The title still makes me cringe, but I find myself fascinated by this show. I have a ton of admiration for the teens who take part. For those who are unfamiliar with the show, which airs on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on MTV, it is based on the premise that overweight teens who want to lose weight dedicate a summer to losing a load of weight, while eating healthy and exercising rigorously. Often (if not always?), the challenge takes place the summer before these teens are set to begin college, suggesting that they use college as their fresh start. I can just imagine the dedication it takes to spend your last potential summer of relaxing with friends and being kids, instead focused on losing weight.
I do have to commend the efforts of both the teens and their trainers. The show is definitely less militant than The Biggest Loser, but I still watch and have to wonder how realistic of a path these teens are put on during the summer. These teens often do not work, do not seem to spend time with friends, and have no other responsibilities aside from focusing on losing weight (with the exception of one teen who I saw on the first season who worked). What I am always left wondering is, what happens when these kids go to college? Sure, they are training their brains to make healthier choices, but they are still away at college. Crappy food, for the most part, is unfortunately cheaper. They have also spent an entire summer, with the support of a trainer, focused on losing weight and nothing else. How do they maintain the eating, the workouts, and the determination when faced with the new challenge of living away from home for the first time, taking college courses, and building new friendships?
Maybe I am just not comprehending how they do this because I have just recently found my determination to lose this weight. I envy their willpower and ability to commit at such a young age. Here I sit, ten years older than this kids, and wish that I had decided to make the change when they did. Better late than never!
I do have to commend the efforts of both the teens and their trainers. The show is definitely less militant than The Biggest Loser, but I still watch and have to wonder how realistic of a path these teens are put on during the summer. These teens often do not work, do not seem to spend time with friends, and have no other responsibilities aside from focusing on losing weight (with the exception of one teen who I saw on the first season who worked). What I am always left wondering is, what happens when these kids go to college? Sure, they are training their brains to make healthier choices, but they are still away at college. Crappy food, for the most part, is unfortunately cheaper. They have also spent an entire summer, with the support of a trainer, focused on losing weight and nothing else. How do they maintain the eating, the workouts, and the determination when faced with the new challenge of living away from home for the first time, taking college courses, and building new friendships?
Maybe I am just not comprehending how they do this because I have just recently found my determination to lose this weight. I envy their willpower and ability to commit at such a young age. Here I sit, ten years older than this kids, and wish that I had decided to make the change when they did. Better late than never!
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