Many people think of TBL as a "quick"  way to lose weight fast.  Also, they get a ton of support when they are trying to lose weight. 

I feel so sorry for them all standing in line for most of them it will be a big NO. I also for years wanted to go for the surgery but there really was nothing wrong with me so my insurance would not cover me.  And quite frankly it scared the hell out of me. Finally something clicked, at age 40 no doubt.  Nothing is going to take this weight off but ME!! Just like you said, roll up your sleeves and get to work!!  I am giving myselft one year to try this this old fashioned way. Less in and more exercise. Well in 11 months I have lost 70 lbs............I have gone so far that I DONT WANT TO QUIT. I will keep doing what I am doing until I reach my goal and probably for the rest of my life. I have two feet, I walk I walk I walk.  Weight loss is slow and steady but at least I am not gaining anymore.  Being on TBL doesnt have to be the answer, but watching it can really give you inspiration.

TBL looks easy...which sounds weird, I know.  But coming from my experience, I need that someone behind me saying 'Do this', 'Don't do that'.  Also, with a camera in your face...you feel a need to do the right thing...plus you have a team and a competition.

For me, this would be heaven!  I could do it...I could even cry for them!  (unfortunately, I do not have enough to lose.)  It is the fact that there is 'no one watching me' that lets me be lazy.  AND I THRIVE ON COMPETITION!  I have BEGGED my husband to make it a competition, but he refuses...so I lose the steam!

Of course TBL exploits people who have issues for their monetary/ratings gain, but it seems like a symbiotic relationship.  Those who have tried everything, but need 'the whole package' are also getting a dream fulfilled.  They are getting tools, knowledge and hopefully a pay-off at the end even more than the increased life expectancy and mobility, but CASH!  It seems like a win-win proposition, even if I never watch the show myself...I am a bit jealous!

It’s hard to lose weight while life is happening. Most of the people are too busy taking care of everybody else to focus on themselves. TBL gives the opportunity to focus on yourself and, I assume, the contestants make some money so they’re bills still get paid.

It’s all about priorities if you really want to do something you will make it happen & create the time. I struggle with this but I know it to be true!

You have to put yourself first and not see it as being selfish! Think of yourself as a pitcher of juice. If you keep adding fresh juice you are going to continue to pour out good stuff. If you’re not adding anything to the pitcher, the pitcher empties the only thing left is pulp/sludge at the bottom, and you are not going to be able to pour out anything good because you will not have anything good left to pour. Taking care of yourself first is not selfish it is good for everyone!

I love to watch TBL. Up until this season I would watch with envy. I know I could kick some booty on that show with my partner in crime. We are both highly competitive and very overweight but not fat enough. I'm only 5 feet and feel the 70-80lbs I have to loose is comparable to another's 100. I am happy I have found calorie count. It has given me all the tools I need to succeed on my own. It's like a puzzle to solve to meet all my nutrient needs within my caloric allowances. Then to add activity to be sure I have reached a caloric deficit. Crazy but it keeps me motivated, planning and adhearing to the plan.

Why?  Because it is HARD to do it yourself.  I know, at age 58 I finally broke down and had gastric bypass.  But it is still hard!  I tried all other tools, now I have given myself the only tool that forces me to be disciplined and it has changed my life.  Not only have I gone to a BMI of 32 (down from 41), my psychi is making a recovery to a strong, vital person.   But not everyone is strong enough to do it themselves.  I applaud those who look to The Biggest Loser as their final, last ditch effort to do it themselves.  I watch the show every week, and gain so much encouragement from those who are on the show.  Cudos to everyone who tries out, and a message to them - even if you don't get chosen for the show, YOU CAN DO IT!

I would like to see a study on how many contestants on TBL manage to keep the weight off long term. I am not bashing the show, because it is great that they are able to help people. I would like to see if the contestants learn to live healthy long-term.

It seems to me that people have little or no faith that they can do it alone. It seems people are always looking for a magic pill, a fad diet, or in this case TBL. Its funny when people ask how I lost weight and I tell them diet and exercise, they get a really disappointed look on their face. I get the feeling they were hoping I was going to share some "secret" with them.

