A former Biggest Loser contestant has slammed the show for sending the wrong message with its choice of contestants in the current series.
Jodie Gormly lost 42kg in just 12 weeks while appearing on The Biggest Loser in 2015.
However, watching the current series has made her feel like that incredible achievement wasn’t good enough.
Listen: Laura hates The Biggest Loser but Tiff thinks it’s time we forgive the reality show. Post continues…
Current contestant and primary school teacher Steph’s talk of wanting to trim down ahead of her wedding hit a sore point with Jodie.
As she shared on Facebook, Jodie got married after the show ended – and did so weighing more than Steph’s starting weight of 102kg.
“The Biggest Loser: Transformed made me feel like starting bigger as a contestant that our transformations weren’t good enough,” Jodie wrote.
“Especially when the woman was talking about getting married – when I got married I was bigger than her starting weight.
“Is the show saying I was too big to get married?”
The Newcastle woman told Yahoo7 Be the show made her feel insecure rather than inspired or encouraged.
"It made me feel fat, really, because I wasn’t 102kg when I got married," Jodie said.
"It made me feel like I was too fat to get married, like I wasn’t the ideal bride."
Jodie also labelled 25-year-old Nikki's inclusion a "slap in the face" for her sister, Ali Pestell, whose end weight was the same as the new contestant's starting weight.
"Ali for instance, she started at 132kg and after the show she got down to 78kg and that was a good thing for her," Jodie told Be.
"So to see someone starting at that weight is like a slap in the face for her."
Jodie had a positive message for contestant Steph and told fellow participants to stay strong and true to themselves during the experience.
She told Steph, "If you feel ready to do it you can get married at any size."
"The TV show isn't real life and those viewers didn't see all sides of my journey. You still have to live your life when the cameras stop rolling."
Top Comments
I think this new look Biggest Loser has more cred than past ones. I'm sorry of this is going to seem like even more of a 'slap in the face' to past contestants, but it has always been a pretty exploitative premise. I had a problem with it.
The ads were TERRIBLE though...all about six packs and bikini bodies. Talk about superficial! And it made me avoid it but then I caught the episode with the psychologist and am really enjoying the holistic approach to mind body and spirit (not in the supernatural sense!). Libby is such a sweet pea and a great addition.
Not watching it all the time....dipping in and out. But I think it's great and I really don't get this whole they aren't fat enough and taking it personally. As others have said here, it's a personal thing. And these people, being not so large, could be more inspiring for people at home. After all, obesity is a problem here in Australia.
I joined an online weight loss community even though I weighed only 62 kilos. I identified as obese, having a form of subclinical anorexia. You can have body image problems at any weight. The community was totally supportive and understanding of my eating disorder, and helped me manage it.