Let's begin with the obvious; contestants on the various incarnations [17 versions worldwide currently, including separate presentations for the "Arab World" and Israel, as well as a pan-Asiatic series] of The Biggest Loser are almost always successful in their weight-loss efforts. Then again, with the advantages they have, why shouldn't they be?
Think about this for a moment; in addition to whatever personal motivation the contestants bring to the table, they have:
-access to a full medical staff, including a doctor [no sane network would sanction such a
show without one] and dietitian;-their choice of trainers [in the US version, that's Bob and Jillian (at right), working the classic "good cop/bad cop" routine on the challengers;
- an isolated location to live in [usually known as "the ranch"], separating the players from the temptations and stresses of everyday life;
- a fully-equipped health club on-site;
-instructions on preparing more healthy meals, as well as a supply of healthy foods [many provided by sponsors, in exchange for endorsements, actual or implied, during the program. Many overweight and obese persons are at or near the poverty level; they'd like to eat more nutritious, less fat- and sugar-laden foods, but frequently can't afford to do so];
- and the freedom of time to exercise three and four hours a day [which means that the program is quietly covering household expenses for the contestants while on "the ranch". Would any of my fellow Obese-Americans hit the gym more if they didn't have jobs, household responsibilities, etc, to take care of? I'm pretty sure they would].
Understand; I'm not trying to talk people out of weight-loss, if that's what they want to do. I'm not discouraging people trying to lose weight from getting motivation where- and when-ever they can. But consider the weight-loss totals each week. Most doctors will tell you a weight loss of one or two pounds a week is about the best the average person can expect. On The Biggest Loser, losing "only" that amount of weight would see you "off the ranch" in a week or two at best. Of course, with all the advantages TBL contestants have, higher amounts are more easily lost [and, because of continual medical supervision, more safely lost. How many people, even in the middle-class with health insurance, could afford daily, or even weekly, visits to their doctor to ensure their health is not being compromised?].
I remember a story I once heard about Raquel Welch [at left]. In the 1960's, she made several USO trips to see the troops in Vietnam. A reporter reportedly asked her how she felt about the tours. She said, if I remember the story correctly, that she was pleased to go over for the troops, but that putting her onstage in front of tens-of-thousands of soldiers, almost all male, seemed to her like showing red meat to a hungry lion. She suggested that the Army hire, and send to Vietnam, battalions of prostitutes instead. Building up unrealistic, and, for most people, unreproducible expectations seems just as wrong. Maybe it's time for a "Real World" mix of TBL, not one that features glamorous 20-somethings being petulant, but a version that shows real people how to lose weight realistically.Maybe I'm alone, but I'd watch...
-Mike Riley