For most of us, diet and exercise work. What more do people want? I mean here is a plan that is pretty much guaranteed to work for most of us. All we have to do is "just do it"

Two reasons:  Time and Money

TBL gives them a reason to take time off work, the their employers will most likely support because they'd be going on TV to get healthy.  Have you ever tried to go to your boss and ask for a few months off to "get healthy"?  they'd laugh you out of the office. 

Also, it's expensive!  Gym memberships, personal trainers, healthy food (especially if your off work)  TBL supplies all that free of charge!  

We recently saw a show about the winner of TBL's 2007 season. He has regained all his weight, over 100#.  It was apparent that the issues were not about food. They were about his view of himself, and the lack of know-how as to how to maintain a healthy weight without cameras and competition. I don't watch TBL, so I don't know what they teach them about those things, but this man had not found the personal, inner success that he needs, to be healthy. I felt badly for their family, for his humiliation - and truly wish him well and hope he does find it within himself to succeed.

Yeah, I understand that it is difficult to find the time to take care of ourselves and I also know that gym memberships, good foods, are expensive. I guess my thing is that TBL does knock down those obstacles temporarily, but not permanently. I am not trying to be negative, just looking at it for what it is. I love the show!

Original Post by: jenpnc

We recently saw a show about the winner of TBL's 2007 season. He has regained all his weight, over 100#.  It was apparent that the issues were not about food. They were about his view of himself, and the lack of know-how as to how to maintain a healthy weight without cameras and competition. I don't watch TBL, so I don't know what they teach them about those things, but this man had not found the personal, inner success that he needs, to be healthy. I felt badly for their family, for his humiliation - and truly wish him well and hope he does find it within himself to succeed.

WOW!  That is so sad!  For many of us, emotions tend to be stronger than will-power almost everytime!  Some days I wish I could be one of those people who turns bad things into the power to succeed...but I am not a fan of most of those people anyway.

I hope he finds the key.  It sounds as though he has a tremendous amount of pain he needs to shed before a single pound comes off and stays off.  Maybe TBL isn't as easy as it seems, for a healthy lifestyle anyway!

I know I wanted to join the biggest loser when I was at my heaviest and reaching for the 300 lbs.  At that point the show was relatively new, and to see the finale and see how much weight they actually lost was incredible.  The main reason that I felt this was the only way is because you have a personal trainer telling you this is what you should do to workout and since your working out continuously, you become accustom to it and when you get home it’s easy to continue it since you already know what you should do.  You also have that dietitian preparing you the healthiest meals to ensure your getting the proper nutrition. What more can you ask for when everything you need is handed to you?  There is no work involved and essentially a no-brainer.  Also the prizes do help motivate.

At any rate, I’m glad I found calorie count and if the producers of TBL wanted to help people instead of just saying no, they could say no but here are some alternatives you can try or will help you on your way, until next season.

The Biggest Loser offers HOPE to people who have lost all hope of losing weight.  Unless you've battled weight and the stigma of being fat all of your life then you have no idea what it's like.  Yes, there are other diet programs and there are gyms to work out in but it all requires a lot of motivation and self-initiative.  TBL offers (1) a group of people with the same goals, hardships,heartbreak and diet failures throughout the years  and (2) it offers the guidance and sometimes counseling that people need along with a medical team.  It also offers uninterrupted time to do what  you need to do without the interference of everyday life.  Yes, they will have to all cope with life again but hopefully they will have learned how to do that along the way.  GOOD JOB TBL.

I'm curious, was there even any attempt at education, or a thank you for coming out but here's how you can help yourself at home, health promotion-ey type of deal? Whether it be a handout pep talk...on weight loss, attitude, nutrition, I dunno...anything?

Or was it just a casting call? If just a casting call, I'd be sorta disappointed, they make enough money out of this, would be nice to have some type of sort of "give back". Even if it was the turning point for one person...

