Hollywood and Celebrities are Not Helping for Weight Loss…See Why!
Ok, here’s the quick rant side of me that is going to get rolling….as I need to get it out of my system. But I can’t understand why we are still listening to celebrities, magazines and TV when it comes to weight loss. Why do I think it’s such a bad idea? Well because I know that one things sells, QUICK weight loss. Slow and steady don’t sell ratings on a show, it’s boring…..heck I wouldn’t want to watch it either. But then again, quick and fast isn’t the route either! So below are some of my observations about the worst offenders for quick weight loss….so we can realize what is being sold and just ignore all the crap out there.
- Oprah – Now I am not going to say I know exactly what she talks about on her show all the time, as I don’t watch her. But from everything I’ve ever seen or heard she promotes “look at me and how quick I lost all my weight”. Oh really? So that fact that she gained all your weight back (and more) doesn’t say anything about everything she has been preaching? That and how does Bob Greene (her trainer…well not sure if he still is), Dr Phil and all the other superstar weight loss experts even have any credibility when their claim to fame is a failure? How does Dr Phil (an overweight person) even have the right to talk about how to lose weight? (would you go to an obese nutritionist to learn how to eat for weight loss? I think not)
Winfrey, who is chairman of Harpo Inc., famously wheeled a wagon loaded with fat onto the set of her talk show in 1988 to represent a 67-pound weight loss while wearing a pair of Size 10 Calvin Klein jeans. She had lost the pounds with a liquid-protein diet. “I had literally starved myself for four months – not a morsel of food,” Winfrey recalled in 2005. “Two hours after that show, I started eating to celebrate – of course, within two days those jeans no longer fit!”
- The Biggest Loser – I will be the first to admit, I hate this show. Why? Because it promotes again quick and easy weight loss….which is never the best course of action nor lasting (see Oprah). Also this show doesn’t tell you that they work out for 3-4 hours a day and eat 600 cal. How is this helping anyone by measuring the scale every day to make sure they lose a ridiculous amount of weight? Oh…here’s some interesting observations from some past contestants:
But while the message of the show is inspiring, it is also unrealistic. The Biggest Loser achieves rapid transformations-contestants often drop more than 9 kg in a week-through calorie restriction, endless exercise and no small amount of dehydration that occurs behind the scenes. Ryan Benson, 38, an actor who works for a DVD distributor in Los Angeles, lost 55 kg to win the first season in January 2005 but says he regained 14.5 kg within five days simply by drinking water. Matt Hoover, 31, a motivational speaker based in Seattle, had a 7-kg rebound within a day of winning Season 2. Last season’s runner-up, Kai Hibbard, 28, an aerobics instructor in Alaska who says she spent the night before her final weigh-in hopping in and out of a sauna for six hours, consumed only sugar-free Jell-O for several days and wolfed down asparagus, which is a natural diuretic. “It’s amazing the things you learn in a weight-loss competition,” she says. from this article on time.com
- Celebrities and Movie Roles – Everytime you walk through the supermarket you see the tabloids talking about how so and so lost 30lbs for her new role and looks amazing. Yes she does….now fast forward to 6months later…does she still look amazing? Was it really lasting? Is she still motivated to workout 3 hours a day? Most times not. But then the magazines have the latest person to lose weight and some super secret program. Whether it’s the master cleanse or some other detox diet (now the rage curtousy of Hollywood), none of it lasts. Look at the handful of celebs who actually stay fit year round, those are the people we want to learn from….as they keep things simple and consistent…no quick weight loss gimicks there.
So as we get ready for the new year and another blast of all things weight loss in the book stores and on TV, let’s just try and not get caught up in all the false info out there and rather remember that weight loss slow and steady is always the best way to go. It’s time for all the so called “experts” to go away, and time to take back control of our own health. Time to stop listening to others and rather start to listening to ourselves. Discuss below your strategies for the new year and let’s all get permanent lifestyle changes for our health.
Here’s some more interesting commentary on some of the things above seen here as well:
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Maybe I’m being overly cynical, but I’m surprised that you’re surprised by this. I think it’s just a reflection of the normal human tendency to seek the path of least resistance.
Most people tend to listen to those telling them what they want to hear. What you’re preaching isn’t overly complicated, or really even that difficult – but it does require through and consistent discipline. That is something most people lack.
As long as others are offering a quick fix, people will be falling for it because it’s easier than changing their habits. Add to that the rather unsavory “bread and circuses” aspect of pop-culture and you have a recipe for inane celebrity programs that plenty of people eat up.
