How does BL do it?

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aprildh
aprildh Posts: 90
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, how did those contestants last night lose that much weight one week at home!!! What is BL secret or weight-loss formula cause I'm telling you, I know slow and steady wins the race, but I sure would love and need a great weight loss boost. I mean one lady lost 39 pounds in a month and the man lost 51. What gives?
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Replies

  • CrystalT
    CrystalT Posts: 862 Member
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    They burn crazy amounts of calories. I think their calorie deficits are in the thousands each day. But, unless you are going to be monitored by doctors as closely as they are, don't try it on your own. There are serious health risks associated with this kind of weight loss. The contestants are aware of this before they begin.
  • Channing
    Channing Posts: 617 Member
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    They lost that weight at home in 1 month, not 1 week :wink:
  • jenjen84
    jenjen84 Posts: 117 Member
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    The women on BL are required to burn at least 6000 calories a day and the men 8000 a day! They are also only allowed to eat 1200 for women and 1800 for men, which is why they have such crazy weight loss. It is so nice to see the scale more that fast but if you watched the where are they now show, the winner from two years ago is right back to where he started, so I think if you are going to make that type of life style change it would have to be a constant go go go workout routine! Slow and steady won the race!!
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
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    They exercise from between 6-8 hours every day. I'm sure to put up those numbers at home, they were doing the same thing. Even though they were "at home" they were probably still existing under a very intense exercise schedule, one that most employed people couldn't keep up for a lifetime.

    Also, the heavier you are, you burn more calories every day just moving your body from place to place (even before exercising). Extremely obese + many hours of exercise + massive calorie deficits + close Dr.'s supervision = unbelievable numbers.

    Also, several ex-contestants have come forward and said that their techniques were most definitely NOT heavy. In the week before one finale, a finalist was urinating blood, for example.

    I was still very touched by O'Neal this week, and my love/hate relationship with the BL continues. It's a weight loss competition for money, so sooner or later , unhealthy things are going to be afoot.
  • aaronschiltz
    aaronschiltz Posts: 2 Member
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    I think they work out 6 hours a day at the ranch and, assuming they already took the time off of work, they do the same while they're at home. There's no other way to create such a massive calorie deficit!
  • Dom_m
    Dom_m Posts: 336 Member
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    They start out uber heavy. You can move quickly when you're far from the goal. The closer to good health you get, the more you have to work for the next little improvement.

    Its frustrating as hell, but that's reality.
  • lindsay1982
    lindsay1982 Posts: 245 Member
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    Yeah, somewhere (many moons ago), I read that the more weight you have to lose, not loose, the easier it comes off. So, since I am 258, I should be dropping great numbers, but I LOVE FOOD, I would never, ever have the stamina to be on that show, no matter the amount of money...
  • sdirks
    sdirks Posts: 223 Member
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    I'm so hapy I don't have television. It seems like this show is giving the average person a distorted perception of weightloss. I wish they'd explain the numbers, like our stickies here on MFPdo! Maybe then folks at home would understand how to get healthy for themselves and not need to go on a show like this....

    MFP "Losers" (lol) are more entertaining and so much more realistic than these "reality" shows, anyway.
  • MercuryBlue
    MercuryBlue Posts: 886 Member
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    They only lose that much because of how big they are. Towards the end of the show, when they're smaller, their weekly numbers are MUCH smaller.

    Also the constant working out, of course. But size is definitely a factor. If you were 150 pounds to start off with, you just wouldn't see those same numbers.
  • MercuryBlue
    MercuryBlue Posts: 886 Member
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    *double posts suck*
  • aprildh
    aprildh Posts: 90
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    Thanks everybody. I love the show and we don't hardly watch TV, but some of the people that are really on their for their health (and not the game) inspire me. I am actually turned off by the "drama" but love the truth behind some of the people. It's inspiring to know and see the difference good choices can make in their health.

    I need to lose around 65 pounds and it seems like its going to take forever at a pound a week, but more than the weight loss, I really do want to learn a lifestyle change and therefore influence my little boys in their lifestyle habits they create. I do wish there was an easy concrete formula I could just plug into and see success, but life, hormones, stress, and exhaustion get in the way.
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
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    I stopped watching the show because 2hrs was just too much for me, and I get the drill
    BUT my concern is what happens to these people after the show/winner is announced and real life sets in....when u can't spend 8 hrs at the gym etc
    If u loose weight that fast it has to come back on just as fast?

