The Biggest Loser show seems to contradict what were taught
AnswerzPwease
Posts: 142 Member
1) We are taught that eating too few of calories will result in "starvation" mode and our body will hold onto weight. On the show, contestants afterwards spoke about eating 800 to 1100 calories per day and yet they consistently would lose 5 to 20 pounds per week. Obviously they exercised endlessly. But no "starvation" mode...
2) We are taught that if you lose weight too fast, skin will just hang around. Last years winner (and many winners before that) lost 150+ pounds in 6 months -- yet her skin wasn't hanging. What gives?
3) We are taught that you must eat lots of protein to retain muscle mass. I can't imagine them getting much protein on 800 calories per day, yet they look ripped and shredded by the end of the 6 months. I wonder how?
4) On the same tone as #3, we are taught that we must have proper nutrition to lose weight. Once again, I'm not sure how they're getting proper nutrition on 800 to 1100 calories a day? Especially the big guys. Yet they consistently drop pounds.
5) We are told that it is dangerous to lose more than an average of 2 pounds per week. Yet these people lose on average around 6 pounds per week and at the end their bodyfat testing, blood, etc are all much better than at the beginning. Or perhaps they paid off the doctors to give a misleading result. I dont know.
I want to be clear that I am NOT claiming the Biggest Loser way to be healthy, or the "right/ideal" way to lose weight. It just seems like they have sorta disproved some of the theories that get repeated on this forum.
Or maybe i'm just missing something - which is entirely possible.
2) We are taught that if you lose weight too fast, skin will just hang around. Last years winner (and many winners before that) lost 150+ pounds in 6 months -- yet her skin wasn't hanging. What gives?
3) We are taught that you must eat lots of protein to retain muscle mass. I can't imagine them getting much protein on 800 calories per day, yet they look ripped and shredded by the end of the 6 months. I wonder how?
4) On the same tone as #3, we are taught that we must have proper nutrition to lose weight. Once again, I'm not sure how they're getting proper nutrition on 800 to 1100 calories a day? Especially the big guys. Yet they consistently drop pounds.
5) We are told that it is dangerous to lose more than an average of 2 pounds per week. Yet these people lose on average around 6 pounds per week and at the end their bodyfat testing, blood, etc are all much better than at the beginning. Or perhaps they paid off the doctors to give a misleading result. I dont know.
I want to be clear that I am NOT claiming the Biggest Loser way to be healthy, or the "right/ideal" way to lose weight. It just seems like they have sorta disproved some of the theories that get repeated on this forum.
Or maybe i'm just missing something - which is entirely possible.
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Replies
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Never mind, I skimmed your post before replying. So you're insisting that the show is actually a healthy way to lose weight?0
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Bumping to read after some people respond that know more than I do! Very interesting!0
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1) We are taught that eating too few of calories will result in "starvation" mode and our body will hold onto weight. On the show, contestants afterwards spoke about eating 800 to 1100 calories per day and yet they consistently would lose 5 to 20 pounds per week. Obviously they exercised endlessly. But no "starvation" mode...
2) We are taught that if you lose weight too fast, skin will just hang around. Last years winner (and many winners before that) lost 150+ pounds in 6 months -- yet her skin wasn't hanging. What gives?
3) We are taught that you must eat lots of protein to retain muscle mass. I can't imagine them getting much protein on 800 calories per day, yet they look ripped and shredded by the end of the 6 months. I wonder how?
4) On the same tone as #3, we are taught that we must have proper nutrition to lose weight. Once again, I'm not sure how they're getting proper nutrition on 800 to 1100 calories a day? Especially the big guys. Yet they consistently drop pounds.
5) We are told that it is dangerous to lose more than an average of 2 pounds per week. Yet these people lose on average around 6 pounds per week and at the end their bodyfat testing, blood, etc are all much better than at the beginning. Or perhaps they paid off the doctors to give a misleading result. I dont know.
I want to be clear that I am NOT claiming the Biggest Loser way to be healthy, or the "right/ideal" way to lose weight. It just seems like they have sorta disproved some of the theories that get repeated on this forum.
Or maybe i'm just missing something - which is entirely possible.
It is a game show. They are going to go through extremes to lose the weight. The "healthy" approach they talk about is how they eat healthier food than they used to before the show, and exercise.
Also..a week always isnt a week on that show.0 -
read this;
http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/16/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-2-of-3/
but i have to disagree with your number 1 and 4
starvation mode is a myth, and proper nutrition isnt needed to lose weight, its needed to be healthy0 -
Biggest Loser doesn't care about its participants' health. That's why it's a reality TV competition show. Their goal is to drop the weight as fat as possible without regards to health. If they lost weight the healthy, sustainable way, not only would it take forever but viewer ratings would plummet.
This! I hate that show.0 -
A TV show does not equal real life.0
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This guy again.0
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I love the biggest loser, even though I know it gives unrealistic weight losses. If all I did all day was eat, sleep and train I would lose that much weight too but it's not transferable it the real world.0
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In to watch more flamebaiting.0
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1) We are taught that eating too few of calories will result in "starvation" mode and our body will hold onto weight. On the show, contestants afterwards spoke about eating 800 to 1100 calories per day and yet they consistently would lose 5 to 20 pounds per week. Obviously they exercised endlessly. But no "starvation" mode...
