Is it just me, or...? (Biggest Loser)

goodbyeexcess
goodbyeexcess Posts: 41
edited September 30 in Health and Weight Loss
Are the results in one week of 'The Biggest Loser' absolutely crazy?! Of course I am happy for the people, but it gives me an unrealistic goal to lose, say, 32 pounds in one week (yes, that has happened, season 7, week 1, the guys name was Ron.) 32 POUNDS! IN 7 DAYS! Needless to say they are working EXTREMELY hard and having a huge lifestyle change, not to mention they have a lot of weight to lose, but it just sets the bar high for me mentally.

I read somewhere on a blog that if you watch The Biggest Loser, you are less likely to snack on food as opposed to Cake Boss or Man vs. Food, which I'm sure has some truth to it. But I find myself getting discouraged when I don't lose as much as I had hoped for after watching The Biggest Loser. I see people on that show getting disappointed when they lose "only" 2 pounds. For me, that's an accomplishment!!!


(Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the show.)
Your thoughts???

Replies

  • GoGoSuku
    GoGoSuku Posts: 63
    It's brilliant that they lose that much but they have personal trainers! I think If I was that big I would lose that much, trying their delicate diet and exercising till I threw up!

    They have excess skin and I honestly don't think a crash everything keeps them changing their life, if they really wanted to lose the weight in the first place...they would've!
  • Frannswaz
    Frannswaz Posts: 172 Member
    I watch it too...sometimes back- to-back -to- back episodes...lol.

    Keeps me motivated.

    I don't get disheartened by the losses though.

    No use comparing besides they are in a VERY, VERY controlled environment.

    I suppose in the begining a lot of it is water loss too. My Auntie lost over 21 lbs in four weeks without excercise using shakes and this formula that made her into a 'pee-ing' machine. Wonder what her numbers would have looked like if she had JM kicking her butt 6hrs a day.

    :smile:
  • overzoelous
    overzoelous Posts: 161 Member
    Those people are put through intense workouts for like 8 hours a day. Plus, they have such a huge weight loss the first week because they start off being extremely overweight therefore it's "easier" for them to lose weight. You'll notice that as the show goes on and they get smaller the men average about 5-10 lbs a week and the women 2-5, depending on how small/large they are. Don't let this discourage you, not everyone has the luxury of being able to work out that many hours a day with that much intensity and "motivation". Plus, if you watch specials on the previous contestants, a lot of them gain a good amount of weight back. I understand that weight loss is really a lifestyle change. They lose the weight so fast, but then go back home and have to return to their jobs and have to buy their own groceries. It's all about going at a steady pace :]
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I think we have to remember that they are in a completely controlled environment. No families. No jobs. No school. Nothing but weight loss 24/7. Plus, they have trainers and I truly believe people cook for them too. Especially in the beginning when they are clueless about food choices. Also, some of these people are morbidly obese and will lose more weight in any environment than any of us would be able to lose.

    That being said - I stopped watching this show because for reasons I do not understand - it makes me want to EAT and EAT and EAT. Odd since it is a show about weight loss, but that is how it affects me.
  • CavewomanCoby
    CavewomanCoby Posts: 253 Member
    I watch it because I'm a sucker for a good "reality" tv show... but I think the results are drastically unrealistic for the layman, potentially discouraging for someone who doesn't achieve them, and the healthy food advice/"trainer tips" are completely driven by sponsorship and advertising $$....


    Take it with a grain of (low sodium) salt :)
  • scriehl
    scriehl Posts: 94 Member


    That being said - I stopped watching this show because for reasons I do not understand - it makes me want to EAT and EAT and EAT. Odd since it is a show about weight loss, but that is how it affects me.

    This is true for me too! Lol...
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
    They make the contestants eat very low amounts and exercise very high amounts. It's not a very safe way to lose weight.
  • DemonChaser
    DemonChaser Posts: 4
    You also have to remember that at it's core, it's a competition; many, if not all of the contestants take dangerous approaches to achieve that radical weight loss to win. Performing full days of workouts in summer wearing full winter clothing, working out wearing plastic bags to massively dehydrate, etc.

    Just keep plugging away with your 2 - 3 lbs a week target loss and you'll see the change and be happy that you're doing it in a sustainable way.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,916 Member
    Here's the reality: Of over 200 contestants, 22 have maintained a reasonable weight after the show. That's a little over 10% success rate. So about 90% go back to gaining weight.
    It's much easier to lose weight if you don't have to worry about working, your food is better controlled, you can work out 6 hours a day, have professional trainers and millions of people watching to keep them accountable. But take those away and you have regular people who struggle like so many out there now.
    It's much better to lose gradually and Bob and Jillian have also mentioned this. The success rate is much higher when you're only losing 1% of your body weight a week, rather than 2.5% or more.
  • achampionsheart
    achampionsheart Posts: 1,020 Member
    I think we have to remember that they are in a completely controlled environment. No families. No jobs. No school. Nothing but weight loss 24/7. Plus, they have trainers and I truly believe people cook for them too. Especially in the beginning when they are clueless about food choices. Also, some of these people are morbidly obese and will lose more weight in any environment than any of us would be able to lose.

    That being said - I stopped watching this show because for reasons I do not understand - it makes me want to EAT and EAT and EAT. Odd since it is a show about weight loss, but that is how it affects me.

    i totally agree...i see a personal trainer once a month for 30-45 min. and the rest of the time the journey is mine....i think if we all could go to a ranch, have our own personal "bob or jillian" we'd all be smashingly fit in no time...but unfortunately we dont.....but our fight is that much more important
  • aoifebr
    aoifebr Posts: 92
    OMG I feel the same - I'm in Australia but it’s a similar story re big numbers, I take my hats off to them because it’s a huge effort to go on the show & achieve what they do.

    I spoke to a couple of personal trainer who said they film over 10 days not 7 days, it’s full on training (5 to 8 hours per day), the contestants cut back to 1200 calories per day and DONT eat back their calories from exercise. Some ex contestants have spoken out about laxatives, cutting back on water etc before weights in’s. When I realise the amount of work they have to do & the fact they are in starvation mode for so long I don’t feel so bad.
  • Gary1977
    Gary1977 Posts: 804 Member
    They're having tryouts this Saturday, about an hour from where I live. I'm thinking really hard about going down for it. I'm currently 507lbs and would love to be considered for it. I've already got a big head start as I've lost 157lbs since Feb 15th of this year. I would enjoy the extra motivation and knowledge I would receive there.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member


    That being said - I stopped watching this show because for reasons I do not understand - it makes me want to EAT and EAT and EAT. Odd since it is a show about weight loss, but that is how it affects me.

    This is true for me too! Lol...

    Oh thank goodness I am not alone. I thought it was some sort of weird quirk only *I* had.. nice to know it isn't! ;0)
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