Hell - in - a - Handbasket / I Hate the Biggest Loser

4 rounds @ 1 min "on" 15 sec "off" of:

High sumo KB 35/53
OH BB push press 25/45
Biceps DB curls 15/20
Burpees
Running man ring dips

Post total reps for each exercise to comments.

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Last time we did this workout Tracy pulled a 95.  That is 125 lbs. she's standing there with folks!  OUT-FRICKIN-STANING!  

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I wrote "I hate the biggest loser" a couple of years ago.  It has never been popular with those who read it.  I have received hate mail from my stance on this show.  Some of it is in good fun.  Some of it...not SO much.  Despite this, I publish it every year about the same time that the TV show starts up a new season.  It is my sincere hope that those who read it will take it in the spirit it was written.  

It was written in support of people who have weight issues.  It was written in condemnation of an industry that would capitalize on someones deep seeded insecurities and weaknesses.  It was written in hopes that all who read this will realize that the exploitation of the desperate is wrong EVEN if it helps them in the short term.  It was written to illustrate that short term help is the worst injury that can be inflicted on those who are truly ill. - N

I HATE “the Biggest Loser.”
by Neil Anderson 

 

For those of you who live in the sweet bliss that is: not knowing what “the Biggest Loser” is – it’s a TV show that gives false hope to millions while humiliating and manipulating the minds of the poor folk (contestants) who are trying to overcome a very serious and debilitating illness (morbid obesity). All of this is done under the frustratingly condescending guise of “helping the contestants” while exploiting them for ratings and other self-serving purposes.

 Here’s the thing – most of the time – the poor folk on the show actually get healthier, at least in the short term. So, why hate it? Because, the way these people lose the weight has no more to do with real life than does winning the lottery . The opportunities afforded to the contestants on the show have nothing to do with the struggles of those who are fighting this condition out in the trenches of real life. Real life folks are watching this show and seeing the MASSIVE changes of the contestants on the show and thinking that they should also be able to make MASSIVE changes in their own lives. This leads to even greater, and needless, frustration and guilt than they are already carrying around – AND I DON’T LIKE IT!

 Does comparing it to, “winning the lottery” seem a little too dramatic for you? Well, consider what each contestant is given to “aide” them in their pursuit to healthy bliss and ask yourself if any one of these things would be possible in your life. Here’s the short list:

 

1.    Each contestant is removed from all pressures of real life.

a.    No job (like there is a soul on earth who could afford this).

b.    No spouse to work around (a spouse adds complication and temptation to a weight loss goal).

c.    No kids to cook for, chase around, be available to.

d.    No old habits or stomping grounds to tempt you.

e.    No friends, neighbors or clergy to answer to or consort with.

 

2.    Each contestant is surrounded with a team of like-minded individuals who are equally motivated, potentially compensated, and unbound with life’s pressures.

 

3.    Each contestant is sequestered on a beautiful ranch which is purpose-built with their success in mind.

a.    Gourmet kitchen

b.    State of the art fitness facilities (better than your local gym – you bet!).

c.    Only healthy foods available.

d.    Spa’s, pools, whirlpools, steam, etc.

e.    All facilities needed to accomplish weight-loss and health at their beck and call (my question is – do the contestants even have to clean their own rooms?).

4.    Each contestant is surrounded by expert, professional personnel whose entire purpose is to facilitate comfortable, effective and safe weight-loss and health. Oh, and did I mention – at NO COST to themselves?

a.    World class trainers

b.    Expert medical doctors

c.    Professional massage therapists

d.    Nutritionists

e.    Motivational experts

f.    Mind docs

g.    Show producers

h.    Other education and health experts/professionals

 

5.    Each contestant is dangled a carrot of a $250,000.00 grand prize if they win. Not to mention obvious endorsement deals, instant celebrity, etc.

 

6.    Each contestant has a camera pointed at them, throughout most of this experience, with the      expectation that millions of people every week will see their great successes and failures. This ALONE would be motivation enough for millions of people to do well and get healthy in order to save face and try not to humiliate themselves or their friends and/or families.

 

7.    Each contestant is selected from one of, literally hundreds of thousands of people to be on the show (isn’t this the very definition of a lottery?).

 

I could go on, but you get the point. What do you think? Would you, in your entire lifetime be afforded any ONE of these advantages? How about all of them at once?

 

This isn’t the only reason I HATE this show.

 I HATE the way they humiliate the contestants.

