lol GirlyGirl - nope, not a lawyer - but I've had to be around a few in my lifetime - and seen some pretty scuzzy ones at work too... enough to know that not every lawyer is a good lawyer.
The fact is that some people (and we get comments in Weight Loss Support about it) do believe that the contestants lose that much in 1 week, e.g., 30+ pounds for the older, Blue Team captain in "week 1." Call them stupid or naive, but there really is no clear way to tell from the information the show presents that the timeline is distorted.
It's a good show in that the weight loss is real, but there's a danger of people thinking that a loss like that is possible if only they worked hard enough. So I think it's important to clarify that it's entertainment, not a documentary.
I did think that they were showing 1 week = 1 week losses, and I'm old enough to know better.
LondonJulz, seems to me that the only one who is ranting here is you! Not sure why... it's just information. I don't think anyone said "I can never watch TBL again, they have lied to me, etc." It's just a word to the not-so-wise I guess.
Jay - I never said anyone was "ranting" - just seems like the same thing keeps getting repeated over and over and over again (read: run into the ground)..... but, I think that everyone here is now aware that TBL is not really done in 12 weeks time.... and I think we can all agree to disagree that some people think that others are being misled....
I am, however longwinded (just ask my DH) and it takes me a few lines or more to get everything out of my head and onto paper (or screen....) Plus, I had my Wheaties today, so I'm feelin' GOOD!
I think everyone should just agree that we've been made aware of the "goings on" of TBL.... and take from it what we want...
OH, and congrats on reaching your goal weight, I just noticed your ticker!
Maybe the topic seems you to have already been "beaten to death," but I would disagree. Have you ever counted the threads, and the arguments regarding how much water we should drink, what should count for water, whether coffee and other caffeinated drinks count as water, whether artificially sweetened beverages count as water.....
If not, do a search. Now do the same search two weeks later. This is a topic you would think had been beaten to death, and it keeps coming up - over and over and over again, proving that that topic STILL isn't common knowledge. If you're not convinced do the same searches on low carb dieting, artificial sweeteners, calorie counting, orlistat or alli and even Paris Hilton....
So the argument that "now everybody knows" about TBL, so it doesn't need to be discussed anymore is no better and no more accurate than saying "now everybody knows" the existing information and positions on all of these other subjects. If we're going to be redundant, and beat a subject to death, that's ok, and our right, you definitely can choose not to read the posts and move on yourself (on any of the other subjects as well).
I for one, would rather be beating this subject to death and beyond, than to spend one second thinking about Paris Hilton.
Have you ever counted the threads, and the arguments regarding how much water we should drink, what should count for water, whether coffee and other caffeinated drinks count as water, whether artificially sweetened beverages count as water.....
If not, do a search. Now do the same search two weeks later. This is a topic you would think had been beaten to death, and it keeps coming up - over and over and over again, proving that that topic STILL isn't common knowledge. If you're not convinced do the same searches on low carb dieting, artificial sweeteners, calorie counting, orlistat or alli and even Paris Hilton....
Wow - I believe that humans need water to survive, I don't know a single person that has died from not watching The Biggest Loser. Watching the show is a choice.... and option.... getting enough liquid (rather it be sweet water, coffee, tea, etc......) not so much an option for survival.
Last edited by LondonJulz; 09-20-2007 at 01:23 PM.
LondonJulz--See we are GATOR fans and we agree on many things. I started a long response yesterday and lost it and gave up. Its inspirational bottom line. 2 weeks, 3 months, whatever...they are saving their own lives. If you don't like it, don't watch it. People believing everything they see on tv...that's a scary thought. Common sense people!!! Something is really missing here....
Kaplods--If everyone has a right to voice their own opinions, why call LondonJulz out for voicing hers?
Oh yes...just a reminder--don't believe everything you read on the internet either. Just because LondonJulz asked us to stop beating this to death means it has to happen. We are individuals and we can do as we chose. Oh what a revelation!
