Weight Loss Reality TV: Why?

My wife and I never miss the biggest loser show up here in Canada. The show is a real inspiration and offers a lot of good ideas that everyone has to take and use

Although I do worry about people going out and starting a rigorous exercise program without consulting their doctor, I still consider the show to be educational, and at least to me, inspiring.
I haven't seen any of the others listed.

While I won't lie and say that I don't watch these shows (we all have our guilty pleasures), I always wonder just how healthy the participants are being encouraged to be. In "The Biggest Loser," participants put all of their time and energy into weight loss and lose tremendous amounts of weight very quickly. Wouldn't a better diet program be to focus more, but not all, of your energy on being healthier and aiming to lose 1-2 pounds a week? I think that some of these shows give people unrealistic expectations.

i do love these shows, especially "Biggest Loser" at the moment, as that is currently the only one on TV here in New Zealand right now, lol...

But Katie has a point about health concerns. During the first week of Biggest Loser, many of the costenstants lost up to 28 lbs in the first week. Even if they are over 200-300lbs, 28 lbs in a week just cant be healthy. Its quite scary, if you think about it. Thats certianly not a good example for veiwers at home to attempt to follow. Duing the first episode, one of the members actually vomited because he was being forced to work out so hard. i'd be afraid that heart attack or stroke might be a possibility.

While I think that some folks can and have found inspiration from something like "The Biggest Loser", they are certainly not seeing a realistic view of weight loss. If they are expecting to drop anywhere from 5-20 lbs. a week, I think the inspiration might wear off fairly quickly.

Probably the best thing would be if the TV would not come on unless the watcher was exercising and keeping their heart rate within 60-70% of max. Then you could feel really good about watching the show. Unless you just had your kid run around in circles within range of the sensor.

Maybe the show should have a contest going on during the course of the season. Something like the Body For Life Challenge, but don't gear it toward the "become a totally hot bodybuilder in 12 weeks" theme. Keep it just about losing the fat. Let's face it, most dieters are never going to look like Shawn Phillips. Keep it within the bounds of reality and the tastes of their viewers/demographic. Maybe they get the book by the trainers on the show and coupons for stuff from their sponsors.

I don't know. Sometimes I get to thinking, and that's when the trouble begins.

Well, I've watched The Biggest Loser just wanting to see what all the talk was about. I don't know about how quickly they lose the weight. That's not healthy or realistic. I believe they spend about 8 hours a day (or heard somewhere) in their gym working out...who in America has that kind of time or energy?? I would worry that people might think 10 or even 15 lbs a week is "normal." I know that for maintaining in the long term, the slower the weight comes off, the better - to an extent - 1-2 lbs/week.

While I haven't seen the shows that you mention above there is another one out there that I watch. I am in Canada so I am not sure if it shows in the US. It's on life network and it's called "Taking it off". These people choose what ever diet they want to and then the camera follows them around and documents their success or failure. At the end of the show they do a weight in to figure out who lost what. What I like about it isn't that they concentrate on who lost the most but what these people are actually going through(along with what their families go through as well)It shows these people with no commentary, no flash, just normal people in a struggle to get healthy. The only prize at the end is them gaining a better life. And it is inspiring to watch. No really because of the people but because there is no glamour there's just candid discussion of what it's like trying to lose the weight. Check it out it might change your opinion on the reality show craze.

On a side note there's also "You are what you Eat" it's from the UK and that is one show that centers all around healthy eating. Losing weight is generally just an added bonus but the biggest goal is to stop these brits from eating unheathy food. This show is Awesome and informative!!! Check this one out it really is worth watching.

I love watching the biggest loser; it’s exciting, educational and inspiring. Watching people pushing themselves mentally and physically to achieve their goal in weight loss should encourage other people to push themselves in improving their own life style. Yet I do disagree with competition for entertainment. But without it there wouldn’t be a show.

I like watching "Celebrity Fit Club" on VH1. The stars on the show are simply given a diet plan to follow (given to them by a doctor) and are told to work out. Since the different celebs are at different (dramatically different!) starting weight/ability, the program is pretty un-structured. It's interesting because you can see how hard it can be for stars to lose weight, even if they do have all the luxuries associated with stardom. The only thing I don't like: the stars' attitudes. They are SO spoiled! The average weight loss for the entire season (about 4 months) is about 20 lbs. Some stars lose WAY less than that though. Countess Vaughan is on this season...she's gone from 130 (at 4'11") to 132 over a course of 3 months. I mean, come ON! They're supposed to lose weight! But then there are the ones on there like Bruce Vilanch who actually DO try and are making really good progress not only towards slimming down, but also improving their health.

They showed a really interesting British show a few years ago called "Fat Club". The fat people would go to this camp and spend a weekend learning about weight loss, and then return home to their regular lives to try to follow the program, and return to the camp after 2 weeks, and so on. You could see their struggles balancing their normal lives and old habits, and yet most were successful. Very inspirational.

I think it may be inspirational... However, The Biggest Loser sets unrealistic expectations. I've had friends and coworkers ask me to help them lose weight, and expect the show somehow in everyday life.
It's unreasonable to compare, but diet pills aren't so popular because most people are reasonable in this matter

I won the "Biggest Loser UK" by losing 9 stone 12 pounds and 25.4% bodyfat in just 19 weeks. I have a great deal to be thankful to Living tv for ie A new body, A healthy body, my life back !!! The show was tactful and well put toghther and not a dig at fat people.
Aaron Howlett
The Biggest Loser UK
07906267941

Recently i was visting relatives in France I was sitting in the park watching the World go by I'm 69 year's old. I noticed how slim the French people were and nicely dressed, the American's English are a fat mess but it can't be just anglo saxon it must be the awful food they eat, why don't we encourage them to eat like the French. I believe an American has written a book about it.
OK somebody going to say I don't like snails!!!