How does Biggest Loser do it?

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  • Lovlilyn
    Lovlilyn Posts: 79 Member
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    5% body weight in 2 weeks. I wonder what their calorie intake is VS their exercise calorie burn is. Fat/ soium.carbs/ protein?
    I dont know how they consistently drop large numbers? If I cut my calories too low, I dont lose a thing even if I up my exercise. ITs a fine balancing game for me...so I wonder how they do it?

    And what about the women with the TOM, I cant seem to lose an ounce no matter what I do during that time....just trying to figure it out...anyone have any ideas? And they were at home last episode so its not the trainers and/or cooks....I need to know ; ) lol

    I was thinking the same thing last night. I've had 500-800 average calorie deficits and GAINED never mind lost - and I can't figure it out.
  • Penny427
    Penny427 Posts: 166 Member
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    Working out 6-8hrs a day. Limited calorie intake. If you listen, at the weigh-ins when it has been a true 7 day week Allison will say "last weeks weigh-in" when it has been longer she will say "since the last weigh-in" the contestants are on their own alot, and when they are not, there are other trainers there besides Bob & Jill....Since they have become so famous they are off doing other things. Calorie goals if you are between 150-300lbs take you weight and multiply that by 7 and that is you daily calorie goal....just a few of the things ive heard from a former biggest loser.
  • Lovlilyn
    Lovlilyn Posts: 79 Member
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    It's not real life.

    A week on TV is not always actually a week.

    They do have customised calorie goals. I have seen 1200-1500 mentioned for different people.

    They Workout as much as 6 hours a day.

    They put on weight before the programme starts.

    They dehydrate in special suits before the weigh in to reduce water weight. They also sometimes wear more clothes during workout to sweat more. They then take them off for the cameras.

    They often put weight back on afterwards

    I'm pretty sure OP meant "how do they do it for the show even?" We all know that they have all sorts of advantages and tricks used to lose the weight for the contest, but are the weigh-ins are real, and it doesn't matter if it was 5% or 1% - the point being that they lost a target weight, and some of us can't lose anything in a week, even if we are sustaining a deficit.

    I agree that it must be a very tricky/fine balance. There must be an equation, because in previous shows they've had people sabotage their loss to leave the show. There was one female contestant once - a couple seasons ago - who seemed to legitimately have problems losing even though she was doing "everything" right.
  • GasnotGas
    GasnotGas Posts: 54 Member
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    I think your probably going to need some pretty boy/girl gym type to patronise/bully/taunt you whilst you spin for all your worth on an exercise bike, perhaps some dramatic music can accompany this to help shift those pounds.

    ;)

    This. Melodramatic montages annoy me.

    I'm happy to come by and yell at, taunt, berate and annoy you for $150 an hour plus expenses.

    Check the first few mins of this video: http://videosift.com/video/You-Have-Been-Watching-Humiliation-On-Reality-TV-Shows
  • blueroses_78
    blueroses_78 Posts: 85
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    I didn't get to browse the replies, but here's Kai talking about what it was like on the show:

    http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/06/23/biggest-loser-controversy-kai-hibbard-speaks-out/

    There are plenty of other links and she took a big risk of being sued by speaking out. I detest TBL - it's unhealthy what they put these people through just to boost their egos. I'm not saying that I don't own a few workouts by Jililan, but I would NEVER go to her if I wanted a trainer. I know my body's limits and whether or not I'm pushing them. I push myself but I don't push to the point of illness or injury, and I don't work out when I'm sick - my body needs the time to recover from illness. I will never watch this show.
  • KimberB96
    KimberB96 Posts: 18 Member
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    They slipped up last week with the 5% because they tried to let us believe it was a one week time period but Joe said a couple times that he'd been home for 2 weeks. They eat VLCD, workout 6 hrs a day with trainers and some of them do more on their own and dehydrate themselves for the weigh ins. It's not healthy and it isn't something any normal person would or should do.

    What do you mean by "they eat VLCD"; and how do they dehydrate themselves?
  • krissy_krossy
    krissy_krossy Posts: 307 Member
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    They slipped up last week with the 5% because they tried to let us believe it was a one week time period but Joe said a couple times that he'd been home for 2 weeks. They eat VLCD, workout 6 hrs a day with trainers and some of them do more on their own and dehydrate themselves for the weigh ins. It's not healthy and it isn't something any normal person would or should do.

    What do you mean by "they eat VLCD"; and how do they dehydrate themselves?

    Very low calorie diet. A former contestant talks about dehydrating here: http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/23/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-3-of-3/
  • KimberB96
    KimberB96 Posts: 18 Member
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    Thanks!
  • Rays_Wife
    Rays_Wife Posts: 1,173 Member
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    When the body is morbidly obese, it's healthier to take the weight off fast than to let the weight stay there and keep doing harm to the person.

    And what about all that wear and tear to their joints from going from barely sedentary to running for hours on treadmills?

    Yes, and also what about the saggy saggy skin that is left from this rapid weight loss?? I would rather lose it at a slow healthy pace, give my skin time to snap back and heal, and NOT have to have skin removal surgery to remove pounds of saggy skin :noway:
  • Rays_Wife
    Rays_Wife Posts: 1,173 Member
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    And yes, I realize that some saggy skin even happens with slower weight loss but not anywhere near the amount that happens with fast weight loss.
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
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    I would prefer a reality show where mom with 2 young kids needs to go to work, clean the house, walk the dog AND lose weight.. sort of a normal way of life for most people. I don't enjoy watching people sweat on exercise bikes 3 hours a day and not doing anything else, that is not real and it is also kjndof boring.

    Why noone ever makes real weight loss reality? Even if it was scripted, it would be much more interesting than just training and salad eating imho.

    The "Extreme Weight Loss Makeover Edition" is probably the closest. They lose a lot in one year. For three months, the trainer lives with them, and they don't have to work or anything. The rest of the year they have to live their everyday lives and lose weight. One guy was homeless for awhile and still managed to lose a lot of weight.

    The one where he was homeless was SO Inspiring.
  • priesterse
    priesterse Posts: 207 Member
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    bump
  • Angeloftheshore
    Angeloftheshore Posts: 227 Member
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    Main differences between what we are doing here and what they do there...
    1. They are monitored 24/7 by medical staff and trainers
    2. Many are there at a much higher weight than some of us and so many more pounds drop off quickly at the beginning
    3. It's their job to lose the weight, it's all they do is focus on food, nutrition, hydration, fitness and sleep
    4. The weeks are not actual real life weeks on the show, that fact has been discussed in interviews before.
    5. After workouts they are treated by medical staff with ice, etc...I doubt many of us do that daily for a quicker recovery.
    6.They have very little "cheat" food in the house and do not go out of the compound so they are not surrounded by temptation every day all day like we are. They only get tempted with low cal foods and temptation episode days.

    It's likely very few of us stick to anything we are doing as religiously as they are, for as long as they are and with couches like they have. And...it's a TV show
  • zillah73
    zillah73 Posts: 505 Member
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    When the body is morbidly obese, it's healthier to take the weight off fast than to let the weight stay there and keep doing harm to the person.

    And what about all that wear and tear to their joints from going from barely sedentary to running for hours on treadmills?

    Yes, and also what about the saggy saggy skin that is left from this rapid weight loss?? I would rather lose it at a slow healthy pace, give my skin time to snap back and heal, and NOT have to have skin removal surgery to remove pounds of saggy skin :noway:

    I lost more than 100 pounds at a rate of 1-4 pounds/week with healthy eating and exercise (1.5 hours a day, 5x a week... so normal) and I have a lot of loose skin. It may never snap back. It's not attractive but it's not the health hazard 100 extra pounds of fat were.
  • nwg74
    nwg74 Posts: 360 Member
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    I bet that contestants end up having skin surgery off camera and having the vests on during the last part of the weigh in' s and the final probably helps to hide it. Look at Michael, who was over 500 pounds and looked really good at the end. I can't see how he can look that good without a bit of help from surgery.

    The good thing about the show it has certainly motivated me and keeps me in check. I have lost 154 pounds by the end of the first year. I am now 2 months short of 2 years and now just over 200 pounds off. I still have some stomach and arm loose skin. At my age it is reducing slowly and takes patience.
  • mizzie1980
    mizzie1980 Posts: 379 Member
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    Please read this. It's an interview with one of the finalists from season 3. Before you start looking at the BL and wishing you could do that, or lamenting that your losses aren't as much, you need to know what the reality of the show is. I watched one season of BL and enjoyed it, but after reading this I won't watch it, or ever buy their products. Don't be put off that the interview is in 3 parts, they are a pretty short, quite read.

    Part 1: http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/09/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-1-of-3/
    Part 2: http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/16/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-2-of-3/
    Part 3: http://www.bodylovewellness.com/2010/06/16/kai-hibbard-biggest-loser-finalist-part-3-of-3/
  • christianwifemommymedic
    christianwifemommymedic Posts: 8
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    I like watching the show, but it is unrealistic because they workout 6+ hours per day. As that woman said, "Ain't nobody got time for that" haha

    LOL! Love it. :D
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,630 Member
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    5% body weight in 2 weeks. I wonder what their calorie intake is VS their exercise calorie burn is. Fat/ soium.carbs/ protein?
    I dont know how they consistently drop large numbers? If I cut my calories too low, I dont lose a thing even if I up my exercise. ITs a fine balancing game for me...so I wonder how they do it?

    And what about the women with the TOM, I cant seem to lose an ounce no matter what I do during that time....just trying to figure it out...anyone have any ideas? And they were at home last episode so its not the trainers and/or cooks....I need to know ; ) lol

    They are grossly overweight and so lose the excess very quickly in the beginning.

    Besides which, they are monitored at all times.
  • chooselove
    chooselove Posts: 106 Member
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    I love the Biggest Loser in that it can inspire people to change their lives, show them change IS possible through hard work.

    The unfortunate downside to the show is that it gives people unrealistic expectations in terms of how quickly they should expect to see change. Unless they have a personal nutritionist working with them at every meal, stocking their fridges/pantries, and can work out 6 hours a day, they can't expect these types of results in such a short period of time.

    this
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I would prefer a reality show where mom with 2 young kids needs to go to work, clean the house, walk the dog AND lose weight.. sort of a normal way of life for most people. I don't enjoy watching people sweat on exercise bikes 3 hours a day and not doing anything else, that is not real and it is also kjndof boring.

    Why noone ever makes real weight loss reality? Even if it was scripted, it would be much more interesting than just training and salad eating imho.

    Canada had one too, X - Weighted. It wasn't necessarily just single moms, but there were some. Each week they had someone who needed to lose weight and followed them over the course of 6 months. They did a fitness evaluation, set up on a normal workout routine and taught them how to eat. Even to prepare food. They had fitness and weight goals that they worked for and another fitness evaluation at the end along with weight and measurements. Throughout the show, they would have diary cameras and hidden cameras.
    I liked it a lot. You saw the normal struggles. And the excuses. Like the woman who swore she just couldn't lose weight (sounds familiar around here) and she was so convincing. She said she never at anything that wasn't on her diet and worked out hard. Then they showed the hidden video of her eating a cookie here, chips there, etc, and the excuses of one missed workout after another.
    There were a lot of great success stories. And more than a few failures.

    Just wasn't as dramatic as TBL.

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