Music For Losers!
Some people say reality television is exploitative, has no redeeming social value, and is a sign and/or symptom of the decline of Western civilization. And I suppose that's true, if you're talking about A Shot Of Love With Tila Tequila or Real Chance Of Love 2: Back In The Saddle. (I can practically hear the Four Horsemen galloping in the distance every time one of those shows comes on the air.) However, I staunchly believe The Biggest Loser is one reality show that does society a genuine service. It teaches both the viewers at home and the obese contestants on the show--people who without this program would face a possible future of type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and premature death--healthy eating and exercise lessons that will last long after the Loser cameras stop rolling. It teaches the public how to slim down via proper nutrition and exercise, as opposed to quick fixes like fad crash diets or drastic gastric surgery. Indeed, The Bigger Loser is genuinely inspiring to every person looking to drop weight and keep it off, whether that person has five, 15, or 50 pounds to shed.
One additional inspirational lesson everyone can take from this show is that music matters when it comes to weight loss. Perhaps nothing inspires would-be fitness buffs to go for their best personal best more than the perfect workout soundtrack--no, not even superstar trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels yelling affirmations in their flushed faces, and not even a $250,000 Biggest Loser grand prize. Really, without the right hi-BPM tunes programmed into their iPod Shuffles, many well-intentioned exercise novices (on The Bigger Loser or otherwise) would have trouble even climbing onto that dreaded treadmill in the first place.
With this in mind and in honor of the Biggest Loser: Families season premiere this week, I've asked the show's trainers Bob and Jillian, as well as hostess Alison Sweeney (a woman who's famously struggled with her own yo-yo-ing weight), to submit their personal playlists of the songs that get them up and running.
And on a personal sidenote--who knew that Bob and Jillian had such cool, leftfield taste? (No diss to Alison, especially since she included some old-school NIN...but I have to give extra-special props to the trainers' Sam Sparro, Robyn, and Santigold picks.)
BOB HARPER PLAYLIST
Sam Sparro - "Black And Gold"
Robyn - "Cobrastyle"
Santigold - "L.E.S. Artistes"
The Game w/ Travis Barker - "Dope Boys"
2Pac w/ Dr. Dre - "California Love"
Samantha James - "Breathe You In"
Miguel Migs & Lisa Shaw - "All Night High"
Finger Eleven - "Paralyzer"
Madonna w/ Kanye West - "Beat Goes On"
Justin Timberlake - "Chop Me Up"
JILLIAN MICHAELS PLAYLIST
Uh Huh Her - "Explode"
Santigold - "Lights Out"
Radiohead - "Reckoner"
Common - "The Game"
The Roots - "Set 'Em On Fire"
Redman - "Put It Down"
Imogen Heap - "Hide And Seek"
ALISON SWEENEY PLAYLIST
Black Eyed Peas - "Where Is The Love?"
Justin Timberlake - "Sexy Back"
Christina Aguilera - "Fighter"
Fall Out Boy - "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race"
Rihanna - "Umbrella"
Nine Inch Nails - "Terrible Lie"
Violent Femmes - "Add It Up"
Bon Jovi - "You Give Love A Bad Name"
Toby Keith - "How Do You Like Me Now?"
Big & Rich - "Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy"
The new season of The Biggest Loser premieres September 15.
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