TW: talk about ED, weight, and obesity.
I know most of us have probably tuned in to watch shows like “The Biggest Loser”, “My Big Fat Fabulous Life”, or “Revenge Body by Khloe Kardashian.” Trust me, reality TV shows are my guilty pleasure so I have definitely watched some episodes from all of these shows. But why? From a more negative standpoint, do we find pleasure in knowing that the people on those shows are less fit that us to make ourselves feel better about our lifestyles? Or from a more positive standpoint, do we enjoy seeing the end result of weight loss and feel secure in knowing that if you put in the time and effort, you could lose stubborn fat if you wanted to just like the people on the show?
I think that the focus on weight and how to morph your body to fit society’s standards has been an issue for hundreds of years, but the media we experience today amplifies this issue. There are pros and cons to these types of shows and I can see how they can be beneficial for extreme cases. Obesity has been a significant problem in the United States and a healthier lifestyle can cause many health benefits. But are these shows really the answer? Probably not. One reason being the potential creation or relapse of eating disorders that can be encountered from either the contestants or the viewers watching the show. I also would like to know the percentage of contestants that can maintain their new lifestyle and not fall back into old habits.
The moral of the story is that the producers of these shows are not focused on the health of the contestant, they are focused on the number of views they are going to receive. For that reason, I do not think these shows should gain popularity anymore. If someone wants to make their lifestyle healthier, I think it is their own journey and not one for the entire world to see. It is your body, and you can choose what you want to do with it, but it should not come to the expense of your, or anybody else’s mental health.
Unruly Bodies 
Hi!
My first thought immediately was that I think it was important that you included Khloe Kardashian’s revenge body reality show because I feel like her show takes this argument to a whole other level regarding “producers of these shows are not focused on the health of the contestant but the number of views they are going to receive”. This is because this spin off was following the success of her already popular show Keeping up with the Kardashians and thus expectation was probably already high for her show’s reception. The thing is is that Khloe’s show has sparked much backlash because many feel it is not accurate because of how much plastic surgeries that Khloe has had. They also feel like her show is not fair because someone with her status can easily afford the best trainers.