Biggest Loser

[Kitten]

Ok, I watch this show because I do my long gym workouts on Tues nights, and generally the show has always been entertaining and mindless enough to keep my mind off what I'm doing for two hours. Plus sometimes I get good ideas for new exercises, to break up the monotony...

 

But...but...this season? WHAT were the producers thinking? This is the biggest bunch of whiny, mean, arrogant, lazy people I have ever seen. There's always one or two people who become each season's "villains," but there is not ONE SINGLE PERSON in this entire group that I like or care about.

 

Usually, there are 2-3 people (usually the biggest guys) who get into the unspoken "see who can lose 100 lbs first" contest, and it's usually anywhere from 6-8 weeks before someone succeeds. The show just passed the 8-week mark and there is NO ONE EVEN CLOSE, including the 400+ lb contestants. It is rare to see anyone lose 10+ lbs at a weigh-in, which in previous seasons was almost routine for the biggest contestants week after week.

 

The "theme" of this season is supposed to be "No Excuses," but so far, all I can see is that there's no excuse for putting these people on TV when there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, who would've taken every opportunity the trainers could provide, instead of throwing hissy fits every time they're actually expected to do something.

 

Okay, yes, it's just a reality tv show, and I'm getting a bit hysterical here, but honestly...I suspect people are turning away in droves as the season goes on and no one changes except to become (if possible) even nastier and lazier than they were at the beginning. Maybe the producers were trying to get out of their contracts, kinda like in the movie Major League, when the owner of the Cleveland Indians tried to have a losing season by purposely putting together a team of misfits, so the attendance would drop and she could move the team to Florida without repercussion.

 

Okay, rant over. Deep breaths. Calming mantra in 3,2,1...

[SunnyAndrsn]

+1

There is not one person this season that I'm hoping will win. They all suck. TMZ reported earlier this week that they all threatened to walk out because the 'twist' was to bring back contestants (I think from previous seasons) who had gotten the boot. Sounds like the whiners simply quit, so who knows what's going to happen to the show from here on out. Maybe this is the end. I'd be fine with that if it is.

While overall, some people have been helped by the show, I think the majority of the contestants have gained the weight back, and some have been pretty hurt by it. Google Kai Hibbard.

[library_youth]

This season of TBL is horrible. I started watching this show years ago (the season that Ali Vincent won was my first season) and I used to love watching to get me inspired to get up and exercise. This season is not inspiring in the least.

[reds]

and then the walk off of a few contestants because of a twist in the game? WTH?

[spragger]

Just before I read about the "strike" (they're reporting now that two people have been kicked off because of it), I thought to myself while watching this season that there is not one single likeable person on the show and I don't even want any of them to win.

Conda is the worst IMO. I cannot stand her trash talk, smug expression, or ghetto head wobble/finger wagging. Bob even commented that they are all a bunch of bullies and he doesn't like any of them. I've watched this show from the beginning and it's sad to see it go downhill like this. I think it would still have some life left if they would do a better job of casting.

[Braille]

I so totally agree with you OP. I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't like this season --- too much whinies. I watched the show from the start and always enjoyed the dedicated contestants.

I was hoping Conda got eliminated last week.

[LaydNimue]

I also agree. I have kids so I sure don't need to listen to 'No Excuses' whiny babies on tv. Whatever happened to behaving graciously for the extraordinary opportunity you've been given? Brats!

[SunnyAndrsn]

Something NBC and TBL have been very quiet about is that although they have great results, the percentages of contestants who keep the weight off is about the same as the general public, meaning over 90% of the contestants gain their weight back.

While they may have a great opportunity to win a chunk of money, all the BS about changing your life is the same as every other diet out there--and I do think that the show creates unhealthy habits. There is NO room in TBL diet for 'regular' food. So when contestants go home they freak out about pizza, pasta, etc. Normal people eat these foods! They are not meant to be eaten in the volume and frequency that they used to eat them, but to put them on a forbidden list is to invite disaster.

This past week they showed one dude at home freaking out about a chili dog and cheese fries. Dude, A SINGLE chili dog isn't going to kill a healthy lifestyle. He was acting like an addict with a bottle--and that mentality is going to set him up for failure. Unlike drugs and alcohol, food is necessary to live, and junk foods are everywhere.

Same thing with Cassandra the week before with the pizza slice. She started shaking and crying. I'd cry too if I thought I couldn't ever eat pizza again or I'd get fat.

Fact is, I AM fat, but I'm losing weight by healthy diet and exercise, and while I have a long ways to go I will eat pizza. In fact, I had a yummy slice last night for 250 calories, I just worked it in with my fat/calorie/carb balance and enjoyed every bite guilt free. I couldn't do this otherwise. While my progress has been frustrating slow after watching TBL for all these seasons, on the other hand, I expect my slow steady progress will last a lot longer.

[spragger]

Something NBC and TBL have been very quiet about is that although they have great results, the percentages of contestants who keep the weight off is about the same as the general public, meaning over 90% of the contestants gain their weight back.

When Jillian Michaels had a podcast a few years ago, she said that about 50% of their contestants regain all the weight. She talked about how it was better than the average of most dieting plans, like WW, but that yes, it was an ongoing process to maintain when you lose weight. I think this was in 2006-7. She doesn't do the podcast anymore.