I do think that a lot of people believe that if they could just make it onto that team and get the support they need to lose their weight and get the emotional support that we see on TV they can overcome all of life's ills.  A family member of a friend actually did make it onto the show a few seasons ago and the stories that he shared after made me very sad.  I understand that the contestants are manipulated - the last chance last work out isn't the last work out for the person who is slated to win in any given week; the person who is not slated to be successful might be allowed extra snacks, the moral support is not provided offscreen.  And then they have to go home back to their lives where work needs to be done, family needs attention, birthdays and holidays need to be attended and they are once again faced with real life and people who didn't change their habits while the loved one was at TBL.

This has been the greatest struggle of my life.  I have been following Calorie Count for 7 months and have lost 46.5 pounds which is excellent, but the reality is that I am still 1 pound heavier than my pre-pregnancy weight from my first son - 16 years ago AND 3 pounds heavier than when I joined Weight Watchers 20 years ago. Like bestephens said above, I have come too far to stop now and it has to be a life-long change. I walk, I walk, I walk... :)

Good luck to you all!

I don't watch TBL either. I truly think you need to have determination, patience and forgive yourself when you drop the ball. It's normal. You just get right back to it and keep going. It took years to gain the weight and it could take years to loose it. It's all good if you're trying, and imagine what eating right and walking is doing for your heart and your arteries. I am lucky enough to have 10 siblings (8 older than me). If I don't want the problems they have, I keep doing what I'm doing. I lost 18 pounds in 21 weeks, and I'm no even halfway to my goal, but I know I am going to do it. I tell myself that it is easy and stay positive.

They say a habit starts as a silk thread (flimsy) and quickly turns into a wire cable (solid). The longer it takes, the easier it gets. So if you still find it hard, tell yourself you haven't tried for a long enough period yet.

To change your lifestyle, do a 3-week test run and find foods you like.

Good Luck everyone! Stay positive!

TBL is a place that keeps up the motivation. You don't have to go to work, you can work out twice a day without everyday life surprises like children, work, car, or anything else. You are focused on one thing; weight loss. That's why TBL is successful. Of course, anyone would want to be on the show!!

People see TBL as thier last hope, because they believe they have tried everything else.  On TBL you have so much support not just from the trainers. You have the doctors, nutrientists, other team mates.  I went to the audition in Michigan and boy did I bomb, got nervous did not answer the question right.  I am not sure what else to do. I have been approve for gastic bypass surgery, but not for the band.  I will not do the surgery-cutting out my stomach just does not seem right.  With no Thyroid it make it very hard to lose weight. If I do not find my way on this weight lost journey I will be at the audition next season.  That is why i think that TBL is one of my last hopes.

I have come to learn that being externally motivated is what got me fat in the first place.  Food as comfort motivated me to eat... and eat some more!  So, I am sorry, not only for the TBL unchosen... but the chosen as well.  Until they realize that true and lasting change comes from within... their struggle will continue.  I'm not saying that we don't need support... we do... but the more support we believe we need the more reinforcement we actually require, hence, the search for the Holy Grail will continue. My search stopped when I realized that the power was inside me.  

First a question are you serious?   
"Now, if they would stop wishing for a rescue, they could roll up their sleeves and get to work."

The number of times I have  "rolled up my sleeves"... your missing things like a magic discipline pill, a magic energy pill,  or hell I would be happy just to have motabilism... the fact you can say this on a site that is full of people trying tells me you do not have a clue.

The reason people think that.... the reason I think that this show would help is that it is a lock down commitment to losing the weight it gives you the tools and enough time of doing it every day to develop the good habits.  Add to that the positive reinforcment and group effort of people helping eachother and you have at least a chance.  Then there is the competitive part of the senario that helps you to keep going. 

I really enjoy watching TBL although my highest weight has only been 171.5.  If I had 100 pounds or more to lose, I wouldn't mind standing in line in bad weather to try-out for a spot, but I would certainly try to find a Plan B realizing that a very limited number of spots would be filled.

