By Anna Woods
After 22 years of working in the fitness industry, I’ve seen one thing ring true when it comes to weight loss. People have strong opinions on what works best and how it should be approached. And that is the ONE truth that prevails during all the fitness fads, trends, weight loss drugs, shots, and diets.
With the release of the Netflix three-part docuseries “Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser,” people are bringing up their thoughts about the original show “The Biggest Loser,” which was popular on TV starting in 2004, lasting until 2016. On social media this week, I asked who had seen the new docuseries, which sparked a lot of commentary and opinions on how weight loss should be approached.
I waited a few days before sharing my thoughts and experience on the show and weight loss in general in a post that said:
“Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love, belonging, and connection.
“-Brene Brown”
That is everything this entire show and sadly, many people’s approaches to weight loss is/were premised upon.
People’s shame.
Everyone involved.
Not just the participants.
Everyone thinks the calories, exercise, accountability, dieting, even the shots and surgeries, or having the best trainer and gym, are what will fix them—but most often, they won’t.
It’s why I struggle to feel capable of coaching weight loss well, or that I can give it the attention it deserves with everyone I work with.
Dealing with shame requires a higher level of vulnerability, care, and true work. It needs to be addressed in a safe environment, with a professional who can provide guidance and feedback to allow for deeper searching and healing. Truly effective weight loss also requires a long-term plan and tools for the person to continually battle the shame. Or else, many times, the weight gain will keep coming back.
In my honest opinion, and from experience, I don’t believe it’s the calories in vs calories out or a massive scale loss that changes you. Even though the show tried to depict this as such. In fact, to me, most often those 2 things create more of a problem.
I think it is a “heart-health” issue, and I don’t mean the physical kind.
People made various comments on my Facebook post, saying things criticizing the original show for prioritizing ratings over health and seemingly ignoring the human suffering of contestants.
We can all laugh, blame and point fingers at the ridiculousness of previous popular shows like “The Biggest Loser,” but we must ask ourselves, has the weight loss industry really improved since then? Or have we just re-wrapped the same selling points of shame and manipulation, in a different bottle, shot or pill?
As a coach/trainer myself, I feel we still have a long way to go in this fight. But it’s always worth the effort for the 1 or 2 who are willing to go deep and make the change.
I am curious about your thoughts on the progression of society’s approach to weight loss and its impact from shows like “The Biggest Loser?”.
In SheSTRENGTH Perspectives, Anna Woods challenges the traditional fitness narrative with a fresh, empowering take on what it truly means to be strong. Each month, Anna shares insights drawn from her experience as a coach, athlete, and business leader — blending practical fitness tips with real-world wisdom about resilience, mindset, and self-worth. This is your monthly dose of strength that goes beyond the gym.