“the biggest loser” mythology
2009 11 25
I’ve waited 9 years to comment. Today that ends.
The New York Times reports (On Reality Show to Lose Weight, Health Can Take a Back Seat)
The Biggest Loser uses dangerous methods to achieve the shows goals, silence participants with gag clauses and participating agreements in the event that someone gets hurt trying to win the show.
Is a contest show really the best format for this type of person? I don’t think so. It’s totally inappropriate and unprofessional in my opinion. Hey, but it sells. For those of you who watch the show and find it entertaining would it bother you to know that many of the contestants are risking their lives unnecessarily? It bothers me and it legitimizes “dangerous training and weight loss methods” . Finally, the show doesn’t truly address the underlying problems these people face. In contrast, shows like A&E’s Intervention, offer more complex, compelling and real stories about people trying to change.
Beyond the Biggest Loser.
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to make changes progressively. It is the gradual adaptation to change that improves our health. Oh, but you can’t film that. Sorry.
My advice to anyone is to:
- Stop dieting
- Change your mindless exercise routine
- Abandon the idea that there are “intensive” methods of purging your body
Focus on:
- Getting 80% of your Calories from Green & Colorful Fruits and Vegetables
- Develop a passion for moving: Dance, run, play, swim, surf, climb, hike, ride
- Build a slow and sustainable plan that will last for the rest of your life.
your happiness and survival depend upon it.
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