“I’ll Bring the Pizza”

Why The Biggest Loser is Making Us Fat

Recently, a friend of mine invited a few of us over for a “Biggest Loser Night” at her house. We had always joked about having our own personal Jillian Michaels to kick our asses into shape, even though I’m pretty sure we are all secretly terrified of her. A marathon of heart-wrenching stories about troubled pasts combined with muddy obstacle courses seemed like the perfect girls' night to me, so I agreed. In fact, I even agreed to bring the pizza.

First of all, let me just say that although I do enjoy The Biggest Loser, I think it is fairly cruel to take a group of people with an already shaky sense of self-confidence and put them in a shirt with the words “BIGGEST LOSER” written across the front. Seriously, maybe something a bit more encouraging next time around? Anyways, this particuar episode followed the contestants as they went through what I like to call the “not-so-secret test of what you’ve really learned” buffet. They were given a dinner buffet that consisted of half healthy food and the other half of foods that would make Jillian quit on the spot. Cue the moral dilemma…

After making their choices, the contestants went through a series of obstacle course-like activites and a full beach workout. The rest of the show followed the usual pattern: Someone has a heartbreaking drama occurring back home, someone is worried about being eliminated, and someone misses their friend who was eliminated last time.

I like the premise of the show and the fact that it tries to make the contestants relatable, but I also get tired of watching the same chain of events play out on every episode. It was right around elimination time on the third episode of our “Biggest Loser night” when I started wondering why we enjoy these TV shows. With the sudden plethora of weight-loss shows popping up on every channel, it seems that there must be something that is drawing us to tune in to Celebrity Fit Club, Bridal Bootcamp, Dance Your Ass Off, Loosing it With Jillian, and many, many more. Don’t get me wrong, I think watching Kevin Federline attempt his comeback through Celebrity Fit Club is extremely entertaining, but I think there must be something else drawing so many Americans to these shows.

As I looked around the room, the irony of the fact that we were all watching the final weigh-in while shoving slices of pizza in our mouths began to hit me. There were chips on the table. A few candy wrappers on the floor. And I’m sure we are not the only people who tune in while filling up on junk, all the while calling it a bonding experience. And I do think that it is a bonding experience, however, it could be causing some major problems for us as a country.

Our newfound love of weight-loss shows could be, in part, due to the fact that by watching someone work out for eight hours a day, we get a feeling of accomplishment. This feat is their accomplishment though, not ours. Does this distinction get blurred by the feeling of friendship and connectedness many people feel for the characters and contestants? Our only accomplishment in that hour-long episode is something along the lines of polishing off an entire bag of Cheetos. With current statistics for overweight adult Americans rising to 67%, I can’t help but think how many people must be watching the workout shows rather than participating. For so many of us- with me at the top of the list- TV has become an experience best paired with friends and food. Is all of this time spent watching the newest outcropping of Biggest Loser-esque shows adding to our already expanding waistlines?

When I finally did get my ass off of the couch and to the gym, the TV hovering above my treadmill was set on Food Network. Irony at its finest.