From the minute this so called “reality” show came on television, I have been annoyed. With every season that goes by and this show remains on the NBC network, new desperate, unknowing victims are being subjected to cruel punishment (disguised as exercise) and my annoyance grows deeper. The bar keeps getting raised after each “winner” takes home their quarter million dollar prize, cover of People magazine and talk show interviews. Seasons go by and viewers keep tuning in. As long as the ratings stay high, the network and the producers are happy, money‘s being made and who gives a crap about the message being sent.
Well..I DO!
And so do many of my Fitness /Health/ Wellness colleagues out in the real fitness world. We have remained virtually silent and in the background way too long and it is now time to speak up and let the public know what is reality and what is hyped infotainment disguised as Reality TV.
Another season - another the new crop of willing volunteers (or shall I call them victims) line up to get on and bare their souls to millions of TV viewers. Little do these poor unsuspecting, overweight contestants know the danger they will be subjected to physically, mentally, medically and most of all emotionally. The sad part is - that is exactly what the producers want in order to have this show be viewed as “authentic” while pulling at the heart strings of the unsuspecting public. Meanwhile, the actual beating heart muscle of every contestant is being put to a very dangerous test the entire time they are on the ranch. The saying “desperate people do desperate things” is very evident regarding this show. Contestants are clearly desperate and that is what makes them vulnerable and so easy to prey upon.
I recently read an LA Times article published this past November titled “The Biggest Loser: Should you mimic its weight-loss methods at home?” The article included perspectives from experts in the fitness industry (including a kinesiology professor and an IDEA fitness trainer of the year) along with the show’s co-creator/ executive producer and medical consultant. The two opposing opinions could not be more polar opposite with the fitness industry professionals comments airing on the side of “viewers beware this show may cause severe injury or heart attack” to the show’s producer and medical consultant touting that its “inspiring the obese to lose weight and they should not feel hopeless anymore because on this show people learn things no one has taught them before, like how to exercise.” That comment came from the show’s medical consultant.
Has he actually watched the show?
I would love to hear what he has to say when the first contestant actually does die of a heart attack as a result of this show. By the way, is a crash cart within arm’s reach? Do Bob and Jillian have CPR certifications and know how to operate a defibrillator? Unfortunately, it will probably take more than one person to suffer something life threatening before NBC takes notice to the dangers these contestants are subjected to. Apparently a recent stress fracture of the hip of one contestant (Laura) is not enough to send up a red flag. Little does she realize how fortunate she is to be sent packing.
As a fitness professional in this industry for more than 28 years I was curious as to how my colleagues in the health arena felt about this show. The impetus for writing this article came after reading a recent commentary in the IDEA (International Dance Exercise Association) monthly Fitness Journal regarding the “distortion of reality” of the Biggest Loser Show. The comment was written by a well respected fitness professional and educator who’s appalled at this TV reality series, and could not hold in his anger one more moment. Needless to say, I did a happy dance after reading it! -FINALLY…someone was speaking out in our trade journal – YES! His final words: “I am furious that the profession I have cultivated for 28 years is portrayed in this fashion.” I could not agree with him more.
I decided to take the baton and run with it.
I perused the internet to read everything I could about how other fitness professionals felt about this show and the comments were all very similar – mostly disdain. I decided to post a discussion question to my fitness professional groups on LinkedIn (one is the IDEA fitness group): “In your professional opinion what do you think of the show The Biggest Loser and the trainers Bob and Jillian…Do you feel the message being sent to the public is inspiring or dangerous?” The response was over whelming!
These are some of the comments:
“The biggest downside to this show is that it sets up unreal expectations of weight loss”
“As fitness professionals we need to stop associating exercise with punishment! (The simplest example is in public schools where the gym teacher will make a student do pushups when they are fooling around or not performing well).”
“The main problem I have is the lack of risk messaging that I see on the show”
“I am troubled with their choice of incentives for losing weight-using money as a prize encourages people to cheat or lose weight through unhealthy measures such as diuretics”
“The show does not explain often enough that for the average person, obese or not, anything beyond 2pounds of weight loss per week is counterproductive”
“The yelling…it makes for great ratings - but at the expense of what?”
“Great question simple answer…DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS, DANGEROUS.”
I could go on and on, but you get the picture. We are fitness professionals who tune in for five minutes and instantly realize the danger in the message being sent. However the viewing public does not. That is why this show is going into its what? Eighth season? A well informed viewing audience who knows what genuine fitness training is, along with proper nutrition and sustainable healthy weight loss practices, would never buy into this load of crap. All they see is in three months an “amazing” transformation from obese to buff and none of the smoke and mirrors. Viewers don’t see how they are being manipulated through emotional, gut-wrenching stories and crocodile tears to pull at the heartstrings.
Never mind the heartstrings. Here are some things to wrap your brain around….