Getting back to the topic rather than discussing why or if we should still be discussing the topic....I guess I am a bit naive because I did actually think that the weigh-ins were 1 week apart. I didn't really think over the long term because honestly I can believe that someone who is 300 lbs or more can probably drop large amounts of weight when they are severely restricting their diet and exercising 4-5 hours a day. I know I have run across something that talked about how many calories you have to eat every day to maintain your weight. If a person weighs 300 lbs how many calories a day do you think they have to be eating in order to maintain that weight and then suddenly they are eating 1200 calories a day and exercising 5 hours a day and drinking lots of water, well I think it is entirely possible to lose 10 lbs in one week. I suppose when you look at tv you know what is really and what is fake. Obviously I can watch a tv show Friends and know that it is fiction. Reality shows even I know are scripted and manufactured. I guess for TBL I felt it was more 'real' because I can identify with the people more because of them being overweight. It will change the way that I enjoy the show and maybe has taken away some of the wow factor and drama of the show but I will still watch it and still enjoy it.
putting WAY too much stock into a SCRIPTED tv show! I said it like 5 times now but common sense tells you its not possible to lose 31 lbs in 7 days. Maybe its just me. Why take something that supposed to be fun and entertaining and "beat it to death" if you cant enjoy it then dont watch it.
The whole conversation feels to me like "well I cant do that so something must be wrong with you" Stop trying to live up to something that isnt achievable and let the show be what it is....a TV SHOW!
I never said that LondonJulz had no right to her opinion or her right to voice it. I was disagreeing with her. Um, that's what's so great about having the right to voice our opinions. What would be the point of voicing opinions, if we all agreed we had the right to voice them, but not the right to disagree, argue or persuade? In fact, that was my point. Arguing about the issue is legitimate, and if you don't want to argue about the issue, that's great too. I was offering a solution where everyone can be happy. If you don't want to argue, or hear arguments, then you have the option of not following this thread. And as likenoother points out, just because LondonJules has asked us to stop beating the subject to death (and has the right to do that - ask that is), doesn't mean we have to or cannot (as I did) attempt explain or justify why we have the right to beat it to death and beyond.
And I would disagree about the water issue. I don't believe that anyone here believes they can exist without moisture. Not only that, if they tried to (voluntarily), they would get VERY, VERY, VERY thirsty and probably give it up before their health were in extreme jeopardy. There is however, much disagreement over how much water, and in what form (read the posts, if you do not believe me). My mother nearly died a year ago by believing the dieting myths she was told in WW meetings (coffee didn't count as water, and even should be compensated for by extra water). A low dose of an extremely common blood pressure medicine made her more susceptible to water poisoning (low sodium levels due to dilution of the blood from too much water) at only about 1 gallon of water a day (more than is often recommended in these water discussions I mention). Mom was hospitalized for a week and now has permanent kidney damage (about 50% functioning) from the water poisoning. So yeah, water misinformation can be dangerous, even deadly, but that wasn't my point. I wasn't "calling out" LondonJules for anything. I was just disagreeing and backing up my opinion, much as I did regarding your criticism.
As to my problems with the show. I think what spoils it for me to a degree is the deception. If the show were more upfront, or if there were big news headlines or stories on the nightly news "exposing" the truth, I think I would watch completely guilt free, especially now knowing that the safety of the contestants is probably minimal.
It does seem wrong though to watch the show and just keep quiet, knowing the dangerous myths it perpetuates. I wonder if one of the biggest reasons weight loss attempts have such a dismal long-term success rate is that people who are actually being wonderfully successful give up because they believe they are failing, because their losses are inconsistent or slow (even if weight loss is as low as 1 lb a month - you're so far ahead of the game in terms of statistics if you don't give up).
I desperately would like THAT news to get out, as I know it would have made a difference in my life. I didn't just give up so many times in the past because I thought I was failing (when I was actually succeeding), but because important people in my life (parents, grandparents, teachers, doctors, school nurse...) were telling me that I was failing when I only lost 1 or 2 lbs a month. If I had known better, and had been told how amazingly successful I was actually being, maybe I wouldn't have ended up in a cycle of weight loss and gain for the last 36 years.
Again....if the show is ruined for you, then simply stop watching it. If it makes you feel guilty...then dont watch it. I still love it just as much as before. Does it solve anything to bash something you dont like? Is it really that shocking that a tv show wasnt completely up front about something? Do you realize how much of what happens is set up? All you are doing is bringing alot of negative energy to yourself. Focus on positive like likenoother said...people are saving their lives! You cannot fake shrinking like they are, no matter what the time frame is.
You make me smile!
Not sure why... it's just information. I don't think anyone said "I can never watch TBL again, they have lied to me, etc." It's just a word to the not-so-wise I guess. 
Plus, I had my Wheaties today, so I'm feelin' GOOD! 
