Biggest Loser Gripes

So one of my guilty crap-tv indulgences is The Biggest Loser.  I’m not sure WHY I watch it.  Maybe, it’s because I used to have a lot in common with the people on the show – I felt so heavy and out of control and like I’d need a miracle to get my weight under control.  Now, of course, I know that all I needed to do was have some patience and make little changes that added up and stick with it, but back then – I had no faith that I could lose 10 lbs let alone 100.  It might be a selfish thing – as in, hey, I look better than the people on TV  – since normally comparing my physique to anyone on TV is as useful as comparing my cooking skills to the chefs on Food Network – I might think I look pretty cute today and might have enjoyed the spicy lentil soup I cooked up, but these people are making careers of it.  Of course I can’t compare.

It also might be that in a world of ridiculous reality TV, at least these people are getting some sort of benefit out of the show.  I think that’s why I like Top Model too (this has sound, be warned) – as twisted as it is, Tyra is helping these girls live what is for most of them a life long dream.  Stuff like Rock of Love or Charm School or Tool Academy (things that would NEVER grace my TV, but I can’t help what’s on TV when I’m at the gym.  I have to look at SOMETHING and the wall that says Austin, Texas gets boring), no redeeming value whatsoever.  These people are being given what a lot of us former marshmallows dreamed of – a fresh start in a skinny and fit body by the end of the show, and an opportunity to continue the rest of their lives with what they learned.  Even though a lot of them end up gaining weight back because, well, easy come, easy go – at least they get a chance.

However, the minutiae of the show sometimes gets to me.  I really hate the obvious product placement – not that I mind them advertising healthy food/items, but it just seems so fake and contrived trying to slip it in as part of the show.   I know the show is a game as well – but it just gets to me when they throw a fit about only losing, like, 5 lbs in a week.  I’d be happy with 1 lb.  Really.

One episode, they were making lower calorie versions of fast food like pizza and burgers.  This is good!  I have learned how to cut calories on many indulgences by making them at home.  What irked me was one team that made a burger of some sort, don’t remember what was on it, but it had a little ramekin on the side of mustard and ketchup.  When they were grading the submissions, they lost on calories and the food guy supposedly giving them tips said it was because of the mustard and ketchup on the side.

Excuse me?  I don’t know what’s up with that.  I’ve heard that from a few people that eat their burgers dry because they think mustard and ketchup are what’s bad for you on a burger.  Each tablespoon of mustard is essentially calorie free, under 5 for sure.  Each tablespoon of ketchup is about 15.  So a normal human will ingest MAYBE 20 extra calories if they ingest a tablespoon of each.  Who can eat a burger dry?  I can’t.  I would honestly rather eat something else rather than go without my 20 calories of condiments.  I’ll concede that ditching the bun, while not my thing, does offer significant calorie savings.  Ditch the plastic cheese for about 60 calories less – fine, I don’t need cheese.  Like it, but don’t need it.  Forgoing the squirt of ketchup and mustard – not significant.  What else are you going to put on it?  Mayo at 90 calories per tablespoon?  Ranch or Bleu Cheese Dressing at 75 calories per tablespoonBBQ sauce at 20-25 calories per tablespoon gets a bad rap too – seriously?  Wanna tell me we’re all fat because of BBQ sauce?  No!  It’s the bacon, cheese, and mayo on that burger that’s killing you.  I promise.  Leave freaking mustard and ketchup alone!  What a horrible example!  If I didn’t know better, I would think, “crap, I’d never eat a hamburger without condiments.  I guess I’m just destined to be fat”.

What really got my goat though… there was one show where one team got 24 hours of luxury.  They started with dinner, and then went to the bar, and then had late night munchies.  One of the women, god forbid, had a few puffs of a cigarette, and actually put it out because she said it tasted gross.  Sure, they went overboard, but wouldn’t you if you were essentially trapped in diet deprivation hell for the 10 weeks prior?   They came back and got totally lambasted by Jillian for indulging.  She looked like her eyes were going to pop out of their sockets while she was yelling at them about fried food, tequila shots, and other bad stuff.  She went on and on about the woman who took 2 puffs off a cigarette.  Really?  You’re going to tear down the woman who was curious, had a puff, and then actually drunk-as-a-skunk put it out because it tasted crappy and said she was done with smoking?  Commend her.

The funny thing is – the team still won the weigh in.  I’m glad that after all that, it still shone through that one day of indulgence is just that – one day.  In the grand scheme of things, if you are good 80% of the time and not so good 20% – you’re making progress.

It’s not all crap though.  Two weeks ago they had all the contestants run a half marathon (I didn’t see it until WAY after I decided to run my own, so I’m not copycatting, I swear!).  Most of them are obviously strong for their weight because of all the workouts they’ve been doing, but they definitely did not look like the type of people that roll up to the starting line at your local race.  The lightest gal was about 180 and the heaviest man was around 330.  Only one guy did not finish (and it was due to his knee problems more than just his general overweight-ness), and two finished actually pretty respectably – around 2:15.  I’m glad it showed that you don’t have to wait until you’re the perfect weight to go after something ambitious, which is something I’m still working on myself.

I just wish it wasn’t 2 hours.  I mean, I love watching it on a Sunday morning while I’m making the grocery list because it only needs half my attention, but it’s usually afternoon by the time I finish the show!  Anyone else out there watch TBL?  What do you think of it?  Am I banished from the kool kids klub for admitting I watch it?