Chris – You are correct, I am not overly surprised…but it’s more my frustrated shouting out to the world “Why are we still doing this?”. Hopefully more and more people will start to ask that same question of themselves…and then be able to find their own lasting answers.
Mike,
I couldn’t agree with you more. It’s this whole mindset of instant gratification that the general public SEEKS OUT in TV and movies. It’s insane!
But, on the other hand, we can over inflate (on purpose) the importance of those celebs who stay fit all the time, like Will Smith or Brad Pitt for example. Make those celebs more in the limelight when it comes to issues of weight. I know I try to do that on my blog as much as possible. People want to know about celebs lifestyles, so we need to filter the crappy drink-weight-loss-diet-users and throw in the strength-training-every-week-bad-asses in there more!
Fantastic article, I’m diggin/delicious-ing it!
All the Best,
Andrew
Well at least we have fitness role models like LL Cool J, Brad Pitt, Cindy Crawford Sylvester Stallone and Will Smith. These are people who work out and eat healthy to stay fit year-round
Man i can’t stand watching the biggest loser….making obese people kill themselves running, and then eat subway…..When you know all that they need to do first is get there diet inline by cutting out the processed carbs. I know people wouldn’t have fun watching that though…an obese person who cooks some bacon and eggs in the morning and just lives life normally and lose weight…. who would want to advertise for that kind of show…right?
I think matthew mcconaughey is a good example though…he is always talking about grilling meat, and surfing…two of my favorite things…
When I heard about Oprah, it got me thinking of how many highly intelligent people I know can be so successful in their respective fields, and yet so completely irrational and impulse driven when it comes to their diet – easily swayed by the latest fad diet or magic pill.
Dude, really? Insulting Hollywood?
Next thing I know you’ll be saying the media is biased, sensationalist, and not totally up with science and logical thinking.
Martin, the other day I was thinking about my high school physics and the conservation of momentum. I wondered if it didn’t extend into either areas, for example, conservation of stupidity.
It seems like some of the people who I think are totally wrong on big issues like the nature of life and religion, are nonetheless among the most sensible and decent. And usually — not often, usually — the people I agree with about those larger issues are moronic juvenile dumb—-.
Anyway.
I, on the other hand, am never stupid, except when devoting time and energy to wonder why God didn’t see fit to evenly grant the gift of intelligence. And wasting my time on that conundrum is perhaps the greatest stupidity of all!
Mike, I agree with you about slow, but not steady. I think it’ll be a function with up and downs. I don’t think many people lose half a pound a week per week every week in real life. I doubt many of our ancestors did either. It seems to me there’s a lot of fluctuation, and as long as one keeps a healthy trend line, they’re on the right track.
Even intermittent fasting seems to be revealing of that underlying reality. Dynamic complex systems and all.
if you can’t pcik on celebrities, who can you pick on?
Those shows and magazines just prove that people want to be told what to do; especially if they are being told by “beautiful” people. hooray for quick fixes!
Mike, why be fit? I am writing this for the sake of a philosophical discussion. The other day I met up with an old friend after many years. It seemed that time and a life of bad habits had really gotten to him. At 27 he wheezed like Darth Vader, and almost filed up two seats. As we chatted away he commented on how lean I was looking, and I laid down in two sentences what my secret was. “HGH-inducing workouts 4-5 times a week, and a low-carbish diet consisting of veggies meats, and yummy fats” He went on to say that such a lifestyle seemed too stressful to follow. He concluded, ” You and I aren’t models, why deprive yourself?” I had no answer. I could tell him about health, wakefulness, longevity, feeling good looking good, but it really seemed like something egotistical at that moment. As we parted I walked around town looking at the people around me, and out of all the scrawny, flabby, or decrepit bodies there were only a handful of fit people, most of them younger than me. It made me wonder, I do not want to ever stop, but why am I doing it? Why take the time to lift weights or sprint? Why get down below 10% bodyfat? Why skip out on french fries and cake? Why look good? I know these seem like obvious questions, but I am trying to answer them from my friend’s perspective. Because in the end, is it not all for the sake of vanity?
