Interview with Kai from Season 3 of Biggest Loser - could be controversial.

[Irish Eyes]

Originally Posted by Judy W.

Overall, I see this BL approach as harmful, and I wonder at our capacity to be entertained by watching the humiliation of fellow human beings!

Judy, congratulations on your weight loss and your transformation! As someone who watches BL, I want to make it clear that I don't do it to be entertained by the contestants' "humiliation". I watch because I love to see the transformation of these people. I absolutely loved seeing Michael with his little boy last night, and seeing how his time on BL had transformed him into a healthy man that will be around to raise his son and be a role model for him. THAT is why I watch.

[Sollamyn]

Originally Posted by vplan

I never watched Bl. However, few years back, I was flipping the channels and heard Jillian screaming in a very degrading way at the contestant. This is when I knew, I will not buy a single DVD produced by that person.

That is exactly why I haven't/won't buy any JM products. I don't care how good her workouts may be. I just don't like her, and her workouts would have a huge dread factor for me. So why waste my money on something I know I would never really want to do?!

Donna

[Gams]

I don't watch the show, but any routine/program that is not set up to help the participants achieve long-term health and fitness in a healthy manner is worthless in my opinion and from the little I've seen and heard about this show, it doesn't seem like they do things in a healthy manner or set the participants up for long-term success.

[tytbody]

Judy, congratulations on your weight loss. I don't know what you went through to achieve this but I hope it's alright to say congratulations. Not from Being over weight but the determination that it must have taken to keep on going. Knowing and hoping that what you were doing was going to you to a better state. Then again, who says, it's all a better state. Where you healthy and obese?

Are there any past health issues that got rectified by the lose of the weight?

who went with you when you were exercising and what exercises did you do to help lose the weight?

I don't watch Biggest Looser for Jillian. I watch sometimes, to believe that we can change our bodies with exercise and a learned way of eating. I want better self esteem for the body I'm in. Not wanting to look like anyone else but the best I can be.

I don't prefer Jillian also and mainly because of the yelling. I wouldn't care if her progams said, Cheryl. you will change your body in 90 days if you do this. I'm not going to take the abuse to get there. I may not want it bad enough for that but,,.. I want to be happy on the way and I choose not to do any of her workouts for the yelling. Bad memories of being yelled at in the Army and a Godfather that was a Colonel l in the army and treated us like they do on the biggest loser. I hated it.

Why don't they make real reality shows instead of fake ones ?

[ebianco]

I am a little floored that the show is being called "inhumane." Don't forget that the contestants can walk off the show whenever they want to (and have) and I think most of them see this as an invaluable opportunity to jump-start their fight to not be morbidly obese anymore.

I know that I watch the show because it is inspirational that these people push through their physical and emotional barriers to achieve a better standard of living for themselves and their families. I can only imagine that morbidly obese Americans watch the show and see with their own eyes that the 450# person can really lose weight (and there are hundreds of thousands of people who apply for each season-which seems reflective of them being inspired and wanting this for themselves).

I don't know if NBC took retaliation on this woman, but I'm sure she had to sign any number of privacy clauses when she agreed to be on the show. She's certainly entitled to her opinion, but it seems like there would be a big expose if the majority of contestants were beaten, bleeding, sustained injuries, and developed EDs while on the show (or they would just quietly cancel the show).

I guess I just think it's rich (and a desparate ploy for attention)

But my rant is over

[tytbody]

I guess I just think it's rich

What does it mean that you think it's rich? I don't understand.

[Judy W.]

Originally Posted by ebianco

I can only imagine that morbidly obese Americans watch the show and see with their own eyes that the 450# person can really lose weight (and there are hundreds of thousands of people who apply for each season-which seems reflective of them being inspired and wanting this for themselves).

Most 450 pounders, American or otherwise, KNOW that the weight can be lost; indeed, they've probably done it many times. But can that weight STAY off?? There's the question.

I've kept my nearly 200 pound loss off for 16 years now, but I assure you that I work at it EVERY single day, and there lies the answer, for me at any rate. BL participants lose weight, non-BL participants lose weight! But weight loss alone shouldn't be the goal. Does BL promote developing healthy habits to carry one through life in the healthiest body possible? Or is it merely a contest to see who can lose the most weight over a specified period of time?

[tytbody]

Judy, what did you learn though. What can you say to help those of us on this forum?

[Calistro]

Originally Posted by Judy W.

Most 450 pounders, American or otherwise, KNOW that the weight can be lost; indeed, they've probably done it many times. But can that weight STAY off?? There's the question.
I've kept my nearly 200 pound loss off for 16 years now, but I assure you that I work at it EVERY single day, and there lies the answer, for me at any rate. BL participants lose weight, non-BL participants lose weight! But weight loss alone shouldn't be the goal.
Does BL promote developing healthy habits to carry one through life in the healthiest body possible? Or is it merely a contest to see who can lose the most weight over a specified period of time?

Judy,

you have put so succintly what I would have liked to have said.

I agree with you 100% that weight loss is not the only goal, it is the whole being emotionally, spiritually, psycologically as well as the physical journey.
Alot of peoples weight issues are not only about food.

[Pie]

Originally Posted by ebianco

I am a little floored that the show is being called "inhumane." Don't forget that the contestants can walk off the show whenever they want to (and have) and I think most of them see this as an invaluable opportunity to jump-start their fight to not be morbidly obese anymore.

I know that I watch the show because it is inspirational that these people push through their physical and emotional barriers to achieve a better standard of living for themselves and their families. I can only imagine that morbidly obese Americans watch the show and see with their own eyes that the 450# person can really lose weight (and there are hundreds of thousands of people who apply for each season-which seems reflective of them being inspired and wanting this for themselves).

I don't know if NBC took retaliation on this woman, but I'm sure she had to sign any number of privacy clauses when she agreed to be on the show. She's certainly entitled to her opinion, but it seems like there would be a big expose if the majority of contestants were beaten, bleeding, sustained injuries, and developed EDs while on the show (or they would just quietly cancel the show).

I guess I just think it's rich (and a desparate ploy for attention)

But my rant is over

Agreed......