A new Netflix three-part documentary, Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, explores both the uplifting and toxic elements of the weight loss show that dominated screens in the noughties. It features a mix of former contestants dissecting how the show impacted them personally; some for the better, others for the worse – with some even saying their mentally health was severely affected and accusing the show of encouraging them to adopt unhealthy eating habits, while overexercising.
Some also spoke of how Dr Robert Huizenga, the show's medical advisor, was a voice of calm alongside the chaos of trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, who pushed all the contestants as hard as they possibly could in the gym.
Dr Huizenga, on the other hand, claims he would be on hand to remind those on the show that slow and sustainable weight loss was the healthier option, and that they needed to maintain a decent level of calories in order to be medically approved.
However, many contestants have since revealed they were purposefully starving themselves in order to lose as many pounds as possible ahead of the weekly weigh in, and lying about how much food they were eating.
Sarah Gilbert, who appeared on the seventeenth season of the show, has now admitted on social media that she too felt the pressure to lie while on The Biggest Loser. In a comment shared publicly on a clip of the show (via) Dr Huizenga's account, Gilbert said: "I definitely ate far less than that towards the end, but that was on me, not on you.
"I wanted to keep losing and win, and when the weight loss slowed, choices were made. They were never suggested to me, and I always lied about what I was doing 😂🫠. You were always good to us and took care of us."
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In the clip that Gilbert commented on, another contestant is shown talking about being on a dangerously low number of calories each day, and the doctor cuts in to caveat he never advised that. He captioned the clip, "Lots of misconceptions about the Biggest Loser caloric intake recommendations!"
Gilbert placed eleventh on her season, losing 119 lbs, and says the show changed her for the better, on an emotional level.
"Few life experiences have been as impactful to my trajectory and growth as The Biggest Loser [...] My inner transformation has been way more impressive than my outer one," she said on her Instagram account, as the documentary shot to number one on Netflix. "The show was a competition at its core, and I knew that going in to it. Some of us went to extremes others didn't, and I’ve seen those who didn’t go as hard to win, struggle just as much as those that did post-show.
"Weight gain is complicated. Obesity is complicated."
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
