Deseret News | 'Biggest Loser' needs to shed negative aspect

Reader comments
'Biggest Loser' needs to shed negative aspect

Kim | 7:03 a.m. Dec. 10, 2008

A common misconception is that muscle weighs more than fat. It doesn't. 5 lbs of anything is 5 lbs. Period. Fat just takes up lots more room is all.

Apparantly Jillian's methods work since she has won every single season she has trained on, and she will again this time. TEAM JILLIAN FOREVER!

Jillian is a witch | 8:48 a.m. Dec. 10, 2008

We watch the series too - my husband, myself and our daughter are all working on losing weight. Every time Jillian is screaming at somebody, my husband says it's a good thing he's not on there because he'd knock her out - and he's never hit a woman in his life.

Teresa | 10:29 a.m. Dec. 10, 2008

I totally agree with your perception of this season's show. This is our fourth season to watch it, and it was quite depressing this year! I guess they could have manipulated the segments they aired, but if Vicky didn't say the things she said, they couldn't have added them in. I'm hoping that Michelle is the biggest loser and that Colleen wins the $100,000!

Comments continue below

D Shields | 12:04 p.m. Dec. 10, 2008

Thanks, Kim. I was going to mention the same thing. In my opinion, the misconception arises from noting that if you compare the same volume of fat and muscle - say a 2-inch cube, the muscle will weigh more. But when it comes to a strictly by weight weigh-in a pound is a pound is a pound.

Ami | 12:46 p.m. Dec. 10, 2008

I am totally on the same page as you. I have been really disappointed as to how NBC allowed such contestants.

Kristin | 12:56 p.m. Dec. 10, 2008

Though this state is true.....5lbs of feathers weigh the same as 5lbs of rocks, it is very important to note what you already said...that the 5lbs of featers take up wayyyy more room. So a 150 pound person with no muscle whose weight comes from fat is going to look much larger than a person that weighs 150lbs where much of the weight is coming from the muscle that has been developed. Someone could lose 2 pounds of fat in a week but gained a pound of muscle so they look better but the scale implies failure. There is no faiure in that scenario. In general muscle does weigh more than fat, just like rocks are heavier than feathers....if they take up the same amount of space which is assumed when people make this statement. It would be too difficult to take muscle into consideration on the show. How they measure success has been working. These people still have a lot of fat to burn/weight to lose even by the last week, so it's all done very well.

Michelle | 4:51 p.m. Dec. 10, 2008

I have watched the show a couple of times and I think they push them too hard sometimes. Isn't it common sense that you are to ease into a workout? They should be helping and motivating these people, not threatening them.

Jessie | 9:18 p.m. Dec. 10, 2008

I love this show and am so addicted. I do however agree with what you are saying about this season being abit to over the top. Vicky, whatever, that is all I can say about her. As far as Jillian goes, I adore the heck out of her. She knows what she is doing and I love how she pushes people and gets to them on a mental level. We are all capable of doing anything and I love her approach. There are doctors there and clearly from Jerry and his condition, you know that the trainers only do what they can with their health problems. To be honest, if it wasn't for Jillian and her team this season, I would have stopped watching. I have no idea what happened to Bob though. He wants the winning contestant so bad, that he turned into as much as a game player as Vicky was. I lost a lot of respect for him this season. With that, I am hoping that Michelle wins it all. And another win for Jillian!!

Anonymous | 8:41 a.m. Dec. 11, 2008

I love the show, but I was so turned off by Vicky. I hope the next season does not have another contestant like her. The trainers are getting meaner all the time. I don't believe this is the key to get people motivated. I think the producers need to do some re-thinking before next season. The show is very inspirational indeed.

Jess | 4:58 p.m. Dec. 11, 2008

I agree with you on the whole Vicky thing and the game play I hate it. However I do believe that Jillian is a good person. I often listen to her on her radio show, etc. She has said that she has to be mean and loud to push them to that next level. It is not that she dosen't like them she just needs to push them and that is how she does it. I respect her 110% and I think she loves and cares about every one of her contestants.

Penny | 6:16 p.m. Dec. 13, 2008

I agree with everyone regarding Vicky. I also noticed that Heba was rude and said some ugly things. This season was disappointing to me to say the least. I am in need of losing 240lbs and I really would like to be on the show, however there is no way I could do the excercise the way they expect you to. I wish they would have a show that was designed around handicap people who have more than 100lbs to lose and the people who were voted off would simply be out of the money challenge but they would continue to the end of the game at the farm working out with the trainers. These people go there for help and sure the money is good but for me being able to get my health back is worth more than any moneytary value. I can't afford surgery and I wish there was someone who could help me.I feel totally helpless.

Robin | 9:43 p.m. Dec. 13, 2008

Apparently after getting feedback on her "Biggest Loser" behavior, Vickie attributes her antics to editing. Even when she sees it for herself she still won't take accountability. Its the classic "I'm the center of the universe" syndrome. She spent the whole season villinizing everyone else, first it was Phil and then Amy (couldn't be trusted). The next week she votes out Amy and feels perfectly justified in doing so. If Vickie wins a dime, it will be the last episode of Boggest Loser I'll ever watch.

Dina | 8:47 p.m. Dec. 16, 2008

Well, it's congratulations to Michele for winning. Hepa won the $100,000. AND Vicki won nothing which makes me happy, as everyone has said, she was not a nice person, unsupportive and unpleasant to watch.

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