The Biggest Loser

[Zoel]

Has anyone been watching the show on NBC, The Biggest Loser? The premise was to take a bunch of morbidly obese people and see who could lose the most weight (as a % of bodyweight). They obviously throw in challenges and alliances like all reality shows, but this one actually seems good. These people are really changing their lives for the better and at the end of the show they show the person who got voted off and they have continued their new healthy lifestyle. This is definitely the first reality show that I watch and actually cheer for people.

[ninja]

They kind of treat them like crap though. I'm all for them losing weight, but they don't need to be treated like shit on national television. (Although it could be good for them)

[gruckiii]

I was disapointed with reality tv as soon as I found out survivor was anout politics more than it was living off the land..

[FlyinM]

Forget what the premise of the show appears to be. All reality TV is about ratings and $$$.

[poopy pants]

kuri was in the first one...survivor that is

[jc228]

I've been watching the show, too, and I definitely am rooting for everyone on there (even though Lisa is really annoying). I enjoy seeing each of the competitors make positive, long-lasting changes in their lives. It's a great show in that respect.

But they have to throw the whole Survivor-like reality template at it, too, which rubs me the wrong way. I hate the fact that these people make alliances and backstab and plot against each other. I dislike Survivor for the very same reason. I don't want to sound like Rodney King or anything, but having to kick someone off because their team lost 2 pounds more than the other team is ridiculous (as a whole, the competitors have lost ~750 pounds so far).

I have a question, though. Maurice was hands down the heaviest person on the show (he started the show ~430 pounds, I think). Since the start of the show, he's only lost 55 pounds, which equates to 12.8% of his original weight. The others are up around the 20% mark so far. I would have thought that for someone that heavy, the weight would almost melt off, and he'd have lost 80 - 100 pounds by now. Yet he hasn't. Can anyone explain why that is the case?

~jc228

[Zoel]

Is it possible that Maurice is actually one of the incredibly small percentage of people who are genetically predisposed to carrying weight? He is obviously working hard and doing the same stuff as the other people so that's the obly explanation I can think of. I mean, there are actually people who are genetically cursed to be fat. You know, that genetic thing that every single fat person on the planet claims to have...before they actualy do any physical exercise...

[obsolete29]

I wonder if he's sneaking twinkies when the cameras are not on!

[lilman]

I watch that show all the time with my wife. I think Maurice doesn't work nearly as hard as the rest of the people who look like they are really pushing it. Maybe not, but every clip you see of him, he's using small weights and moving at a fraction of the pace as the rest of the contestants, granted he is almost twice the size as some of them.

[Zoel]

I think the key is that he is so much bigger...he is burning the same amount of calories and getting a higher heart rate without attaining the same "intensity" as the others.

[Torque]

I've seen the show a couple of times and thought that big Mo, could've smoked his competition. (at least in pounds lost).

While I initially thought it was laziness, I now think that Mo's disadvantage is his mammoth size. Because of his size he has greater difficulty getting around and has a harder time participating in the workouts. (joint stress etc..)

Don't get me wrong, he should of still smoked everyone in weight loss. If he just mirrored Ryan's diet exactly I'm sure he would have lost more. I bet there are a few Twinkie wrappers under that poor and flattened mattress.