Biggest Loser Australia sham

[sirant]

You are not alone.....

I just don't appreciate the fact that its making people believe that much weight loss is possible in one week. It is sending the wrong signals towards people who are just beginning, and in turn because of their own struggled weight loss, they give up, not seeing the results they saw for a contestant on the show. Its ridiculous, and i personally think its hurting more than helping for many new dieters.

Trust me.

90% of the people I know who have watched the show agree with you 100%. It does set unrealistic goals and can lead to setbacks. Absolutely. However, some like myself, do realize that the rest of the world does not have such "ideal" conditions in order to achieve our goals. I KNOW I am not going to lose 30 pounds, or even 20 in a week. But as I said before, I look more at the emotional aspect of the show, the physical changes you can see in their bodies, the highs and lows they experience, as fuel for my own battle. Perhaps I am one of very few people who can do so. Great for me I guess.

However, once again, my only point in all of this is Why would the network LIE about the weight losses? When it so obviously turns soooooooo many people off the show.... Seems silly to me. Thats like a lottery company saying in tv advertising what your "actual" chances of winning are. Have you ever seen a lottery ad come right out and say "You are more likely to be hit by lightning twice before ever winning the jackpot"?? I never have. I would think the networks would want to give real results in oder to give the masses of overweight hopefulls a realitic goal to shoot for. Would make more sense to me....

At least for myself, when I see those amazingly huge weight losses, I choose to see the positive and feel good about the way that person has chaged their life. And it gives me hope to do the same.

Not everyone is limited to the "healthy" 1-2 pounds a week scenario. Ask Ironman here in the group. 235 pounds in 10 months!!! Even that to me seems like an impossible dream. But I don't distrust Ironman in the slightest, in fact I use his amazing success as yet more proof that such things can be done.

But using the common argument, his amazing 10 month journey could SERIOUSLY demotivate and demoralize those here who have been losing a pound or less per week for years. Should we ask Ironman to not post his amazing and very quick success so the new to weight loss folks, who have been fighting for that 1-2 pounds a week for years feel better?

sirant

 

[sirant]

Everyone is different though

ya, the most i ever lost in a week was 3 pounds, maybe. It just bothers me how they mirage their situations because they want more change in their pocket.

Not every contestant has mind blowing losses.

Ironman OBVIOUSLY lost more than 3 pounds every week to do 235 in 10 months. Thats stunning! Following the 1-2 pound a week philosophy it would have taken him 4.5 years, not 10 months...

When I was running 6 days a week and exerted absolute 100% dietary control I was knocking off 5-7 pounds minimum every week. The most I ever achieved was 15lbs in a week, however alot of that was based on beer consumation the weekend before the start of week weigh in. (beer tends to bloat me, but that weight is gone by the end of the week)

That said, I have been plateaued for weeks while building my upper body up again.... 2-3 pounds a week is the absolute best I can muster at the moment...

Still doesn't change the fact, nothing is impossible.....Improbable, sure, but not impossible....



sirant

 

[austin_88]

In the current season, one of the contestants (neil) slips and tells everyone exactly how much water is needed to gain a pound of weight on the scales. And he did drink an enormous amount of water to gain 18 pounds in one week over his previous weight (above and beyond the fat lost that week from weight loss) He did not die. True, it can happen, the death that is, and I suppose for 250,000 bucks it may seem worth the effort to them, though I wouldnt do it myself.

1/2 a liter of water = 1 pound of weight...... so 18 pounds + maybe 5-10 in fat lost for the week, and thats 10-15 liters right there. He admitted to doing it. If you watch the previous shows it actually shows contestants sitting with literally boxes of water bottles in front of them right before the weigh in. Stupid idea, true enough, but they DO DO IT.

He gained 18 pounds that week, from loading before the weigh in. Then lost 33 pounds the next week.

Is it a good idea, hell no, but he admitted he did it. He also, as anyone watching the shows also knows, did not die.

So not only is it not impossible, but not everyone will die from drinking 5 liters of water in one go. Otherwise the show would have been off the air years ago as the contestants died trying to "cheat" their way into the next round.

So please, let me say this: I think doing this is a #&%*ing stupid and crazy idea only a moron would do, but I was not wrong in saying that contestants do ACTUALLY do it. Happens in every season, however I believe the new aussie season has banned it outright and will kick out any contestant who water loads. Probably to avoid law suits when some jackass does die.

sirant

They risk DYING just to lose weight?

I knew there was a reason I hate that show.

 

[austin_88]

... then again they would probably die soon if they didn't lose the weight.

Either way I still hate the show.

 

[sirant]

No one said they were smart......

... then again they would probably die soon if they didn't lose the weight.

Either way I still hate the show.

And yep, they do risk dying..... I guess 250,000 bucks is enough encouragement to make the risk worthwhile. The same could be said for wrestlers, boxers, martial artists, acrobats and circus performers who risk their lives on a regular basis for money. Money and sex have to be the 2 biggest motivators towards doing dangerous things ever.

