Biggest Loser - Season 9

[Bia]

Anyone else ready for another season?

I''ll be back with Bia commentary later tonight! Do tune in

 

[MagsyMay]

Count me in!

 

[tlh]

maybe... I typically tune in after the first episode - as there is a lot of complaining and vomiting in the first couple.

Lately they show a lot more of Jillian getting into people''s heads - and I guess because I''m coming into a clipped part of the conversation... it sort of annoys me. I kinda prefer the crazy yelling Jill - to the couch shrink...

 

[steph72276]

Date: 1/5/2010 4:58:50 PM
Author: tlh
maybe... I typically tune in after the first episode - as there is a lot of complaining and vomiting in the first couple.


Lately they show a lot more of Jillian getting into people's heads - and I guess because I'm coming into a clipped part of the conversation... it sort of annoys me. I kinda prefer the crazy yelling Jill - to the couch shrink...

Ditto...I love the show, but the only way I can get through it is to Tivo it and then skip through the commercials, crying, and therapy sessions by Jillian. That seems to cut off about an hour of the two hour episode

 

[Haven]

Date: 1/5/2010 5:25:07 PM
Author: steph72276

Date: 1/5/2010 4:58:50 PM
Author: tlh
maybe... I typically tune in after the first episode - as there is a lot of complaining and vomiting in the first couple.

Lately they show a lot more of Jillian getting into people''s heads - and I guess because I''m coming into a clipped part of the conversation... it sort of annoys me. I kinda prefer the crazy yelling Jill - to the couch shrink...

Ditto...I love the show, but the only way I can get through it is to Tivo it and then skip through the commercials, crying, and therapy sessions by Jillian. That seems to cut off about an hour of the two hour episode

Thritto! I just set the DVR to record this season.
I can''t stand to listen to Jillian''s psychobabble.

 

[meresal]

I have watched every season religiously, and am aware that this might be my last.

The people last season were very annoying and as opposed to the previous ones that whine until about half way, and then you really "see" the change in their attitude... last season's contestants whined and cried and made excuses the ENTIRE season. (Maybe it is just the editing that they are leaning towards... and if that is the case, I don't like what BL is trying to portray.)
I don't like watching/listening to people complain ever, and especially not when you have been given such an incredible opportunity like what BL provides. You should have nothing to complain about anymore.

FWIW, I enjoy trainers like Jillian. Many of these people have been coddled into the weight they are at, by people saying "It's ok to gain weight" etc... They need someone to prove to them that it is not ok, and they are in fact WAY past an ok level. They don't need someone else telling them that everything will be alright.
I think that both of the trainers are much alike, Jillian just doesn't put up with the complaining, whereas Bob will listen for a bit, and give the contestants a bit of a "grace period".

I also think that this show is reaching a VERY unhealthy level of exercise and is not realistic in any way at all anymore. Working out for 6-8 hours a day is not healthy, and this should be explained to people trying to lose weight at home.

These results are not actually attainable in this amount of time, at home. (For anyone with a job, that is). No way, no how.

 

[Haven]

Mere--I agree with you that they over train on that show. DH always says he''s shocked nobody has been seriously injured yet.

I like Jillian''s in-your-face, no excuses approach. What I don''t like is when she tries to "get to the bottom" of their issues by psychoanalyzing her clients. It''s almost painful to watch "Dr. Jillian" and her treatment. I love watching her scream and confront them, though. I think that''s what they need to hear.

I''ve only watched the last two seasons so I didn''t realize that the whining has gotten worse over time, that''s really interesting.

 

[CNOS128]

Date: 1/5/2010 6:44:17 PM
Author: Haven
Mere--I agree with you that they over train on that show. DH always says he''s shocked nobody has been seriously injured yet.

I like Jillian''s in-your-face, no excuses approach. What I don''t like is when she tries to ''get to the bottom'' of their issues by psychoanalyzing her clients. It''s almost painful to watch ''Dr. Jillian'' and her treatment. I love watching her scream and confront them, though. I think that''s what they need to hear.

I''ve only watched the last two seasons so I didn''t realize that the whining has gotten worse over time, that''s really interesting.

Exactly. If the contestants need therapy, they should go to therapy. Privately, where I don''t have to watch.
But I think that''s the producers trying to make she show more emotional.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

I''m ready! I love this show, the people are just so inspiring how they change their lives.

 

[Elmorton]

I''ll watch because I''m obsessed with the show and it''s pretty much the only show I follow in real time (I''m a wait-until-Netflix-and-watch-the-whole-thing kind of person).

