The Biggest Loser, loses

I am not unlike most of the world in that I find myself sucked into the vortex known as reality t.v. each fall. To make matters worse I am a TIVO owner. This means that I am able to easily record an infinite number of shows with the touch of a button (boop-de-boop).

One of my favorites has always been The Biggest Loser. This season I have found myself disappointed each week with the contestants inability to pull big numbers (in reference to their weekly weight loss). It is fairly ridiculous for me in the profession of wellness to expect this and yet I sit in front of the t.v. screen on Tuesdays wondering "what is wrong with this batch?" Last year I was always impressed with the weekly weight loss drop in double digits and the '08 group has been putting up 3's, 5's and even some 0's.

And then I remembered the inexplicable truth that is reality t.v. Epiphany here folks pay attention. It is not reality! When placed in controlled situations while cameras roll there are many things that can be forced, but the body is not one of them. It will ebb and flow as we do, moving in and out of weight fluctuations without regard to what we think about it.

Reality is, weight loss is a long road. It is a journey that only the brave will undertake and the most courageous succeed in. Even with hours of workout time under their belt and nothing to think of other then how to prepare their next healthy meal the contestants still experience a stand still.

So what for the many masses that don't have personal chefs, 6 hours a day to spend in the gym, and Jillian or Bob pushing the body beyond what was believed capable? How can success be realized?

That is the hard part. There isn't an easy diet, workout, program, or pill to create immediate results. It has to be done as one learns to walk, crawling first, then standing, falling down, standing again, one tentative foot in front of the other. There must be a deep desire for a different experience in the body, a commitment to living the life that will bring it about, and a willingness to push forward even when it seems to be fruitless.

Ultimately the reward of this challenging road is a body to stand proud in, but it can only be achieved if the individual is willing to commit to the journey.