The highlight of my Tuesday night TV viewing has recently been The Biggest Loser. I had resisted it for a long time until this past season when they introduced the couples concept. While I usually DVR'd it and watched American Idol, it was still my favorite thing to watch. While the idea that someone has to go on TV and compete to win $250k in order to lose weight is more than a little sad, the people on The Biggest Loser are true Everymen, and watching them make life changing transformations every week is inspiring.
During my senior year in college I lost 40 pounds in five months, and I kept it off, for the most part, until about six months ago. I lost it due to increased activity (yoga twice a week, and walking everywhere), not eating crap (or at least eating less crap and less everything -- I was on a tight budget), and a reduced appetite (thank you, adderal). I remember how it felt to feel my size 14s sagging one day as I was walking to class. I remember sliding on size 12 jeans, and then size 10s, and barely recognizing the woman I saw in the mirror. I got to the point where instead of battling tens of pounds at a time and dreading the scale, I was focusing on two pounds at a time, and loving the scale for telling me exactly where I stood. I looked great and I felt great. Moving to Wisconsin put a stop to the walking and the not eating crap. Being depressed for a year and a half means less energy, more sleep, more eating, and less caring. It's a miracle that out of the 40 I lost, I only gained back about 15.
I guess what I'm saying is that The Biggest Loser, while being a reality competition show, is inspirational to me. Even though they have trainers and nutritionists and working out is their job 24/7, seeing their transformations makes me remember mine, and makes me want to get my ass back in gear. Even though I can't afford yoga classes right now (yoga being the best way for me exercise, as I love it), I'm going to find a way to get back to my fighting weight, and then some. I hate running (and I'm short and out of shape, which really makes it fun), but I'll do it. If anything, the show made me realize that I need to make a commitment to getting back to who I was. I'm not buying new clothes in larger sizes. I'm not settling for a dress for this upcoming wedding that just looks alright. I'm going to do what everyone should do when they realize that their clothes aren't fitting and their face is getting fat: change for the better. I'm going to make my clothes fit. And I'm going to look stellar at that wedding.
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I am no fan of reality television. Not even a little bit. When I see things like Survivor, American Idol, America's Next Top Model, etc., I literally cringe. Reality TV and I just don't...connect.
But, as crazy as this sounds, I actually agree with a lot of what you said in this post about The Biggest Loser. I avoided the show like the plague for as long as I could until my roommate, a personal trainer at 24 Hour Fitness, made me sit down and watch it with him. I was truly amazed.
This is the first show that I've been able to connect with, mostly because of the true emotion conveyed in every scene. It isn't a bunch of people hoping to win a million dollars. They don't want fancy contracts with big labels. There are no hidden agendas. This is a competition for life. It's personal, and everything they do is for themselves or their loved ones.
And that, to me, is beautiful.
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