In a dramatic change to the brand, The Biggest Loser Australia: Transformed, which premiered onChannel Ten last night, seems to be “going legit”. Rather than the usual voyeuristic, fat-shaming parade of overweight to morbidly obese people criticising their reflections, we were met with more ‘relatable’ contestants. Obviously trying to distance themselves from ex-trainer Michelle Bridges controversial comment last year “I’m yet to meet someone who is morbidly obese and happy”, the contestants this year range from 78.1kgs to 147.7kgs. Nikki, a 25-year-old mother from Queensland, weighed in at a mere 78.1kgs, that is 7kgs heavier than the average weight for an Australian woman. And while Nikki’s reasons for joining the program are easy to understand, The Biggest Loser has continually been proven as an ineffective way to lose weight and keep it off. In the original incarnation of the program, we were met with young extremely fit, under-qualified personal trainers yelling at morbidly obese people as they tried their hardest to keep up with a relentless exercise program. Simultaneously having their will-power put to the test regularly with ‘food challenges’ where they were rewarded with prizes if they gave in to temptation, but physically punished later on for being mentally weak. Not once were long-term goals or mental health considered and since the show began in Australia in 2004, majority of contestants have gone on to regain weight and criticise the show for its lack of long-term support. Previously, TBL was a guilty pleasure, indulged upon by those fortunate enough to not be at a point where they were willing to turn to reality television to gain help for complex health issues which resulted in extreme weight gain. In this new incarnation, TBL is attempting to detach themselves from their fat-shaming stigma and appeal to ‘every day’ Australians. And while this welcomed change could be an opportunity for Channel Ten to showcase healthy weight loss techniques and start a conversation about the complexities of health, body image and chronic disease; instead we are still met with a superficial ‘team of experts’. Shannan Ponton, is a trainer who has been with TBL since Season 2; and while there is no doubt that Shannan may have legitimate experience and qualifications to treat a healthy population, the information about his specific education is lacking. His personal website describes him as a group-fitness/Les Mills veteran but without any mention of tertiary qualifications. The new Michelle, Libby Babet, is described as a “journalist and health and fitness specialist” who owns two fitness businesses and regularly writes for various publications. Her profile on TBL’s website also spruiks her ‘natural whole-food protein bar’ which we will undoubtedly see the contestants snacking on in between workouts. The other new addition to the team is Glenn Mackintosh, a weight management psychologist; and while this is TBL: Transformed’s first indication of including real-life, long-term changes that could be applicable to the contestants after leaving the show, it still seems hard to imagine the majority of the program being dedicated to psychology sessions, despite the well-established link between psychology/mental health and weight management. If TBL was really “going legit” they would have industry appropriate professionals in Exercise Physiologists and Dietitians. Entire Allied Health professions exist whose scope of practices are to assist people with chronic and complex conditions reach realistic and sustainable goals, particularly in the realm of weight management. If TBL really wants us to believe that a leopard can change its fat-shaming spots, then it needs to start by employing those qualified to do so.
Something I don't talk about too often on here is being a mother, but this morning I read an article about Chrissy Teigen and John Legend going out for dinner one week after their child was born. A number of people were trying to "call them out" on it for being bad parents or neglectful coz they dared to go out for dinner.
That's the thing that shits me,, Apparently all of our interests, priorities and personality traits are supposed to disappear once we procreate. How dare you enjoy some leisure time when now, your only identity is now that of parent!?
Why are we supposed to forget everything we loved beforehand? Or prioritise only our children over our own needs? Of course, in those first few months, we have a huge responsibility to protect and care for those tiny bundles of vulnerability, however, why is one then open to criticism when you need a break? So many people advocate for the recognition of SAHM's and home duties as legitimate work and to value their contribution to the family unit and society, however, we are also to accept that this job comes with no down time whatsoever? We are to be switched on, engaged and responsible 24/7? We cannot break away, just for a couple of hours, to recoup and reset in order to continue? That if we do, this is a legitimate ground for condemnation??
I have felt it myself, when I have admitted to struggling with parenting.. I can't even begin to imagine how that must be amplified for celebrities who can't do anything low-key. Who are held to a much higher level of responsibility because we have deemed them as "role models" or told them they must "set the right example" despite them having no choice in the matter?
