http://breakingmuscle.com/nutrition/the-biggest-loser-the-most-damaging-show-on-tv
YES! YES! A thousand times… YES! The Biggest Loser makes for really good TV; but it’s a horrible example for both the public and aspiring trainers. The methods used range from unsustainable to downright dangerous. This article does a good job of discussing the nutritional aspects of the show. When one throws in the fact that a good portion of our clients come to us with disordered eating, the kind of extreme dieting shown on The Biggest Loser could be a recipe for metabolic disaster.
But of equal concern, and only briefly mentioned in the article, are the exercise regimens employed. Subjecting deconditioned participants to that kind of intensity is completely unnecessary. It’s also dangerous. High intensity combined with the bad form and excessive loads one sees on the show is fairly begging for injury. It is wholly irresponsible! Deconditioned athletes (we consider all of our clients to be athletes), especially obese athletes, need a slow and measured progression that conditions them at a pace to which their body can adequately respond. Or as we like to say: Stimulate. Don’t annihilate. The body WILL respond. And you’ll be safer for it. Please, when starting a weight loss and conditioning program, select a protocol that will create and sustain your wellness and fitness in the long term.
