The NBC show The Biggest Loser is a smash hit with viewers. On the reality show, about 20 obese contestants compete to win the grand prize for losing the most weight. It is hard to criticize something that is successful and inspires people to better their lives. However, people need to understand the practicality of the show’s premise in relation to their own lives.
Most people who start a weight-loss program do so for intrinsic reasons or because their doctor strongly encouraged it. They don’t have a $250,000 grand prize dangled in front of their nose to lose a significant amount of weight. The Biggest Loser contestants know they have two major cash prizes, various other big-ticket rewards, and possible endorsements up for grabs if they are successful with substantial weight loss.
The show’s participants have a qualified trainer and a state-of-the-art fitness studio at their beck and call. That’s a fantastic benefit that is completely free to these men and women. Two of the impediments for people to start an exercise program are the costs of a trainer and a health-club membership. Scratch these roadblocks off the list for the contestants on The Biggest Loser.
The competitors have a large support group in place. All the participants have the backing of their family and friends when they head to the show. They also receive the support of their fellow competitors, and they know that millions of viewers will be watching and cheering them on. So many people in the real world just don’t have that group base of support, and that often thwarts their weight-loss plans.
The players on Biggest Loser also don’t have the obligations of the 9-to-5 rat race that most of us deal with. These TV stars are put up in a nice room-and-board setting, taken away from their families, and given a get-out-of-work card. This affords them the opportunity to solely focus on weight loss. How perfect would it be to have no distractions from achieving our goals in life!
It is understandable that contestants of this show can experience significant weight loss in a short period of time. They are given all the right ingredients for success. The everyday chunky boy and girl need to be aware of the disclaimer, “The weight loss shown on this program is not typical and might not be experienced by everyone.” Losing 30 pounds in one week is very possible for your avatar but highly unlikely for those of us living in the here and now.
God bless The Biggest Loser and all that it has helped achieve for so many morbidly obese men and women during its eight-plus seasons on the air. By all means, continue to watch this show and get excited about the weight-loss successes that are shown. Use it to inspire you to get started with your own journey toward better health. Just know that you will have a better chance of success when you approach your weight loss with a practical mindset and realistic goals.
This health and fitness column is brought to you by a 15-year personal-fitness trainer who once burned his boxers and briefs in college to make a point. That guy who wasn’t thinking clearly in college one night is Ron Blake and he can be reached at www.myblakefitness.com.