This past week they showed one dude at home freaking out about a chili dog and cheese fries. Dude, A SINGLE chili dog isn't going to kill a healthy lifestyle. He was acting like an addict with a bottle--and that mentality is going to set him up for failure. Unlike drugs and alcohol, food is necessary to live, and junk foods are everywhere.

The thing is that for him he IS like an addict with a bottle. I know it's not true of all the contestants, but some of them have mentioned that food is an addiction for them. I don't know if they ever diagnose anybody with Binge Eating Disorder, but some of them surely suffer from it. For those people, trigger foods like cheese fries and pizza, can be off limits for a lifetime. Having suffered from an ED myself for years, I can tell you it is like a drug. I went inpatient for it, and it was only the locked doors that kept me from going out and getting my hands on as much food as I possibly could. Just sitting and thinking about it would raise my heart rate and make me feel anxious.

That being said, I do think they should screen out those people from being on the show unless they are going to offer therapy sessions, which to my knowledge they do not do. I also think that if somebody is very competitive, and at all prone to it, that TBL is a prime place to cultivate an eating disorder that might not have fully manifested itself. Kai, from a very early season, even wrote a bit about it years ago. (Although she lost credibility in my book when she started shilling diet pills.)

Actually, my biggest complaint about the show is the massive amounts of money they are making off of the contests, when they give hardly any monetary compensation. I think they give a very small weekly stipend. But some of them give up jobs, they get nothing from the DVD's and books they are featured in, etc. I can see why people would fight so hard to get to the end, because making it to the finals is the only way to make back whatever money you've lost if you are taking time from work.

[kb2]

I have a love-hate relationship with this show. On the one hand, I think it's really interesting and inspirational. On the other, it's pretty exploitive.

I also hate the obvious product placements.

[SunnyAndrsn]

The thing is that for him he IS like an addict with a bottle. I know it's not true of all the contestants, but some of them have mentioned that food is an addiction for them. I don't know if they ever diagnose anybody with Binge Eating Disorder, but some of them surely suffer from it. For those people, trigger foods like cheese fries and pizza, can be off limits for a lifetime. Having suffered from an ED myself for years, I can tell you it is like a drug. I went inpatient for it, and it was only the locked doors that kept me from going out and getting my hands on as much food as I possibly could. Just sitting and thinking about it would raise my heart rate and make me feel anxious.

I understand what you are saying, I really do--I've also been through treatment for compulsive overeating. Probably there isn't a solution except for the show to be cancelled. These poor people need a treatment program, not a diet. I think I've come to the conclusion that I just can't watch the show anymore than I can watch 19K&C.

That being said, I do think they should screen out those people from being on the show unless they are going to offer therapy sessions, which to my knowledge they do not do.

I wish they would!!

I think Jillian lied about the stats--but then again, it wouldn't make her look very good if they didn't have better than above average results.

[spragger]

Is it just me, or do they appear to be trying to make Jeremy and Conda seem nicer with the last episode? Maybe they were just so evil there for awhile that anything makes them look good? I want them to get kicked off so badly!

[Luvchild]

I'm new here, but I didn't see this topic and thought it might be okay to post about this here. Ok, last night on The Biggest Loser, Mark and Buddy ended up walking out on the show because they didn't think it fair that contestants at home were having a chance to compete and come back and have a chance for the finale. My thought was like many others, what big babies! They signed a contract specifically stating this would happen and they were begrudging other people saying they shouldn't be given another opportunity, etc.

Well, on his personal homepage on facebook, https://www.facebook.com/notes/mark-cor ... 8394167297, he quotes the bible of course for his reasoning.

He should be ashamed. Millions of people would do anything to be given the opportunity he was and yet he says God had taken him as far as he needed.

I didn't like this season's contestants at all.

[Austin]

This does not appear to be fundie-related, so I've moved it to WD.

[Luvchild]

Sorry about that. I usually just go to the snark posts, lol. Well, I believe this Mark is a pastor. It's funny what a hypocrite he is. He apparently believes when God tells him to go on the show and when it's okay to begrudge other people because apparently God is showing him the way. But he does say in his post that we could all pray for him if we really believe what he did was wrong, lol

[currywurst]

Am I the only one who thinks that using Bible quotes to justify why you left a weight-loss television game show is rather sacrilegious?

[spragger]

The drama that wasn't! That walk-off was so lame. And here is my main problem. Buddy and Mark could've given one of their friends a boost to the finale by throwing the weigh in--but they are just selfish assholes who have to throw diva fits, all the while pretending they have some moral reason for quitting. I am just glad we got rid of one of the evil ones, but I wish it had been Conda.

I really like Kim, but was v. disappointed in her for participating in this. Did she of think of her old partner and all of the strong competitors who had gotten voted off in weeks past that might deserve a second chance? They have to win a challenge to get into the finale. That was just ridiculous.

[spragger]

So, I bitched about this on the general BL thread, but these guys were totally dumbasses. If they wanted to go home then they could've helped their three friends out and at least given them all a ride to the finale by throwing the final weigh in. Mark and Buddy could've made sure they were both below the yellow line, then they both could've walked. Instead they had to throw diva fits. That was just ridiculous. I was very disappointed in Kim in particular for going along with that BS. A lot of good competitors got voted out for stupid reasons, and the person who wins there ways back on could be a person who has just been off the ranch for a couple of weeks. At least we got rid of Jeremy, but I really wish it had been Conda. I thought it was ridiculous for her to say that Jeremy deserved to in the finale and not Kim. Well, if she lost 15 lbs, then she deserves to be there!