Okay, I know what you’re thinking, really? The Kardashians? But first, let me explain! I am not a fan of their show, though I will admit to occasionally sneaking it while eating girl scout cookies and hiding from my husband. “They already have enough money,” he chides, which is very true. It also rots my brain and makes me frantically impatient as they drag out the same storyline over the course of an hour between too many commercials. In my California days, I’d often watch one or two episodes a week, check out my Hollywood gossip sites and call it an evening, but in today’s world, I haven’t had any patience for the fluff. Lately, though, an over abundance of CNN, MSNBC, and BBC over the past few weeks, has finally caused me to channel wander back to my old friend E!

Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian is not your usual weight loss show. Participants partake in a twelve-week training and diet program that’s tailored to their goals.  Along with a nutritionist, celebrity trainer (a’la Gunnar Peterson), each person adopts a rigorous 12-week weight loss program where they work out every day, often upping their workouts to two times a day as they get closer to the reveal. Khloé also throw in a bunch of Hollywood perks like shiny new teeth, laser hair removal, or cellulite treatment. It’s very L.A., but aside from all that plastic that glimmers like gold, the show actually has some depth: real people with problems.

“I canceled my wedding because my fiancé cheated,” or “my dad makes me feel bad about the weight I put on.” It’s dramatic, yes, and slightly exploitive, but it is true to life, which is more than I can say of any Kardashian show of the past. The normal people all meet Khloé at the beginning of the show and talk about their difficulties with weight, and who they want to “reveal their body to.” It’s in these moments while marveling at the girth of Khloé’s rear-end and her flawlessly sculpted silhouette, that you see the contrast between real people and celebrities. Normal people sweat on camera, their jeans show their butt-crack, and in this up close contrast to Khloé’s perfect makeup or outfit accentuates how wacky and abnormal the celebrity life is.

I like this show. People struggling with weight-loss is real. Transforming your body through hard work is real. Trying to confront people who have put you down is real. This isn’t the biggest loser, where people lose too much weight too fast (and gain it all back a few months later), this is weight loss at a normal, healthy pace that doesn’t result in crazy dramatic physical transformations. There’s a reasonable goal. Perhaps that’s why I like it so much, unlike the fake-ness that can be the Kardashians and Hollywood, the show reveals a realistic bar for self improvement.

I personally, cringe at the idea of a revenge body, as I think the idea of doing it for someone else is all wrong. But the best episodes of this show are the ones where the person really does it for themselves.

I promise I wouldn’t recommend anything if I didn’t like it myself, and this one is definitely a fun, guilty pleasure to enjoy when your brain is full. You should always read quality news sources, like the New Yorker et al., but it’s okay to give yourself a break sometimes and dive into a little bit of tacky. And let’s be honest, a Kardashian helping other people is so rare, that we should all be encouraging them to give back in any way they can.

Check out the clip below for a little taste. Revenge Body is available for streaming online on E!

All photos and videos courtesy of E!