Biggest Loser: Truth Edition

Does anyone really watch "reality shows" and expect them to be an honest depiction of what's going on?

The Living at 400 Lbs blog has an article regarding a New York Times piece on The Biggest Loser, the show about overweight people who compete to lose weight using restricted calorie diets and six hours of exercise a day. Quoted in the article is a bit saying that they can lose up to 15 pounds in one week.

Holy Schikes!

I'll admit I never watched the show. I do know that there are lots of books babbling on about how wonderful the Biggest Loser Diet is supposed to be.

But come on...

These people are overweight due to a lifestyle. Suddenly a month or two (however long they're taping the show) of severe calorie restriction and 6 hours a day of exercise is going to set them right? Who lives like this that isn't already madly in shape because they're some kind of fitness expert or trainer (or soldier, maybe...)

The piece also says that in the first episode of the current season two contestants were sent to the hospital when they collapsed from heatstroke on a one-mile race.

When I first had the surgery, I was barely able to walk a mile. How could a group of fat people just start off on a one mile race without any practice or training and expect not to have repercussions?

A quote from the article:
The Times also quotes the waiver contestants have to sign to be on the show, including that they believe themselves to be “in excellent physical, emotional, psychological and mental health.”


Okay, there are some overweight people that may not have mental health issues. Broadly speaking, though, I've found that most people are overweight due to other issues. Addictive personality. Depression. Self-defense mechanism. Something more usually underlies the need or desire (or habit) of overeating. Again, not in all cases, but it's there. That makes this waiver utterly ridiculous. Furthermore, these people are on a show for overweight people to lose large amounts of weight in a competition...and they're certifying that they're in excellent physical health?

Is there anyone that can plead a case that this isn't a joke? I don't see how this could be a binding agreement this side of the reality barrier.