can work harder than I think. When I see 300 lb women sweating it out at the Ranch, it inspires me to go a little longer on the elliptical. When I see the older contestants lifting a bunch of weight, it inspires me to pick up some dumbells. I think my workouts have been positively influenced by watching BL.
By the way, I have to disagree about Koli. I don’t think he’s learned much at all and was much more focused on winning the show than losing weight. I predict he’ll be one of the people who gains back quickly.
That’s great. 6 years or 6 months, it matters that you’ve done it. ;)
And we can agree to disagree about Koli. Regardless of what he learned he was technically the biggest loser by percentages. That being said, he probably NEEDS to gain back weight. Probably 30 pounds or so would be good for him. He is 6’1 and 167 (?) which is really small. He doesn’t seem like the type to be so skinny, but then again the goal of the biggest loser is to lose as much as possible regardless of whether it’s healthy or not. I hope he gains some but definitely not all. ;)
I’m motivated by the stories and transformations on BL. The unrealistic weight loss, product promos, etc. drive me nuts!!! I only watch it to see how the participants transform their lives, not just their bodies.
As for “no fans, no cameras, no confetti,” – you already have plenty of fans via blogging, you post AWESOME pictures on the regular, and the confetti is the satisfaction in knowing that YOU ARE DOING IT!
I have mixed feelings on the show. I like it because many people end up saving their lives & then carry that forward to family & other people in their community & beyond. I do like that they let people know that what goes on at the ranch is NOT typical. They did not do that in the beginning seasons. BUT, it is an unrealistic way to lose weight & many contestants put it back on….. I don’t like the product placements everywhere that were not there in the early years. I guess that is TV but drives me crazy!
As for the rest….. Jack Sh*t rarely comments away from his humor so love his comment… how you will feel about yourself. The sense of accomplishment.
I can’t say that I don’t feel jealous at times too Mary.. about certain things.. or maybe it is frustration.. like all the times I tried to be “a reader model” but not to be…. some days it consumes me when my mood is off & other days, I let it go… I do understand though…
.-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..What’s Your Motivation? More Happy Bdays! =-.
The outcome was frustrating to me as well. I’m like you – challenges and competions are something I LOVE. They drive me in an intense way because a) I hate to lose and b) I have to finish what I start. While I’ll never be on a show like this or be rewarded with huge prizes, I participate in all sorts of challenges, create competitions & reward myself accordingly. Rewards are always within my “budget” for this part of my life & are things that I would really love to have or do… but wouldn’t allow myself under normal circumstances.
.-= Julie´s last blog ..Let the Faux Single Parenting Begin… Again =-.
I quit watching several years ago for many of those same reasons.
I looked at it this way. NOT being on the show means I never had to stand up in front of millions of people in a sports bra and spandex shorts. And I never had to scheme against someone else’s success, just so I would win. Also, when I “went home” and left the trainers behind, I already knew how to make the changes stick, because I’d been “at home” the whole time.
It really is a matter of perspective. :)
.-= Cammy@TippyToeDiet´s last blog ..More Thoughts on Judging =-.
Well, I put myself on the internet in less than that, so I suppose that’s not something I would have worried about. ;)
But the scheming against other people? I’m so not cool with that. I LOVE me some competition and all but I’m for supporting others 100%. At least this past season there was more of that. :)
Wow Mary that really makes one think. I love the journey of what the contestants accomplish but Ihave to agree that the show goes to far in everything else. I just do not get into all of that. I choose to see the people who have made huge strides in their lives and inspired so many others to do the same.
In the end it is up to each one of us to decide if who we are will be enough. If anyone is pondering over the answer then you need to look inside yourself today. The core of who you are is the same fat or thin.
I personally think you have more than what it takes to throw your own confetti filled party when you reach the goals you set ;)
I think you need to chuck some napalm under the bridge, trolls be tryin to get up in there. =/
That sucks that the dude who deserved to be there by the rules that were set up originally, wasn’t. But I don’t watch the BL anyway. When I caught that one episode, I went straight back to hating it.
Like you, it makes me want those things. I didn’t get a big unveiling. I didn’t get any money or fame. But then again we have this fascination with grandeur as a culture so it’s not as if BL has created this desire out of nothing. Perpetuating it, maybe. Maybe it’s just because we can all relate to the situation of being overweight and wanting to lose weight that seeing other people get all this stuff along with it makes us think it’s a natural part of the process?
Bah. I hate BL. But I love you :) Always.
.-= Kepa´s last blog ..Weekly Weigh-in: OM! =-.
Hehe, play nice. ;)
I think you are right about the show just perpetuated desire that is already there.
I love you like a rainbow. ;)
With a hybrid animal made from two animals? ;)
.-= Kepa´s last blog ..Weekly Weigh-in: OM! =-.
