A Valentine Goodbye Kiss...

... to The Biggest Loser Season 13 remaining shows.

I have been contemplating all week whether or not to continue watching this season's shows and I've finally decided to give up on the eye rolling (Bob Harper, really?!?) and the ridiculous claims to 'my workout routine' (again, really Bob?!) and all the negativity!  Does Bob own every fitness move and someone forgot to tell the rest of the world... isn't this show supposed to be about people getting fit and reclaiming themselves through The Biggest Loser, not some personal concern that Bob has that Dolvett Quince may be training people with similar or even JUST THE SAME workout regimes and then worsening the situation by letting the people he (Bob) is training on the black team see his hostility? What happened to your tai chi and yoga balance in that workout, Mr. Harper?

But that was just the beginning of it for me.  I watch the show to be inspired and to feel some connection with the contestants that are on the ranch.  I enjoy rooting for them and laughing with my Twitter friends on Tuesday nights about the foibles and the remarkable things they're accomplishing.  I watch the 'last workout' segments intensely to see if I can find new moves to incorporate into my hours in the gym.

I *loved* last season's contestants.  Even the older woman who cried continually (Bonnie) and I felt,unfairly, blamed Ana for her own downfalls and giving up, was annoying to me but not unlikable.  I routed for both teams, for young and old and loved the season and was inspired by it.  I was, honestly, disappointed tremendously when John won over some of the other finalists but was more upset when he didn't give Dolvett the credit he had due him as the winning trainer.  Vinny, Ramon, Courtney, Jennifer, Jessica, Sunny, Becki, Antone, Joe and so many more made last season SO enjoyable and inspirational to watch from the 1st week to the finale.

This season has had people decide they just want to go home.  No real reason other than they miss their family and want to go.  Do they have any idea how many people would have cut off a finger (an arm probably isn't realistic... lol) to be in their spot on the ranch?  And Ms. Conda thinking she is not able to give one of the trainers (Dolvett) the respect he deserves and give him back talk in front of both teams during final workout?!  Are you kidding me?

And so many other things from the past weeks... I just don't feel uplifted by the show this season.  Quite the opposite, I feel dragged down when I turn off the television. When someone begins wearing an ascot to personally promote their own ventures (non-profit or not), I think that is just weird.  An ascot with a t-shirt... and the producers said 'okay' to that?

So, my decision - as much as I love the camaraderie of Twitter #BL friends on Tuesday nights and seeing Dolvett's enigmatic smile -  I'm giving up. Turn off  my elimination room frig-light... Healthy Loser Gal has left the building for the remainder of this season!

Let me know if you feel the same way or if you think it is editing, forced conflict, etc. that has made this season of The Biggest Loser seem so different by leaving a comment.  Thanks! ; )

Here's to our health, friends!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal


7 comments:

Michelle February 15, 2012 at 8:51 AM  

I'll take it a step farther and say I haven't watched The Biggest Loser since oh, around season 4, maybe 5 or 6. I lost interest when the contestants seemed to be getting heavier and heavier. The show was constantly trying to trump itself with record-weight losses. I didn't even have to watch the show, I just saw this in previews. It became a total turn-off, and I was not inspired. Look at the weights of the contestants during the first season--some of them weighed LESS than 200 pounds! Now everyone is 275, 375, 475 and even more, and I just don't feel inspired seeing that. (It's too much weight to lose in a short amount of time! How is that healthy???)

And I don't even want to start talking about the crying. OMG-the crying. Every single episode is like this dramatic sobfest. Maybe I just see it differently, but if I were on that show, I'd be pissed! I wouldn't be sobbing with tears about how fat I am, I'd be busting my butt to get the pounds off and not crying about it. You don't have to cry to get angry about being heavy. Maybe it's the editing, maybe it's that they made the episodes longer and need fillers to drag things out. Who knows.

The show just seems to have lost its original intention or focus. At least that's how I see it.

AmyM February 15, 2012 at 3:37 PM  

I agree. It's ridiculous that it's 2 hours long! Too much! And I agree -- the negativity on the show this season is outrageous. The whiny/drama queen Conda - I don't get how such an ungrateful person can make it on this show. And when that one contestant decided to go home - there wasn't more of a fight to convince him to stay --- no one said - Do you know how many ppl are watching this at home and yelling that they wish they had this opportunity? It's like they get to the ranch and forget how lucky they are to have the best trainers, doctors, dietitians at their disposal.
AND .... all the product placement gets worse and worse every season -- I'd like to see how many mins are devoted to product placement in every episode. It's rather insulting to my intelligence and I find it tacky. "That's why eating at Subway gives you the best options to choose from." "That's why drinking a Brita water filter is the best!"
Commercials should be in the allotted commercial time - not during the show. I've canceled my season pass subscription and I'm not recording it anymore.

I wonder if the producers felt like losing Jillian this season -- their ratings have gone down so they feel they have to do "dramatic" things to bring up ratings ... encourage drama/competition between the trainers? suggest that a certain contestant be a little more hostile? ???? Makes me wonder if Jillian's absence has left big holes in the success of BL.

Trish February 16, 2012 at 9:06 AM  

Yeah I have to say I have not watched in a number of seasons. It just not been inspiring to me...but as you said ther was just too much negativity for me.

I think the producers have lost site to the bigger picture and are way too far into promotion of products claiming to help you lose weight.

Oh well it was a good run while it inspired.

Moving on.

Char Swann February 21, 2012 at 5:42 PM  

I totally agree with you on this one. I haven't watched since Season 5. It's more like reality tv than an inspirational show to uplift and rejuvenate. I'm so done.

ff12a February 22, 2012 at 11:03 AM  

This season is horrible. It seems that this season is all about themselves. No one seems to care about weight loss. They threw the weigh in last night and Bob actually seemed to defend them for doing it. Dolvett flipped out and it was Bob's team who did it. He was like oh there is a lot of tension in the house. Previous seasons he would have been livid. Now TMZ is reporting that the cast walks off when eliminated contestants come back and have a shot at the grand prize, thus proving it is all about the money and nothing else. Remember Ali coming back and they welcomed her because she earned it? Guess this cast is too short sighted to see it. I too loved interacting with all my twitter friends during BL now all everyone does is complain about this season. I am no longer inspired by them I am frustrated and sadden by them. Conda and Kim are the most toxic people ever.

Elizabeth February 26, 2012 at 9:36 PM  

I am with you, my mum loves the show and likes the company from me to watch it. However, I just can't do it anymore this season. For the last 3 weeks I've said this isn't motivating, inspiring or helping anyone. I have yet to see one "no excuses" season episode eliminate an excuse. I hate to say that the show has fallen from something good and and personally defining, to the common denominator of ratings and money. I am saddened that I no longer have people I can root for, and people that I feel are telling my story. The best thing we can do though is continue to be our own inspirations, help each other and be the models that this show has diminished. I'm glad we all have each other with or without Tuesday night chat :)

~ Mollysmama xo

*M_Rose* April 13, 2012 at 10:40 AM  

I TOTALLY agree with you. I kept watching, hoping so badly that it would turn around, and I would find the contestants to be inspiring and encouraging. Instead all I have found is a show that reminds me of what it was like to be in high school with a bunch of mean people (with an obvious few exceptions). Last season was definitely much better. I saw the preview for next week about how all the contestants walked off because they were going to bring back eliminated contestants and I decided I was done. If people want to lost weight, it's probably more productive to just do it at home.