Biggest Loser Finale...what is going on??

cdfitness200

To put things in a bit of perspective: For those of you using the BMI chart to slam her, according to the chart, if she is 5'4 and 105 lbs, she is a mere 3 lbs away from being in the healthy weight range.

She probably looked sick more because she had been dehydrating to lose weight in the hopes of winning, than because of her actual weight. Trying to temporarily drop weight quick to win a cash prize is not the same as the disturbed mindset of anorexia, and I'll wager that many of those calling her out would attempt to do the same with that much money on the line.

Most likely, she will spend a few weeks after the finale eating and drinking normally, like most of the contestants do, and gain back 6-10 lbs of mostly water weight, and be back within the healthy range. If she continues losing, of course that's a problem, but why assume the worst? Give her the benefit of the doubt.

Hopefully so, because her face did not look healthy!

DjinnMarie

the other thread got deleted so this goes here....

She's under weight ya'll and its not ok, its never ok, even for people who have been there or are floating underweight. You all would probably feel better putting on a few lbs yourselves and its a shame that you would say its ok leave her alone. Even 2 of the 3 trainers were visibly upset at how she looked.
She probably went to extremes to win even as a competitive swimmer she should have more healthy weight on her. Especially upper body for the type of swimming she seems to favor.
She lost weight and that's fantastic, but many are disappointed now because she risks throwing it all away by being under weight and jeopardizing her health all over again... hair loss, no periods, organ problems, bad breath, bone and joint pain etc.

There's a reason its called a "healthy" weight!

I'm underweight. You wanna tell me that I should put on a few pounds?

bliss1267

I agree with you. She took it way too far, and I'm scared for her. Even what she said about exercise and calories, etc... it sounded to me like she's obsessed and taking it to an extreme.

Those who said 105 is too low for being 5'4" are correct.

DjinnMarie

I apologize if my statement was offensive. I am sure there are people with her body type (and perhaps less muscle) that are naturally thin and look just fine, but in my opinion, she, in particular, looked sick and shockingly skinny. Seems many people agree -it's all over the internet - including Bob and Jillian, by the looks on their faces. I don't mean to imply that everyone at this weight looks terrible, but in my opinion she does. I don't really know anyone else with those stats, so I can't say if someone else may appear healthy at that weight. It is possible. My guess though is that these stats are unhealthy and if someone is under a normal BMI, as an adult, in order to be healthy, they should consider trying to gain a few pounds too. I have always been naturally thin (before the last few years) and am far from a "skinny shamer," but I am just concerned for this girl, and the message that this is sending to society, if we are epitomizing someone who looks like she has starved herself.

I'm an adult, and under my recommended BMI. So I should put on a few pounds? Lmao. I'm currently on a cut cycle.

stefaniemazz

I'm sorry but I don't think she looks good.
My first thought was "she looks anorexic"

Yes good for her for losing all the weight, but she would look way better with about 10 pounds more on her.

DjinnMarie

To put things in a bit of perspective: For those of you using the BMI chart to slam her, according to the chart, if she is 5'4 and 105 lbs, she is a mere 3 lbs away from being in the healthy weight range.

She probably looked sick more because she had been dehydrating to lose weight in the hopes of winning, than because of her actual weight. Trying to temporarily drop weight quick to win a cash prize is not the same as the disturbed mindset of anorexia, and I'll wager that many of those calling her out would attempt to do the same with that much money on the line.

Most likely, she will spend a few weeks after the finale eating and drinking normally, like most of the contestants do, and gain back 6-10 lbs of mostly water weight, and be back within the healthy range. If she continues losing, of course that's a problem, but why assume the worst? Give her the benefit of the doubt.

Hopefully so, because her face did not look healthy!

Wrinkles happen when you are 40 years old and go through drastic weight loss.

sassyjae21

Isn't she 23

DjinnMarie

Isn't she 23

The site I read said she was 40 something.

tristaj90

Isn't she 23

The site I read said she was 40 something.

no she is 24 years old..

sassyjae21

That made me lol.

DjinnMarie

Wrong website, or you read it wrong. Everywhere else says she's 23-24

Either way, when you lose that much weight in that short period of time, your skin is going to sag.

cdfitness200

I apologize if my statement was offensive. I am sure there are people with her body type (and perhaps less muscle) that are naturally thin and look just fine, but in my opinion, she, in particular, looked sick and shockingly skinny. Seems many people agree -it's all over the internet - including Bob and Jillian, by the looks on their faces. I don't mean to imply that everyone at this weight looks terrible, but in my opinion she does. I don't really know anyone else with those stats, so I can't say if someone else may appear healthy at that weight. It is possible. My guess though is that these stats are unhealthy and if someone is under a normal BMI, as an adult, in order to be healthy, they should consider trying to gain a few pounds too. I have always been naturally thin (before the last few years) and am far from a "skinny shamer," but I am just concerned for this girl, and the message that this is sending to society, if we are epitomizing someone who looks like she has starved herself.

I'm an adult, and under my recommended BMI. So I should put on a few pounds? Lmao. I'm currently on a cut cycle.

