The Biggest Loser - how do they do it?

suzitkd

Hi all, still trying to work out the best way not just to lose weight now, but to eat to keep it off forever! I've watched a lot of the biggest loser programmes over the years and have always been very impressed, I mean you can't not be... but here's the thing, does anyone know how they do it? I mean the huge losses that some of them manage - the losing a stone a week... when everything I've read says that it's physically impossible to lose more than 1 - 2lb of fat per week, any more than that and you're eating away your muscles - but those guys definitely aren't! Now I'm not expecting to ever achieve losing a stone a week - I'd be happy with 2lbs a week thanks! But what they manage on that show definitely seems to go against a lot of the theories - they obviously work out REALLY hard, but what do they eat? Do they snack all day? Do they eat back their exercise calories or do they work on a huge calorie deficit? Does anyone know? Thanks!

dls06

Controlled setting and a lot of help.

lisa0913

I've often wondered some of those questions too. I wish they would outline how long and what they do all day and their menu for the day.

lauristewart

bump

MelissaL582

I agree..controlled setting. I remember getting a quick glimpse of their meals one day when they were still at 2 different ranches. For the 3 meals a day, it added up to less than 1100. I'm assuming they had snacks in between.

registers

Hi all, still trying to work out the best way not just to lose weight now, but to eat to keep it off forever! I've watched a lot of the biggest loser programmes over the years and have always been very impressed, I mean you can't not be... but here's the thing, does anyone know how they do it? I mean the huge losses that some of them manage - the losing a stone a week... when everything I've read says that it's physically impossible to lose more than 1 - 2lb of fat per week, any more than that and you're eating away your muscles - but those guys definitely aren't! Now I'm not expecting to ever achieve losing a stone a week - I'd be happy with 2lbs a week thanks! But what they manage on that show definitely seems to go against a lot of the theories - they obviously work out REALLY hard, but what do they eat? Do they snack all day? Do they eat back their exercise calories or do they work on a huge calorie deficit? Does anyone know? Thanks!

I saw a post that said they eat 1,200 calories and burn 6000 calories. There are many myth's and misconceptions in health and fitness. A bunch are just flat out lies. I have lost 15lbs in the last 2 weeks, I don't eat 6 meals a day. I eat one meal, a main one at night, (you're not superposed to eat at night according to these theories). You can talk about theories all you want, but you can't argue with results.

Tzavush

Its the magic of television. Not all of those "week"s are really just a week and they put the equivalent of one months worth of training into one week of TV training. I read an article that someone had posted here of an interview with one person from the first or second season.
They have a prescribed amount of calories that they should e eating and according to the person in the interview, they would actually get told off if they hadn't eaten before the workouts.

laceylovespink

I saw Ali Vincent speak one time and if I remember correctly she said they worked out alllll dayyyy lonnnnggg. She said that some people had blisters so bad on the bottoms of their feet that they had to be packed. that's a bad blister. I suppose if we worked out for 8 hours straight we would be in such a humongo deficit that we could do that too. She also said that they didn't have a chef, they made all of their own food...i thought that was interesting. A lot of them gain it back when they go home (i don't think she has gained hers back she looked amazing). I don't watch tbl very much anymore because it is aggrivating to see people lose 5-10 lbs a week and then beat themselves up about it.

strandedeyes

Controlled setting and a lot of help.

Aside from this...they dehydrate before weigh in at times and some of those weigh ins aren't weekly the way we think they are. As inspirational the show is, it is a tv show and they will tweak things for the ratings. They also workout almost 24 / 7.... Remember it is a tv show and we don't see everything the constestants go through.

If you keep up with exercise and healthy eating, you will reach your goals, promise.

lailenm

They're working out for hours upon hours a day - there's no temptation of fast food because they don't go out unless its for a reward. Their diets are tailored to match their bodies by a professional nutritionist. They've got medical staff to watch over them to prevent injuries before they happen.


Basically, everything they do is monitored and controlled.

potluck965

There was a link to a blog from one of the former contestants on TBL around here somewhere. Apparently that particular contestant is now battling an eating disorder and was very critical of the way they did things on the show. A lot of it is not as it seems. But, real life dieting is very boring and would never make good television.

Best to stick with realistic goals and real life changes. Most of us cannot go to a "fat camp" and devote 24/7 to weight loss accompanied by personal trainers and a fully equipped gym as well as the incentive of huge prize money.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy TBL, especially to watch Jillian Michaels, but it is not completely realistic.