 Producers: “Hey, I got an idea – let’s make the 300 lb. lady weigh on a scale in tight, revealing spandex in front of millions of people.” Never mind that she hasn’t even worn that in front of her husband – not even in a secluded room, with the lights off, in over dozen years.

 I HATE the exhibitionism and the way the show plays with the minds of the contestants (i.e. “We will let you read a letter from your family, who you haven’t seen in several months, if you simply EAT A DOUGHNUT while letting your team down and facing elimination from the show – you decide.”).

 I HATE the silly plot twists and the dramatic build-ups coming up - “After these messages” - which never pan out to be anything worth being worked up over.

 I HATE the “voting off the show” concept. C’mon! It’s been nearly 10 years since Survivor voted the first person off prime time TV. Every reality based show (10 million, or so) ever produced since then has had some form of “voting off.” Can Hollywood really not come up with any other idea to progress the plot of a reality based TV show?

 Sure. Every contestant on the show knew what they were signing on for. They have it all coming to them. It doesn’t mean I HATE the reality of it less.

More than that, I HATE the notion that weight loss and health can be inspired by plastic, hollow, nothingness, as per this show.

 As I said before, losing weight on this show is tantamount to winning the lottery. I believe there is no substance to winning the lottery. Lottery winners haven’t earned the money. They didn’t work for it. Their wealth and consequent life isn’t something to be respected. It just isn’t. More often than not, it screws up the life of the winner and the lives of those around him or her.

My prediction? Losing weight on “the Biggest Loser” will screw up the lives of those on the show and the lives of others around them.

Weight loss is something to be earned, integrated, learned about and acted upon. This is to be done step by step, principle by principle. It is a disease which is deeply engrained in the psyche and physiology of the individual who suffers from it. Skip any of the critical steps or principles of lasting weight loss along the way and you may see short term success. But, as many addicts can attest, you are a ticking time bomb. More often than not, it isn’t a question of “if”, but “when” you will implode.

 The “Biggest Loser” isn’t helping Americans. It isn’t inspiring others to do for themselves. It is simply an exploitative TV show created at the expense of those who are very ill, to satisfy its own self-serving purpose(s) and the voyeuristic purposes of some of those who watch.   

    

 

Comments

[Judy B]

Way to go Tracey!

[Steve Lamb]

Burps 60
Tri 50 something?
Bi 100
OH 60 something?
Sumo 67

This one was tough today and 5:45 is too early...
P.S. I agree that the Biggest Loser is dumb, but I still watch it... I am a sucker for reality tv, what can I say?

[Sarah Rigby]

Neil, Lizzie, and Meg-

I haven't been to fit zone this week. I ran the TOU marathon on Saturday and bet my PR by 7 minutes! I ran it in 3:30 I wanted to tell you thanks for pushing me and for your great workouts. I seriously believe that because of your workouts I was able to run stronger and faster. The recovery was awesome. I was less sore after the marathon then from some of your workouts. Unfortuntely, I got an infection in two of my toes from blisters so I haven't been able to workout. Hopefully I will be back next week.

[Suzanne Martin]

High Sumo - 66, OH BB - 53, bicep - 122, burpees - 27, tricep ring dips - 120. Rough workout, I had no arms at the end! - Thanks, Megan!

[Julie Gates]

OH BB Push Press - 138
High Sumo KB - 112
Burpees - 38
Ring Dips - 176 - I don't think I was doing this right :)
Bicep Curls - 145

[Andrew]

Just when you start to feel like you're getting fit it all goes to "Hell in a handbasket." Great workout! Thanks Megan. I love FZN!

[Lemon]

Burpees 46 (modified)
Triceps 176
Biceps 167
Swim 25 minutes
Massage by Becky
Feeling a little bit better

[Lemon]

Sarah- We miss you over hear- But get better and great job on the marathon. I was there and saw you cross the finish line! You looked so strong!

[Jodi Hugoe]

I am always amazed that you can come up with another excercise like the "running man ring dips" that after 6 mo's of FZN I have not done. Love coming for the constant suprise of each day. Thanks Meg for the push this morning. Can't remember # for rounds only 51 dang burpees cause I did these last.

[Courtney Fuller]

Ket- 120
Burpees- 67
Triceps- 203
Biceps- 121
OH- 150
Thanks Meg.
Can't wait for Hell-O-Rama-Revenge.

[Jill Toone]

58 Burp
73 Sumo- hurt back didn't do all
121 OHP
107 Bicep
112 Tricp

[Troy H.]

Tough Day!