One of the primary reasons I do it is for health, but never forget about Patrick Swayze. 56, ripped, pancreatic cancer. We all know many seemingly healthy people who dropped dead from heart attacks and tumors. My uncle ate nothing but boiled fish and veggies for 20 years, but got a heart attack ( though he was skinny fat). Likewise if you look at most centenarians, not many look like Jack LaLanne, some of them don’t even eat that healthy. I would like tpo say that I feel more productive, but when I look at the great achievers, doctors, scientists, businessmen, artists, they are just as out of shape as anyone else. Frankly, I do not think that Andrew Carnegie, Trump, Einstein or Richard Dawkins missed anything because of a lack of a six-pack. I myself am an artist and animator, and when I look at my idols I see that they are out of shape. While one does become attractive to the opposite sex, I remember that the Master Pick Up Artists come in all shapes and sizes, and that personality is much more important than looks. Where I live, I see scrawny and skinny-fat blobs form a reltionship and even abuse beautiful women.Ron Jeremy is a short, fat, bald man with a jewfro but is the top pornstar. In a documentary, his lady co-stars preferred him over most generic bodybuilderish porn actors. As for women, I have seen enormous women get married to good-looking men. I guess there will always be chubby-chasers.
Point being, I love the fact that I stay out of the doctor’s office, and will robably never need prescription medicine. I love looking in the mirror and seeing a nice lean body. But in the end is there really anything more to it? Is looking great really anything special. Moreover is it wrong? In light of the fat-acceptance movement, I would be considered vain, anorexic, and genetically blessed. I get weird looks for leaving out french fries, skipping desert or for ordering salad. By looking better than 90% of people, am I just some sort of elitist? Again, I want to be fit for the rest of my life, I am not knocking health and fitness in any way. I am simply questioning the overall philosophy.
JE – “He concluded, †You and I aren’t models, why deprive yourself?†I had no answer. I could tell him about health, wakefulness, longevity, feeling good looking good, but it really seemed like something egotistical at that moment.”
I would say first I don’t feel deprived of anything in my life….it’s a mental state I have control over. Most people fail on diets because they feel deprived. I enjoy foods, beer, ice cream or many other things. The difference is I enjoy them in smaller quantities than others. That and to me life is more enjoyable daily when I have energy, more mental clarity, and do what I want to do daily because it’s all my choice. It’s not about how my abs look as I don’t run around shirtless all day long. As for someone who ate healthy and got cancer vs the person who drank and smoke and lived to be 100….there are no guarantees in life. Sickness can come from the environment around you that you are not even aware of (toxic exposure or otherwise). Prevention is the only thing we can do, and knowing what I know about healthy eating and living, I take full responsibility for my own health. If someone wants to eat anything and takes all the responsibility for their actions, that’s their choice. While great looking abs is a motivator for people to want to get fit, it’s not why I do what I do. As for women, if guys think big guns and abs get women….well I feel sorry for them as they will attract the wrong type of women who will just want the physical appearance. Attraction is one thing, not knowing someone for who they really are is another.
In summary….we all have our own reasons, but I never feel deprived in my life…as everything is my choice. Food is life to me…..not life is about food.
Mike,
I have a few personal trainer buddies who work with the celebrities in La-La Land.
The stories they have told me about the drugs that their clients use to help them build their bodies would make your head spin – anabolic steroids, growth hormone, amphetamines (some of the super-skinny actresses also dabble in crystal meth), insulin, diuretics, anti-aromatase agents, and of course, lots of coke)
My buddies usually have a very short time period to whip someone into shape. Considering there is usually a very large pile of money riding on their appearance, America’s action heros will do whatever it takes to get into shape.
Mike,
Firstly, thanks again for a constant stream of thought provoking posts.
I find it quite ironic that many people object to, or can’t find the time to lift weights for 30 minutes 2 or 3 times a weeks, but carry around in excess of 50lbs of body fat 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
If you eat well, and have a fit and strong body – you more than likely save yourself far more time than if you live a lifestyle that excludes exercise and whole foods (meat, veg, good fats):
(i) You move quicker – thus saving time getting from A to B to Z.
(ii) You spend less time eating, (and cooking and shopping). You don’t live to eat – you eat to live.
(iii) You are more alert and feel less tired.
(iv) You spend less time being sick, queueing at the doctors or pharmacists, and generally feeling less than 100%.
Lifting a couple of hundred pounds for maybe an hour a week is a much easier proposition than carrying around an extra 50 pounds of fat 24 hours a day, 7days a week. If presented with that choice how many people would say – …….., no I would rather carry around 50lbs of fat for the remainder of my life. There’s no way I am going to spend 30 minutes twice a week in the gym lifting weights – life too short for that.
When I switched to a low carb diet I initially obsessed about the need to eat protein every few hours, least my muscles wated away to nothing. Experimenting with a few brief fasts has reassured me that I was worrying unnecessarily.
One area where I am unclear is on the ability of the body to utilise incomlete protein; eg, from non animal sources, like nuts and to a lesser degree from vegetable sources. Are these simply wasted or converted in to sugar in the absence of one of more of the essentiual amino acids. I am begining to wonder if the body is much more inovative than we are often led to believe: can the body make some use of incomplete proteins, particularly in the short term.
