Former Biggest Loser contestant exposes the truth behind the show

[Thor]

Was fascinating to read this, considering my experience with the Icelandic version.

What was most shocking and something I've heard rumors about was the fact the US and Oz shows would sometimes go 2-4 weeks between weigh ins and show it on TV as it being only 1 week.

We have been seeing people in Iceland asking on social media why our contestants don't lose like the other countries, and now we know why, they lie!

I think this is a horrible thing, we don't want to promote a unrealistic ideal for people trying to get their health back, and I think looking at the winner of the latest US Biggest Loser that she looks very unhealthy and losing 60% of her body weight in 6 months is far from healthy.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/entert...-1226820498768

You probably think we spent all day everyday working out in the Biggest Loser house. Wrong. No one ever worked out for more than two and a half hours a day. You really can't do much more than that if you're training hard.

Biggest Loser cops a lot of bad publicity about what they do to the contestants. People need to remember that we signed up for a TV show and that's exactly what it is … a TV show.

They want the drama, the tears, the fights, the tears, the triumphs and the tears. Producers would push you to cry because that's what makes good TV. They continually asked questions like "Do you miss your kids?" Needless to say, I broke down more than once.

The only thing that really disappoints me about the Biggest Loser is the length of time between the weigh-ins. Have you ever wondered how the contestants manage to lose a staggering 12 kilos in a single week? We don't. In my series a weekly weigh-in was NEVER filmed after just one week of working out.

In fact the longest gap from one weigh-in to the next was three and a half weeks. That's 25 days between weigh-ins, not seven. That "week" I lost more than nine kilos. I had to stand on the scales and was asked to say the line, "wow, it's a great result, I've worked really hard this week". The producers made sure that we never gave this secret away, because if we did, it created a nightmare for them in the editing suite.

The shortest gap from weigh-in to weigh-in during our series was 16 days. That's a fact. The thing is, overweight people get inspired by watching the Biggest Loser. They get off the couch and they hit the gym. But after a week in the real world, some people might only lose 1kg so they feel like they've failed and they give up.

[Ashasx]

So even the experience of weight loss itself is being aggrandized by Hollywood.

To me, this is not acceptable. I think a lot of people might have assumed as much from the show, but this would be so discouraging to many others.

[Itse]

Add it to the big pile of fake reality TV.

Still, this is indeed quite low even on that scale.

[Joborule]

The only reality TV there is, is documentaries. That 'weekly' weigh in scam though is pretty bush league though.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I saw that floating around on Facebook and thought of you Thor. I was going to ask you about it but assumed you wouldn't be able to comment.

Thanks for the input.

[Devils'Advocate]

I had heard all about the shenanigans at Biggest Loser. Which is why I was worried about you being in it, assuming that they were all run the same way. I am glad to hear that yours was more on the up-and-up.

[La Flames Fan]

This is another reason I have never been into any reality show. They are contrived, preconceived, and are full of "real people" who are anything but. (Sorry Thor, I know you're real, but I'm talking mostly North America here!)

I wish primetime TV could get back to scripted series. Look at what Netflix, HBO, and Showtime are doing...network TV is just news, crime shows, and reality shows. Sad, and why I don't have cable.

Reality shows are much cheaper to produce on the other hand, so it's no wonder they keep on popping them out.

[Daradon]

I can't say I'm really surprised. There is little to no reality in reality shows. In fact I once heard that the only difference between most reality shows and a sitcom or drama is you can get away without writing a script. You still have people telling the stars/contestants what they want to see, what they want them to do etc. In fact, most of the competitions are rigged.

Guess they didn't teach the Icelandic version of Hollywood that. You guys are too nice for your own good!

[Thor]

Well yeah that was my #1 worry as well going into the show here, the producers here basically got yelled at after the international producer for the show came to Iceland to review the first few episodes.

Thankfully what you see is what you get in our version, its 1 week per weigh in and nothing was asked of us that was unhealthy or what I would consider dishonest.

[Thor]

Oh and if you guys have any questions about the show, don't hesitate to ask.

[Thor]

LOL one of the contestants Kólbrun wrote this in response to doubts raised by this Article in Iceland. It was well done, BUT when I put it into Google translate the hilarity ensues!

This at a time after coming to the surface and now that I've pretty much been asked Listened this article http://www.couriermail.com.au/entert...-1226820498768

I am much there it asked whether Inga Lara ( I hope you are the same I signal you and everybody else that I tag in this email ) has been asked to say something negative to Gurrý the weight Eyþór Arni has been asked to be with others and these excuses because he had " difficult ", I was asked to go to bellow when Hrönn and Johanna Elisha had to fight for a place at the end of the first week and what Arnfin have now actually done to lose 12kg and if this was not all just play !

