Comments on: Why the Fitness Industry Isn’t in Love with the Biggest Loser

By: Ex-Biggest Loser Fan

Ex-Biggest Loser Fan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:13:09 +0000

Wow, what a way to be negative…you just shot down their credibility and along the way any hope I’ve ever had of losing weight. I thought the Biggest Loser was the best ever for overweight people, if they are a sham, then what hope do the rest of us have?…not cool, not cool at all!

By: workout mommy

workout mommy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:06:40 +0000

wow, I had no idea Bob and Jillian did not have better certs!

I used to love (and blog about) this show all the time but I cannot stomach it anymore, precisely for the reasons you state above. It’s just not realistic or healthy for the contestants to live like this! And these days the show seems more about product placement than changing lives.

By: Liz DiAlto

Liz DiAlto — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:20:46 +0000

Lisa,

I love this! I’m also a trainer and have maybe caught 1/2 of two episodes but what I hear frequently is that they are always having people doing really unsafe exercises. The two times I have caught a few minutes I noticed really heavy people doing things I would NEVER have a client do for fear of compromising their joints, blood pressure, heart rate and etc.

I also agree that the show does tug at your heart strings. I actually stopped on it within the last few weeks (and maybe cried for a second) when they were featuring the woman who lost her whole family in a car accident. I’m glad I stopped on that part because it reminded me to dig in with clients and not to forget that people’s battles with their weight are often rooted way deeper emotionally than just channeling some will power, getting motivated and getting in the gym (which is easy for fitness professionals because we’re freaks and love exercise :P)

All in all, great assessment. I was perusing through your other posts as a blogger myself and I enjoy your honest and straightforward approach. My mom was recently asking me about the Susan Lucci Malibu Chair, I’m just going to forward your post on that to give her her answer :)

Thank you for your insights,
Liz

By: Mhansen

Mhansen — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:24:50 +0000

I have to agree with everything you said. Although, it should be looked at for pure entertainment value. I am an ex Div1 wrestler, wrestled on the international level and now coach a freestyle and greco roman wrestling team and can tell you that I have had parents of kids I coach ask if I can give them pointers on losing weight. i tell them to come to my practices sans the actual wrestling. It got to a point where i had to stop letting non wrestlers in because it started getting way too popular and it was affecting my wrestlers.
Anyway, my point is, I watch that show and see that it is for entertainment purposes only and I would not do as these people do on televvision (trainers).

By: Jim Dundon

Jim Dundon — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:30:54 +0000

I have perused the show when it first came out and frankly I never will watch it again. The show is based on Drama, pure and simple. It is artifically created and the majority of the show is staged for entertainment. The “trainers” are a joke. Their selection of exercises, intensity and motivational strategies are quite frankly stupid. IF any trainer with an ounce of understanding placed one of our clients in the type of danger that these trainers do we would be sued. It is obvious that the trainers are hired for their photogenic capabilities and not their grey matter between their ears.

True reality is working with a client and educating them in the lifestyle of Fitness, and demonstrating the Fun of Fitness.

I guess american televisions viewers want foul mouth uneducated people screaming at fat people on a tv screen and they are entertained, probably while drinking a soda and eating chips.

GO Figure!!

By: Drew

Drew — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:29:59 +0000

Bob and Jillian are TV personalities. As another post stated, it’s not necessarily the fault of the certification company that a trainer is great or terrible; to the contrary, Bob and Jillian demonstrate every week that you can make a great living on personality alone.

I have been a trainer for nearly 20 years, and have had the opportunity to be the fitness director at two health clubs, and I can count on one hand the number of trainers who had a combination of talent and personality. That said, it’s the ones with the great personality who had the most clients.

The heart of the matter is this; Biggest Loser puts the personal training industry in a very questionable light. Ask yourself this: if you were considering hiring a personal trainer, then watched an episode of BL, would you still want to hire a trainer?

(and don’t get me started on all the staged events on the show in order to feature this week’s sponsor’s products)

By: georgette pann

georgette pann — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:54:41 +0000

good article….I really agree with you for most part…and I never actually knew what their qualifications were..sometimes the show actually scares me. I am referring to the training methods for these particular clients..I’m waiting for someone to drop dead on the show, seriously, I can’t even watch at times:)

By: Sheila

Sheila — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:22:49 +0000

As much as I can tell you I dont miss an episode, I am a trainer, and agree with all of the things you wrote about “real life” trainers, in a gym that you pay a membership for and still juggle your family, work, and home temptations. I don’t even really watch it because I gain anything for ANYTHING I would teach or use.

I can say it is a reality check to see some of the “REASONS” people get themselves that out of shape, that heavy, let go of their lives that much. The only reason, is the show motivates and inspires “ME” personally and reminds my why i never let myself or my health be taken for granted. I love the show, I love the stories and on some goofy level feel that I get to know them a little, but I am not a TV junkie, so I guess this is my one show that relaxers me, and entertains me in an arena that I know………

Thank you for making me realistically think about my own reasons! This was good for me too!! :0)

By: sarah

sarah — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:23:32 +0000

Great post. I’ve often wondered what Jillian and Bob’s qualifications are (aside from being gorgeous on TV) and now that Jillian’s put her name on a diet pill, I am even more uncertain about my loyalty to the show.

And like you said, I was really put off by all the swearing and demeaning of the contestants this week. I had a trainer who DID actually give me that kind of attitude and I did not lose a pound when I was working with her—she’d yell at me and I’d work my ass off and then go home and eat b/c I was so upset about being yelled at (okay, that’s mostly my issue, but really–bad trainer).

I watch more for the contestants and to see their progress. It’s so inspiring–not entirely realistic, but inspiring!

By: Lisa Johnson

Lisa Johnson — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:15:39 +0000

Ben, it’s their heart that I’m responding too. The contestants are in an entirely different world and they’re struggling through and they’re succeeding (at least short term). I always rally behind the little guy trying really hard to get somewhere and my heart goes out to them.

Evolution of Wealth. I’ve heard that they have a cheat meal right after weigh in when they can eat anything they want. I’ve also heard that it’s an 8 day week. I don’t know if either are true, if anyone can confirm that would be great!

BTW if I have a client who is restricting calories I tell them to have a cheat meal once a week so the cravings don’t build up. For some people this is a great trick to staying on a diet. For others it’s the first step to several in the wrong direction. You have to decide for yourself if your psyche needs to let off steam or needs to remain on course!

Lisa