Advice from The Biggest Loser trainer is bad?

JaneLane33

I was watching a program that talked about drinking water before a meal and how the theory is it will fill you up and you wont eat as much. As they showed this can be false because water having nothing to it it just moves from the stomach into the small intestine fairly quickly. there isn't anything that the stomach has to digest.
No eating after 7pm makes sense if you are an evening grazer that snacks through tv shows without much thought to what you are eating. I think if you plan your even snack out then it doesn't matter what time you eat it unless you get heartburn then you might want to eat it well before bedtime.

angf0679

I eat my desk at work all the time - When you have NO break room, there is no where else to eat!

I also eat after 7pm. Most days I do eat supper before 7 or just after 7, but I might have a little snack later in the evening. By the time I get home from church on Sunday, I'm not eating my evening meal until sometime after 8. My biggest meal is at lunch time (typically eaten around 2pm) but I need something to eat when I get home as I'm usually always hungry.

I also keep sweets in my daily diet. As long as I stay under my calorie goal every day, it doesn't matter. I'm under. Yes there are times I'm over, but those don't happen to often it doesn't hurt me in anyway.

UpEarly

Look for and make the opportunity for movement each day, throughout the day!"

That's really the only thing from that list that I personally think is worth anything!

Some of the other advice is silly/nonsense and some of it is flat out scientifically wrong. There is nothing wrong with eating after 7:00. There is nothing wrong with eating at your desk - in fact, I eat lunch at my desk every day so I can use my lunch break to take two 30-minute walks during my work day. There is no need to drink that much water! Putting a little squeeze of lemon on salads instead of dressing with oil actually inhibits the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins in the greens. There is nothing wrong with dairy, white stuff, fast foods, pasta, bread, alcohol or ‘sugary stuff’ – just eat it in moderation! A fist-sized portion of fish or chicken is a good guideline – but you can also have beef or pork – or whatever protein you like.

I lost 66 pounds in about a year and have kept it completely off for over two years now. I didn’t encumber myself with any complicated rules. I just cut 250 calories from intake each day, watched portion sizes by weighing/measuring my food, and tried to stay active throughout my day. The weight loss happened very steadily and naturally. It was so much easier than rules and diets!

MityMax96

I'm half Korean so, believe me, cutting out white rice?! That's dedication on a-whole-new level! JK.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I feel your pain.
My wife is pinoy, so she got me hooked on white rice.

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CA_Underdog

I just cut 250 calories from intake each day..

You're more patient than me. Awesome results from your profile picture and loss ticker!

GiveMeCoffee

So you mean for the past year or so I've been doing it all wrong.. I bring my dessert ice cream, gelato or whatever it might be to bed so I can enjoy it while watching TV. Guess I'm in trouble .. 109 lbs all coming back on tonight

You are also eating in your profile picture which is a big dietary no-no, guaranteed that you will put that weight back on now sorry.

True I was at my desk eating a brownie.. must have been a fluke that I was down a pound the day after that.

sweetpea03b

I repeated advice I found online from Bob Harper, trainer from The Biggest Loser, on a thread here and many commented that it was bad advice. I've followed it myself and found it to be helpful, however, I would like to educate myself further and perhaps more properly if I'm damaging my body (and giving poor advice to others on how to live a healthy life).

Here is the advice I had given that I found and have been utilizing from an online search of "8 Skinny Rules 'Biggest Losers' Never Break":

"I'm not an expert, however, eating big leafy salads such as the Organic Spring Mix from your local grocer is phenomenal. All of your vitamins and nutrients are there. Eat it without dressing or squeeze a lemon or lime over it. Quick and simple. The citrus helps boost metabolism and aides in digestion...the salad will also help you feel full.

Agreed... I have a salad everyday for lunch w/ chicken. It keeps me fuller longer and helps me keep on track with my calories.

Drink lots of water. Before any meal, drink an entire glass of water.

I think the point of "before the meal drink an entire glass of water" is to keep you from over-eating... and make sure you get your water intake in. The same goes for "eat slowly.... take frequent drinks..." to make sure you don't scarf all the food down at once and end up eating more than you really need.

Do not eat after 7 pm. Fill your plate half full of veggies (cooked at home either without butter or eat simply raw) and fist sized portion of fish or chicken.

Again... I think if you are a frequent night time snacker this is good advice.

Cut out dairy, white junk (white rice, white bread, pasta, sugary cereals, muffins, etc.), soda, alcohol, fast food and all sweets.

I cut out dairy a few months ago and am actually very happy with that decision. It's really cut down on my calories, my skin seems to be clearer, I feel better.... except for the occasional ice cream/frozen yogurt here or there... and I still manage to get my daily amt of calcium by drinking Almond Milk, eating spinach in my salads, etc. This isn't for everyone. Personally, I was never really fond of milk and coincidentally I've been lactose intollerant since I was young so it works for me. I think the point of this one is to give someone a baseline for things they can change in their lifestyle to help them lose weight. Cutting sweets, soda, fast food, dairy and "white" carbs has really made a huge difference for me in terms of weight loss... and I don't really miss it. As a matter of fact, I've been without it so long it makes me sick now if I drink a soda or eat fast food.

My aunt lost 70 pounds rather quickly by simply eating lean cuisine and drinking only water. She is your size and has the same lifestyle. Walk. Wherever you go, park far and walk. Take the stairs. Stand at your desk when you can - it burns more calories.

