Jillian Michaels Confirms About What We Suspected All Along About The Biggest Loser Set
The following article contains mentions of mental health issues.
"The Biggest Loser" has long had critics denouncing the show's concept. Although it was a huge hit in the 2000s — The New York Times reported it was one of NBC's most-watched primetime shows — it returned in 2020 to a less than stellar reception. The show came under fire due to its premise of losing as much weight as possible, seemingly without concern for the contestants' health and safety. Dr. Charles Burant told The New York Times, "I'm waiting for the first person to have a heart attack," adding that he thought the show was "so exploitative." While he didn't have a heart attack, Ryan Benson, the winner of Season 1, told the paper that while on the show — where he lost more than a third of his body weight — he fasted and dehydrated to the point he started peeing blood.
Despite the controversy, the show's original run continued until 2016. Now Jillian Michaels, a trainer whom "The Biggest Loser" launched into superstardom, is speaking out against the show that made her a household name.
Jillian Michaels thinks the show 'gamified' weight loss
Jillian Michaels, who was known on "The Biggest Loser" for her abrasive approach to the contestants she coached, told "TODAY Health" that she has some regrets about the show. She said her "number one issue" with the show was that they sent contestants home every week, arguing that everyone should have been allowed to stay for the duration of the competition. "But the producers gamified weight loss," she said. "It was weight loss on a ticking clock."
Michaels also said she believed contestants needed to treat their mental health as well as their physical health. "When you have someone that weighs 400 pounds, that's not just an individual who likes pizza," she said. "There's a whole lot going on there emotionally." She continued, "You need to deal with the demons. Otherwise you're just going to gain the weight back." Unfortunately, there is some credence to Michaels' claim. Ryan Benson, the show's first winner, told Inside Edition in 2017 that he had not only gained the weight back, but was heavier than he was on the show.
One thing Michaels doesn't regret, though, is screaming in contestants' faces as they exercised. "You need them to feel the pain of the way they've been living," she said. "You need them to have a rock bottom moment where they're like, 'I can't take one more moment.'" Michaels also claimed her approach seemed to work, adding, "The ones I yelled at are the ones that kept it off."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).