I have no idea. I have not seen you. I am not generalizing. As I said, I am sure that there are people who have a lower BMI than recommended, that are still healthy. But for people to argue that this girl looked healthy seems strange in my opinion. Aren't we all here on MFP because we want to be healthy? Are people really arguing that she looked healthy? People are free to disagree with me, but my opinion is that SHE looked unhealthy, and for MOST people, it probably is not a good idea to strive for 5-4 and 105 lbs. There are always exceptions to every rule, and you may be one. I do think there are objective standards, and in looking at her, she objectively appears too thin. You and others may be different.

cdfitness200

I apologize if my statement was offensive. I am sure there are people with her body type (and perhaps less muscle) that are naturally thin and look just fine, but in my opinion, she, in particular, looked sick and shockingly skinny. Seems many people agree -it's all over the internet - including Bob and Jillian, by the looks on their faces. I don't mean to imply that everyone at this weight looks terrible, but in my opinion she does. I don't really know anyone else with those stats, so I can't say if someone else may appear healthy at that weight. It is possible. My guess though is that these stats are unhealthy and if someone is under a normal BMI, as an adult, in order to be healthy, they should consider trying to gain a few pounds too. I have always been naturally thin (before the last few years) and am far from a "skinny shamer," but I am just concerned for this girl, and the message that this is sending to society, if we are epitomizing someone who looks like she has starved herself.

I'm an adult, and under my recommended BMI. So I should put on a few pounds? Lmao. I'm currently on a cut cycle.

I have no idea. I have not seen you. I am not generalizing. As I said, I am sure that there are people who have a lower BMI than recommended, that are still healthy. But for people to argue that this girl looked healthy seems strange in my opinion. Aren't we all here on MFP because we want to be healthy? Are people really arguing that she looked healthy? People are free to disagree with me, but my opinion is that SHE looked unhealthy, and for MOST people, it probably is not a good idea to strive for 5-4 and 105 lbs. There are always exceptions to every rule, and you may be one. I do think there are objective standards, and in looking at her, she objectively appears too thin. You and others may be different.

Also, I just looked at your pics, and you do look great. Are you telling me that you are 5-3 and 105 lbs in those pics? If so, then you are proof that one can look healthy with those stats, but Rachel looks nothing like you do in your pictures. She is all skin and bones.

erinlikesfood

I'm actually the exact same height and weight as Rachel (5'4'', 105 lb) so her look shouldn't have shocked me, but I honestly wanted to cry when she came on stage. I couldn't watch. I literally turned off the TV and went to bed.

A lot of people have been commenting that people can be healthy while being slightly underweight. The difference here though is that Rachel /isn't/ naturally 105 pounds. From pictures, it looks like she's even smaller now than she was as a competitive swimmer in high school. Being underweight AND smaller than you were in high school is a pretty big red flag for an eating disorder - it's not as though her body just leveled out where it wanted to be. She was 150 the last time we saw her, right? Meaning she had to bypass the ENTIRE healthy weight range (108-132) to get to where she is now. A weight like 115 would have still been absolutely tiny, won her the show, and probably would have looked a whole lot healthier.

threefancy

Meh. Not a big deal. She did it to win $250K and will put some weight back on after the finale. I might have done the same thing.

resistance_freak

People, she was in a contest where the money goes to the person with the biggest percentage of weight loss! She just won $250,000. Yes, she probably cut down 10-15 pounds below where she would normally be for the finale. Probably similar to what fighters do to make weight for a weigh-in, and then once they get off the scale they start re-hydrating and eating to put some weight back on.

I agree that she would look a little better with a few more pounds on her frame, but she looks way better now than she did when she began the show. And I imagine as a competitive athlete and someone who has spent all that time with the trainers on the show that she understands a lot more about what her nutritional needs are than most of us random forum posters on MFP. I'll bet that after she weighed in she stopped cutting weight and started eating 'normally' for someone with a healthy weight.

And if anyone here wouldn't try to cut out 10 more pounds in the final days before a weigh-in to win $250K, then you're a better person than I am.

littleworm23

This article has a picture of Bob and Jillian's faces when Rachel walked out. I'm pretty sure my 14 year old daughter and I looked the same way as we both gasped and said "Oh my God!" It was reassuring to hear my daughter say "She doesn't look healthy. That is way to skinny." I don't mean to judge but I watch this show with my daughter to be inspired and health conscious not to have another place that shows someone who looks like skin and bones.

http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2014/02/the-biggest-loser-why-was-rachel-frederickson-allowed-to-lose-too-much-weight.html

LucyDCat

I think what everyone in here is showing is jealousy, who doesn’t want to be skinny..? Who doesn’t want to put a nice dress without showing the love handles..? Every time I hear a fat person say they are happy being fat, they are lying, I know that because I was fat. I think she looks great; she looks like any freaking model you see on TV. She lost all that weight to win the money, I would have done the same and anyone saying they wouldn't, they are lying. Now all she needs to do is eat a big burger, some French fries and she’ll be up 5 pounds. People always have an opinion and that’s ok I guess. Don't bother replying to my post, this is my opinion, end of story!

jenifr818

I think what everyone in here is showing is jealousy, who doesn’t want to be skinny..? Who doesn’t want to put a nice dress without showing the love handles..? Every time I hear a fat person say they are happy being fat, they are lying, I know that because I was fat. I think she looks great; she looks like any freaking model you see on TV. She lost all that weight to win the money, I would have done the same and anyone saying they wouldn't, they are lying. Now all she needs to do is eat a big burger, some French fries and she’ll be up 5 pounds. People always have an opinion and that’s ok I guess. Don't bother replying to my post, this is my opinion, end of story!

Strong 2nd post :laugh:

Totally jealousy, eh? Yep, you caught us

L_Cass

I agree that she looked WAY too skinny... my mouth dropped when she walked out on stage - her legs were skeletal! Wow. She does not look healthy. I watched her be interviewed on the Today Show this morning as well - and I can't get over how her face looks like a skeleton with skin stretched over it. I saw an episode of Dr. Oz the other day where he had a 56 pound anorexic woman on the show. To me, there is a strong resemblance between Rachel and this woman. The bones in her face, her legs, you could see her ribs! I like TBL but I have to wonder why they allowed Rachel to take the winner when there were far more stellar examples of healthy weight loss on stage.