Scientific fact: Healthy FAT loss is no greater than 2 pounds per week – period. For every 3,500 calories you do not consume or a 500 kcal deficit per day amounts to a 1 pound (fat) weight loss. That’s ONE POUND per week! The shows results are completely unrealistic according to basic human physiology. The weight loss numbers do not add up – it is totally impossible for this rate of FAT loss (which the show alludes to as FAT loss) to occur. Contestants show a supposed 7 day weight (fat) loss sometimes in excess of 20 pounds. A 20 pound weight loss (of FAT) in one week is 70,000 calories, which is a 10,000 calorie deficit PER DAY. An Iron Man athlete would have trouble doing that, even Michael Phelps during the Olympics would have trouble doing that and these people are unfit, overweight individuals NOT elite athletes. They should NOT even be working out 6-8 hours a day! To burn off that amount of calories would mean constant fueling. You can’t exercise 6-8 hours a day without fuel – period. Am I clear here? The contestants are NOT losing fat – they are losing mostly everything but that (like water weight). The people who are actually losing weight slowly with a more realistic number for of weight loss are penalized, humiliated and punished by being sent home with their tail tucked between their legs as if they did something horrible.
How sick is that?
Have we as a society become so desensitized that we do not recognize torment and torture to individuals disguised as “made for reality TV?”
These contestants are ridiculed and yelled at by their “trainers” (which by the way is NOT the way you get someone to embrace exercise), asked to participate while being subjected to highly injurious workouts and bated with rewards of being able to choose who gets to be eliminated while being enticed by highly caloric cupcakes. I have seen negligence regularly on the part of both trainers with regard to safety, improper technique and form in execution of movement while resistance training, spinning and kettlebell training in addition to numerous other workout routines. Nutrition education seems to be almost entirely excluded on this show in addition to any emotional (eating) issues being addressed by a professional (which I would think would be of the utmost importance). Don’t you think there are deeply rooted emotional and psychological issues that should be addressed here? What is NOT seen leaves the mind to wonder? When the Biggest Loser does do a “follow up” show they seem to glaze over the fact that most of the contestants have re-gained weight (some almost back to the size they were pre-show) in addition to the feelings of embarrassment that overwhelmed them enough to feel sequestered in their own home.
Why is this show still on the air?
Now tell me. Is this show really about health? Being socially acceptable? Or is it about making bucks by marginalizing a segment of the population based on appearance?
I say it is the latter of the three and wholeheartedly believe that all the real fitness professionals out there would absolutely agree.
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7 comments:
I am a really overweight person who watches TBL. I know it is unrealistic but in the real world there aren't many weight loss role models, just people who tell you how disgusting you are, how lazy, how you should just die and stop polluting the earth with your presence.
Rose
itsafatlife.blogspot.com
Rosie-
You make a very valid point in that, more realistic weight loss role models (and programming) NEEDs to be visible to the public promoting healthy encouraging practices not the ridiculous antics this show airs. I have worked with many seriously overweight individuals and I can tell you that what is done on this show is deplorable and degrading to obese individuals. I would never treat a client this way EVER. Thank you for your comment I appreciate your sincere and honest feedback.
Way to internalize that oppression! Internal loci of control are so totally overrated! ANYWAY, I'm seriously fat and have been so most of my life and I can safely say that no "weight loss model" or any other common entity is telling me to die. Ferfuckssake. If you are looking for validation of a self-concept, you're sure to find it wherever you go. (Despite the fact that no one has to be complicit in an oppression paradigm.)
For the rest of us, it's simply an asinine show validating the endless idiocy that is "marginalizing segments of the population based on appearance" and/or perceived lifestyle. (Amen!) It's like a modernized black face. People who are genuinely concerned about their health don't do dramatically harmful things to themselves. This show is about exploitation--both by the producers and through the self-exploitation of contestants. The day of a bunch of self-loathing idiots who desperately need a lesson or two about critical thought and genuine self-esteem become models of health, we need a collective lobotomy.
I’m grateful health care professionals are finally starting to talk about this drivel. Perhaps we’ll get the mental health community out as well, talking about genuine self-esteem and the pointless pursuit of ever-shifting external validation. After all that noise, we could have genuine conversations about the joy of health. Until then, it’s just a bunch of morons on TV, disgracing us all.
P.S. on the novel above-- Laura is the most fabulous trainer on the planet, particularly for fat folks. But that's because she's a professional.
Which makes me wonder, perhaps this show is trying to insinuate that the fitness industry isn't comprised of professionals? Personally, if my only experience with fitness industry professionals was found by watching the show, I'd never see a trainer.
I will shut up now. Thank you for tolerating my diatribe.
Laura,
Kudos to you for speaking out about this. I watched the fist season of TBL and that was it. I caught a recent episode where one of the trainers was angry because the contestant *only* lost 8 pounds in a week. I was floored.
As a fitness professional myself, I think this show is careless and dangerous.
Thanks for your post!
Andrea
I don't think this aggresssive style of weight loss works - it cannot be fat loss and must be muscle deterioration as well.
And as someone who has the food side of things sorted out but finds exercise a challenge, though I have coached myself to do it, I cannot imagine that anyone severely overweight would want to emulate the punishment of this show.
Weight loss can be a frustratingly slow business but slow is the way to do it. Does anyone follow up to see if these contestants maintain their weight loss? And if they don't how will they feel then?
Liz and Andrea-
Thanks for your comments!
Liz
Follow ups have been done but of course the show does not follow up on the contestants who've gained back mostly all their weight. The first season winner had gain back nearly all within two or three years and felt sequestered in his own home because he was too embarrassed to be public. Think of that psychological damage. Most of the contestants do gain back about 20-30% of the loss. The show is not so eager to do follow ups as you can imagine...
Thanks - Laura G
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