The Biggest Loser Under Fire! A Past Winner Defends the show as Ex Contestants Reveal Horrifying Details of Extreme Conditions.

We all knew, but we didn’t want to know.  Fans had a feeling when Jillian Michaels quit, that something was just not right.    And although there are three sides to every story, the one thing we know by now is that “Reality TV” is anything but.

A recent study done by the National Institute of Health revealed that 14 former contestants all put their weight back on after the show finished.  The New York Times did a great piece that basically goes into the details of what rapid weight loss like that experienced on the Biggest Loser does to your body.  There are long term effects including slowing down your metabolism.  Although this outcome is somewhat expected, what is not expected was the fact that the metabolism does not come back.  It slows permanently.

In light of that article contestants have been coming forward providing more insight to exactly what they did to ruin their metabolisms in the first place.  They described horrific conditions on the show including how they were offered “street drugs” and how they were manipulated to achieve interesting weigh in results.

HOW ABOUT SOME SPECIFICS?

The daily mail states that a source from the show says that Bob Harper and his assistant were giving contestants Adderall.  The source also says that the contestants were given “yellow jackets” which is a diet drug that is yellow and black like the bee by the same name.  The pill contain Ephedra which is a drug banned by the FDA!

A SOURCE?!? WHO CARES ABOUT “A SOURCE”.

SUZANNE MENDONCA

Good point. How about Suzanne Mendonca an actual contestant from Season 2.  She says,

People were passing out in Dr. H’s office at the finale weigh-in.

On my season, five people had to be rushed to the hospital. He knew exactly what we were doing and never tried to stop it.

People would take amphetamines, water pills, diuretics, and throw up in the bathroom.

They would take their spin bikes into the steam room to work up a sweat. I vomited every single day. Bob Harper tells people to throw up: “Good,” he says. “You’ll lose more calories.”‘

JOELLE GWYNN

How about Joelle Gwynn from “Couples 2” Season 7:

Bob Harper was my trainer. 

He goes away and his assistant comes in. He’s got this brown paper bag that’s bundled up. He says, ‘Take this drug, it’ll really help you.’ It was yellow and black. I was like, ‘What the f*** is this?’.

I felt jittery and hyper. I went and told the sports medicine guy. 

‘The next day, Dr. H gave us some lame explanation of why they got added to our regimen and that it was up to us to take them.

‘People chastise Bill Cosby for allegedly offering meds to women, but it’s acceptable to do to fat people to make them lose weight. I feel like we got raped, too.

Wait, let me be clear.  The press released the statement above from Joelle.  On her facebook page, she said that she had not read the article but she thought the headline was a little over the top so Joelle wrote in her own words in a Facebook post:

“I have not seen the article. But the title appears to over sensationalize my statement.

My truth, my experience…

While on BL, one day while Bob Harper was away, before our partners returned, Bob’s assistant did present to our team, a crumbled paper bag with black and yellow pills, to take for energy and further weight loss. It looked like street drugs. I was shocked and dismayed.

I told the sports medicine guy. Dr. H was also informed. It was then put in the medical area. I do not recall a medical name, I heard some street name for them. They looked like prescribed medication but we did not have any prescriptions…hence street drugs.

We were told it was optional to use. A couple of days later it was gone. It angered me that it happened. It angers me to have my truth over sensationalized.”

LEZLYE DONAHUE

Lezlye Donahue was from Season 2.

She says she and 11 other contestants were held up in a psych hospital in one room with no AC.  She said there were no working toilets and they all had to use porta-potties and shower in the same area.  She also revealed,

I read that [NIH] study, and there’s so much more that people don’t know.

There are nurses sitting there [filling people] with IV packs. I took away an eating disorder. I have nightmares about it.”

She said after the show, she not only gained all her weight back but she lost her job, fell into depression and now is in debt over the medical bills she’s incurred as a result of everything the show has put her through

BOB HARPER KNOWS WHERE HIS BREAD IS BUTTERED

Bob released an official statement on Monday.  He says nothing could be further from the truth.

‘These allegations are absolutely false and are in direct conflict with my lifelong devotion to health and fitness. 

Safety is paramount in my training regimen and, while demanding, my approach has always focused on the overall well-being of contestants as they lose significant weight and educate themselves, for the first time, on living a healthy lifestyle.

The safety and well-being of our contestants is, and always has been, paramount.

We prohibit the use of any illegal substances, in addition to the many other rules and procedures of the show that are designed to ensure safety.

MAYBE THINGS HAVE GOTTEN BETTER

And other former contestants have spoken out on Facebook to show their support for the show.

JACQUELYNE KMET

Jacky Kmet’s story

“I can not speak for others seasons or other contestants, but I can share my own experience. I was NEVER asked to take any weight loss drugs. My weight loss has come from, as [my trainer Dolvett Quince said], hard work, dedication. I have made positive food choices and love to exercise. Weight loss is a struggle, it is a challenge every day,” Jacky Kmet, who competed on the most recent season, wrote in a post on Sunday. “There are no words could ever truly express my gratitude to all those associated with the show.”

ALI VINCENT

Ali was a winner and she too gained her weight back but she doesn’t blame the show, she blames herself.  In the eight years since she won she gained all her weight back.  She started the “Biggest Loser” at 234.7 and hit a high after the show of 234.8; however she is taking ownership.  She even said that the show has improved since she one on Season 5. She explained,

“The Biggest Loser” is way different now than when I was on there. It’s owned by a different company. After I won, there wasn’t any support network for contestants after, but they started seeing a need for it. Each time they heard something new, they did something about it. In the beginning, they didn’t realize how much impact it would have on everybody

I honestly think they all might be telling the truth; their truth.  I think each contestant has their own experience.

Weather the show comes back or not will depend on ratings and sponsors.  Will Subway still sponsor the show with this backlash?  Will viewers tune in?  Season 1 and 2 averaged over 10 million viewers and Season 13 was their highest at 10.4.  The last Season, which was the 2nd without Jillian Michaels and the 1st without Allison Sweeny as host, averaged just over 4.75, the lowest yet.

With the realty tv trend shifting from the fat and helpless to the strong and stronger, shows like American Ninja Warrior and the Sylvester Stallone produced “Strong” are slowly making The biggest loser less relevant.  The show lasted 17 seasons and so far there has been no confirmation on a Season 18.  Between this latest controversy, the low ratings and the new competition, The Biggest Loser just might have lost.

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