The dream of losing weight is a big one because losing weight is one of the most difficult things a person can do. Even on a ranch with nothing to worry about but losing weight, we see every week just how difficult it is. The capacity of the human is pushed to the limits and what everyone realizes is that they are capable of more than they know. This is one notion the trainers have drilled into the heads of every contestant who has graced the ranch. Too many times people are told to take it too easy and they push contestants to do 30 seconds more because they can.
Not all can be the biggest loser and, as mentioned earlier, the show is a game. The contestants who prove to be lacking in motivation are often eliminated from teams because everyone on teams must work together to have the greatest weight loss at the end of the week. Too little weight loss will send you home. This creates tension along with the game-playing of some contestants. Many are at the ranch for the fame rather than the ultimate goal of weight loss and they are generally there long enough to stir up trouble before they are sent home. Teams are often switched up at some point during the season to add even more tension to the game. The drama eventually takes a back seat to the sheer effort it takes to stay committed to weight loss.
The people in this show are fairly accurate depictions of a subgroup of Americans. They are living proof of what a life of excess will do. We could say that the show is a game to see who can lose weight the fastest at the Ranch but it is more...
It is a wake up call to many people who have let their lives slip away. At some point, many contestants realize their own strength and begin to accept what the trainers have told them from early on. You can see them changing mentally as well as physically as they adapt to their new selves. This is the most inspiring aspect of the show because these moments are real. Yes, someone cries almost every week on the show because someone is usually experiencing a breakthrough of some sort that will allow them to move forward. These breakthroughs, as cheesy as they are, remain significant to character development because these people will need to draw upon that strength when they enter the real world.
The Biggest Loser, with all of its drama, has had a positive effect on society. People claim they are inspired by the contestants weight loss and life transformations. This is a good thing considering the obesity epidemic in the country. Workout DVDs, podcasts and online groups make it easy for viewers to feel as though they are a part of the show. NBC.com has a Biggest Loser community and its own Bigger Club where viewers can join in and share experiences. The show provides information that many people should take to heart but it appears that they are not.
Work Cited
Bennet, Jan. "The Obesity Epidemic." Long-Term Living. 2008. 57.4. June 28, 2010. EBSCO Resource Database.
Broadcasting and Cable. June 28, 2010.http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/110294-Primetime_Ratings_NBC_Wins_with_Biggest_Loser.php
