Has the biggest loser gone too far?

[brockash]

I'm sorry, I respectfully disagree with the above. I can't believe anyone feels that way. Makes me wonder if you're not looking at people and weight through a tainted view.

ITA! I kinda just ignored that comment as I thought it was so unbelievable and I assumed was only made for some kind of effect or to make themself feel better about something in their own life. Seems kinda crazy, but yes ITA agree with you. Some of the contestants are still overweight (or as the op so intelligently put it "fat"), but the vast majority at the finale are generally not.

 

[DizBelle]

She looks about like every girl I see in a fashion magazine.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

Today Show interview

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26184891/vp/45031346#54279650

 

[sonnyjane]

Wow really?...you saw the picture of her in the green shirt right above your post and you don't think she looks ill? I think she looks almost textbook anorexic... It's especially disturbing when you think about her pictures of when she was healthy and swimming before -I just remember pictures of her in her bathing suit and she looked strong and healthy. I think she looks absolutely horrible sad and sickly now.

If you read the rest of the thread you'll see I was referring to a picture from a google search from the episode before. I hadn't seen her other picture yet when I posted that comment, hence why I edited and then said she looked way too thin in my subsequent comments.

 

[mrzrich]

Something that nobody has said, is that she is 105 pounds INCLUDING any extra skin that is being held in by spanx. She probably has an extra 5 to 10 pounds of skin, which means that she is actually less than 105 pounds.

 

[carriemd]

I'm sorry, I respectfully disagree with the above. I can't believe anyone feels that way. Makes me wonder if you're not looking at people and weight through a tainted view.

Me too. On the flipside of "we're so used to fat people that thin people look too thin," I'll point out that many actresses are far too thin, so the argument could be made that seeing too-skinny people doesn't shock us like it should, either.
As far as the body being stretched by being 260, that's absolutely correct--she probably does have extra skin--which makes her low weight that much more surprising.

 

[carriemd]

Something that nobody has said, is that she is 105 pounds INCLUDING any extra skin that is being held in by spanx. She probably has an extra 5 to 10 pounds of skin, which means that she is actually less than 105 pounds.

you beat me to it.

 

[goofinoff]

BTW - every other person I've seen on that show still looks fat to me at the end.

I think the goal of this show is to get people "healthy" not "skinny". Rachel is skinny but may not be healthy. Yes a few of the contestants may have some more weight to lose but they are probably 100% more healthy than they were the day they walked onto the ranch. The show teaches them how to eat healthy and stay active to maintain a healthy weight. And I certainly wouldn't say that EVERY other person is still fat. Some of them had a lot of weight to lose and I'm sure are still losing.

 

[DawnM]

I think she looks much older with the weight gone.

Dawn

I haven't watched the last few weeks, and I haven't watched tonight's finale' yet. Is Rachel the young woman who was a swimmer?

If that's her, then that is a drastic change. She looks older than she did before. How old is she?

When I was in my early-mid 20's I weighed 105, and I'm 5'4". I definitely wasn't "underweight". Maybe it depends on where and how you carry the weight?

At my age now (52), if I lost weight and weighed 105 again, I think I'd look sickly-thin.

Now I'm curious to watch tonight's episode...

But to answer your question, YES, I do think that in many cases, the Biggest Loser, whether the contestants on their own and/or with help from the show, goes too far. Especially since in the end, it's a contest to win money so that lends itself to "winning at any cost".

 

[mom2rose&john]

She does look extremely thin. Don't contestants needed to have phyciatric care in addition to the trainers and weight loss program? If not, then the series is seriously flawed. Mental well being should be priorty then weight loss. Does anyone know her weight when she was a competative swimmer? I would think she should be around that or more when you factor age and excess skin.

The Today show segment linked in a PP only gives kudos to her. Did they do anything in the Orange room regarding the controversy?

 

[KiKi Mouse]

I think she looks much older with the weight gone.

Dawn

She looks ten years older than she is.

She looks sickly to me.

I have stopped watching the show because it sets up unrealistic expectations for people. Living in a controlled environment is not reality.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

She looks ten years older than she is.

She looks sickly to me.

I have stopped watching the show because it sets up unrealistic expectations for people. Living in a controlled environment is not reality.

That's why I liked that other show with the trainer named Chris, I believe, where they follow a person for 1 year and he helps in the beginning, but they live at home and have certain challenges each quarter.

 

[MINNIEsotanice]

She does look extremely thin. Don't contestants needed to have phyciatric care in addition to the trainers and weight loss program? If not, then the series is seriously flawed. Mental well being should be priorty then weight loss. Does anyone know her weight when she was a competative swimmer? I would think she should be around that or more when you factor age and excess skin.

The Today show segment linked in a PP only gives kudos to her. Did they do anything in the Orange room regarding the controversy?