2) We are taught that if you lose weight too fast, skin will just hang around. Last years winner (and many winners before that) lost 150+ pounds in 6 months -- yet her skin wasn't hanging. What gives?
3) We are taught that you must eat lots of protein to retain muscle mass. I can't imagine them getting much protein on 800 calories per day, yet they look ripped and shredded by the end of the 6 months. I wonder how?
4) On the same tone as #3, we are taught that we must have proper nutrition to lose weight. Once again, I'm not sure how they're getting proper nutrition on 800 to 1100 calories a day? Especially the big guys. Yet they consistently drop pounds.
5) We are told that it is dangerous to lose more than an average of 2 pounds per week. Yet these people lose on average around 6 pounds per week and at the end their bodyfat testing, blood, etc are all much better than at the beginning. Or perhaps they paid off the doctors to give a misleading result. I dont know.
I want to be clear that I am NOT claiming the Biggest Loser way to be healthy, or the "right/ideal" way to lose weight. It just seems like they have sorta disproved some of the theories that get repeated on this forum.
Or maybe i'm just missing something - which is entirely possible.
Here is the secret:
STOP WATCHING THAT BULL NONSENSE (sorry Jillian)
Do what works for you and learn to live a healthy life!0 -
Starvation mode as we think of it: myth. Eating long term low calories can do damage to the body though. The show is short term, for ratings, and big results = ratings. The show is NOT 'reality'.
The last winner was fairly young - early 20's I think? The younger we are, the better elasticity in our skin. And we really don't know the skin issues of all contestants. In the early weeks they bare more skin, while in later episodes they dress to make the body look better.
It can be dangerous to do anything extreme. Contestants, as I understand it, are under constant medical supervision.
The average, every-day person does not have the resources of round the clock trainers and medical care. Nor can most people devote 6+ months of their life so that losing weight is a full time job. We have family, kids, work, responsibilities and limited resources. As to the show, though, from the things I've heard few former contestants speak well of the process after their endorsement deals are over. Google Kai, I think, from one of the early seasons, about all the issues she ended up dealing with as a result of the show and the processes she went thru.0 -
1. Starvation mode doesn't happen until a person is literally starving, under 5% BF for men and something around 8% in women. So yeah, no starvation mode for Biggest Loser contestants.
2. Genetics and age.
3. They were obese with a large amount of muscle mass to begin with, worked out a ton, had specialized diets and they dropped a lot of fat. They have celebrity trainers for a reason.
4. You do not need proper nutrition to lose weight. You need a calorie deficit. You know this because you've asked this exact same question 10 times in the last month.
5. They are on a television show. It would not be popular and renewed if contestants didn't lose exciting amounts of weight. Health isn't the concern, ratings are.
Are you really basing proper weight loss and nutrition on a sensationalistic television show?0 -
1) We are taught that eating too few of calories will result in "starvation" mode and our body will hold onto weight. On the show, contestants afterwards spoke about eating 800 to 1100 calories per day and yet they consistently would lose 5 to 20 pounds per week. Obviously they exercised endlessly. But no "starvation" mode...
Your body will not "hold on to weight" if you are in a deficit> starvation mode is a myth in the context that some people toss around on these boards0 -
read this;
http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/16/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-2-of-3/
but i have to disagree with your number 1 and 4
starvation mode is a myth, and proper nutrition isnt needed to lose weight, its needed to be healthy
This. I was wondering who is "we" and what is this teaching?0 -
In this will get good.0
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This guy again.
My thoughts exactly.0 -
1. It's a TV show.
2. Did you ever notice that when they are overweight, they weigh-in shirtless or in sports bras, but once they have lost the weight, they weigh-in wearing shirts/tank tops? The show's producers want to focus on skinny people in flattering clothing, not the reality of what your body actually looks like after dropping that much weight that quickly. Stretch marks and loose skin don't sell merchandise.0 -
1. Super obese people tho?
2. How would you know, she was wearing a full shirt and capris down to past her knees. Were you looking for handing skin on her calves?
3. Who looks shredded?!
4. Who told you that?
5. Super obese people tho? What, are their health markers going to get worse? Please.0 -
its a reality tv show. it isnt real.0
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read this;
http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/16/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-2-of-3/
but i have to disagree with your number 1 and 4
starvation mode is a myth, and proper nutrition isnt needed to lose weight, its needed to be healthy
wow.
I knew they were doing crazy things for the show but this sounds horrible.0 -
The thing is in a show like this the contestants forgo any kind of "real" life in order to compete in weight loss. You would be surprised how much nutrition you can fit into 800 - 1100 calories if you want to get really really anal about it. They paid absolutely no attention to the habits and/or preferences of the contestants outside of weight loss and the diet/exercise regime was tailored to burn burn burn. That's fine on a reality game show. But for people who have lives to lead outside of their diets such an approach is next to impossible. Nor is it mentally or physically healthy. The risk of injury is extreme to say the least.
