Wednesday, February 5, 2014

From Biggest Loser, to social media lightning rod


Rachel Fredrickson

`The Biggest Loser is a nearly 10-year old show, where contestants compete to lose the greatest percent of their initial body weight.  Rachel Fredrickson was a recent winner, and apparently became a lightning rod on social media for sentiments on body weight, image and health.
A day after Rachel Fredrickson won the latest season of "The Biggest Loser," after shedding nearly 60 percent of her body weight, attention wasn't focused on her $250,000 win — but rather the criticism surrounding her loss. 
Experts cautioned that regardless of her current weight, the criticism being levied on social media about her losing too much isn't helpful. A more constructive message is needed, they say, centering on body image and healthy living. 
The 5-foot-4, 24-year-old Frederickson dropped from 260 pounds to 105 under the show's rigorous exercise and diet regimen — but also time spent on her own before the finale. She was a three-time state champion swimmer at Stillwater Area High School in Minnesota, and said she turned to sweets for solace after a failed romance and gained the weight over several years. 
Frederickson's newly thin frame lit up Twitter on Wednesday, with many viewers pointing to the surprised expressions on the faces of trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper during the show's Tuesday night finale. Many tweeted that Fredrickson looked anorexic and unhealthy, while others congratulated her for dropping 155 pounds.
Reference: Social Media Erupts Over 'Biggest Loser' Weight Loss.

Somebody may be the lightning rod, but social media is the forum in which we react openly.

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