Thritto, quadritto to the stuff about Jillian PsyD. It''s just so canned and not fitting with her personality. My guess is that they''re trying to soften her up, but I LOVE the crazyb*tch trainer she is.

Are they doing something different this year? I saw a clip where Jillian was with the gals and Bob with the guys. I''d really like to see them quit with the teams and just train together. They can do good cop, bad cop, because I don''t mind Bob being a softie at times, haha.

I kinda wish the contestants would start smaller again. I know they''re out to send a message that even extreme morbid obesity can be reversed without surgery, but if they''re going to do it that way, they need to lengthen the season by double and show that it takes more time when you''re heavier. Or maybe do a BL Part I and Part II season or something. I think the quicker and bigger they go, the more unrealistic the show gets - and the FUN of it is that these are real people with real problems who take control of their lives, health, and bodies.

I''m excited to see the families back...I like the family concept more than last season, though I still feel like it''s a little cruel to see one family member succeed and another get sent home.

Anyway, yay! I''m excited for a new season.

 

[meresal]

Date: 1/5/2010 6:44:17 PM
Author: Haven
Mere--I agree with you that they over train on that show. DH always says he's shocked nobody has been seriously injured yet.

I like Jillian's in-your-face, no excuses approach. What I don't like is when she tries to 'get to the bottom' of their issues by psychoanalyzing her clients. It's almost painful to watch 'Dr. Jillian' and her treatment. I love watching her scream and confront them, though. I think that's what they need to hear.

I've only watched the last two seasons so I didn't realize that the whining has gotten worse over time, that's really interesting.

I'm not a big fan of that either. I assume that the "psychiatric type talks" are more the shows doing than her own. I have had many trainers and not one has ever tried to sit down with me to "figure out" why I am there. They are trainers, that is what they do.

Seems like a ploy to reach the emotional strings of the audience.

To me, the whining has gotten worse as the contestants get larger and larger. They used to have people on that were about 50-100 lbs overweight. Women were usually around 200-250 and went to around 150-200, and the men were usually around 250-300 and went to around 200-250. Women averaged about 35-40 lbs of weight loss, and men probably a bit over 50. All of this 100+lb weight loss is a new thing, as of the last 3 seasons, I believe.

Many of the old contestants seemed to be kind of yo-yo dieters that had previously attempted losing weight themselves, and to me, watching them overcome what they couldn't on their own was inspirational. However, now, the whole thing seems so dramatic and irrational. It's like the contestants really have absolutely no concept of what really trying hard for something means, and realizing how to be thankful for such an increible opportunity.
My favorite contestant last season was the Firefighter, and if you ask me, he is the only one that had a real grasp of what healthy weight loss meant, and looked NORMAL at the weight in.

He is what the old contestants used to look like at the end. I feel like they are going to start seeing lots of the newer contestants put lots of weight back on in the coming years. It is almost impossible to keep up the unhealthy eating habits that many of these current contestants obviously developed after leaving the ranch.

 

[Sabine]

I''ll be watching, but only after it''s been tivo''d...can''t stand all the replaying, coming up''s, and dramatic pauses so I only end up watching about 20 minutes of the show!

 

[meresal]

Date: 1/5/2010 7:53:41 PM
Author: Sabine
I''ll be watching, but only after it''s been tivo''d...can''t stand all the replaying, coming up''s, and dramatic pauses so I only end up watching about 20 minutes of the show!

LOL! You mean how they replay the last 30 seconds from before a commerical break, when they come back from said commercial break!

 

[Bia]

Date: 1/5/2010 5:27:59 PM
Author: Haven

Date: 1/5/2010 5:25:07 PM

Author: steph72276

Date: 1/5/2010 4:58:50 PM

Author: tlh

maybe... I typically tune in after the first episode - as there is a lot of complaining and vomiting in the first couple.


Lately they show a lot more of Jillian getting into people''s heads - and I guess because I''m coming into a clipped part of the conversation... it sort of annoys me. I kinda prefer the crazy yelling Jill - to the couch shrink...

Ditto...I love the show, but the only way I can get through it is to Tivo it and then skip through the commercials, crying, and therapy sessions by Jillian. That seems to cut off about an hour of the two hour episode

Thritto! I just set the DVR to record this season.

I can''t stand to listen to Jillian''s psychobabble.

Her mom is a psychologist - maybe that''s where she gets it from?

Watching now...so far...undecided. I''ll get back to you. BUT! How do you kick two teams off the first hour on the show?

 

[Bia]

Date: 1/5/2010 7:56:42 PM
Author: meresal

Date: 1/5/2010 7:53:41 PM

Author: Sabine

I''ll be watching, but only after it''s been tivo''d...can''t stand all the replaying, coming up''s, and dramatic pauses so I only end up watching about 20 minutes of the show!

