An international broadcasting/viewing platform has just that much more power to 'strike up the band' internally. If 100 people found their start because of BL, that's great. That's 100 people who found their 'lightning bolt'. I'd never diss anyone for that. We all have different stories and reasons of what made us get busy.
As for 'life imitating art', I think 99.9% of the 'inspired' know right off the bat, their environment is nowhere mimickable to BL Ranch. I think 'inspired' and 'motivated' are the key differences at this point.
For all that's viewable to the big screen, capsulating two hours of someone else's sweat and effort in an optimum facility is very inspiring while you're sitting there sucking down a 2 Liter of Pepsi with a bag of Scoops and dip on the coffee table - knowing you're viewing what you wish you had the whump to get started yourself. A truly motivated person will head to the sink with the 2 Liter, pour it down the drain, crumple up the bag of corn chips and take it, along with the dip, and bin it for the landfill.
The motivated will find a way to get past the fact they don't have Bob or Jillian and that beautiful landscaped setting in the hills of a perfect California sun at their disposal. The inspired will thrash around the guilt, eschew the sacrifice involved, and ultimately rationalize the opportunity just isn't there unless, of course, they get accepted on next season's show.
It's always a compelling argument just what does BL do wrong. I don't have a clear answers for that. I'm no fitness expert. I think the show extends its resources to a standard of beyond reality to the average human's means - which should be a good thing trainers. Most people will never see/use/consider a PT. BL is advertising your service for you, I would think. Yet it seems that's a vocal area of disagreement of their methods. Well I guess a church is a church. But if you study or pray to Methodism and enter a Catholic church, then I guess the big picture of 'God Almighty' being the common denominator gets overlooked.
I know people have opinions of BL 'jumping the shark' for product placement/ads. Again, the show is largely successful because two-thirds of the population is overweight or worse. A case of 'We the People' spoke with our remotes and Nielsen ratings supported NBC's cash-cow worthiness. It's no mystery only mega-corporations can afford this slot, now. And like free marketing execs do, they push for the most bang for their buck. If Wrigley's or Jello is going to throw you 8-digits checks, I doubt you're gonna say 'No thanks' even if you have to do what they request.
We don't have to like it, we have to buy the product - or at least that's what is trying to be achieved here. Weight losers still need to be aware that chewing sugarless gum still needs the same responsibility as pizza or whatever. 2 slices = 400 cals - 8 packs of gum = 400 cals. I know I made this mistake thinking excessive altering of staving off hunger with s-gum was no calorie benefit reduction at all if you're still hungry.
So on to the shows drama and shenanigans, well I take it for what is: entertainment. I do like the emotional victories, though. I'm a sucker for weight lose victory.
As far as weight gain post-show, I did the leg work for this on another thread and mostly, 25 lbs was the average. Ironically, the same number I crested at. And even more ironically, that's about my limit (to current clothes size) because I did chuck my 'fat clothes'. I never questioned keeping them. I can't think of a better way to wave a white flag. This says 'I'm not in this for life' by clutching onto those old tents. Fuck that.
I hope you don't take my rant as a BL fanboy, I'm not. I'm 100% against the voting off part. I don't have an answer on a format change, either. I just think it's bad to send home people for trying. And no, I have not watched an episode of the current show. I did join the Family version that just ended in Dec with about 4 weeks to go. I guess it's good TV to see the end results. I can truly appreciate all they've done, if nothing else.
/rant
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