And let's be real for a second, if you aren't a parent, I'm sorry but you legitimately cannot comment on how that pressure feels. How suffocating the overwhelming sense of responsibility is, or can be, in those first few weeks. How blurry everything is. How everything is in fast forward and slow motion at the same time. How you are trying to keep another fucking human being alive, while also caring for yourself and the others in your family. No one can understand that emotional and physical fatigue until you have been there and absolutely NO ONE can dictate to you how you deal with it..
And if that means finding someone responsible to watch your baby so you can go out and eat seared scallops and leek.. Then fucking do it.. And don't you dare feel guilty for doing things your way. And especially don't let ANYONE tell you that you are a bad parent or you don't love your children because sometimes, a little bit of space is the best thing for any relationship.
So tonight the ABC's Australian Story chose to profile Michelle Bridges, a woman who already has a huge platform and significant brand power behind her. The story disclosed that in 2015, she was worth roughly $53 million; and what has she sold? She has sold the idea that we are not responsible enough to make decisions for ourselves and that her idea of health and happiness is what we should all strive to. The problem with the un-regulated fitness industry in Australia (you don’t even have to be registered to work as a personal trainer) is the lack of repercussions, accountability and training. You can become a personal trainer in as quick as six weeks, and if you have a large social media following, you can be considered a “fitness guru” without any formal training whatsoever. So why, in 2016, when we have access to so much research about health, how our bodies works and disease; do we allow our ideas about health and body image be dictated by those who do not need to have any formal registration or University level education? Humans are complex. We all come with our own set of problems and quirks and for anyone to understand how each body works is a large task. So large that doctors train for 13+ years to specialise in just one bodily function. Even then, people are sceptical of their knowledge and will often seek a second opinion in order to make sure they are receiving correct treatment. However, when it comes to health and fitness, such a large portion of our population blindly follow these “health guru’s” and personal trainers without looking objectively at what they actually know. Do they know how to read a research paper? Can they understand the findings of that paper and interpret it to apply to a specific health population? Do they understand the psychology of motivation and what models of treatment actually produce results? Why do we allow the amount of followers on a social media profile undermine years and years of tertiary education? In Australia, there are many options for people to receive the correct treatment and training regimes if they have chronic disease or complex conditions. We have Allied Health Professionals who are specifically accredited to deliver exercise prescriptions to people with complex medical histories, such as morbid obesity. They are called Exercise Physiologists. They’re University educated, they’re accredited, they have Medicare numbers and they need to complete continual professional development points every year to make sure that their education stays up to date and current. We also have dietitians. Like AEP’s, they are University educated to prescribe specific diets to those with complex medical issues. They understand that what works for one person may not work for another and that generic “one size fits all” meal plans may not be realistic for those who do not have equal socioeconomic access. It’s all well and good for Michelle to sell the idea that by signing up to her diet and exercise plans, you are making the “right choice” and not “using excuses” but let’s be real for a minute. There are excuses and valid ones; and for many Australians there are very real barriers to the healthy lifestyle she purports as being accessible to all. Her one size fits all approach ignores complex socioeconomic factors and places blame on those who struggle financially, mentally and emotionally. Michelle may have highlighted one very important fact about Australia today; and that is health inequality and access to resources, but the solution to this is not her aggressive, self-benefiting rhetoric that completely trivialises the complexity of poverty, obesity and socioeconomic determinants of health outcomes that people spend years studying. Nor is it one person profiting from the idea that these problems can be fixed by making a “choice” to sign up to one of her plans (or one of the many others who use a similar model in this country – see Ashy Bines). We do have choices; we have the choice to seek information from those who are qualified to provide it. We also have excuses, and those are just as complex as our medical histories. Mental health can be a massive barrier to exercise and having a super-fit, super-rich, super-aggressive personal trainer implying that these are not “real” obstacles that need to be addressed can be much more detrimental to our health than having a cheeseburger for lunch. While Michelle absolutely should be praised for her business prowess (who wouldn’t want a cool $53mil – maybe she could lend it to Kanye?) she absolutely should not be held up as leader in the health and fitness industry when she uses cheap exclusionary tactics to victim blame rather than use her platform to campaign for health reform and greater funding to facilitate adequate access to health care for all Australians, not just those she can profit from.