And to be honest I have always believed that loose skin after dieting is often the result of a lack of exercise or lack of proper nutrition during dieting. Everyone shouts me down but frankly I believe this to be the case.
So yeah their approach isn't impossible. If you want to live and breath your diet. And measure out exactly the right amount of exactly the right things and never deviate from that ever. Oh and get absolute shed-loads of exercise all the time.
BUT the caveat is that you run the risk of injuries and developing eating disorders because of it.
Also if that interview I read has any truth to it then yeah lol if u wanna be treated like an animal for 6 months to lose weight and end up injured and broken ... but thin at the end of it ... then go right ahead.0 -
its all about RATINGS.............
the more people that watch it , the more sponsorship, the more MONEY
MONEY is their agenda, its not about the contestants............
if people on that show only lost between 1 to 2 lbs a week, no one would watch .....it would be too boring
they love DRAMA, and RATINGS.................
so theres your answer to your 5 questions............RATINGS..........0 -
Their diets are very carefully monitored behind the scenes, so the calories they do take in are very thoroughly planned out.
Loose skin is a very individual thing, and can't really be attributed to any one way of losing weight, as far as I know.
So long as you lose more fat than LBM, your bodyfat percentage will drop. That's not to say they don't lose a lot of muscle, though.
Morbid obesity is bad for your health. Not being morbidly obese is going to be better for you 9 out of 10 times, no matter how you got there. The problem is more to do with long term sustainability of their diets, and potential degenerative issues later down the line; osteoperosis is one that comes to mind.0 -
seriously.This guy again.
My thoughts exactly.
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You have to keep in mind a few things. One, starvation mode in a strict sense is myth. However, I do believe that calorie cutting isn't directly linear -- that there is a sweet spot for weight loss for most people, and cutting below that can actually impede your results due to hormonal shifts and impaired performance. I think this is the idea where starvation mode was born and was taken too far to the extreme.
Secondly, BL has a HUGE amount of exercise -- those guys are literally doing 4-12 hours of working out per day. It's their job. It's not a good model for that reason alone, unless you're independently wealthy and have the time to do that.
Some BL contestants most definitely have had loose skin after major weight loss. Not all, but definitely some of them -- especially around the midsection and upper arms.
You can lose a lot of weight by merely starving yourself -- just not eating on a prolonged fast. But, it's not a very good idea either. That's the reason that the BL contestants have to be monitored so closely by health professionals. What they're doing is really extreme.0 -
I live every aspect of my life as if it were reality television.0
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Most people on the forums make recommendations based on what's likely to be sustainable, rather than how aggressive it's possible to push your weight loss in a healthy fashion (or otherwise). While it's entirely possible to put together a diet and exercise routine that will allow you to drop weight quickly while largely preserving lean mass, these plans are typically not enjoyable and lead to people falling offtrack before long. For most people, it's about finding a balance between what's sustainable and making progress towards your goals.
That said, they come out shredded? Seriously? They certainly come out leaner and sometimes look fairly athletic, but they're no where close to "ripped and shredded."0 -
I live every aspect of my life as if it were reality television.
PREACH!0 -
No, the reality is much simpler. Nutrition is bullsh*t.
My 3 month old daughter needs only milk to thrive and have the energy to get through the day, and the contestants, and anyone else with that level of bodyfat...
Will use the stores of fatty acids on their body as food. So long as essential vitamins and minerals are ingested, along with essential amino acids, you don't need to eat.
There was a 400 pound man in the 70's who fasted for 380 days under doctor's supervision. Couple missteps in refeeding him, but he got to 180 or something like that, and to this day he's slightly overweight, not obese like he used to be.
What we NEED for nutrition is only what this magnificent machine requires.
Most of the starvation mode, eating to fuel, it's all hype.
Coma patients exist on protien powder with added carbs and fats, in a shake, fed through a feeding tube.
I mean, honestly, the fact that we all haven't woken up to this realization before now is astounding. At least, I can't speak for everyone, but I'm ashamed of myself for not following common sense.
ETA: eat for your body. Eat what you like. And if you start to gain fat, change your diet slightly, and find what works for you. If you want to lose weight for a boxing match or to look thinner, the principles are the same. You are what you eat.0 -
No, the reality is much simpler. Nutrition is bullsh*t.
My 3 month old daughter needs only milk to thrive and have the energy to get through the day, and the contestants, and anyone else with that level of bodyfat...
Will use the stores of fatty acids on their body as food. So long as essential vitamins and minerals are ingested, along with essential amino acids, you don't need to eat.
There was a 400 pound man in the 70's who fasted for 380 days under doctor's supervision. Couple missteps in refeeding him, but he got to 180 or something like that, and to this day he's slightly overweight, not obese like he used to be.
What we NEED for nutrition is only what this magnificent machine requires.
Most of the starvation mode, eating to fuel, it's all hype.
Coma patients exist on protien powder with added carbs and fats, in a shake, fed through a feeding tube.
I mean, honestly, the fact that we all haven't woken up to this realization before now is astounding. At least, I can't speak for everyone, but I'm ashamed of myself for not following common sense.
Huh?0
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