It seems to me that everyone assumes they know about protein but that perhaps the body’s need and ability to utilise protein is far more complex and subtle than mnay people realsie. Quite possibly its an area where quality and timing is more important than quantity.
Paul Anderson
My personal experince has been that your taste buds quickly adjust to life with no suga: in fact I would say I enjoy my food and have a much more varied diet than when I was eating a
Apologies for the typos above.
This is kind of off topic for this post, but on topic for the website I guess. How does one break a longer fast? I have fasted for 36-48 hours before and I break my fasts with small amounts of fresh fruits and veggies, but I have read a lot of different things and I wanted to know what you thought. Should one always break a fast with fruits and vegetables? If so, should they be raw, or cooked soft? What about fiber is it too hard on the digestive system or is it good to get some fiber in there from the get go? What about animal products such as dairy and meat, are they good right off a fast, or should one wait for a while before reintroducing them into their diet? I realize it’s a lot of questions, but I have read tons of varying advice on the subject. I have read a lot about what happens to the body while fasting, I just don’t know as much about how the body reacts when coming off a fast.
Thanks,
Kimberly
Kimberly – I’ll move/copy your comment and reply to it in the post Intermittent Fasting 101. (better place for it, and so others can read it as well)
The best reason of all: selfishness.
Eat to live…don’t live to Eat! I don’t know why people think your not living if you don’t eat cake? I Eat right and Exercise so i can do anything i want!!! I live by surfing, hiking, climbing, biking, skateboarding, and having sex!!! I am not up for any of these activities if i don’t feel good, i don’t live to eat cookies! I want to keep doing these things till i die…hopefully doing one of these things!!!! And i don’t care when i die…but going out doing what i love!!!!
The series finale of Biggest Loser was filmed about a mile down the road on tuesday, they did an interview of the couple from Greenville (I think they were from around here) and of course their interest was more in winning the grand prize of 5000 dollars or whatever amount it was then their overall health. At least that was my take on it. No real surprise though.
From JE Gonzalez: He concluded, †You and I aren’t models, why deprive yourself?â€Â
My answer would have been, “Because I guarantee you have no idea how terrible you feel right now”. It’s not about being a model, and it’s not about depriving (or treating) yourself. It’s about walking around on a daily basis feeling GOOD. Smokers don’t realize how crappy they feel until they quit. And overweight people with poor exercise and dietary habits won’t realize how crappy THEY feel until they adopt better habits. (I wrote about this topic earlier this week, in fact.)
The trouble is convincing people of this. But for every 99 people that dismiss you immediately, there’s the one who listens, and gives it a try, and has a better life for it. I’ll keep preaching for the one.
“And overweight people with poor exercise and dietary habits won’t realize how crappy THEY feel until they adopt better habits.”
Weight creeps up slowly on most people that they have adjusted their mindset on how it feels to be overweight. And once they are in their comfort zone, it is almost impossible to change their minds unless they have some kind of health epiphany.
[...] may seem like a losing battle, but that’s exactly what Mike from The IF Life did in his post Hollywood Is Not Helping For Weight Loss! You may like the shows, but he’s got some good points on why these TV shows may not be [...]
Great discussion!
Those of us in the heath and fitness industry have to remember a few principles of human nature:
1. Felt need for change. No one with make the effort to do something different until they have a felt need for change. Many of the people, do not have a felt need to change, so you have to create it.
2. Discipline is a rare quality in our country, so you have to override this by attaching their situation to others. Their families, Groups and so on.
3. Economics over the next few years may play a bigger role than ever before.
Many companies are not hiring people that will put stress on their health plans or may have health days absent.
The bottom line is, we have to keep preaching life style change. It is not in vain.
I understand the frustrations. Many of those close to me are in the mindset that JE talks about, It’s sad, but they are not going to listen to you until they have a felt need for change.
Arbie
…and yet quick fix products with ridiculous claims continue to sell like hotcakes (!). Commitment to lifestyle change can be scary for many people, so they try to find a shortcut, which often damages metabolism (not to mention other things) in the long run.
BODA weight loss
Stephanie – sadly “quick fixes” will always sell…until people realize there is no quick fix and stop falling for misleading (and sometimes just outright lying) ads. Once people stop buying…those products will go away, but we live in a quick fix world….that’s what people want and that’s what is advertised.
[...] Is this really the motivation people need or should have? (as I have already mentioned about how much I dislike the biggest loser TV show) Print This Post About the Author:Mike O’Donnell is a professional health & [...]