Burpees 77
Triceps 249 (not sure I did them perfect)
Biceps 134
OHP (forgot)
Sumo 135
Massage by Becky - What the....No fair! I didn't see this on the board!!

[Tara Walton]

I glad I pushed through this one. I wasn't going to come because I have caught something. I love to push my self through a hard workout when sick. I feel like I get better sooner, or maybe I'm just insane. That workout fits it's name.
OHP 173 (35Lb bar)
Burpees 55
Biceps 174
Sumo 108
Triceps 182

[Ashley Parkin]

For those of you who don’t know me I’m a BIG BIG fan of Biggest Loser!! That said Neil and I have been arguing about biggest loser for a long time…long enough. It’s almost like text book/biggest loser greatest hits. Every time a new season starts… Neil blogs about why he hates it worst show ever-then I sweep in blog about the beauty remind everyone of how GREAT/INSPIRING the show is! So here it goes…

Neil-Such hate for a show that you’ve never watched an episode let alone an entire seasons. Could it be if you were to watch a season-have a different view/perspective of Biggest Loser? Than that would mean no more I am right you are wrong-everything I believe about BL is true. Cause when you do and you are wrong about what the show is or isn’t who it inspires or who it doesn’t. You will have an entire reality shattered about BL that’s why you will not watch the show! Speaking for myself…

Biggest loser is what I call “Olympic of weight lose shows” Contestants are working out 6 hrs a day/losing 10 or more pounds a week. Of course that not realistic for everyday people who work, caregiver (mother), goes to school, etc.. That not the message its saying-the message is if these contestants can workout 6hrs a day lose 10+ pounds a week surely we can workout 4-6 hrs a week/lose 5-10 pounds a month.

I believe everyone who is serious about changing their lives has one of these…rock-bottom moments; a light/switch goes off, a catalyst of some sort aka watching Biggest Loser. Cause at the end of the day its us(you) who chooses to change-we have the ability to change our lives at any point anytime. So the next time we go through the-I can’t, and I’m not strong enough and I’m not capable and I’m the fat one and I’m the lazy one and I was always the weak one. Know this if a BL contestant at 200+ pounds can run for 10mph for 30 seconds and a 300+ pound contestant can jump an 18 inch plate form…. What the hell is our fear keeping us from-what prison is our mind in that is putting are potential so far below of who we truly are.

My point is that Biggest Loser for some of us is inspiring. Do I get inspired YES!!! Will I lose 10+ pounds in a wk NO do I workout 6 hrs a day NO-but days when I don’t feel like working out or do your workouts Neil I think to myself if BL contestants can run at 10mph at 200+pds Gosh know what we can do! Beside we are only seeing a small very small part of what really goes on at the ranch seriously 2 hrs that’s all we see. So it’s far to say we agree to disagree…. PHEW!!

[Dave F]

I lost count half way thru the burbees, so I just took Troy's total and took off 10%, because he always goes @110%.
The best part of the biggest looser is when my wife cries when people get kicked off!

[Courtney Fuller]

Hey...Shut up Dave!!!

[Courtney Fuller]

Oh, and I have to admit, we call it "Big Fat Loser" at my house.

[FitZoner]

87 biceps
154 triceps
77 burpees
116 high sumos
167 OH press

tough damn workout.

Sarah! Congrats. pumped to see you again.

Ashley - I don't see it.

Court and Dave - forever let it be known as BFL.

[Clark]

So after yesterdays sucky workout (for me) I was back and really enjoyed this workout. Feeling good again and loving FZN as always even if I had a bad day!
120 biceps
110 triceps
45 burpees
100 high sumos
150 OH press

[Kat]

So Neil I'm really not clear on how you feel about The Biggest Loser. I'm just sayin!

[Keri T.]

Trained with Neil today!! It's always my favorite workout of the week! Always great to see your smiling face at 6:30 am Neil! You rock! Thanks for always pushing me and at the same time making me laugh my a** off!

[Celesta]

Same as above-trained with Neil today. It was a good day! I'm not sure who makes me laugh more, Neil or Keri. Prabably a combo deal. Thanks for the fun times! I don't even realize that I'm getting my butt kicked.:)

[Tara Jones]

85 KB
147 Overhead presses
50 Burpees
152 Tricep/ Lunge things
115 biceps
GOOD WORKOUT!

[Marcus Walton]

OH Press = 187
Burpees = 65
Biceps = 132
High Sumo = 94
Tricep = 151

To settle the the whole TV thing, "CSI Miami Rules" reality TV sucks!

[Alison]

Opinion heard and I still love love love The Biggest Loser!