Of course. A raccoon flamingo.
I do like the Biggest Loser, mostly because I love to see what their bodies end up looking like. Might be weird, but I love seeing the transformations. It’s amazing to me how differently a person looks when they lose weight.
That being said, I do realize it’s not realistic, that weight loss like that is difficult to maintain. Those people aren’t done, the hard part starts now for them. So I wish them luck. ‘Cause it sucks for those that have to come back and have gained weight.
But I will tell you what I really don’t like…I hate when Bob Harper (cutie as he is) tries to convince me that by chewing Extra Sugar Free Gum I will curb my cravings. ‘Cause that’s just a bunch of bull.
And Mary, I agree with some of the other commenters. You are not alone. We will send you virtual confetti whenever you need it.
Take care. :)
.-= Debbie @ comfycozycrazy´s last blog ..Aaaaand, we’re back! =-.
The whole show has become one big commercial. =\
I never got into the Biggest Loser, mostly because I’m not a fan of reality television, for pretty much all the reasons you stated. Its not realistic, when you eventually accomplish your goal, there’s not going to be cameras and confetti and a giant check with a lot of zero’s on the end.
But of course, now that I think about it, this does seem like a very tight online community. Maybe the confetti will only be electronic, but who’s to say you can’t have a party when you reach your goal?
.-= Lily Fluffbottom´s last blog ..Mondays Are Always the Hardest =-.
You all will be invited to the party. Confetti will be real and electronic.
It is so true all these reality shows just make losing weight seem like “a walk in the park” and give the wrong impression of what it really takes to lose some serious weight.
But losing weight is a walk in the park! A very long, uphill walk in a very large park that is seemingly infinite.
.-= Kepa´s last blog ..Weekly Weigh-in: OM! =-.
@ Kepa: Just wonderful. I love you like Mary’s rainbow too. :)
.-= results not typical girl´s last blog ..being grass-ious =-.
Who doesn’t love Kepa?
All this talk of parties. You are definitely getting a party, my love :) A REAL one! And we’ll have skype on or something so bloggers can throw REAL confetti virtually. You deserve it.
.-= Kepa´s last blog ..Weekly Weigh-in: OM! =-.
Haha. That would be fun. I think every weight loss blogger should do that. More parties I say!
There are myriads of reasons not to watch that show, and I’m surprised more people haven’t abandoned it already. First of all, losing weight isn’t a spectacle for people to watch. Yes, we need support, but competition? Unrealistic expectations and intense pressure to lose more and more? Second, the manner in which people on the show lose weight is dangerous for the vast majority of people and doesn’t allow them to sustain their losses very well. If you look at information on past contestants, they roughly fall into two categories with a small number of exceptions – those who capitalized on their experiences in the show and went into the fitness business and therefore made weight maintenance/loss their lives and those who have regained some or all of the weight. If you read the recollections of past winners, you’ll see that they did things that could damage their health to lose the most (like dehydrating themselves dangerously). Third, it elevates thinness to such a high status that it makes any other type of body a failure by default. By rewarding those who achieve the “ideal” so lavishly, they make anything less a disappointment.
It’s good that you stopped watching it. Let’s hope many others do as well.
.-= Screaming Fat Girl´s last blog ..It’s because you’re fat =-.
I’ve only seen one season. Not the one that you just watched but the one before. Do you really think they make it look easy? It did not look easy to me. It looked really hard. And dangerous. I would not want to be going from not exercising at all to exercising that much. It doesn’t even seem healthy…I don’t think I could do as much as they do, and ive been exercising for yrs. To me, it looks like they are risking their lives to be on the show. And the food, they have to count every calorie they eat, even when they go out. And then at the end, some of those girls were too hard and skinny looking. They lost their cute. They are flirting with getting eating disorders. So, I don’t think that it made it look easy at all. I like the mental part. Where they break down their mental barriers about not just weight but everything. That’s what kept me watching the show.
You could make some fun competitions like those with your friends. My friends have thought about it though never did it. Maybe a bbq with games like 3 legged races. If you wanted the challenges they participate in, I mean.
For some reason that show always makes me hungry too. Maybe its because of all their restrictions, it makes me feel like doing something “against the rules.”
.-= merri´s last blog ..Sex and the City 2: Not bad, but should be SATC LAST (my review of the prescreening) =-.
The key is lifestyle and what they are doing is an impossible lifestyle, so probably a lot of giref for nothing. Look at all the celebrities who suddenly lose weight, then a year later its all back. Most of them went on crash diets with personal trainers, which means short term pain with no long term gain.
