TV Show

(Marianne) #1

Watched The Biggest Loser last night. It was so sad! I thought after all the controversy, they would have changed the weight loss paradigm, but it’s still the same - extreme exercise and CICO. I think this time around they threw in a mental health component; seems like group therapy without a licensed therapist.

I listened to the contestants introduce themselves and tell their stories. I would say every person needs to lose at least 150 lbs. or more. They are all broken physically, emotionally and spiritually from a life time of obesity. They went from 0 to 60 on the exercise, and I marvel that someone doesn’t actually have a heart attack. People were crying and throwing up, it was so extreme. Same thing with the scale - unrealistic numbers like 10-20 lbs. in the first week. How sustainable is that?

I sat here a year ago before finding keto thinking that I wouldn’t even be able to drop ten pounds (of 80), because I knew I could not calorie restrict to the degree required and exercise like I thought I needed. It was the only way I knew. I was so broken and didn’t want to get out of bed except to go to work and get right back home to check out all over again.

By grace alone I found keto and never looked back. So what that I don’t eat pasta, pizza or sweets - at least I can eat - and the most delicious food! Never felt deprived, hungry or anxious and wanting to binge.

I look at these contestants and my heart breaks for them. I wonder if they have tried keto. Most of them said that they “tried everything,” but I can’t believe that they can choose starvation and extreme exercise over eating well and cleanly - if they actually did try keto in the past.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

Oh, but keto is unsustainable and will kill us! That’s why they never tried it . . . :wink:

#3

It’s really sad. It gives people the perception that the only way to better health is not realistically attainable. How many 40+ old people are going to be able to manage a job, home, etc. . and go to the gym and do some workout that would be hard for a twenty year old? Body physique is 85% diet. Get that right, exercise enough for safety (build muscle for balance to prevent falls and the ability to move more easily) and you can live a happy life.

(Lazy, Dirty Keto 😝) #4

It really is sad. I feel like “preaching” whenever I hear of someone wanting to get bypass surgery or when I hear a T2D talking about eating their healthy carbs, etc. I just wish I could say “try this instead.” But I don’t want to be that preachy person.

(back and doublin' down) #5

Wow. if the rest of it wasn’t sad enough, let’s make sure we put their mental health in danger too.

Saddens me. Sickens me. And makes me ever more grateful.

My short spiel starts with "I’m not a nutrionist, and giving advice would be beyond my scope of practice. I can suggest that you do your own research, and here’s some websites with information you might find…supportive…encouraging…hope restoring…

This journey I am on is making me seriously consider some sort of nutritional certification in conjunction with my addiction counseling thing so I be more effective in helping clients with food addictions, so much more prevalent that ever imagined.

#6

When people say they tried everything, I always wonder what they might have tried but I obviously never possibly have a good idea about it. Maybe they tried silly things or they gave up everything on the first day… But it’s quite possible they never dared to take some “extreme” steps.
Keto isn’t for everyone but surely many would benefit from it. Or at least low-carb. My loss happened on low-carb.
Exercise is nice and important but when one has a lot to lose, it may be irrealistic or even dangerous. Diet is the key then regarding fat-loss (some little walks or whatever the one in question is able to do are still good. if the health is very bad, maybe no exercise is the best for a while). Exercise may have a bigger role later, it depends on the person. We still can ruin everything with bad eating, of course but exercise may help a lot. Or not.

#7

Thats show business, eh? I would think they could get a much larger audience if they showed people eating well and losing weight too? What a miracle. But no- seems the viewer likes to see the suffering. I hate those kinds of shows. Do they have the one where people go into the jungle and have to eat bugs or have spiders walk across their face and then get voted out one by one? HATE that show. Who wants to actually see people suffering or degrading themselves?

(Troy) #8

Yikes😳

Not sure if this made the shows press release media packet release?
Just sayin😉

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/02/04/the-biggest-loser-back-and-goodness-sake-why/4596187002/

(Natasha) #9

This is my story too, Marianne. I’d resigned myself to being morbidly obese forever. Sometimes I still can’t believe that I can eat delicious satiating meals and still be dropping weight. So thankful for keto!

#10

I keep forgetting that this is a scripted show, it is not a reality show. I just feel bad for contestants willing to put up with such torture for entertainment purposes. :frowning:

edit to add: I am sure these contestants have tried to lose weight before, so either the network exploits people who are at their wit’s end or the contestant are just willing to expose themselves to the mockery of viewers in hope of winning the prize.

(Marianne) #11

Although the CICO/extreme exercise thing is an exercise in futility (IMO) and will not work long term, they could never feature keto because it is not “medically” recognized yet - at least not by the FDA, prevailing science or the majority of physicians. Very sad.

(Marianne) #12

Excellent article.

(Marianne) #13

Yes, yes, yes!!! Exactly!

Keto is my miracle!

(Robert h Garrett) #14

The show will be so damaging to the many that need help. The low carb news is getting out slowly and I believe the pendulum will swing back.

(GINA ) #15

I doubt there would be much market for a program that showed people eating steak and eggs and walking around the block. No drama or vomiting.

I think the show is still popular, and the restrictive diets are still mainstream, because deep down many believe fat people need to be ‘punished’ for their fatness before they can become ‘normal’ like them.

(Lazy, Dirty Keto 😝) #16

So sad and so true

(Chris) #17

Even with all the bad statistics for that show, people still continue to sign up. Keto is the only way of eating (I refuse to call it a diet), where you can lose weight and keep it off. I have lost 30kg (66lbs) in the past 6 months and am now exercising and building some muscle and condition. I am now keto for life and will not go back to the weight I was at previously. That show is basically and advertorial for weight loss pills and potions. I don’t watch it anymore due to its false pretences. Also notice that they never do a follow up show on where the contestants are at now. It’s because they mostly pile the weight back on again with interest.