I am absolutely sure the next season will follow the same "water loading" policy that this years aussie season is doing where they are booted if they do it.

It is a ridiculous thing to do.

sirant

 

[ExercisePhysio]

Not only did I finish High School but also have a University degree, have worked for many years for one of the biggest IT firms in the world as a senior engineer and instructor and am currently a professional teacher in one of the biggest accounting firms in the world.

Why does my ability to use any medium as a motivational tool make me uneducated? How utterly ridiculous!

I think your response is a FAR more of an indication of your own education, or lack thereof.

Since I started following that show I have lost more than 100 pounds off my highest weight. And I do attribute ALOT of that weight loss to motivation directly gathered from that show. Does that mean I am lying or my weight loss has been a sham? How hard is it for people to get it through their thick skulls; what works for some, doesn't necessarily work for others.

I wish you had said such a thing to me in person; I would have slapped the lips off your face. How pathetically rude! I am not typically one to get personally offended, but you sir, are a jackass, plain and simple.

This is supposed to be a support group, not a forum to be a "big man" when you don't have to worry about the repercussions of your words.

I guess we were all 10 once though…..

Grow up little man. Welcome to my blocked list.

sirant

Heh, I had only asked because you had an uncanny ability of always saying something ridiculously wrong...I thought you might lack requisite levels of education.

As for the in-person thing, I'm pretty positive Id have you crying within 3 minutes.

My Brazilian Jui-Jitsu class. And after 15 years of Tae Kwon Do and my fair share of street fights, I'm sure some inflatable IT guy wouldn't be much of a problem. Just a hunch.

Michael

 

[sirant]

Hmm.... Blocked thing didn't work... Will try again.

Heh, I had only asked because you had an uncanny ability of always saying something ridiculously wrong...I thought you might lack requisite levels of education.

As for the in-person thing, I'm pretty positive Id have you crying within 3 minutes.

My Brazilian Jui-Jitsu class. And after 15 years of Tae Kwon Do and my fair share of street fights, I'm sure some inflatable IT guy wouldn't be much of a problem. Just a hunch.

Michael

But!

I am glad to hear you have gone back over my last years worth of postings since you joined 2 months ago and read all my posts to know I "always" say something wrong. Funny how nobody else ever mentioned it. I am not perfect by any means, but nobody ever mentioned I was always wrong either.

And as for your other cute little comment, it takes a big man to appologize and admit he spoke out of place, but it's a shallow little man who brags about how tough he is and feels the need to prove it with pictures. I would have thought you would have learned that in martial arts training, as I did.

I am glad you are so "big and strong". With an attitude like yours I am sure you will need to be.

sirant

p.s. - Sorry for instigating this little "flame fest" everyone, it was not my intention.

 

[T2 Trucker]

They risk DYING just to lose weight?.

or risk dying keeping the weight on.

You make it to the finish line without death, you're in for a good life. The alternative is a slow, yet early death.

So many on here (usually the haters) forget this is a competition.

There are people out there desperate enough to die in the process, you just can't grasp this concept, as extreme as it seems, it does exist.

It's not a show anyone is forced to watch or volunteer to sign up for.

 

[ExercisePhysio]

But!

I am glad to hear you have gone back over my last years worth of postings since you joined 2 months ago and read all my posts to know I "always" say something wrong. Funny how nobody else ever mentioned it. I am not perfect by any means, but nobody ever mentioned I was always wrong either.

And as for your other cute little comment, it takes a big man to appologize and admit he spoke out of place, but it's a shallow little man who brags about how tough he is and feels the need to prove it with pictures. I would have thought you would have learned that in martial arts training, as I did.

I am glad you are so "big and strong". With an attitude like yours I am sure you will need to be.

sirant

p.s. - Sorry for instigating this little "flame fest" everyone, it was not my intention.

Dude, you said that you wouldnt be surprised that from a single meal they could gain 20-30 lbs. Or that to increase their weight right before weigh-in they drank 20-30 L of water.

Combine that with other statements Ive read in other posts, and i wondered if you had a basic understanding of human physiology. When i mean basic, I mean at the grade school level.

I guess im sorry, i had even apologized earlier in the thread before you even replied. I guess I was getting annoyed that you'd interject on some of my threads with statements from another metaphysical realm and then the conversations would get side-tracked.

It may not happen often and these may be isolated incidents, but it had happened with enough frequency within my posts that I reacted.

So just don't post in threads I post in and we'll be all cheery. Lol.

Edit: P.S. You negatived repped me twice sirant? All the while saying you are the bigger man? Well, here is one negative rep for that, and in return for factually incorrect information. Score settled.

Michael

 

[sirant]

Apoplogy accepted, but....

Dude, you said that you wouldnt be surprised that from a single meal they could gain 20-30 lbs. Or that to increase their weight right before weigh-in they drank 20-30 L of water.

**I said I wouldnt be suprised if they gained that much weight in a single meal, not that they did. We are talking about enormous people with midsections the size of my entire body gorging to the point of vommiting. Absolutely disgusting yes, perhaps an exageration, but when I see someone that big eating to the point of vomitting I dont think 20 pounds of food is that unreasonable. Their midsections literally looked big enough to do it.