I lost my first 50 pounds, one pound at a time (ok, 2 pounds per week) by trading in my old lifestyle for a new based on what made sense for me and with the realization that I would have to be able to do it forever if I wanted to keep the weight off. Thus, nothing too drastic in the beginning, though I have gradually modified things as I progressed.
Don’t focus on the numbers, focus on the process. If you want to lose 75 pounds, don’t get hung up with that goal, instead figure out how to lose the next 1 or 2 pounds, and keep on that path. If you stay on course, one day you will wake up and say “wow look what I did1″. No TV show can do that for you, you have to do it for yourself.
.-= Jimmy´s last blog ..Burning Calories While Taking In The View =-.
I heart BL. I know I’m being played. I cry almost every episode. But the real reason I love it? Maybe it’s my arrogance talking, but I think hey, if some of these dumbasses can get their shit together and lose the weight, there is no damn reason in the world I can’t either. PLUS, I’m going to do it slowly and on my terms so I don’t end up looking like a saggy baggy elephant when I’m naked. So there. ;)
.-= results not typical girl´s last blog ..being grass-ious =-.
i watched BL religiously the first few years and not so much after, well, after i gained the weight back. i love jillian and bob, and i love seeing the inner and outer transformations, but seeing someone get to my current weight and then continue on to my goal weight, well, yes, that’s hard to see and i may be a little jealous. plus bf watches it and he guesses the weights on all the weigh-in’s and he’s never more than a few lbs off. we have been together for 4 years but somehow i convince myself he doesn’t know what i weigh, that i somehow fool him. but considering his weight-guessing skill, probably not… and i’d rather think he thinks i weight 20 or 30 lbs less than i do. silly? yes. but that’s how my brain works on that matter!
.-= liz´s last blog ..Happy Blog-versary To Me! =-.
Just because you lose it fast doesn’t mean you’ll keep it off. Slow and steady helps your thoughts and behaviors change so the loses will be life long instead of maybe only temporary.
I don’t think that the one who lost the most weight should have lost the contest though. It seems unfair to all the work put in by that individual. If they wanted to have both a contest winner and a TV favorites winner to co-share the winning title, but not the prize as that should actually go to the biggest loser, then that would have been a nicer way to have accomplished whatever they were trying to do.
I actually see it as a cop-out when companies and networks leave it up to a vote by the watchers or readers of their program/advertisements. They should put forth the effort with an unbiased judging panel who is fair and not someone’s best friends. It seems unfair that someone who has a larger family and friends base can be voted a winner and a person with a small family (or even no family for that matter) and a few or just one friend has no chance to be voted the winner. Yet, we know life isn’t fair, but I don’t think companies need to be doing judging in this manner. They have the money and resources to find a panel of qualified, unbiased persons to do the judging and to see if all the rules were followed by the contestants.
Hang in there, don’t get down, but don’t watch this show anymore if it had this effect on you. However, I think there is no harm in letting the network know in a letter how you felt this was unfair to the actual biggest loser.
I finally got a chance to watch the finale the morning. I’m not a hater either but, like you, I have serious reservations.
It was obvious that Koli was severely dehydrated and that he was serious in only wanting to go home. I don’t blame him.
I stopped watching a few years ago, I got sick of all the hype. I think it’s great to start a mindset for a weigh loss journey, but at some point you’ve got to identify your own journey.
.-= Cassie´s last blog ..Couch to 5K Week 2 in the books! =-.
I’m totally planning on readign all of these comments. It looks like it’s interesting reading. But first, a few quick observations:
I just got into watching BL last season–and I’m good with both people who won (Danny & Michael); but that’s mostly becuase I jsut started getting healthy.
You are famous for losing weight–at least to me!
Irony = There being a Jilian Michales advertisement right next to this post. Ha!!
.-= beej´s last blog ..Visiting =-.
I bought myself an iPad when I hit goal. I’m using it right now! It’s not confetti, but I’ll enjoy it a lot more when I’m watching videos & reading e-books on vacation in a couple weeks. :)
.-= Charity Froggenhall´s last blog ..How come? =-.
There’s a lot I don’t like about BL, and a little that I do. I think I’ve watched 2 episodes over the last season, and it’s lost its luster for me. More than anything, I hate that it has become such a walking, talking infomercial; every conversation seems to roll into being about gum or water or baggies – it seems just so disingenuous.
.-= Carly´s last blog ..Flashback Friday: Kombucha Edition =-.
i totally agree with you…my husband and have been watching the past few seasons and its just getting painful to watch. i wanted to stop watching last season when tracy kept winning all of those challenges to get control of the game. it was so fixed, it wasn’t even funny. but koli was my favorite this season and i was so upset that he didn’t make it to final four because of a vote. america’s vote didn’t make him lose the weight, he made it there by his own sweat and tears and to be cheated out of that is just awful.
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