LOL! You mean how they replay the last 30 seconds from before a commerical break, when they come back from said commercial break!

I don''t have DVR

 

[So Excited]

I Can''t believe I forgot the season started tonight!!!

I just turned it on and am only catching the final 3 people wieghing in.... OH NO! I don''t record anything on cable so it wasn''t scheduled to record or anything.... Now I gotta watch it off the website on my laptop.

 

[Elmorton]

Okay, I''m watching Leno and Jillian just said she was a fat kid.

Anyone believe her?

 

[MagsyMay]

Date: 1/5/2010 10:48:05 PM
Author: Elmorton
Okay, I''m watching Leno and Jillian just said she was a fat kid.


Anyone believe her?

She said the same thing on Oprah and they showed childhood/teenager photos of her. She was definitely NOT fat, but was considerably heavier, although it may have just been baby fat, teen weight, growing into your body type of "chubbiness."

 

[meresal]

She didn't say she was obese... she said she was fat.

I tend to takes people's word for it when they say they were "fat" growing up, becuase that usually means that they were teased about being "fat" and I was not there to say, "No, that didn't happen".

Not many young women/men just look in a mirror one day and say, "Wow, I look fat." It usually starts with someone saying or making a joke about thier weight at some point.

 

[Elmorton]

Meresal, oh gosh, everyone gets teased for being fat, I think. Doesn''t make it true. Besides, it''s just part of the rites of passage in the US.

Still, a person has to think it''s a convenient story for Jillian to have...I mean seriously, those martial arts outfits really aren''t flattering. Maybe she just glanced at herself in the mirror wrong?

Playing. I still think she''d be a fun trainer to have. I just want to walk in the gym someday and see a trainer perched on the arm of a treadmill, all Matrix-style. That''s not something you see every day at the Y.

 

[Smurfysmiles]

SO what do you guys think about those two teams coming back after a month to re enter the competition? I think it''s weird personally...I wonder if the other teams don''t know about it then?

Also how can doing 26 miles on a bike the first day possibly be good for you? I can''t help but wonder if it hurts more than helps? Aren''t you supposed to start off slow and gradually increase your exercise?

 

[dragonfly411]

I''ve seen a photo of Jillian as a child, she was hefty hehe. I think once you have been there, and you begin to lose the weight, it drives you... and it drives you to drive others. I have found that with myself. When''s the new season?????

 

[Bia]

I love what the show offers. Let''s be real...it helps these contestants change their lives and that, to me, is what''s AWESOME about the show and the BL experience. It''s why I love the show.

What I don''t love is that it is getting hokey...between the pseudo-therapy with Jillian and the dramatic entrances/exits (''Surprise! You''re not REALLY eliminated...just kind of eliminated!'') thing they do all the time, the dynamic has changed a bit.

I''ll still watch though.

 

[tlh]

Anyone watch the old miracle on 34th street? The black and white one w/ Maureen Ohara and Natalie Wood? Remember Alfred, the janitor... he was "a fat kid" when the show came out. He looks "normal sized" now... you know, slightly heafty, but nothing he''d get teased about. But when the movie came out, he was America''s FAT. America redefined FAT, or normal. We now accept Alfred sized people as a guy''s guy. He''s overweight, but kinda in that gray area. You''d just look at him and say "chubby or pudgy" or even normal sized. He doesn''t look big at all... soft sure.. but not hefty. Now if they were to cast that show, they''d probably pick someone 50 pounds heavier than he was. Because of our definition of overweight.. and fat.

When Jillian says she was a fat kid, I get it. In her book she admits to being 5''2" and around 170 pounds at her heaviest as a teen and pre-teen... When the show first aired she weighed 120 pounds - and is now down to 115 after her 2 season break. 170 on a 5''2 frame is not just overweight, it fits under the BMI tables in the obesity category... and is what the female contestants used to weigh in the first couple seasons. Now, as a chubby kid myself, I can attest to the fact that the stuff kids said was cruel... and sticks with you. So even though she doesn''t often post her before pictures - I mean, I know myself personally - I ran from a camera when I was a chubby youngster. So it makes sense she doesn''t have a lot of photos out there - and it wasn''t like she was on national tv in a sports bra and short shorts.

But the show isn''t about Jillian. Probably why I dont like her "tell me what is wrong with you..." approach... at least not what they edit for TV. Just seems calculated...

Date: 1/6/2010 11:07:43 AM
Author: Bia
I love what the show offers. Let''s be real...it helps these contestants change their lives and that, to me, is what''s AWESOME about the show and the BL experience. It''s why I love the show.

