I enjoy watching The Biggest Loser show, I tend to watch it while I'm on exercise bike and it's pretty motivating. And I enjoy watching to see the insane amounts of weight people are losing weekly, and how excited they are, how different they look.

But I really do worry sometimes that the speed with which the weight is loss could discourage some viewers when they try to lose weight. I see women up there losing 4-7 pounds a week, men who are losing 8-10. Not just first week 'water weight' gains either.

So I'm happy for them, but I wonder if people will start to hold themselves up to too high standards when they try to lose weight, and get discouraged. I bet some do. They'll weigh every week and be like "I only lost 3 pounds this week, oh no!" When I would be elated to lose 3 pounds! Heck, I'm happy to not gain at this point.

Overall I suspect that it's been more encouraging, to move people into weight loss efforts and motivate them along the way. But I still do suspect there's a subset that gets discouraged. I never pay attention, is there a "results not typical" disclaimer? Do they ever discuss that losing just 1-2 pounds a week is ideal for a lot of people?

Before one could always rationalize "well, they're in a dedicated environment" but after this season, no more. Those who were working out at home lost incredible amounts of weight as well. They are really hard standards to hold oneself up to, if a person is prone to comparisons.

The thing I keep in mind (even this season when there were some working from home instead of the controlled environment) is that they are all dedicating hours a day to exercise. I cannot (and honestly don't want to) dedicate more than 30 minutes to an hour a day in exercise so I realize that I will not be able to lose at the rate that they are. I also know that without the controlled environment I don't have to willpower to give up some items that they aren't allowed in the controlled environment (I like my ice cream and desserts ). And they were all motivated by the $$$'s which would encourage even those at home to be strickter on themselves.

I don't think the monetary reward is necessarily motivation. I'm doing Optifast and when things are going as they ought to, I lose 5lbs a week. I *know* that beyond a shadow a doubt that I can get to my goal weight within a 3-4 months... That in and of itself is the greatest reward that I could have (not mention that Optifast is being paid for by my dad as I could not have afforded the program)... But even with all that motivation, it sometimes isn't enough to keep me going, to keep me from caving into the cravings. It is usually enough to get me back on track fairly immediately; but in the heat of the moment, the instant gratification from food outweighs any goals I have - and I think that is true for most people, otherwise so many wouldn't be posting about being off track or falling off the wagon. It certainly isn't logical, but it is reality.

I think one thing to remember about the Biggest Loser (besides that they are dedicated to exercise/weight loss 24/7 while on the show) is that these are morbidly obese people. The higher your weight, the faster you will lose. So certainly, a person who is overweight (but not obese) is not likely to see those results with any program.

I look in on the show sometimes, but I lose patience with the manufactured drama and the lack of real information that I can use. The only thing that I find really helpful is the living "before and after" pictures these folks are presenting to us. Seeing the accelerated results is what's motivating to me. When you have a lot to lose, it's hard to imagine how you would look 40 or 50 pounds lighter, let alone 100 pounds or more. It helps me visualize my own success a year or two from now.

It would be nice if someone threw in some money, too , I'd pay off my remaining debt, get a down payment on a house and stach the rest in retirement. So if anyone out there wants to dangle a $250k challenge my way, please PM me!

judy

The money would have been a great incentive for me too. I would gladly have done it. I'm also very competetive and would have wanted to "kick some butt".
I watched this last week and was amazed how fast the wt. loss was. I like to watch any type of wt. loss show while I pound the treadmill. If they can do it, so can I.

I just like to see people losing weight. I watch the show every week. I also tape the show I Lost It. It comes on everyday and I have seen most of them already but when I need motivation it is there. They have lost weight in everyway that you can imagine and it is a lot more real life. I think I have about 25 saved entries in my DVR. I also tape Calorie Commando and Weighing In. Does anyone have another show that is weight loss focused. I would love for you to share.

The newest one is You: On a Diet on Discovery Health. It's with Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen (been on Oprah a lot). Pretty interesting and focused on doable things to get your waist measurements down.

Oh say ... I had a little idea.
If the folks at home did very well too and continued to lose at the ranch ... that encourages me. Ya know how folks say that there is no wrong way to lose weight (obvious sick exceptions discluded) as long as sooner or later you incorporate all the important factors????

Luv Losing - The best weight loss show I've seen recently is "X-Weighted", they follow a person for 6 months, we see their struggles, what they are eating, the kind of exercise they are doing, their before and after measurements. And they also do a fitness assessment before and at the end. It's an hour, so it covers a lot I especially like that 1 show is only about 1 person.

I somewhat disagree with the more you weigh the faster you lose, I don't lose fast. And I'm 229, which is considered obese for my height. Every body is so different, so many factors play into weight loss. I bet those Biggest Loser people were picked not just for their size, but many many other reasons.

-Aimee

I just watched the tape of last week's show. 20 pounds in one week?? That's insane! I know he gained a bit the week before, but that's still an incredible amount of weight.

I like watching "Buff Brides." It's inspiring to see how their shape changes in only 3-4 months. A couple have lost double digit body fat percentages in that amount of time. Wish the show would indicate how often the brides work out.

How good can it be for your health to lose 20 lbs in one week?

DNR

You know what I don't understand....they all lose the weight so fast and yet don't seem to have the hangy skin...what's up with that?