Following on from our Biggest Loser - The Size Debate, we would like to also elaborate further on our beliefs surrounding the show.
As The Biggest Loser heads into its 11th season, I thought I would weigh in on the hype.
Having never watched a full episode over those 11 seasons, I happened to catch half of last nights episode (March 15th). I have a few major concerns for the show, and the damage it is spreading across the nation. You may love it and watch it religiously, then I suggest you don't read on...
#1 - A contestant confessed that his arms felt "paralyzed" at the beginning of their fitness benchmark test day. After Shannon (trainer) asked him to move them around, and after the contestant doing so, said to him, "See, they're not paralyzed, they're just sore mate! When you're training and exercising those muscles, they're gonna get sore", spreads a very harmful message.
When you're training hard, and I'm sure the contestants are, you are bound to get sore and aching muscles. This is due to the breakdown of muscle tissue as you train them. Muscle fibres tear during exercise, and given the right environment, nutrition and rest, the body will repair them bigger and stronger in its attempt to prevent it happening again. In doing so though, the body doesn't really know that your intention is to do it all again a day or so later.
These contestants haven't exercised in 5, 10, 15 years, if at all before in their life. Forcing the contestants to "push through it" and not listen to their body couldn't be further from what they should be doing as well as the majority of the population undergoing a similar journey.
When your muscle fibres are torn, to the point where you can't lift your arms above your head, is your body's way of telling you, "Hey, better have a rest day today, and probably tomorrow." Pushing through it a sure way to do further damage leading to muscle tears, tendon ruptures or even worse, torn off the bone. I'm not saying to look for the easy way out by all means, I'm just saying, rest days make perfect sense, not perfect television.
For Joe Blow and Jane Doe sitting at home on the couch, looking to the show for help and guidance as they embark on their own transformation, they need to be shown the right way to go about beginning an exercise routine. Following their concepts does not fit, and should not be followed, by anyone!
Extra harm can and will be done, resulting in an inability to exercise for a longer time after, also creating a negative relationship with exercise, which is the last thing they need when just starting out.
The show should be teaching people the sustainable way to exercise and build up to a healthy routine, not teach them all the wrong habits to implement.
