Okay, I'm jumping in the conversation without having red all the posts (so it was maybe said earlier, sorry if it was) but here's what I think :

I think they probably do have some nutrition mentoring or something, but that they just don't show it for the ''marketing'' reason.

I mean, general population probably prefer watching show for the drama/effort of the training (will they succeed? will they fail?) and not ''you should eat carrot and not french fries''.

Their diet plan isn't a secret - it's given in all the Biggest Loser books. For hugely overweight people, the skin is not going to go back no matter how long you take to lose it. I just consider it my badge of honor. And when you are seriously overweight and under a doctor's supervision daily, it is okay to lose weight fast.

If you don't like the show, why do you watch it?

It's true that they don't mention enough about dieting. From our perspective, we're just looking at some hardcore fitness...long, excruciating hardcore fitness.

True... but I think the point people are trying to make is that "diet plan" isn't represented on the show enough. Where's the proof that the contestants are actually following a diet plan? Nutrition is the largest component of health and weight loss, and it's truly a shame that it doesn't receive more attention on air.

In general I think Biggest Loser is an awful bordering on horrible show. Why? Whatever is good in it can be presented in a billion times healthier way. It is the Jerry Springer of weight loss shows. Yes being overweight is unhealthy, sometimes extremely so.

But this extreme weight loss so quickly is also very unhealthy. It really is only a matter of time before a biggest Loser contestant dies during the show. They make weight loss sensational for the ratings, the contestants do who know what to make the weight loss. AND I am sure they make the contestants sign perhaps the tightest non disclosure documents in exsistence trying to keep what is really going on under wraps by threat of lawsuit.

The national body challenge was a whole lot better, and real, and sane, and safe. Now someone might say the contestants would possibly die without weight loss. Maybe so. But there is a HUGE middle ground where weight loss can be sane, DOABLE BY PEOPLE AT HOME IN REAL LIFE, and have a lot more good nutrition info. Just an awful show overall.

There are doctors and other medical professionals on hand every step of the way, and they've appeared in many episodes of the show. I think stating that someone will die on the show is a slight overstatement.

I think you actually echoed some of my points. How many people at home have constant medical supervision? Google biggest loser "not safe' or biggest loser "not healthy". Probably the worse kept secrect around that biggest loser is just not a healthy realastic show. It is entertainment and definitely of the "do not try this at home' variety.

Not really! The contestants on the show are in terrible health when they come on to the show, and paired with the insane diet and exercise, it wouldn't be a total surprise if someone had a heart attack or something.

Having a doctor on hand is certainly comforting, but in no way a guarantee that everyone is safe!

This show is the worst reality show I've ever seen! It's boring. And it's so unrealistic I can't even get motivated from it.

I'd rather watch Jersey Shore than this garbage.

I have met four contestants. One winner, one at home winner and both of their partners. All had great things to say about the show. They all feel they owe TBL their lives.

The only thing that REALLY bothers me about the show is the extremeee weight loss they achieve it such a short amount of time and how anything less is unacceptable. I know that they need these huge weekly loss numbers on the scales to keep america watching, but its just so unrealistic. I was watching an episode this morning where the contestant said he wanted to see a "double digits" weight loss, and when he weighed in and found out he lost like 6 or 7 he was upset and basically wrote off his week as a waste and that he didn't work hard enough. It was crazy, Im ECSTATIC when I see that Im down 2 pounds in a week, I cant imagine losing 6 or 7 and being upset by it.

One thing that really irks me is when you see (as is they actually air it) the trainers pushing the contestants till the vomit or collapse. Did you know that it's not even legal to do that in the NFL? They made a law against it after a player died from heat stroke and exhaustion during training. That happened a few years ago in Minnesota, not to far from where I live. It was really sad. And to see these trainers yelling at them to get up and get back to working out. That is absolutely not okay! I watch the show because it's my secret little guilty pleasure because of the drama but some days I just shut it off.

I love the show and it's great to see the transformations of all the contestants...very inspirational!

But, the truth is that it is not realistic.

I got my start on losing my 88 lbs by going to a fat camp similar to the Biggest Loser; without of course, the boot camp atmosphere. Great experience and it allowed me to focus 24/7 for 3 weeks on my health. I lost 17 lbs but at a cost of $10,000, it was an expensive retreat - $588 per pound - ouch!

When you get back on the plane to go home, you quickly realize you are back in the real world, faced with constant decisions you have to make about food and exercise.

Example of the little things they don't teach you at fat camp - wifey makes chocolate chip cookies or brownies every week for church and gets you to load them in the car. How do you deal with that?

You can lose weight like a blow torch with as little as 15 intensive minutes of exercise every other day. You don't need to run till you puke!

And I agree with the criticism that they never show the BL contestant eating or otherwise discuss their diets. And that's unfortunate because 90% of losing weight is about what you eat, not about how you exercise.