So... how about the Biggest Loser finale?

[Guest Wheat on Trial]

With all of the media attention on the Biggest Loser and the shocking weight loss of the winner, I was surprised not to see any commentary here about it. It's certainly got the rest of the country paying attention - and debating what healthy weight loss looks like.

 

I have never watched an episode of the Biggest Loser, and really don't care to. Yet I feel compelled to follow the story as it disturbs me. As women, we're all too familiar with the societal pressure to be a size 0.0 (this sums it up nicely: http://www.upworthy.com/5-minutes-of-what-the-media-actually-does-to-women-8

 

I feel this is the perfect example of 'darned if you do, darned if you don't..." I'm sure she probably faced many challenges being overweight, and now has to see/read/hear about all of the disparaging remarks about her current appearance.

 

She did what she had to do to win. There were no rules in place saying you can't win if you are medically considered "underweight"

 

Interested to hear what others pursuing a healthier way of life think about the story.

[AllyB]

I think body size and shape is a very individual thing.  What is 'underweight' for one person maybe be a comfortable body weight for someone else.

 

Personally, I find comments about body weight (either too thin or too fat) to be unwelcome and frankly too personal.  I have had people tell me I'm lucky to be thin.  Like it's an accident that I eat healthy and try to watch my weight.  More than a few people have said "I hate you, cuz you can probably eat whatever you want and get away with it."  Well actually, no, I don't.  And the worst was one 'friend' that told me that the reason I couldn't get pregnant was probably because I needed to gain weight.  At the time, I weighed 120 at 5'4".  I was mortified.  I consider myself an average healthy weight. 

 

Soooo... I'm not going to comment on whether she's healthy or not.  She sure looked happy to win

[JJB]

I watch the Biggest Loser because I enjoy the makeover aspect of it. But none of the real "competitors" on that show are healthy. Don't they work out like 8 hours a day? And the show focuses very little on diet, but what they do show is the typical lowfat/low calorie crap that we know is not right. It sure seemed like Rachel went a little too far with her weight loss. But I think there's always several contestants that drop 45-55% of their body weight...in 6 months? It's sad that she's the only one being scrutinized. It seems like this process must be terribly hard on their bodies, and I would imagine it messes with their heads too. There's no way they can sustain that lifestyle for very long after the show, when real life kicks back in.

[Vian]

I've heard that almost all the contestants gain the weight back after the show. I didn't watch the show, never have, but I googled her and there are some images where she looks very thin, possibly verging on unhealthily thin. I don't care for the show because the practices they employ are so unhealthy (working out 6+ hours a day and starving themselves) and the pressure they are put under making it a competition, which I also really don't think is healthy at all. If I'm going to watch a weight loss show, it would be Extreme Makeover: Weightloss Edition. While they still espouse a low fat, calorie restricted diet, they at least give the person a year to lose the weight, and they aren't competing against anyone else - just themselves. The contestants also spend the majority of the year on their own living their lives and making their own choices, rather than having a team of chefs and personal trainers telling them what to do every day for the duration of the show. I've never seen someone at the end of an episode of Extreme Weight Loss looking unhealthily thin.

[NJ2FL2CA]

I watched every episode of this season. I was proud of the ones that made healthy strides. I only believe the two winners went too far. As for the comments about gaining the weight back after the show, that is very sad to say about someone who has done and gone through more than the majority of overweight people in the world. If they put in work, they will continue to lose. They all looked great (minus the two winners...). But I don't know about you guys but I's rather have weight to gain then to lose....I'm just saying

[Bloodshotbetty]

One aspect to look at... for a prize of $250,000 I might shrink down that small for the finale.  I would NEVER maintain an unhealthy weight like that (I don't even think I could...)  But if I was a contestant and had enough money at stake to pay off my car, my student loans, etc.  

 

That being said, I no longer watch the Biggest Loser.  I was a huge fan back when I was obese because it gave me inspiration but now I realize how unhealthy the habits are.