Losing Interest

Last night, I watched "The Biggest Loser" for the first time in several weeks, and it reminded me of my own TV-watching transformation, something that's happened almost without my noticing.

It used to be that, when "The Biggest Loser" first started, I watched the show by myself, then George started watching it with me. We watched the past couple of seasons together pretty religiously, though we both got pretty irritated by one of last season's contestants, Vicky. We started watching again this season, but then realized that spending two hours watching TV on a "school night" felt like a big chunk of time, when we both had other things we'd rather be doing. So, we started taping the show and watching it on the weekend. THEN, our weekends started getting busier, so we recently missed watching about a month's worth of episodes! Well, last night I happened to have the TV on, listening to more than watching the local news, which has a 7 PM edition, and "The Biggest Loser" started right after the news. I'd forgotten it was coming on, so it took me by surprise! (I used to put it on my calendar!) George didn't even have any interest in watching it with me, and didn't ask me about it as we got ready for bed.

Watching the episode last night wasn't as satisfying as it used to be. I didn't feel really motivated or inspired afterward, like I used to, and I've been trying to figure out why. It was kinda nice to see the progress the remaining contestants have made, but it didn't leave me looking forward to next week's episode at all.

I think part of it is that I've realized (again!) how unrealistic the show is. Few people have the time to take off several weeks to months from their lives to exercise, work with trainers, and eat healthy meals in a constrolled environment. Then, there was last season's player of players, Vicky, who so blatently "played the game" that it was a distraction from some of the good things happening on the show. Of course, there was this season's flub with contestant Dane, who was taped at home (once he got eliminated) finishing a local marathon, when in reality, he was picked up several miles from the finish line and driven to the end of the course, where he was taped crossing the finish line. Only when viewers balked did the show and Dane come clean about really happened with the race. (Apparently, Dane wasn't going to finish before the race officials closed the course, and the segment producer wanted to have him crossing the finish line with the finishing clock running for the benefit of showing at the end of the episode. When that episode aired, no one in front of the camera mentioned the pickup, and we were left with the impression that Dane had finished his first marathon in a great time! The story now goes that he returned to the course later in the day to run the miles he'd missed for the taping of the episode. ) Being a slow runner myself, that whole thing was a turn-off.

So, I think I'll probably just catch the recaps online for the rest of the season, but maybe I'll watch the season finale. I'll find other things to do with that two-hour chunk of time!

Another Biggest Loser Grrr Moment

The "Biggest Loser" contestant, Dane, who got voted off of last week's show, was taped "at home" completing a marathon with his wife in under four hours, impressive for anyone in my book, much less a first time marathoner! Well, it's been revealed since the airing of the show that they didn't actually run the whole marathon, but were picked up like three miles back and brought closer to the finish line to be taped running across the line and past the clock! Gosh, what a loser thing to do! I think I read it had something to do with needing to finish taping his marathon "journey," but that's not what he ended up running after being PICKED UP! They should've called it what it was, 23 miles of a marathon, instead of leading the viewers to believe he'd completed the whole thing. It's just another frustration to add to this past week's episode. Grrr!

Update: I read another online post about this issue and learned that something was wrong with the finish clock's lightbulbs, and Dane's finishing time was actually 5:53 instead of 3:53, and with a 6-hour time limit on the marathon course, the field producer wanted to tape Dane and family crossing the finish line while the (malfunctioning) clock was still up and running. Uh, so? Read more here.

Losing Weight, Gaining Perspective

George and I watched the show, "The Biggest Loser," tonight. First, we watched what we'd taped from last night, and followed it with tonight's part 2. We agree that it's probably our favorite season yet, but I'm still starting to wiggle a bit about watching it. It some respects, it inspires me to see people successful at losing weight. I also enjoy watching some of the workouts for ideas of things to do in the gym.

On the other hand, the contestants are taking time off from work, family, and extracurricular responsibilities to exercise several hours a day and be around others 24/7 who have the same goals. And they're dissappointed with weight losses of 5 lbs. or less in a week! I was also ticked this week because the teams got shifted this week, and a lot of air time was given to trainer Bob and his team getting really emotional about it all, when they were STILL on the show, STILL getting to work out with a trainer and each other, with the same medical and nutritional supervision. Golly, where's the perspective?! It just got on my nerves a little tonight! Maybe I'm not enjoying the show as much as I used to.

Motivation

Last night, George and I finally watched the season premiere of "The Biggest Loser," which we taped last Tuesday night. We decided during last season of "The Biggest Loser" (which ended just a few weeks ago, actually) that committing two hours to television on a weekday night was a bit much for us, so we started taping the new season and saving it for weekend viewing. We were rather dismayed by the last season, thanks to a particular contestant and her conniving tactics to win the game (which she didn't), so I wasn't as excited about the new season as I'd been for previous seasons--and neither was George.

Well, the episode we watched last night, which introduced the newest contestants, was interesting! Not only do they have the heaviest female, the heaviest person (a man) on the show this go-around, they also have the oldest contestants this season, a married couple who are grandparents! There was an unexpected twist to the show, announced at the weigh-in. Every couple, except for the challenge winners and the weigh-in winners (two different couples), had to send one person in each couples team home! The other part of this interesting twist is that each person who got sent home will be able to return to the show in 30 days IF the other half of their couples team is still part of the show (hasn't been sent home from the game after a weekly weigh-in).

I think this is a fascinating and good turn of events for the show, and shoule serve as a great motivator for the contestants still playing the game! Wow!

I've been looking for some weight loss motivation of my own lately, which is part of why last night's "The Biggest Loser" episode really spoke to me. I've recently bought a couple of books on that very topic, and will be starting them soon. More later!

Finally, the Finale

George and I watched the finale of "The Biggest Loser" last night, though we'd threatened not to. One contestant, Vicky, who I've posted about recently, but a big game player this season, but a big turn-off for us. Her game-player moves were not very entertaining, and ended up having plenty of watchers, it turns out, rooting against her. My main mission last night was to see that she didn't win the game. In the light of day (though the sun hasn't risen yet this morning!), that was a silly reason to waste two hours in front of the television. I was thinking all this when I got out of bed this morning, and George said to me, "I'm done watching "The Biggest Loser!" I could've been doing other things!" I totally agree! That's a huge chunk of time to give to a TV show, when there are many other things I want/need to be doing! Maybe I'll tape it next season and watch it some when it fits my schedule, but maybe I'll just let it slide. I'm tired of thinking about that show now, though, and I'm glad the seasons over. Time to go exercise, myself!

"The Biggest Villain"

I've watched the reality show, "The Biggest Loser," since its inception, intrigued by the courage of the contestants to be weighed weekly on national television. While each participant has been able to put their life on hold, at least until voted off of the show, to exercise and eat healthy with a group of like-minded people on national TV, it's been interesting to watch. This season, though, I've been turned off by one contestant in particular, because I haven't like the way she's "played" the game. George and I have watched the show together, and totally agree with each other on this, but I figured we were the only ones out there turned off by her game play. Well, I was glad to see a blog on Yahoo, and ensuing comments, about that contestant's performance on the show so far. If you're a "Biggest Loser" watcher like I am, read the blog post here and let me know whether you agree or disagree.