Calorie Count is excellent for a lifelong journey of keeping your weight under control as well as nutrition if you are so inclined, however, I was told about HCG by a friend, and it has been the best and fastest approach for me.  I started it on 2/15/10 at 165.4 and as of today, 3/23/10 I weigh 148.  This is a wonderful jump start for people like us, who have tried almost everything, & when we do lose weight with diet & exercise, it takes months and months.  I take HCG in the form of drops, but there are injections, sprays & creams.  To me, it's the best thing since sliced (wheat) bread. lol  There are  many success stories on the Internet about HCG, along with You Tube daily presentations from lots of participants, & Yahoo Groups of people who have kept off the weight. 

TBL should not be any overweight person's last chance nor should bypass surgery.  Give HCG a try and follow the Phases and shock yourself and your family and friends.    

I have heard horror stories from TBL. People go through diets that you cant maintain outside of the show and you are working out 8 hours a day sometimes. Yea your going to lose weight but most of the winners gain back the weight at least some of it. 

There are soooo many things on the web like calorie count and others that you could take several together and use the tools that work best for you. My wife and i could not afford new Gym equipment so we started hunting on Craigslist. Seems someone is always selling something there. We watched for quite some time and finally got a bowflex treadclimber (great workout) and i use pop bottles for weights sometimes. They weigh about 5 pounds each. We find things around the house to use to help us on our goals.

Personally i could never do TBL. 1 i could not be away from my family that long and i run a business so i cant just up and leave. BUt that lady on that show she smarted off to me the way she does some "cast members" and i would slap her one. OK i would not slap her but i sure would feel like it. She reminds me of the bullys who picked on me back in HS and i dont need that kind of motivation. 

I have found personally i get my ipod out and i either listen to music i have on there or i put on slacker or pandora or something with a station i created and just jam to tunes. Without music im doing good to do 10 minutes before im bored. With music i find i am doing 30-35 minutes before i know it. 

How many contestants actually keep the weight off once the show is over? That show bugs me, because (from what little I've seen of it) they don't teach contestants how to make gradual, permanent lifestyle changes, and that is the only thing that really works. You take a morbidly obese person and force her to work out for several hours a day, starve her while you're doing it -- do you really think she's going to keep that up for a lifetime? Uh-uh.

Desperation.  That's the reason why 700 people were willing to brave the weather to audition for TBL.  It's the same reason why the diet industry, in general, is so lucrative and why even crazy fads, like the "Banana Diet" and the  "Grapefruit Diet" or who could forget the "Kelp, Lecithin, Cider Vinegar Diet", have been so popular.   When your weight is out of control, and you want so much to have it under control, desperation sets in.  It does take a certain type of person to be willing to have their weight loss struggles broadcast on a reality TV show, but for some that's what desperation does...  I think that sites like caloriecount.about.com are a much better and long-lasting way to find the support needed to achieve weight loss goals. Thanks for all the great information!

http://www.healthy-eating-support.org/Healthy-Eating-Weight- Loss.html

I think the methods used on TBL are extremely unhealthy and unethical and the show should be stopped. They are very lucky no one has died or had a heart attack from their unrealistic sped-up procedures. Their editing supports the wrong idea that extreme weight loss can be quick. The whole thing is just WRONG.

This was truly as sad situation. I have to admit I like to watch TBL, and when it first came on I too wanted to lose like they did. I have been a big girl since I was a kid, but never had a body issue I loved my curves. But since I have had kids, I have gained more weight.Still enjoying my curves, I had two ER scares. I have genetically disposed hypertension. the weight makes it worse.Well when I thought I was having a Heart attack (2 times) I said that is it. No more yoyo dieting or thoughts of Gastric Bypass. It is time for me to make a lifestyle change so that I can be healthier and be around to see by boys grow up. Its ok to love yourself,  but love yourself and be healthy.

For those group of ladies that were sacred of surgury, be scared of death and take diet out of your vocabulary and make lifestyle changes. Take little steps, they add up to give big results.

I still watch TBL sometimes at night because I like to snack at night. So when I have the urge for some chips, I quickly find TBL on cable and it guilts me into not wanting it. It is Calorie counter that is my blessing for I diliganlty track my calories and excersie as well as my weekly weigh in at the shortgirls forum. 

