OT: Biggest Loser TV Show last night

A bit off topic but last night was the first show of the season of The Biggest Loser and I was wondering if anyone watched and caught that comment made by Jillian the trainer to that one woman at their first workout.

I can relate to that lady as she weighed in at 476 pounds and that is the same weight I started this journey at. But here is a lady that has never worked out before and was on the verge of collapsing on that stair machine. Then Jillian called her a "Pathetic Big Fat Loser" when she wasnt able to go any further.

Hey I understand motivation and there are times things need to be said but in my opinion, that was way out of line and totally un-called for

Just my 2 cents.............Rick

I didn't get to watch it last nite...but I have to agree...wayyyyy out of line!  Humiliation is NEVER a motivator!  I can't imagine ever putting myself so 'out there' (getting on a reality show)...and then have to put up with public name-calling?  I'd probably get back in his face...cameras or no cameras LOL
Nancy aka Sunray

While I don't agree with Jillian's training tactics. Name calling is never a good thing, neither is belittling another person. I personally don't care for her tv persona nor her screaming. That is not a good motivator. She uses tough love. She knows these contestants are fighting for their lives. She believes in them. She knew that that particular contestant was sidelined by listening to what her head was saying to her. Her head was saying the exact same things that Jillian had the guts to say. This was confirmed by the contestant. When they did the weigh in later, you could tell that Jillian was proud of her and her weight loss. As we always say on this board, we are given the tool, but we do the hard work. We have to get beyond the voices (in our own heads, and the nay-sayers).
I'm not disagreeing with you, but this is just my opinion and how I interpreted what I saw last night.
Have a great day!

Oh I wont argue the fact that that contestant needed some MAJOR motivation. I too think Jillian does use tough love and believes in her contestants and has their best interest at heart. But to resort to public name calling was just over the edge in my opinion.

LOL..........I would like to see if I could survive just one week of having her as a personal trainer. It would be one heck of an experience........I dont think I could survive

My daughter is a certified personal trainer and doctorate of physical therapy student at Mt. St. Mary's College in LA.  I NEVER let her work out with me..lol   There is a devil in most PTs.. if they are our kids.   ..even worse!!..lol
Kim in Fontana

Hey Kim,

Just wondering how much does your daughter charge?  I would love some help. Even if she just tells me what equipment to use and how much of each reps i should do that would help me sooooooooo much.  

thanks,

Julli

Well I'm biased cause I LOVE Jillians in your FACE f*ck crying put your big girl/boy panties on and do it approach.  We all have this inner dialog that tells us we can't do something YET we haven't even tried.  NOW I wouldn't suggest that if you are in a gym and a trainer is pushing you BUT this isn't the case, they have not only the personal trainers, but doctors and paramedics etc on speed dial and in studio to deal with the fact that these people will be pushed.

Your body can achieve what your mind can't conceive and it's THIS that she needs.  Jillian is saying OUTLOUD what we all say to ourselves.  "My FAT ass can't do this" and each and every year she shows them that your fat ass can do anything you PUSH yourself to do.

MS Shell

I watched last night and I don't think I even noticed that Jillian called her that....what really stood out to me was Jillian's philosphy behind motivating her, it was very profound. Everything that woman was believing about herself was a story in her head. She was so caught up in her personal history filled with tragedy (her maother had died from a drug overdose I think)...and Jillian said she was not going to let her do it anymore.

How often did I do that to myself?? Believeing that I could never lose weight, beliveing that I could never be athletic, believeing that I could never live healthy because no one in my family did....

All she had to do was change her mind, and good for those trainers for not chasing after her when she left the gym and quit. They did not give her the negative attention she was going after (she might not even realize what she's doing yet, but the trainer saw it)

I have to agree with Shell, I'm a fan of the tough love too...and if the contestant needed to be yelled at to save her own life than so be it.

She is harsh but these people knew what they were getting into and that girl ended up doing it even when she didn't think she could.  Jillian does something right because these people had huge weight loss this week! I think that girl lost 18 lbs or something crazy. It's a very motivating show to workout to! I was kicking my own ass last nigh****ching it because I don't want to be big like that anymore/ever again!

So here is my two cents.  I used to watch this show.  I stopped watching because I just cannot stand Jillian's tactics.  Obviously the show wants her to behave like she does or she wouldn't be there and obviously some people will love her and others won't.

My point is this.  I think you can motivate and encourage people without humiliating them.  Calling someone a "pathetic big fat loser" may motivate some to go further.  But other's it will demoralize and cause them more grief.  That young lady didn't get to 476 pounds because she feels good about herself.  I'm not saying she needs to be handled with kid gloves and have her poor little ego soothed, but encourage her with positive reinforcement.  Scream at her that she can do it.  Scream at her not to give up.  Push her forward. Be her cheerleader. Be in her face and say "just do it for yourself". Don't call her names.  That's all that anyone has ever done and it didn't work before. Name calling has no place anywhere.  Not on the playground and not on TV.  Humiliation for the sake of TV ratings just turns my stomach.

Stephanie