In America the TV show The Biggest Loser has proved a ratings smash, with thousands tuning in to see the contestants get put through a gruelling weight loss program in an effort to win the $250,000 prize and of course get healthy.

However there has been increasing criticism of the methods used to get the contestants down to a healthy weight and medical experts have expressed serious concerns that the participant’s health is being put at risk in order to make the trials – and results – more extreme.

The winner from 2005, Ryan Benson, has admitted that while following the rapid weight loss plan at one point he was urinating blood and became dehydrated. During the current season, 2 of the contestants ended up being hospitalised during the first episode, with one having to be airlifted to hospital after collapsing during a one-mile race due to heat stroke.

Other contestants have said they were so eager to demonstrate rapid weight loss before weigh-ins that they would drink as little as possible in the 24 hours before getting on the scales.

Dr. Charles Burant, Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and director of the Michigan Metabolomics and Obesity Centre, told the New York Times that he was ‘waiting for the first person to have a heart attack’. Doctors generally advise dieters to aim for weight loss of no more than 2 pounds a week, as rapid weight loss can cause the heart muscle to weaken, the heart to beat irregularly and potassium and electrolyte levels to become dangerously low.

Dr. Durant added, “I think the show is so exploitative. They are taking poor people who have severe weight problems whose real focus is trying to win the quarter-million dollars.”

Since the show began, contestants entering the program have become steadily heavier, with the last two seasons featuring people weighing 454 and 476 pounds. Contestants are put through a rigorous weight loss program, with daily hikes, runs and cardiovascular exercise and a low-calorie diet. While the exercise regime is extreme by any standards, the weight of the contestants means that the routines are especially gruelling.

One of the show’s trainers has acknowledged that some of their practices have been ill-judged. Dr. Huizenga, speaking of the mile-long race that resulted in hospitalisation, said, “If we had to do it over, we wouldn’t do it. It was an unexpected complication and we going to do better…(and) that challenge has changed a lot of the way we do things. “

JD Roth a producer on the show and the creator of its format, defended the challenging nature of the program, arguing, “It needs to be extreme in my opinion.”

When you’re trying to lose weight, it can be frustrating to not see result or to stop seeing results. However, this happens to many people for a variety of different reasons. Losing weight is never easy; at least, it is not as easy as putting on the weight. If you truly want to see the results you wish you could have, the best way to do that is to set weight losing goals. Having goals will put you on the fast track to success with your weight loss.

Before you simply set goals and start dieting and exercising, talk to your doctor or a professional trainer. These people will be able to help you set healthy goals that you’ll be able to reach with a little hard work. They’ll also be able to point out goals that could result in dangerous eating or exercising habits. Poor eating can easily turn into an eating disorder and unhealthy amounts of exercise can cause you body to weaken and make you prone to injury. Professionals know what they are talking about in weight loss, so trust their opinion on most matters.

When setting weight loss goals, try to come up with a plan that will allow you to reach your goals, but not without effort. This requires a lot of balance and will possible require you to reset goals after a few months. If your goals are too easy, you will not be losing weight at the maximum rate or pushing yourself to try harder, which is not a good idea when it comes to weight loss, as it may cause you to give up your plan completely. If your goals are too difficult to reach, on the other hand, you may also want to give up because you become frustrating at not seeing the results you think you should be seeing. There’s a fine line between pushing yourself too much and not enough.

As you set goals, consider a number of things, such as how often you’re able to work out, your weight now and what it would be in a perfect world, the specific parts of your body that make you most unhappy, and you physical abilities. Don’t just set a number goal – work towards a number of different goals. Set goals to cover you total weight, the inches you want to lose from your waist or other areas, the pants size you’d like to be able to wear, and the health factors, like a certain cholesterol or blood pressure, that you want to achieve. Set both long term and short term goals and you’ll be well on your way to losing the weight.