Weight loss was generally viewed as less attainable overall than cosmetic surgery due to the long-term pain and discomfort that resulted from having to completely change their lifestyles and diets in order to lose weight and maintain that weight loss. Cosmetic surgery might entail some short-term pain and discomfort but was viewed as more attainable since contestants would just be able to go back to normal for the most part post-surgery.
Weight Loss Reality Shows
Many of the contestants on The Biggest Loser emphasized how difficult or unattainable that they thought the process of losing weight would be because of the pain and discomfort that it would entail. Throughout the episodes, there was a constant focus on excessive exercise as the main form of weight loss. Contestants were expected to push forward even if they were on the brink of passing out or severely injuring themselves and a few contestants did end up in the hospital due to this expectation. Each of the seven episodes presented contestants engaging in excessive exercise, up to 8 hours a day potentially. The pain and discomfort that went along with this excessive exercise made it so that contestants had a difficult time wanting to stay on track with their weight loss journeys.
The only times that dieting or nutrition was mentioned on The Biggest Loser was to shame contestants for their poor eating habits prior to being on the show. 5 of the 7 episodes I watched or 71.4% did not mention dieting or nutrition at all except to discuss how poor female contestants’ eating habits were before being on the show. Trainers, while being supportive of contestants on their weight loss journey, only desired results and criticized contestants during the show who were not achieving said results. This criticism often came in the form of yelling and mocking. An example of this can be shown when trainer Jillian Michaels is yelling at contestants who are on exercise bikes and says
“So unless you faint, puke, or die, keep walking!”
Jillian Michaels, the biggest loser season 6 episode 14, around 4min
This kind of verbal abuse was spewed at contestants by trainers frequently throughout the show in order to motivate them to lose weight through unhealthy amounts of exercise. This verbal abuse was another factor in the discomfort that contestants had to entail in order to attain their goal of losing weight.
Many of the contestants on My 600LB Life emphasized how difficult or unattainable that they thought the process of losing weight would be. These contestants viewed losing weight as a painful and uncomfortable process since they would have to completely change their habits and implement new ones in order to successfully lose weight and stay at a healthy weight. Only 2/3 of contestants actually ended up going through with the gastric bypass surgery. 33% of contestants did not put forth much of an attempt to lose weight via dieting, exercise or nutrition and were also not eligible for gastric bypass surgery. 17% of contestants only used the gastric bypass surgery in attempting to lose weight. 50% of contestants focused on all four- dieting, exercise, nutrition, and gastric bypass surgery. The contestants that got past the initial hurdle of starting and maintaining their diets with nutritious as well as implementing an exercise regimen were the best off and were able to achieve the results that they wanted. Others, who did not make any attempts to help themselves, found the attainability of weight loss and beauty standards to be the most difficult since it would require more effort than they were willing to give. Marla, one such contestant who did not put in effort to help herself stated that
“When you let your life go completely out of control, it can seem like an impossible task to get it back.”
Marla, my 600lb life season 3 episode 10, around 9min
Marla refused to do any of the things that would help her keep her weight down and even refused to see a physical therapist in order to learn to walk again. She thought that it would be too much of a struggle to lose the weight and keep it off so she decided not to even try. This is just one example of how contestants frequently viewed the process of losing weight as a painstaking and uncomfortable process and how this conception inhibited them from following through with it.
Cosmetic Surgery Reality Shows
Contestants on cosmetic surgery reality shows were less likely to feel that beauty standards were difficult and unattainable since they could transform their appearances with a simple procedure. While there might be some pain and discomfort involved, it was temporary and not long-term in the way that weight loss might be. There was an overarching claim throughout the shows Skin Decision: Before and After and Botched that beauty is something to work towards through cosmetic surgery.
Multiple contestants in the episodes of Botched that I analyzed seemed to be obsessed with their appearance and one contestant named Nannette was at the point where she has gotten dozens of surgeries and stated that
“If I had to guess, I’ve probably spent over a million dollars to look like Miss Barbie. Ching ching ching ching ching. And it’s freaking expensive but it’s well worth it.”
Nannette, botched season 6 episode 10, around 2min
A ScreenShot of various images of her is shown down below to show just how much she has enhanced her appearance with cosmetic surgery as well as by using makeup and other means.
Screenshot from Botched Season 2 Episode 19 “The Living Doll.” Peacock.
These contestants in particular exemplified this claim since they viewed beauty as a process that could be furthered through cosmetic surgery. Those who had previously had successful cosmetic surgeries were less likely to be uncomfortable or nervous about procedures and were instead able to view their goals as attainable.