I have to say that those who came to the components for the Biggest Loser in Iceland observed by us with respect , interest and affection !
It was not played , it did not hit the " drama " points or something similar to make components for the better -watching ..
Sure, you can do something better than we participate marijuana were very willing to let us hear if something was missing or if something needed to change and it was always taken into account to us!

Excuses are what put us in a bad place in life, mentally and physically, even though we had come up with KOK of ourselves .
Guðríður and Evert were not our friends or assistants to tie shoes or comb our hair ! They came to let us have the bliss that accompanies success and improved health !

I can not adequately thank these people who came to constituents , whether participants were or crew ! Thanks is not enough big words but it will fail and I have to show my gratitude !

I simply wish that everyone may know the truth of these factors , one week with us was usually one week with you .. 7 days .. 168klst and endlaust fun time !
I hope that other warm season will be made so more than the 12 we get a chance to better health ! and if so will go that I may keep abreast ! should be involved ! Should be relevant !
But this of course is just my experience
Thank you

[Daradon]

I would say Springs1 but she isn't that positive...

Back to the actual issue, what I was taught when I was five still stands. If you see it on TV don't believe it (or at least a huge grain of salt).

Reality TV had maybe two years of being close, but it became like all other TV.

Iceland may approach it different. But in all honesty you guys are a spec, ON A SPEC of a map of the world, and TV.

Good on you guys that it was real. And I think a lot of us going into it though you knew it would be, cause we knew you. But it`s the exception to the rule.

Again, good on Iceland for being real, and good on you for your journey. But to expect it was like this around the world...? I'm sorry Thor, horribly naive. Very horribly naive.

Maybe we've lived to close to Americans for too long. But it's like that in Britian, China, hell look at Russia faking everything right now.

You live in a country that doesn't fill most countries immigrant population. It's very nice. But sometimes it's cute, the way you see the world.

Sorry, that's harsh, but... ehhhh You know I love you Thor.

[Thor]

Not at all harsh, its the truth

Part of Iceland's charm is its innocence.

[Thor]

Apparently this will appear, in ENGLISH in one of the papers tomorrow, anyhow I just wrote concerning the little bit of criticism the show has received in Iceland so far. Overwhelmingly it has been getting rave reviews, even from die hard skeptics of BL USA.

Since the Biggest Loser Iceland has brought about so much discussion, most of it positive, but some of it negative I wanted to discuss a few issues being brought up on social media, and on various news sites here in Iceland.

The biggest one right now is the discussion about the former contestant from the Australian version telling the world about some behind the scenes tricks and of course the recent winner of Biggest Loser USA where she lost an astonishing 60% of her body weight in only 6 months.

I can only speak on my experience here, but I want everyone to know that firstly the weekly weigh in was exactly 7 days apart, no tricks, no gimmicks and nothing being asked of us contestants to bring down our weight every week other than eating healthy, working out, and getting our sleep.

As for the USA winner, I have the same reaction as most people, I worry that the end result was not healthy. I'm not a fitness expert, but that amount of weight loss in such a short time can't be healthy, and I only hope she can find health and keeps it for good.

The producers and crew went out of their way to promote health first and took all our health concerns very seriously. Nothing is perfect the first time around, but I have no complaints after my experience and I came into the show worrying we would be asked to do things that were not healthy, or that the show would show us in a negative light. After 3 episodes I am thrilled to see not only is that not the case, but that I think this show can be a great motivator for people.

If nothing, this show is creating a lot of discussion here in Iceland about health, about diet, and about the psychological side of this which is a great thing.

As for fat shaming or the show being about putting us down for ratings is nonsense. Both our trainers care a great deal for each of us, yes they are not perfect and you may not agree with everything you see, but the ultimate goal was always first and foremost about safe, healthy exercise with healthy eating, nothing complicated. I think any trainer asked to be on this show would have seen some ridicule and you have to always remember you only see a tiny percent of what happens daily at Ásbrú.

The most positive part of this experience for me outside of weight loss is the impact it has had on my confidence, my energy, my sleep, and my happiness. I see people inspired by what they see on this show and for all its faults, you get what you see on the Icelandic version, no tricks, no script, just real people struggling to find their way back to health. I see people around me at work, on the street who seem very excited about the show and I have heard of plenty of people who are getting into shape because this show helped inspire them to change their habits.