What I don''t love is that it is getting hokey...between the pseudo-therapy with Jillian and the dramatic entrances/exits (''Surprise! You''re not REALLY eliminated...just kind of eliminated!'') thing they do all the time, the dynamic has changed a bit.

I''ll still watch though.

I totally agree with Bia. A lot of the game play seems bizzarre, but eliminating 2 teams a couple hours after arriving is really crummy too. Not even having a WEEK on the show is a little low - which is why they give them the "2nd chance" and that is how Ali won. Had they stuck with the you''re out rules... she wouldn''t be the first female winner - nor would she be their HUGE commercial spokesperson that she is today.
I kinda like though they have the opportunity to come back. Remember like 2 seasons ago, one partner returned home for 30 days, and the other stayed. There was the yellow team, and in a month one girl lost 3 pounds... and the one that stayed at the ranch lost like 20. Truth was, there is a lot to life that makes it HARD to lose weight, and why the ranch is so great.
No I don''t think it is healthy to work out 8-12 hours a day. Which is why if you notice most of the contestants (lately) have ace bandages on their calves, and knees etc. They don''t talk about the over use injuries - and that it isn''t any sort of advisable to start a program with that sort of intensity.

However, off my high horse, I was BLOWN AWAY with James'' weight loss last night. 100 POUNDS in 8 weeks - AT HOME. That is insane! Makes me wonder how his twin, John is doing on the ranch!

 

[meresal]

Date: 1/6/2010 12:22:45 PM
Author: tlh

However, off my high horse, I was BLOWN AWAY with James' weight loss last night. 100 POUNDS in 8 weeks - AT HOME. That is insane! Makes me wonder how his twin, John is doing on the ranch!

Did you also hear him say that he didn't have to go back to work... so his life has been the gym. He actually looked healthy though, and like he was putting on a good amount of muscle. I wouldn't have guessed by looking at him that he had lost 100 lbs, so it's nice to see that he isn't withering away

Also, after watching the amount of people that lost 30 lbs the first week alone... is anyone else starting to think that these people gorge or just chug and chug water before their weigh-in, only to loose massive amounts the first week? (Maybe the show tells them to go crazy before coming on the ranch to make for bigger weight loss?)

I don't know... don't get me wrong, they seemed excited... but if it were me, and I had been this HUGE weight for years and years and years, I think my first inclination would be to faint once I saw that I was actually able to lose 30 lbs in one week.

It just doesn't seem real. I also hate that the two "Brown" borthers BOTH lost 20 lbs and they couldn't even be happy about it. Are you KIDDING me? I just don't see how this is sending a good message?

Jillian and Bob have said multiple times how they get irritated with some of the contestants becoming more obsessed about the "number" on the scale than the actual "feel" of being healthy.

 

[Ara Ann]

I kind of half watch this show. I really don''t like or agree with the extreme exercising either, how can someone 150 pounds overweight do that stuff and not hurt themselves?!? It sends the message to people at home, work out like crazy, then once they get hurt, they quit. Not a good motivational tool.

And how can the trainers say they don''t like it when the contestants get upset over not losing weight, or focus too much on ''the numbers'' - when the whole program focuses on the numbers? Kinda silly and ironic, IMO.

 

[Sizzle]

I always miss it, but it''s on HULU and NBC.COM so I might check them out here and there. This show always makes me feel like a big loser when they show people losing like 15 pounds in 1 week.

 

[meresal]

Date: 1/6/2010 12:48:53 PM
Author: Ara Ann
I kind of half watch this show. I really don't like or agree with the extreme exercising either, how can someone 150 pounds overweight do that stuff and not hurt themselves?!? It sends the message to people at home, work out like crazy, then once they get hurt, they quit. Not a good motivational tool.

And how can the trainers say they don't like it when the contestants get upset over not losing weight, or focus too much on 'the numbers' - when the whole program focuses on the numbers? Kinda silly and ironic, IMO.

The trainers aren't the producers. The trainers don't like the game-play, especially Bob, but I have a feeling that the producers tell them not to talk to the contestants about it. Their job is to help them lose weight and feel better about themselves, and from what I see they genuinely want the contestants to be happy with themselves... not happy with the number.

The show is who makes it about the number. You can't really quantify how you feel, so eventhough I would like it more, you can't send someone home for not being grateful enough and working the least.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I don''t watch the BL, but I saw one TV the other night that Discover channel is putting out a new show about one of the former contestants who has put almost all the weight back on. It''s called something like "Confessions of a Reality Show Loser."