ChRiStA_1983

As far as I'm aware, they are on a very calorie-restricted diet.....Each and every person on the show consumes a net of only 1,200 calories in a day....And they are working out for 6-7 hours per day!

It's an INTENSE situation, and not feasible to carry over into real life....Additionally, if you've seen any of the previous contestants recently, MANY of them regain weight...Now, they certainly don't regain it ALL back, but there are a significant number who have gained back anywhere between 20 and 40 pounds....There's the clue that in real life, it's not realistic to keep the weight off when you lose it as drastically as these contestants have!

Slow and steady is better, sustainable, and DEFINITELY the way to go!

Sarah_uk

Aren't they on a 1200(female)/1500(male) diet? And probably high protein aswell.Like that you'd build up a HUGE calorie deficit I think.

I think it would be very difficult to keep it up when they have finished the program. I did read about some gaining back all the weight.

KTalada

On Biggest Loser they also exercise for eight or more hours per day! They do not have to worry about jobs, kids & all the other responsibilities of every day life while they are on the ranch. Oh, and they have access to their own personal trainer(s) constantly! In "real" life, we do not have that much time to devote to exercise. They also live on the reanch where there is a kitchen stocked with all healthy foods: They don't have to resist the goodies that the hubby or kids bring in, the ice cream stand, etc. In real life it can be done, but takes a lot more time and effort. But in the end, we can all get there!

Just keep on keeping on! :flowerforyou:

funkyspunky871

I'm not sure what they eat or anything, but I do know that some "weeks" are actually up to 2 weeks long. And, I'm not sure if this happened on the ranch, but some past contestants have talked about extreme dehydration... to the point of peeing blood... before a weigh-in (maybe she was just talking about the finale weigh-in, I'm not sure).

mlemonroe2

none of these people are working. all they do is work out and have someone tell them what to eat. it isn't realistic for someone who works every day or dosn't have a personal trainer yelling at them to keep going or controlling what they eat. it would be nice though

natskedat

Hollywood is all smoke and mirrors. You can't take anything you see at face value. It is not real.

ChRiStA_1983

I saw Ali Vincent speak one time and if I remember correctly she said they worked out alllll dayyyy lonnnnggg. She said that some people had blisters so bad on the bottoms of their feet that they had to be packed. that's a bad blister. I suppose if we worked out for 8 hours straight we would be in such a humongo deficit that we could do that too. She also said that they didn't have a chef, they made all of their own food...i thought that was interesting. A lot of them gain it back when they go home (i don't think she has gained hers back she looked amazing). I don't watch tbl very much anymore because it is aggrivating to see people lose 5-10 lbs a week and then beat themselves up about it.

Actually, you missed seeing Ali on the finale this past Tuesday. She has gained weight back! She's probably put on approximately 20-25 pounds since we last saw her on the show!

Trudger

I don't usually add to threads here, but I just wanted to share that one of the best concepts I learned after joining MFP was the abbreviation NSV. I remember the first time I saw it and had to ask what it was.

NSV = Non-Scale Victory

I've built my new life around this concept. The scale weight loss is great...I am really happy with my progress there, but I also am more active, happier, less stressed. In addition, I have completely come off my insulin and cut my cholesterol meds in half. High blood pressure meds lookout....you are on the radar.

In this culture of pounds/kilograms remember there are many weighs [sic] to lose "weight."

Continuing to Trudge the road...

RichGebs

I saw Ali Vincent speak one time and if I remember correctly she said they worked out alllll dayyyy lonnnnggg. She said that some people had blisters so bad on the bottoms of their feet that they had to be packed. that's a bad blister. I suppose if we worked out for 8 hours straight we would be in such a humongo deficit that we could do that too. She also said that they didn't have a chef, they made all of their own food...i thought that was interesting. A lot of them gain it back when they go home (i don't think she has gained hers back she looked amazing). I don't watch tbl very much anymore because it is aggrivating to see people lose 5-10 lbs a week and then beat themselves up about it.

Actually, you missed seeing Ali on the finale this past Tuesday. She has gained weight back! She's probably put on approximately 20-25 pounds since we last saw her on the show!

Hhahaahaha what are you smoking? She's in the best shape he's ever been while hosting that show haha she didn't gain anything where ever you hears that is a lie

tannaleigh

I think it is somehwere along the same lines as "i used to be fat" a show on mtv. On that show the kids work out anywhere from 6-8 hours every day for 90-110 days