Now that the 2009 series of The Biggest Loser has finished in Australia, here's my take on the third season:

1. It's hard - very hard - to lose weight. It takes time and persistence, two things in short supply in our modern world. The contestants had nothing else to focus on except their weight - they had the time to exercise for 3 or 4 hours a day, count calories, plan their meals, think about why they turn to food for comfort.

2. The contestants didn't have to cope with the ‘real world' - they didn't have to go to work, look after a family, shop for groceries, cook for others who can eat what they like without putting on weight, deal with the stress of traffic, queues, delays, road rage, screaming kids and demanding bosses.

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