    Kim
  • tjones7
    tjones7 Posts: 306
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    hello all,

    I love the show but the the starter of this thread was speaking about the two couples that were sent home. I don't know how thye did it but i was inspired. They didn't have Bob and Jillian so it made it more special for me. Um. someone also said that the people gain it back but a lot of people don't. Ali, is one of them. She still looks great.

    i wish they would share some of their secrets :)
  • gennyvieve
    gennyvieve Posts: 83
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    like everyone else i would LOVE to lose big numbers like that, but the reality is it's just not healthy----and as others have pointed out they had ALOT more to lose than most of us do. it has been proven time and time again that losing slowly means that you are WAY more likely to keep it off....so while i'd like to fit into my skinny jeans today, i'll wait until next month, or even the month after that if it means that i'm building the good habits that are necessary to keep it off for good! and every time i get discouraged i remind myself that A)i didn't get that big overnight(it took 10mos and an 8lb baby boy! *grin), and B)whatever i'm doing IS working because i somehow managed to relax a little over the holidays and even when i wasn't being superstrict i not only maintained in dec, but lost a pound! granted, one pound in a month is NOT ideal, but if it means i'm not driving myself crazy with what i can't have and want to bad at christmas parties then it sounds pretty good to me! :)

    and srsly, am i the only one that really wishes they'd cut it down to a one hour show? i hate that the weigh-ins take forty-freaking minutes. :)
  • BamaRose0107
    BamaRose0107 Posts: 635
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    As far as the couples at home are concerned, they had a pretty good bit to lose. I remember when I first started losing weight it was very easy for me to lose 6 to 7 pounds a week, Alot of it has to do with the size they start out at and how much they are exercising. I know some of the contestants gained some or all of their weight back, but I think it has more to do with the fact that on the ranch they do not have to deal with real life. They have access to two of the best trainers, their own personal gym and a fully stocked kitchen so it is easy to lose weight in that controlled environment. I have also noticed after the competition a few of the females admitted that the weight they ended up being at the finally was too small and it would take so much effort to maintain they decided to gain a few. Julie I remember was one that gained 10 or 15 after the show so she would not have to starve herself or workout 4-5 hours a day to maintain. Her thing was with kids and a marriage and job she just could not do it.
  • LosingLizard
    LosingLizard Posts: 69
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    The Dr from The Biggest Loser, Dr Huzinga (pardon if I butchered the spelling) wrote a book called "Where Did All the Fat Go?" and in there he actually explains, how they did it on the ranch, and gives the instructions on how to do it at home.

    The cliff notes is you have to work out - HARD - two hours per day, and eat around 1500 calories (ish). He says jogging 4-5 miles in the morning and his list of weight training (at home stuff, in the book, with pictures) for half hour, preceded by a half hour of warm up cardio (3 days per week) and some other type of cardio in the evening on the non weight training days.

    The test subjects for the book were At Home participants from Biggest Loser Seaon 3. They weren't on the show and couldn't win the money, and that's why he picked them. He set out to prove that obese people could still lose dramatic amounts of weight without the national spotlight or money as an incentive.

    It's a really interesting book. The message is, you have to seriously, and literally, work your butt off. :laugh: The exercise part is the essential part, and he doesn't candy-coat how HARD it really is. But, if it's results you want, that book will explain it all and give you a weekly program.
  • sarina87
    sarina87 Posts: 400 Member
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    That sounds so interesting, I think i am going to request that book at my library. Thanks for that info lizard

    :) sarina
  • jclguru
    jclguru Posts: 123
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    I think I missed it...will the blue team still be eligible for the prize at the end?

    Doug
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Basically it's what I always say, which comes in 3 parts.

    1) The more fat you have to lose, the more you will be able to lose each week.

    2) Dramatic results only come from dramatic effort.

    3) Trying to lose too much too fast results in disappointment, which leads to perception of failure, which leads to program cessation. Besides the health risks of trying to create a giant deficit, a positive attitude is one of my top 5 things to have when changing your lifestyle.
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
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    I watch BL, but I know better. I just watch for the drama and how they edit things to make the drama.

    They are in a unique situation and you can't expect people with normal lives to be able to meet those rigid standards. Also, it was said by previous contestants that a week at the ranch is more than 7 days, so keep that in mind.

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