I think what a lot of people for get is that TBL is a 'reality' show. Its not really real. Yes, it would amazing if you could go somewhere and be working out all the time. But like people have said, you are working out for 8 hours a day.

I like to watch TBL when I am working out. I do a harder/longer workout because I feel as someone who isnt trying to lose 100+, and being fit, I should do just as much as those on the show. The only thing I wish I had was a trainer, because at times I dont know how to work a certain area.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28239000

^that is what the Today show did on the past winners. Kind of interesting, especially to see how they have done.

I am so proud of everyone that finds the strength to take the first step and put your own health and well being before everything else.  To learn the lesson that 'you are valuable, you are allowed to take care of yourself, you can love yourself' are some of the most powerful lessons in life - and emotion filled moments on TBL.

The mind body soul connection is powerful - and through daily activity you can nourish the buoyant happy, 'I'm alive' feeling. As an amateur athlete, nutritionist, coach, I think that TBL condenses a lot of HUGE lessons into a short amount of time.  I think they do that as effectively as they can - they educate about food choices, break down emotional barriers to self-love, and get these morbidly obese bodies moving. 

Of course its ideal to tackle this challenge in a controlled environment, but it can be done at home. Your individual experiences with calorie-count: the tools, the community, the opportunity for self-reflection, can AND DO mirror the results seen on TV.

Keep up the great work - and keep inspiring everyone you encounter. 

Because it's easy. Someone's feeding you, pushing you, telling you what to do. Hell, even a "bad" week is about five pounds, a lot more than the average dieter.  And there's never a day where you can just lay around without the trainers, your team, and America staring you in the face.

For some people, their own pressure is dedication just isn't enough. However, I feel terrible for the people that see the biggest loser as their only hope, because it's a very, very small chance that they'll actually get that chance and they'll just end up back on the couch.

It's a pity.

To me the most shocking part of this article is that there so many obese people.  I think that part of the problem is that we try to be a polite society where it's wrong to tell someone that being obese is just plain unhealthy.  We are told to accept obese people as beautiful on the inside etc. and yet I really doubt if that is doing anyone any good. Reality bites hard.  Being obese is like be a live ticking time bomb where poor health can kill you.  Wake up all you obese people....lose weight and I guarantee that you will be much healthier and happier.  Watch TBL and you tell me....are they happier before or after they lose the fat?  Make a commitment to yourself and stop making excuses.  Look how hard those people work to shed the pounds.  You can do it!!  You don't need to show the world .....just yourself.

People see the biggest loser as a quick fix.  And it is.  Unfortunately, it is my experience in myself and others around me that the quick fixes don't last long.  Diets fail and exercise regimes fail because many people cannot mentally decide to make it a lifestyle change.  It is an end goal.  I will do this and this until I get to 150.  But then what?  Go back to no exercise and eating the same way?  The quick fix does not give us enough time to break free of the habits that have developed over YEARS.  The first year of healthy eating and exerice (4times a week) I lost 35 pounds in that year.  I worked hard and it took a while.  That was a huge motivator for me to keep it off.  I did gain about 5 pounds back but then worked hard to get more off and the second year I was down to a total of 50 pounds lost.  I'm still losing but even slower now.  I'm at 56 pounds lost but have kept the weight off even through the holidays.  I want to look good but more than that I want to be healthy so that I can do fun activities with my kids and be able to keep up with them.  I want to teach them how to live a healthy life and living by example is the best way.

TBL is a great show I have watched from the first season and yes I am very much over weight and I am taking charge and I am now losing. I wanted to be on the show but because of my age and medical condition I didn't think I could even try out. Both trainers are great, I wouldn't do well with the one that is in your face all the time I have a quick temper but they both say you need to put your self first I am doing that now and guess what I'm losing weight. There are some that regain the weight but I think most keep it off.

I believe TBL is unrealistic and in the long run not a good example of how to lose weight.  No matter how many doctors they have monitoring these people, it cannot be healthy to lose huge amounts of weight in such short periods of time, nor is it healthy to exercise so aggressively.  Also, these people are in a closed environment where none of the daily responsibilities, stresses, especially emotional, and time constraints exist.  Who has someone preparing and restricting their food?  Who has four or five hours a day to exercise, let alone afford the equipment and personal trainers?  The "tough love" approach of the trainers is bizarre.  To scream, humiliate and push people the way they do is just not right....emotionally or physically. I also would like to see success statistics on past contestants.  Patience, self-love, dealing with emotional issues, learning healthy eating and exercise are the best way to achiever any type of weight loss....and a little prayer helps too!!!

Original Post by: ajawaan

I'm curious, was there even any attempt at education, or a thank you for coming out but here's how you can help yourself at home, health promotion-ey type of deal? Whether it be a handout pep talk...on weight loss, attitude, nutrition, I dunno...anything?

Or was it just a casting call? If just a casting call, I'd be sorta disappointed, they make enough money out of this, would be nice to have some type of sort of "give back". Even if it was the turning point for one person...

great idea - education and inspiration is key!

I enjoy watching the show and don't have any problem with it.  Anything that helps people understand how to lose weight and be successful is in my mind a good thing.  I personally wouldn't want to be on the show but i think the support structure and the results can make it very attractive to folks.  As most of us know, losing it is hard, but keeping it off is also very hard. 

TBL is becoming too much of a "soap opera".  It's really hard to watch it anymore. 

I recently (Jan 1) joined a gym and paid for 24 (1-hour) sessions with a trainer. I have to tell you, the motivation of hiring a trainer, someone to push you and encourage you, to hold you accountable...it has worked. I have lost 23 pounds and I am sooooo much healthier. I can't believe how much better I feel. Granted I still have to lose 150 pounds, but now I can walk up stairs using both legs! I can get up off the couch without help. I mean it is incredible the things I was struggling with. Activities of daily living were hard and they should not have been. I am 53 years old. I weigh 302, but I feel better than I have in a long, long time. Unfortunately my 24 sessions are almost up. I did them 3 days a week the first month then started skipping some but kept on working out 5 days a week, even on the days that I had training sessions. The least I do now is to get on the elliptical and go 30 minutes with a sprint every 30 seconds. It is still a conscious effort to get up and go, but I do it, because I know I will see the trainer in another week and she will weigh me and take my measurements, and ask me about my food.  I need to pay for more, that is how much it is worth it. If the biggest loser is a winner to people, this is the reason!!!!!!! I hope this has made others who have felt as hopeless as I have to get out there and do something that will in a very short amount of time, make them feel great!!  Barb

I think you have to look past the excessive weight loss on the show and look at the big picture. Weight loss is all about less in and more output in the way of movement. The tips and tricks they teach you are "real" and do help in the real world. The contestents only have x amount of time to do this so it has to be fastpaced.  I thought about loosing weight for 20 years now and finally figued it out.......yes, you have to just roll up your sleeves and get to work!

I didn't have much time to read everyone else's comments so hopefully I'm not saying the exact same thing that someone else is saying.

I almost went to the casting call in Chicago. I was all hyped up about it thinking that it would change my life forever. My fiance thought the same way. So then I took a day or two to REALLY think about it. Do I want to have my life plastered all over television? What happens when I come home? Will it put a wall between me and my family, friends and loved ones? From what I would think, people change alot there and your family and friends don't for the most part.

I am actually on spark people but I think calorie count is another awesome website to help people be accountable for their actions.

Sure I'd love for Jillian to kick me into gear. But when it comes down to it, If I want to change.... I can. There is NOTHING STOPPING ME BUT MYSELF!! Now I know there are situations where some people do need that help (maybe because of ailments or illnesses or injuries) But for the most part... if I want to get healthy, I can. I just need to decide that being healthy and happy and having a longer life are more important than sitting on the couch or eating my third helping of lasagna.

I don't judge those who are on TBL or who want to be. I just know that for me.... I decided that I just need to change my life, my diet, my outlook, and my habits.

And that my friends is what I've done today to make me feel proud! :)

Good luck to everyone on their endeavors!

I think its being able to be separated from everything that has brought them to this point, the money, and perhaps knowing that you can't cheat and get away with it on the show. You don't get to give up because its too hard. SOme people feel like that's their only hope.

I like watching the show for motivation.but it takes determination to get the job done not the drama that u see on the show.Like Sam said last week that its not about what color shirt u have on but how someones life is changed.

Two years ago with my own determination and prayer from family and friends to help motivate me has brought me to my grand total weight lose of 213lbs.I started and 525lbs and now I am 312lbs. so it doesnt take getting on the show to make looseing weight work anyone can do it.I have about 75lbs. to go but I will get there.

That is the key point, motivation. A lot of people realize when left to it being their choice alone, they slip, or give up altogether. But if signing a contract to do a show, as in this case, they are grasping that they will be more motivated to follow through. A lot of obese people are that way from habit, not a medical problem. Breaking those habits becomes more difficult as the years go on. Whether it be quiting drinking, smoking, narcotics, it all takes a lot of motivation and support, because getting into these situations showed an initial weakness to it in the beginning. Just the number of people showing up for these auditions is an example of the cry for help, they need to be backed into a corner and given tough love with no alternatives but to succeed.

Original Post by: bigsleepy1

I like watching the show for motivation.but it takes determination to get the job done not the drama that u see on the show.Like Sam said last week that its not about what color shirt u have on but how someones life is changed.

Two years ago with my own determination and prayer from family and friends to help motivate me has brought me to my grand total weight lose of 213lbs.I started and 525lbs and now I am 312lbs. so it doesnt take getting on the show to make looseing weight work anyone can do it.I have about 75lbs. to go but I will get there.

Wow!! Congratulations you!  That is what inspires me when I read CC threads; people who accomplish something like this and shares it with other people to help them.  You are an awesome person. 

There is NO such thing as "reality" TV. It is a boon for the networks to pay minimal to people compared to what they would pay "real" stars for a TV series. The only one that is very nice is the Homemake over. Anyway, I think it is embarrassing and the people on the biggest loser are degraded many times. Trying to come home and fit all of the workouts, etc into a busy life is a big challenge. If it does help some people, I guess it is worth it, but there is no way a person acts the same in real life as they would on a reality TV program. Bottom line  the calorie counting and exercise is the way to go. Good luck to us all in our life-long journey of eating healthy and exercising!

I wish they had TBL in Canada. I would apply even though I just have 50lbs to lose. Wouldn't hurt right?

Here is why....because on the biggest looser you have 2-3 months away from "normal" everyday life to focus on weightloss. DUring those 2-3 months (sometimes shorter) you practice good nutrition and exercise to the point where it becomes habit for you. You don't have a choice to work out or not, because if you don't put up the numbers to show you're loosing, you're goin home. As I sit here and fall off my wagon (I just ate a danish, and now wish I hadn't) for a moment, I wish I could be apart of the biggest looser, if only to just speed up the process (I'm not that patient of a person), and relish in the fact that I have a great support system with co-workers, family, and friends. I've also learned, it's okay to cheat on your diet, as long as you pick yourself back up and get on it again. Weightloss is hard, gaining weight isn't. Take it one day at a time and you'll make it!!!!

Let's be totally frank and blunt. People see TBL as their last or only hope because they are LAZY. Yes, I said LAZY. Physically, obviously, but also mentally lazy. They are looking for some "magic pill" to solve their problems. They think "if I could just get on that TV show, all those famous and beautiful trainers will solve the problem for me." When, in reality, there is only one solution: discipline and hard work. As many posters here have alluded to, many people seem disappointed when they ask how someone lost weight and hear that the answer is what they've always heard: exercise and eat healthy. And these people who look at TBL as their last and only hope miss two HUGE facts: 1. They're going to have to work mightily on the show and go through lots of pain to lose the weight, and 2. even more important, they are going to have to SUSTAIN a lot of that work and a lot of those changes for the rest of their lives. Because being a healthy weight isn't simply about losing weight. Being a healthy weight is about doing the right things every day. People are often too lazy to admit that to themselves and too lazy to do the work it entails.

