Don't let the "Biggest Loser" article be an excuse

ninerbuff

It's been circulating in the media and on the boards here, but realize something. CICO works and what happened to contestants on the BL as far as metabolic rate reduction likely has more to do with how fast they lost weight, regained and hormonal dysfunction.
Like someone who inundates their bodies with PED's, the bodies "normal" functioning hormones may be deterred from functionally correctly due to the extremes they put their bodies through.
The BL contestants were demanded to workout out daily for up to 6 hours a day and eating on a calorie deficit in extremes as well as regular bouts of dehydration and starving techniques to try to beat weigh ins. Not to mention the stress levels they had endured every week from TV exposure and competition on a national level. Discontinuing that program, then expect results to definitely change.
If anyone understands physiology, this isn't NORMAL for the human body and there SHOULD BE a hormonal response in reaction. They didn't mention in the article about test and HGH levels before and after and those 2 alone are a big factor in how metabolic rate runs as well as how fat loss metabolism is affected. I'd also like to know how their insulin levels responded to possibly very low carb intakes for long periods of time being an obese person.
Anyway, if your approach is MODERATE (1% loss of your bodyweight a week), there shouldn't be any reason why if you reach goal, that you can't maintain it if your diligent in your calorie intake and still involve a decent physical activity program.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

mespreeman

Amen.

mitsimr

Thank you!!! I don't know the science of it all. I do know, however, that the average person isn't going to the extremes of TBL. It was a study of an extreme and it frustrates me to see that they seemed to apply it to the average joe trying to lose weight when they had no one who fit that description in this study.

benzieboxx

Here, here! Dropping almost 250lbs in 7 months is not healthy at all. That show needs to be cancelled or something.

Colorscheme

I am SHOCKED no one has died from being on TBL due to all their unhealthy weight loss methods. I suppose it's only a matter of time.

kshama2001

Another counter point to the article, from one of the other threads:

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/04/14/Study-suggests-method-to-maintain-stable-weight-loss/3191460643328/

"This study shows that if an overweight person is able to maintain an initial weight loss -- in this case for a year -- the body will eventually 'accept' this new weight and thus not fight against it, as is otherwise normally the case when you are in a calorie-deficit state," Torekov said.

Asher_Ethan

I'm already so sick of seeing that article. Because of CICO I lost weight, kept it off, and I was still able to eat pizza and French fries.

scolaris

All this.

ryry_

Asher_Ethan wrote: »

I'm already so sick of seeing that article. Because of CICO I lost weight, kept it off, and I was still able to eat pizza and French fries.

Liar

SezxyStef

I agree...proof is all around us...I do hope that others take heed tho and understand that even a bit of "extreme" behaviour can and will result in a similar situation.

That's where people become experts at losing weight but never get the hang of maintenance.

kmbrooks15

Thank you! It seems that a lot of people are freaking out, thinking this will be the case with them, too. I don't know all the science behind it, but I had a feeling it has something to do with the extreme methods and rapid weight loss the contestants go through. I think comparing those contestants to people who lose gradually through REASONABLE diet and exercise is like comparing apples and oranges. The body is going to react very differently to slow, steady weight loss than it will to rapid loss brought about by extreme and likely unhealthy methods.

Colorscheme

SezxyStef wrote: »

I agree...proof is all around us...I do hope that others take heed tho and understand that even a bit of "extreme" behaviour can and will result in a similar situation.

That's where people become experts at losing weight but never get the hang of maintenance.

It's sad that people don't have common sense. Obviously extremes of any kind are not good but that's something that should make people say "duh, no wonder.."

Instead, a lot of people are thinking that the article means starvation mode is real and blahblah.

Francl27

Yeah that thing is EVERYWHERE. I even saw it on Twitter and Facebook... Cue overweight people sharing it so they can have an excuse not to even try.

SMH.

Glampinupdoll

I know that when I go crazy and lose a ton of weight quickly, one cheeseburger seems to put back on 10lbs. When I lose the weight slowly and in a correct way, even a whole week of terrible eating doesn't derail my weight loss

CoffeeNCardio

AND body fat percent! Not a single *kitten* word about how the "6 years later" portion of the study shows a DOUBLING of the average BF%, which means you burn fewer calories than your muscle-building same weight counterpart! That really irritates me.

ReaderGirl3

Noel_57 wrote: »

The National Weight Control Registry records many people who have successfully kept their weight off. I always go there for inspiration. http://www.nwcr.ws/

I'm a part of the NWCR, my stats are mixed in there somewhere

Mini-hijack, but I just started a thread asking maintainers to chime in, and let those who may be feeling discouraged about the article know that there's quite a few of us who are successfully maintaining. Maintainers are coming out of the woodwork

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10383705/nyt-aint-got-nothing-on-us-maintainers-roll-call#latest

ninerbuff

ReaderGirl3 wrote: »

Noel_57 wrote: »

The National Weight Control Registry records many people who have successfully kept their weight off. I always go there for inspiration. http://www.nwcr.ws/

I'm a part of the NWCR, my stats are mixed in there somewhere

Mini-hijack, but I just started a thread asking maintainers to chime in, and let those who may be feeling discouraged about the article know that there's quite a few of us who are successfully maintaining. Maintainers are coming out of the woodwork

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10383705/nyt-aint-got-nothing-on-us-maintainers-roll-call#latest

There are obviously more people in the general population who lost weight with a moderate program versus the 200+ contestants on the BL. I disappointed that the article circulates and possibly leaves some people who are obese/morbidly obese with some thought in their mind that they shouldn't even try.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

STEVE142142

kmbrooks15 wrote: »

Thank you! It seems that a lot of people are freaking out, thinking this will be the case with them, too. I don't know all the science behind it, but I had a feeling it has something to do with the extreme methods and rapid weight loss the contestants go through. I think comparing those contestants to people who lose gradually through REASONABLE diet and exercise is like comparing apples and oranges. The body is going to react very differently to slow, steady weight loss than it will to rapid loss brought about by extreme and likely unhealthy methods.