The Biggest Loser TV series has become a huge success in multiple countries. It has glorified the process of weight loss to the point where Biggest Loser winners become overnight celebrities. People all over the world watch the show and gain motivation from the contestants. But should you be following the example set by the Biggest Loser or is doing so dangerous to your health? This article will cover the rights and wrongs of the Biggest Loser TV series.
Firstly, it has to be stated that The Biggest Loser has done a great thing in encouraging people all over the world to lose weight and improve their health. This is important to clarify before we go into more critical aspects of the show and how it is run. Obesity is a major issue in the western world and any way that people can be motivated to lose weight is a good thing.
Now lets dig deeper. Put simply, the way the contestants lose weight is not a good example. These guys get up on the scales, lose ‘only’ 3.4kg in a week and are upset that they didn’t get a good weight loss for the week. Are you serious? That sort of weight loss is great! In fact, the recommended rate is 2 pounds or 0.5-1kg each week (more for heavier individuals). For the viewer it is simply unrealistic to expect 10kg (22lbs) of weight loss every week yet this is what The Biggest Loser contestants aim for. So don’t follow this aspect of the show. It is unhealthy, unrealistic and as the contestants often find out, unsustainable in the long term.
Next is the sheer amount of exercise they perform and the tiny amount of calories they consume. On the show, the average calorie consumption per day is roughly 1000 calories. This is a tiny amount of food and is not a good idea for healthy weight loss. Viewers need to remember that it is a reality show and to keep it interesting contestants need to lose huge amounts of weight. The only way to do this is to exercise for countless hours each day and consume very little food.
Exercising so much and eating so little is not going to be sustainable. Do you want to lose weight for 12 weeks then gain it all back? Of course not. A better approach is to exercise for 1 hour each day and reduce calories gradually as required to continue weight loss. Remember, food keeps the metabolism going.
Perhaps the best part of The Biggest Loser is that it reveals the true emotional side to weight loss. Nearly every contestant has a moment with their personal trainer where they break down emotionally and reveal the true reasons for their weight gain. If you are trying to lose weight it really will help to try and find the emotional reason for being overweight. You don’t need Jillian Michaels screaming at you to do this. But finding the trigger for your weight gain, and then removing it, will prevent weight being gained back. Maybe its boredom, eating to cover emotional pain or something else, its up to you to discover if you have an ‘emotional trigger’ for weight gain.
The Biggest Loser has encouraged people to go out and find a personal trainer, and this is great. Seeing Bob and Jillian push the contestants to their limits but also befriend and support them has made many people hire their own personal trainer. Find a personal trainer in your area or hire an online personal trainer so that you have your own Bob or Jillian to help you achieve your results. The Biggest Loser has been great in showing people what a good personal trainer can do for them.
The Biggest Loser has been both good and bad for people trying to lose weight. It has provided motivation and encouragement but at the same time been a source of unrealistic expectations and discouragement. The important thing is to understand that it is, after all, a reality TV show and some parts of it are for the cameras. But the weight loss and the benefits it brings to the contestants is very real and should serve as a motivation for everyone out there who wants to lose weight and feel great.