Even some of the things posted here point to the problem. People say things like: "It is the fact that there is 'no one watching me' that lets me be lazy" or "your missing things like a magic discipline pill, a magic energy pill,  or hell I would be happy just to have metabolism" or my favorite "I just don't have the time"

BS excuses. YOU are watching you. I lost 26 pounds over the course of a year with no trainer, no magic pills, nobody watching me or telling me what to do. Just discipline, hard work, and a realization that I had to change my whole paradigm of how to live. If you want something bad enough, if it's important enough to you, you MAKE time. You put in the EFFORT. You make the SACRIFICES. Anyone with kids knows that's true. You never hear a parent say "I don't have the discipline to take care of my kids", or "I don't have the energy to take care of my kids" or "I don't have the energy to take care of my kids" do you??

Even people who say they desperately want to lose weight, and who are extremely emotional about it, still lie to themselves. Look at the new Kirstie Alley show. Everyone knows she's battled with her weight and that it has profoundly bothered her. Yet, in the commercials for the show, all you see is her stuffing her face and crying and moaning when her trainer puts her through her paces. That's not determination. That's not commitment. That's laziness. That's a person lying to themselves that they can get the job done without doing all the work. Or not being honest with themselves about what that work really is. How hard it really is. 

Losing weight is hard. Very, very hard. It takes a lot of physical strength, and even more mental strength, to lose weight. And keeping it off is arguably even harder. It takes sustained focus, toughness, and equal parts discipline and positive thinking. It takes self-acceptance and the ability to admit that one isn't perfect but that doesn't mean one is a failure. You have a bad day, you move on. TBL or no TBL, it comes down to one's own self and how honest one is willing to be.

Hmmmm....First of all I love watching the biggest loser! I love how it inspires me, I love how the people work their asses off to lose weight at a faster (maybe unhealthier) rate. And I personally love the drama of it, that's what makes reality TV addicting after all.

I disagree with the guy above me who says all overweight people are lazy. I am Not over weight. I never have been at an unhealthy BMI. The heaviest I have ever been was right after I had my son and even then the weight came off easily. The reason I joined this sight was to get healthy, because although I was not over weight I wasn't healthy, and I WAS Lazy. So with that being said I am sure not all overweight people are lazy just like all skinny people aren't active, and motivated or even healthy. Maybe the people who go to the auditions aren't looking for a quick fix because they are lazy. Maybe they are going to find that amazing confidence and skills to learn how to lose weight. In an environment without distractions.

Losing weight is NOT as easy as eating less and working out more. If I did that I would be eating the same crap as I was before only less of it. It takes education. Unfortunately, growing up I never took classes about nutrition or the needs of my body. P.E. Was a joke. All we had to do was enough to get by...and there were no lectures about being healthy. I am not heavy enough to be on The Biggest loser, but I sure would love to be in an environment where everyone is focusing on me and my needs. I would LOVE to find out what my body is capable of and be educated by the top dietitians and trainers in the country. All while my friends, family and all of America is cheering me on!

Thanks to this website I have learned a lot and I am losing weight. I only have 5 lbs more to be at the "goal weight" I set in November. This feels good, but like I said before I started this life change to get healthy not skinny. What feels better than the number on the scale is seeing my body changing. I actually have bicep indents!! and feeling how much stronger I am. I can do push ups!! To everyone out there who is using this sight for weight loss good for you, thanks for all your motivation.

I will be doing a 6k next month and crossing that finish line, I am sure, will feel better than any number a scale can digitally, spit out at me.

Wow danakerman75 - you obviously have no idea!  Yes - to some extent people who are overweight are responsible for their size, but there is alot more to it than life style and environment.  Genetics play a very big part in a persons physical size and makeup.  Many medical studies have concluded that that is the case. 

Everyone has their hurdles and trials in life - some just have their trials that everyone else can see outright - others have their trials within.  For most overweight people, they deal with both. 

Walk a mile in someone elses shoes before you make assumptions about weather or not they are "lazy". 

I tell everyone I know about this site, but honestly, no one I talk to wants to do it the right way. I wish people would stop wishing for a miracle and get to work!