My cousin used to swim with or against her, can't remember which. So she knew her. My aunt said that she used to be an average size, muscular, but not overweight. I guess she had Olympic potential but lost it somewhere along the line and started gaining weight.

 

[CupcakeKelly]

That's why I liked that other show with the trainer named Chris, I believe, where they follow a person for 1 year and he helps in the beginning, but they live at home and have certain challenges each quarter.

That was Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition with Chris Powell. I like the format of that show, it seems like the contestants have a better chance to succeed. They only take them out of their home for 1 week, then they're doing the rest of the year at home. They're also upfront about the need for many contestants to have plastic surgery after their massive weight loss. They're not hiding skin flaps under spanx

 

[cheerful chickadee]

I agree she does look sickly thin. The show doesn't make them do that, on the ranch they are learning to be healthy and working out, once they go home it's all about winning and many take it too far. If you go back and look at any former contestants, even winners, they all gain weight right after the finale. They go super low just to win which is disgusting. I could tell Jillian was not happy, I hope she speaks out about it and something changes.

 

[mrzrich]

My cousin used to swim with or against her, can't remember which. So she knew her. My aunt said that she used to be an average size, muscular, but not overweight. I guess she had Olympic potential but lost it somewhere along the line and started gaining weight.

She gave it all up for a boy. She was on the road to being an Olympic Swimmer when she met a German Exchange student. She fell in love and followed him back to Germany leaving her Olympic dreams in the dust. When her prince turned into a frog, she turned to food.

 

[Robinrs]

I think having a slightly underweight BMI is fine. I think as a society we are so used to fat people looking 'average' that a thin person looks 'emaciated'. When my BMI is in the average range I have belly fat and thigh fat. Glad I am a pear-fat storage person (compare to an apple-fat storage) but I prefer not to have extra stored fat on my body.

I am 5'3" and for most of my life weighed between 97 and 109 lbs. Now that menopause is coming, my metabolism is slowing down and the belly fat bugs me. But at age 24, being 5'4" and weighing 109 lbs is not a big deal. She'd probably 'look' better to some people at around 112 lbs, (3lbs for every inch above 5', plus 100) but if her BMI is a little under 'normal', what does that make the people who are a little bit 'over'? Shouldn't we be horrified about them too?

BTW - every other person I've seen on that show still looks fat to me at the end.

Wow...smdh....

I think she looks much older with the weight gone.

Dawn

MUCH older, I'm surprised to hear she's 24.

She does look extremely thin. Don't contestants needed to have psychiatric care in addition to the trainers and weight loss program? If not, then the series is seriously flawed. Mental well being should be priority then weight loss. Does anyone know her weight when she was a competitive swimmer? I would think she should be around that or more when you factor age and excess skin.

The Today show segment linked in a PP only gives kudos to her. Did they do anything in the Orange room regarding the controversy?

The Today Show posted on Facebook if we thought she went too far BEFORE interviewing her. The show is an NBC show so I'm sure they had their "notes" of what to say and what not to say.

Anyone who thought that girl looked "normal" or "good" has been thoroughly brainwashed by society's ridiculous views of weight. I'm so happy I don't live in that world, the world where THIN is more important than health. That woman looked dehydrated and ill on TV, which ADDS weight. The trainers were MORTIFIED, and I would be too. Loss like that effects the heart and if she doesn't get back on track it could hurt her not help her.

If you are NATURALLY built that way it's completely different than a woman who lost more than 50 percent of her body weight to get there, can't you figure that out???


http://www.eonline.com/news/507477/the-biggest-loser-rachel-s-weight-loss-sparks-online-concern

 

[DWGal210]

She looks ten years older than she is.

She looks sickly to me.

I have stopped watching the show because it sets up unrealistic expectations for people. Living in a controlled environment is not reality.

That has also turned me off the show. While I think the idea of the show is a good one (helping people turn their lives around, and motivating the viewing audience as well), it's just not realistic. I question the "doctors" they have on that show. Losing THAT amount of weight in that amount of time is unsustainable and probably not healthy. I'm all for teaching people healthy lifestyles and helping them make good choices, but in order to be successful long-term, you have to have an eating and exercise plan that can be a part of your daily life, and not require hours and hours of time.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

Losing THAT amount of weight in that amount of time is unsustainable

There are numerous contestants that have sustained the weight loss.

 

[SeaSpray]

Just saw this on the Biggest Loser's Facebook page:

Bobby Saleem Hey guys it's Bobby! I was joking about my comment about being in the 160s!!! I didn't want to win that badly to destroy myself. I recognize the issues and I will be there for Rachel. She wanted to win and felt threatened by two big guys in the final. She will be fine. I'll make sure of it!!! Love you all!!! Cheers to healthy living!
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