**I re-read my comment about the water and I see I made an error, I meant to say 20-30 bottles, and based on the behind the scenes footage where they filmed the water loaders sucking back 2(or more) 12 bottle cases of water, that still is enormous. Simply mis-typed, not lack of intelligence.

Combine that with other statements Ive read in other posts, and I wondered if you had a basic understanding of human physiology. When i mean basic, I mean at the grade school level.

**I would like to know what posts I have made in your other threads where I made such blatantly stupid remarks. I thought this was the first time I EVER posted in one of your threads. And for the record, we never studied human physiology in grade school.

I guess im sorry, i had even apologized earlier in the thread before you even replied. I guess I was getting annoyed that you'd interject on some of my threads with statements from another metaphysical realm and then the conversations would get side-tracked.

**In fact you appologized to someone in the group defending me, not to me. Not the same thing, but I appreciate seeing it now.

It may not happen often and these may be isolated incidents, but it had happened with enough frequency within my posts that I reacted.

**I think you are blowing the frequency thing out of proportion as I have been posting here for almost 1 year and you for 2 months, during which I have been all but innactive. Sure it wasn't just a little over reactionary?

So just don't post in threads I post in and we'll be all cheery. Lol.

Michael

And in any case, I "should" be able to post anywhere I like in this Public forum. I don't mind people pointing out my mistakes, far from it in fact, as this is part of the learning process. I am a teacher after all, I do have an in depth understanding of the learning process and how to learn/teach effectively. Learning from mistakes is human nature and in my opinion the MOST effective way to learn. I have been called on my errors many times before, and thankfully so, as I learned from them each time.

My last word on this will be simply this: This is a SUPPORT forum, and I do take exception to ANYONE attacking people here, not just myself. The whole idea of this group is to help people (like myself) through one of the toughest and most difficult changes they will ever make in their lives. A careless or hurtfull word can make all the difference that sends someone spiralling back into the miserable pit they were in before. I will ALWAYS stand up and speak my opinion if I feel strongly about something and I will always try to stop abusive behaviour if at all possible.

Someone like yourself, who does have an education in fitness, is already very fit and can be an excellent role model to others in the group should REALLY take into consideration the damage a few careless words can cause to people who may already be suffering from low self esteem or self image. Being hurtful and non-supportive is better left for forums not designed to help those who really need it.

I hope you understand what I am saying....

sirant

 

[sirant]

Ummm no.....

Edit: P.S. You negatived repped me twice sirant? All the while saying you are the bigger man? Well, here is one negative rep for that, and in return for factually incorrect information. Score settled.

Michael

Hmmm, actually I gave you negative rep only once, for the rude comment, which was more than justified. Perhaps one of those negative reps was given by someone else. But I appreciate the 3 you gave me, and the continued rude comments in those negative reps.

You really do sound like a bully, you do know that right?

Biggest Loser Australia... 12-13-2007 05:06 PM ExercisePhysio wrong
Biggest Loser Australia... 12-13-2007 05:05 PM ExercisePhysio rawr
Biggest Loser Australia... 12-13-2007 04:57 PM ExercisePhysio You should stick to math your spelling sucks.

What is rawr by the way?

But really it doesn't matter anyways, everyone is entitled to their own opinon. I will just pay more attention to the all the positive rep points I got for those same postings instead of your 3 negative(and rude) ones in a row, less than 10 minutes apart....

sirant

 

[seeXnoXmore]

at least he asked for forgiveness...cred for that! isn't this forum--this whole site about positive support...? did i miss the page that warranted other behaviour? try to keep that in check...we're all cranky sometimes, doesn't mean we can be rude and potentially trigger someone else. thats what our day to day lives are for.
reallllly did not mean to sound naggy there. and from the sounds of the other entry...the apologetic one...youunderstand all that. just a pet peeve of mine. sorry.
cheers,
cat

 

[Steve]

at least he asked for forgiveness...cred for that! isn't this forum--this whole site about positive support...? did i miss the page that warranted other behaviour? try to keep that in check...we're all cranky sometimes, doesn't mean we can be rude and potentially trigger someone else. thats what our day to day lives are for.
reallllly did not mean to sound naggy there. and from the sounds of the other entry...the apologetic one...youunderstand all that. just a pet peeve of mine. sorry.
cheers,
cat

Why bring up drama from a month ago?

 

[MsGhettoBooty]

Ummmm maybe because she likes pizza?

 

[Steve]

Ummmm maybe because she likes pizza?

Good point.

My apologies.

 

[summergurl]

I havn't read this whole thread but i have read a couple of posts so am sorry in advance if i offend anyone in what i say ...

I absolutly love this show! whether it is a big con or not whenever i watch it (6 days a week!!!) it gives me that motivation i need. Seeing them training hard and challenges and weigh ins gives me the push along i need and i really think that this show helps people as they too can lose weight along with the show. It really is a good motivator.