is it ok?

lina1131

Well, although it is true that severe calorie-restriction can be damaging to your vital organs in the long-term most of us that have seen "Biggest Loser" are watching this severe restriction with exercise in action.
Key note here is that they are medicaly supervised thru the whole process.
That being said;

Most of the contestants on this show are restricted to around 1000 calories a day. Note that the foods they are eating are very healthy and nutrient dense.

The contestants also are subjected to rigorous cardio and strength building routines while on this restrictive diet.

The contestants are on the show for 10 weeks. Somepeople have lost up to 20 lbs in a week. Sounds absurd, but it's true.

All things considered, if you stay on this type of meal plan for a short amount of time, you should be okay (*insert here that I think you should see a doctor every couple weeks if you are going this restrictive*)
BUT, I think raising your calories to an amount around 1200 would be okay as long as they are nutrient dense food, rather than pre-packaged. Take a vitamin supplement and try to eat small meals (maybe 6 a day rather than three) to keep your blood sugars regulated. This in turn will help your body to burn fat you already have stored rather than switch over to storing for survival.
I just would recommend making sure you are completely healthy with a doctors appointment, ask for some additional visits while you are on such a restrictive diet, and up calories as you build muscle mass.

To the point; I would use your stratagy for a short time only, supervised, with very very healthy foods supplying what you are taking in.

Good Luck!

How many of these contestants have actually maintained their weight? We only see 10 weeks, we don't see their lives afterward.

PrincessLaundry

How many of these contestants have actually maintained their weight? We only see 10 weeks, we don't see their lives afterward.

There are so many reality shows I am waiting for the "Where Are They Now?" sequel. This is one of them! I know what happened with my "starve to be thin" weight loss plan. EKKK! I'd be at my high school weight by now had I done it right the first time! YIKES! Oh well!

PrincessLaundry

Granted...

I just found this online.

---

The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?
by Dr. Carmin Iadonisi

I remember watching the first season of the network show, “The Biggest Loser” and being amazed as participants would weigh-in each week and lose 10-25 pounds a week.

By the end of the show, the winner was crowned and his name was Ryan Benson. In one season, he was able to lose a staggering 122 pounds!

So how is Ryan Benson doing these days?

A recent article in Time magazine checked in with some of the former “Biggest Loser” winners, including Benson who has gained back roughly 90 pounds after the show was over.

He claims that as soon as the show was over, he regained “32 pounds in 5 days simply by drinking water.” This is incredible and points to the fact that when any person loses weight rapidly, (faster than 1-2 pounds a week) normally the weight loss is mostly due to water loss.

The participants of the show are exercising with a trainer between 4-5 hours a day, thus creating a dramatic loss of water. This is combined with 24 hour television coverage of each of the participants, which discourages any “cheating” on the ultra strict diets.

Would you cheat on your diet, knowing that millions of people would witness it?

The article went on to say that last season’s runner-up winner, Kai Hibbard, consumed only sugar-free Jello and asparagus for several days along with jumping in and out of a sauna for six hours prior to the final weigh-in.

The show supposedly tries to discourage such behavior by threatening penalties for being to dehydrated, but has not issued any violations yet. (I guess living on sugar-free Jello and asparagus for a few days is considered safe by the television networks.)

As the article points out, Benson is actually considered a success for still keeping 30 pounds off for over a year. According to the National Weight Control Registry, “only a fifth of dieters with a history of obesity sustain a loss of 10% of their body weight for a year or more.”

Where is Kelly Minner Now?

One former participant who is still losing weight after losing the show is Kelly Minner. The first-season runner-up went from “242 lbs. to 163 lbs. by the finale and now weighs 140 lbs.”

How does she maintain her weight loss?

She exercise 6 days a week for 1 to 4 hours a day. I agree that exercise is definitely paramount to maintaining weight loss, but for the average person, exercising for 4 hours a day is just unrealistic.

With this kind of high exercise volume, I would also worry about the high risk for injuries that could end up stopping exercise altogether.

As mentioned in a prior post, Shaquille O'Neal’s new show is focused on helping obese kids to lose weight. For the benefit of the children, I hope Shaq learns from the Biggest Loser and teaches kids how to lose weight safely.

hoolihan

Marty, the former teacher, kept off 125 pounds and became a fitness trainer.
Eric, who had lost 214 pounds, maintained a loss of 176 pounds. He sold his deli to work with obese people.
Pam kept off 60 pounds and completed a triathlon.
Pete lost a total of 160 pounds and happily showed off his six-pack abs. He is helping kids fight obesity and works with an adult exercise group.
Wylie kept off 97 pounds by working out with intellectually disabled people.


Where is Kelly Minner Now?

One former participant who is still losing weight after losing the show is Kelly Minner. The first-season runner-up went from “242 lbs. to 163 lbs. by the finale and now weighs 140 lbs.”

How does she maintain her weight loss?

She exercise 6 days a week for 1 to 4 hours a day. I agree that exercise is definitely paramount to maintaining weight loss, but for the average person, exercising for 4 hours a day is just unrealistic.

With this kind of high exercise volume, I would also worry about the high risk for injuries that could end up stopping exercise altogether.

As mentioned in a prior post, Shaquille O'Neal’s new show is focused on helping obese kids to lose weight. For the benefit of the children, I hope Shaq learns from the Biggest Loser and teaches kids how to lose weight safely.

PrincessLaundry

Marty, the former teacher, kept off 125 pounds and became a fitness trainer.
Eric, who had lost 214 pounds, maintained a loss of 176 pounds. He sold his deli to work with obese people.
Pam kept off 60 pounds and completed a triathlon.
Pete lost a total of 160 pounds and happily showed off his six-pack abs. He is helping kids fight obesity and works with an adult exercise group.
Wylie kept off 97 pounds by working out with intellectually disabled people.

Where is Kelly Minner Now?

One former participant who is still losing weight after losing the show is Kelly Minner. The first-season runner-up went from “242 lbs. to 163 lbs. by the finale and now weighs 140 lbs.”

See? These are the smart ones...They didn't "win" financially, but they definately won by being smart, healthy, and making changes they could continue throughout the show and after! YEY THEM!

hoolihan

I love that show. Not every story has a happy ending, but those are some of the most brave people I have ever seen to document there struggles and successes on national TV.

Talk about a life-changing experience.

As I said before, that is a short term program and maintenance is a whole `nother ball game. But it can work, as some people have proven.

Life-style change, not a diet. Those contestants are heros!:happy: