Ever since The Biggest Loser aired on national television, I’ve always been asked by my clients or some curious person, “How do they lose that much weight?’ I’ll be totally honest with you; I’ve only watched The Biggest Loser one time. Other than that, I’ve read news articles, viewed clips and other associated media. Because it was so popular and created a buzz I decided to set aside some time one Tuesday night to see what all the chatter was about. Before I tell you what my initial thoughts were on the program we’ll discuss a couple of things first.
There’s no question that The Biggest Loser is very popular and at the same time, very controversial. They have a huge following of loyal fans and on the other side of coin resides people who are disgusted with the show. Personal trainers and other fitness professionals dislike the show, mainly because of the inappropriate exercise prescription, and overtraining. The show has very poor exercise program design.
Just like any popular thing, there’s going to be the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Having sat down on that Tuesday night with my fat-free popcorn has reinforced my previous belief that there’s more bad and ugly than there is good. I love doing this post because it’s going to stir up a lot of things. Get your fat-free popcorn in hand and enjoy…..
The GOOD
First come Effort, Then comes Results
We all see them every time we turn on the T.V., some weight loss program that promises results without effort. –That’s an entire blog post by itself. The Biggest Loser shows the contestants working hard for the results. It proves to the viewer that it takes effort and not just some fat loss gimmick. When you put the effort in motion, a transformation is on the horizon.
Emotional Rollercoaster
The show does a fantastic job picking the contestants with touching life stories. The storylines are what makes the connection from the contestant to the viewer. I’m sure most of you have donated a few tears to the program. If the program stirs up enough emotions in viewers that stimulate them to get up off the couch and get moving, then I’m all for it! People are inspired by feeling understood and emotionally driven. -Seeing a contestant who maybe heavier in bodyweight jogging up a hill will force the statement, “If they can do it, so can I!”
Accountability is King
Accountability is one the most powerful motivational forces known to man. Accountability is the thread that holds my training philosophy together. Just to give you a hint: The Food Journal. Don’t bring it to training session guess what…..Bonus Round Baby!! So think about this, the producers set up the environment with so much accountability, it’s impossible for contestants not to lose weight. Here’s what the programs uses for accountability: 1- Accountability to the public, 2 – Accountability to a group, 3- Accountability to a partner, and most importantly, 4 – Accountability to self.
THE BAD
All Weight Loss Isn’t Good
No one can deny that the contestants are losing large amounts of fat – way beyond the average, which is usually 1-2 pounds per week. Even obese individuals rarely lose more than 3 pounds of fat per week in a real world situation. On the program – It’s not uncommon to see 20-25 pounds of weight loss for the first week. With the drastic caloric deficit it shouldn’t be surprising that weight literary falls off. Also, don’t forget to calculate 5-7 hours of daily training and physical activity. The Biggest Loser is judged on weight loss and not body composition.
I Would Like To See Different Methods Of Measurement
The contestants are encouraged to lose weight not body fat. Your body weight consists of water, bones, muscle and organs. So when a contestant mounts the scale for the calculation – I wish it would read body fat % and also hydration level of the contestant. Or let’s go a little further and have the contestants evaluated by hydrostatic weighing (the most accurate way to determine BF%, hydration levels, and other factors) Surely, NBC has enough money for that right?! Weight loss is not the same as fat loss. The weight loss on the program can be very deceiving. Because the hydration levels aren’t monitored, many contestants have been reported dehydrating double-digit pounds off.
The True Meaning Of “No Pain, No Gain”
Contestants have had stress fractures and all sorts of injuries, not to mention being medivac to a hospital. Here’s something for program design: Never put a morbidly obese person on a treadmill and force them to run very fast. Think about this for a second – When you run, one knee at a time supports your body weight. Now, multiply that repetitive motion by hundreds or even thousands. Do you think that’s healthy for your knees and other structures of the body such as ankles and lower back? Why not perform other low-impact exercises but at a faster pace. -Just a suggestion.
THE UGLY
Here’s where I really start blowing steam….
I haven’t confirmed this yet but I believed my client when she told me that Jillian Michaels was dropping the F-Bombs throughout an entire episode. Now, come one, are you serious NBC?! You’re suppose to be a family-friendly network. But wait; are we the ones to blame, because we’re the ones who continue to sit through this sort of verbal abuse and foul language? Trust me; I’ve played many sports under numerous coaches with 
different personalities. The good coaches have not once got in my face or any of my teammates face, yelling and screaming ugly words. While serving in the US Air Force I’ve been in some hostile environments and have yet to motivate my troops by foul language. Lastly, I consider myself a successful fitness professional and have NEVER used a bad word to motivate my clients. So, why does Jillian Michaels do it? Ding, Ding, Ding……and the winner is “It’s for Ratings!” Okay, okay, enough about Jillian.
Losing one pound should be rewarding and treated as a success. During a weigh-in, one of the contestants lost 18 pounds and the other person only lost 6 pounds and was frowned upon. –Really!? The program encourages unrealistic weight loss expectations. So, the person who is sitting at home and only losing 1-3 pounds a week doesn’t think they’re successful. I haven’t watched enough of the show to know if they keep up with contestants when they go back home to reality. But I would be interested to see if they maintain, gain, or even lose more weight.
Let’s Bring It Together
I’m sure the program inspires many people to start an exercise routine or to simply do something that requires movement. Health and Fitness is the pulse of my life and I enjoy seeing people taking control over their health. I don’t want to take anything away from the contestants because they’re putting the effort forth to change their lives. There’s no secret that as a nation we’re more obese than ever. I’m no producer but I think the program could’ve been run a little differently. Those of you who are losing weight while maintaining a family and career are my heroes and ro
le models. You are preparing all of your food and making time in your demanding schedules to exercise consistently. You’re not the biggest loser…….You’re A WINNER!!
I would like to hear what you have to say about this post. There are more than 400+ subscribers to this site so I would like for the comments to flood in. Surely, everyone isn’t going to comment but break the silence and let me know what you think…..good, bad, or indifferent. All comments are welcome!
Have an Awesome Day!!
CC Matthews
Posted by admin | in Fitness Advice, Mind/Motivation, Uncategorized | 14 Comments
Have you ever fallen off the diet wagon and then said, well, I may as well enjoy myself today, since I’ve already messed up. I’ll get back on my diet tomorrow. If this sounds familiar, you’re dealing with one of the biggest reasons that diets fail. Cheat days are fine, within reason, but if you’re letting them get out of control, you are dooming yourself to failure in more ways than one.
natural. The key is to get back up immediately, and not roll around in a banana cream pie for the rest of the day.
X amount of sit-ups” routine as well. Chances are you won’t, and you’re giving yourself just another reason to beat yourself up again. Realize that every now and again you’re going to make mistakes. Also, be reminded of the “Bonus Round!!”;)
alance you emotionally.
