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

[Judy W.]

Originally Posted by tytbody

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

I honestly don't have any wisdom to share! I stumbled and kept getting up, and life events corresponded with commitment and the weight just started coming off. I saw it was good and kept working to improve it, and though the weight came off the work continues till this day.

For me, today it's about mindfully eating what I want in moderation, combined with exercise I enjoy -- mostly walking, low impact cardio and Classic Firm-like strength work, 7 days a week, varying the intensity so as to give my body a challenge and a break. I don't advocate that for everybody, but it has worked for me!

If I could say anything at all -- it will sound trite -- find what works for you and do it. That's the best I know!

[ellaenchanted]

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

Actually, if you research older articles a bit, you will find quite a few former contestants that have spoken about this. Many of teh comments are either anonymous or are thinly veiled so that the person can't get sued. Helen and Suzy (from Matt and Suzy) have made such comments.

They sign a very long, very strict contract. Basically they aren't supposed to talk about certain aspects of the show and that they won't sue NBC or anyone involved w/ BL if they suffer injury, illness, or death.

Notice how BL has evolved from the first season? I still love Bob, but they have pushed him into a tough trainer persona. He is a shadow of the yoga-loving, mellow Bob of the first couple of seasons. I bet in "real life", Bob is still mellow - that's the way he comes across in non-BL interviews.

[Lifeisgood]

I like to watch BL and see the transformation's of each contestant. Yes, it is a contest with a cash prize at the end and all of the contestant's are aware of that when they apply to be chosen.

That said, I have only watched the show for the last couple of years so I've never seen the first season's. The shows I have watched have been full of obese and super obese people. Now, whether they leave the BL experience more motivated then when they started, we'll never know but most do seem to lose weight whether it's on the show or at home if they've been sent home. Most of the contestants say they never exercise and their diets consist of fast food, junk food, sweets and pop. The fact is, when you weigh 300 or 400 pounds you are eating a lot of calories every day to maintain that weight...more if you're still gaining every year. They probably would not have the experience to change their eating habits if they didn't go on the show so that has to be a positive.

I don't agree with the huge amounts of weight they lose every week. Granted, a 450 pound man could easily lose 20 pounds a week just from the change in caloric intake alone without any exercise, but losing weight that fast for many weeks doesn't seem healthy.

I also don't agree with the contestants doing push ups in their first workouts. Push ups are an extremely difficult move and if you're out of shape as these people are, I'm surprised their aren't more shoulder injuries from making them do push ups before they are strong enough to lift their own body weight. I also wonder about making them run on the treadmill right away but we don't know what their workouts are like, we only see bits and pieces. The show is careful to not publish workout routines that the contestants do so we'll never know what really goes on unless we are contestants ourselves.

All in all, I think the show is a good thing. It motivates me to live a healthy life.