I walk everyday.. it is my main form of "everyday" exercise. Can't go wrong there.

Do not eat at your desk!

I eat at my desk every day because I don't have a choice but again... mindless snacking... just like they say not to eat in front of the tv.

Look for and make the opportunity for movement each day, throughout the day!"

I have lost 6 lbs. in 2 weeks and feel better. I'm somewhat limited in exercise as I have a chronic pain condition (around my core/abdomen).

Advice, suggestions, clarification and a general 'steering in the right direction' is appreciated! It seems I need a proper education on my health and perhaps I'm following a fad unaware lol!

Iron_Feline

And now...IF you haven't guessed it yet, I really show you my newbie status by asking, "What are these macros and micros I should balance?"

I'm really 'getting it'. This is great help and I appreciate it.

Simple.

You keep right on asking questions, only way to learn. We've all been where you are.

Macros = Carbohydrates/Fats/Protein. That's all. Make sure you're keeping track of these along with your overall calorie count.

Now to specifically find out what numbers you should be getting...well there are a number of threads that can help you, or just hit up Sidesteel. The guy knows everything.

There's also a thread called your guide to sexypants or something... someone will fish out the link in a minute I'm sure.

You're doing great.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Since no-one had fished out the link

This has some really great information in it op :flowerforyou:

UpEarly

I just cut 250 calories from intake each day..

You're more patient than me. Awesome results from your profile picture and loss ticker!

Thanks! I lost 55 of the 66 pounds in 32 weeks. That's an average of 1.7 pounds a week. I don't think that rate of weight loss required unusual patience! :-)

To be fair, I think my metabolism is faster than any of the calculator estimates I used to determine my TDEE. I mathematically shouldn't have lost weight as fast as I did, but I'm not going to complain about that!

Michelle_Padgett13

I was watching a program that talked about drinking water before a meal and how the theory is it will fill you up and you wont eat as much. As they showed this can be false because water having nothing to it it just moves from the stomach into the small intestine fairly quickly. there isn't anything that the stomach has to digest.

This makes so much sense to me (of course I have not researched it, so...)! I reeeeeeally wish I could drink a glass of water and then be too full to eat a normal meal. That would be fan-freakin-tastic. I also wish water curbed my food cravings. Sadly (oh so sadly), it does not.

Also, Bob Harper is hot. Not hot enough for me to buy his book or stop eating ice cream after 7pm, but still. Hot.

PS You're doing great, OP! Keep a skeptical mind, ask questions, learn to discern fact from fiction, and find what works for you! :drinker:

joycelyn35

Thank you, greengoddess0!

I "had heard" (I must have great big ears for all this stuff lol) that drinking water prior to eating is actually hard on your stomach. "Watch how animals eat - only food first, then water." It has been suggested that digestive enzymes are diluted and stifled by water consumption. Eating food first allows the enzymes to begin to break down the food in your stomach and water afterwards will help wash down anything left in your tract.

I'm realizing, however, that it's neither here nor there. Ultimately KISS: Keep It Simple Silly!


If I want to lose two pounds per week, simply spend more than what I put in. We're girls. We shop. We've been doing that for decades! Just time to implement it a tad more beneficially lol!

ninerbuff

Here's how the Biggest Loser works: they underfeed and have them train up to 6 hours a day.

Bob Harper demonizes certain foods claiming that they are the reasons people can't/don't lose weight.

He's a great inspirer, and physical trainer, but the Biggest Loser (like many diet programs) have just a 10% success rate. 90% of the contestants on the BL have gained a SIGNIFICANT amount of weight back.

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

silken555

To clarify, the advice I listed is not verbatim and some of it was gathered from other areas - a full glass before meals as well as not eating after 7 was, however.

Not eating "white junk" including diary are things I've read and heard from many when it comes to clean eating for optimum and organic health.

Instead of following advice from a bunch of different sources and people trying to sell you their books/products, try following this one piece of advice.

1. Log your food.

If you do that you'll know how many calories you're eating and how much protein/fats/carbs you're getting. It's really all you need to do.

The rest, the eating at certain times, don't eat at your desk, avoid foods with this color... that's hokum. The only thing you need to do to be successful is to watch what you eat. Make sure you're getting the right number of calories and hitting your macros.

Throw in some exercise, water, and sleep and you can't lose.

^ This.

Don't overcomplicate things. Keep it simple, and stop listening to TV personalities for diet/fitness advice.

Good luck!

Where is the like button damnit!

The greatest advice on this thread you can be given is to stop watching Dr. Oz. All watching him does is fill your brain with rot. Biggest Loser et al should also be ditched because of the unrealistic portrayal they give of weight loss. As much as I love Jillian Micheals' exercise plans, I equally hate her food guides...they suck.

mzbek24

I read an article (Will post here if I find it) about some research that suggested it doesn't matter what time you eat after at night. It said that most people they studied who eat late at night only put on weight because they tended to be eating more calories in general than those who didn't/may not have been eating at a deficit.

MityMax96

I read an article (Will post here if I find it) about some research that suggested it doesn't matter what time you eat after at night. It said that most people they studied who eat late at night only put on weight because they tended to be eating more calories in general than those who didn't.

Yep, that is it.