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How do people on the Biggest Loser workout so long?
FiberousJ
Posts: 82 Member
in Debate Club
I don't understand. How can people 450 pounds be able to work out for 5 or more hours? They aren't in shape, so how are they able to last? Do they get put on PEDs or something? Out of all people, it should be hardest for them to last that long. I don't see how they would even recover, when the average person can't last as long as them.
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Replies
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I've never seen the show, so I have no insight into anything unique they may be doing. Humans are pretty incredible though and we tend to underestimate ourselves and the amazing things we're capable of. Endurance exercise is literally in our DNA, a person can run a marathon faster than a horse can.5
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They don't work. They just live on the ranch all the time they are there. So out of 16 hours awake, they split up working out 4-5 hours a day.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I don't understand. How can people 450 pounds be able to work out for 5 or more hours? They aren't in shape, so how are they able to last? Do they get put on PEDs or something? Out of all people, it should be hardest for them to last that long. I don't see how they would even recover, when the average person can't last as long as them.
When your "job" is to lose weight and work out, have trainers screaming at you, and have loads of money on the line, its amazing what a human can do.14 -
I don't understand. How can people 450 pounds be able to work out for 5 or more hours? They aren't in shape, so how are they able to last? Do they get put on PEDs or something? Out of all people, it should be hardest for them to last that long. I don't see how they would even recover, when the average person can't last as long as them.
they only show a small amount of their workouts on TV, I imagine a lot of it is low impact swimming/walking.
plus, as others have said, people will do a lot when there's money involved!7 -
Low-intensity, long workouts. Like a day of yard-work.2
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Plus, breaks for puking and passing out.9
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In addition to all of the above, keep in mind that you're seeing a highly, highly edited version of what happens with them. I'm sure they're at extremes relatively quickly, but I suspect there's some progression (of duration, intensity, frequency) employed in actuality. They've had a few health crises over the years, but not that many, really. Probably some of that is attributable to screening of candidates (even very obese people vary individuality in capabilities), and to using a bit more progression than they reveal in what shows up on TV.5
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I have to say that the format of the competition is likely to produce short-term weight loss. I mean, if you can drop everything and devote 100% of your mental energy on weight loss (not even fitness, particularly) while you know others are watching, it would would be pretty motivating. And, then when no one's watching, it would be pretty demotivating. Which is why most of them gain all the weight back.6
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They don't work. They just live on the ranch all the time they are there. So out of 16 hours awake, they split up working out 4-5 hours a day.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
But I'm still amazed they can actually do it. Most people their size can't even do 15 minutes without really struggling.2 -
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Well many times they aren't really training that hard. Just walking on a treadmill or elliptical is challenging enough due to the weight they carry already.They don't work. They just live on the ranch all the time they are there. So out of 16 hours awake, they split up working out 4-5 hours a day.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
But I'm still amazed they can actually do it. Most people their size can't even do 15 minutes without really struggling.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Yeah no. Your sugar doesn't spike during exercise since it's getting depleted, hence some people can get low blood sugar levels.It's just another ridiculously stupid TV show. I've never seen it.
Exercise has little or nothing to do with losing FAT. That's done by DIET a/o FASTING.
Higher intensity exercise causes stress which releases cortisol and spikes sugar.
The sugar rush will spike your insulin putting your body into fat storage mode. You will be very hungry and overeat carbohydrates.
And the statement is a fallacy that many low carb/ketoers make claim of. Practically most people will be hungry after working out pretty intensely but usually not RIGHT AFTER a workout. Most people feel more comfortable eating 30 minutes to an hour after a workout. And you're making it sound as if the body is ravishing to only eat carbs. If one fueled correctly for the activity they do, most people (who don't low carb/keto) eat a modest meal that includes some carbs.
Insulin for some is really misunderstood on how it's regulated in the body and it's actually benefits. Your take on it is pretty biased and makes it sound like the devil.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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It's just another ridiculously stupid TV show. I've never seen it.
Exercise has little or nothing to do with losing FAT. That's done by DIET a/o FASTING.
Higher intensity exercise causes stress which releases cortisol and spikes sugar.
The sugar rush will spike your insulin putting your body into fat storage mode. You will be very hungry and overeat carbohydrates.
Weight loss is created by a calorie deficit. Exercise can absolutely be part of that process.
If your theory was true, we'd expect elite endurance athletes to be fat. They're not.17 -
I don't understand this show.
The contestants are very obese and they compete to lose as much as possible each week by restricted eating and insane workouts. Eating better and working out more are both great things, but they happen too quickly.
See here for an insight into why this is a bad idea: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oby.21538Mean [Resting Metabolic Rate] after 6 years was approx 500 kcal/day lower than expected based on the measured body com-position changes and the increased age of the subjects.
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It's just another ridiculously stupid TV show. I've never seen it.
Exercise has little or nothing to do with losing FAT. That's done by DIET a/o FASTING.
Higher intensity exercise causes stress which releases cortisol and spikes sugar.
The sugar rush will spike your insulin putting your body into fat storage mode. You will be very hungry and overeat carbohydrates.
Exactly. Exercise makes people fat, the more exercise you do the fatter you get. That's why marathon runners are all 400 pounds and couch potatoes are so underweight. People don't understand the power of hormones, somebody should write a song about it.24 -
Like most crash dieters, 90% of all the contestants REGAINED a significant amount of weight.thelastnightingale wrote: »I don't understand this show.
The contestants are very obese and they compete to lose as much as possible each week by restricted eating and insane workouts. Eating better and working out more are both great things, but they happen too quickly.
See here for an insight into why this is a bad idea: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oby.21538Mean [Resting Metabolic Rate] after 6 years was approx 500 kcal/day lower than expected based on the measured body com-position changes and the increased age of the subjects.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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NorthCascades wrote: »Exactly. Exercise makes people fat, the more exercise you do the fatter you get. That's why marathon runners are all 400 pounds and couch potatoes are so underweight. People don't understand the power of hormones, somebody should write a song about it.
I actually lost weight when I gave up running.
I didn't run very often, so it really messed with my appetite, as my body would be starving the next day, in anticipation of needing to fuel for another run that wouldn't ever happen. I also used to go out for food with other runners afterwards, and it would be at places with no calorie count. I'm sure I ate more than I burnt off.
I know runners of all levels of fitness, shapes and sizes - the ones who 'look' like 'proper' runners are the ones who always seem to be eating, but that's because when you don't see them eating, they're busy running. They have a really consistent routine of running and refuelling, so their bodies know what's going on and they don't get confused and overeat. It looks like they're eating a lot, but they're actually just eating an normal amount of food, plus extra food to cover all the exercise.
I think it comes down to consistency and routine - if you're burning a consistent amount of calories each day, whether it's a lot or a little, just consistent - you get better at judging how much you can/should eat to maintain/lose.3 -
@thelastnightingale
My theory is that most people eat the way their genes and upbringing predispose them to, within their means, and the ones who become athletes gravitate to sports that their body type works well at. Because those are the ones they find rewarding.
I have a good friend who runs, she does several marathons a year, and one 50 miler most summers. She's very slender. I'm saying she isn't low body fat because she runs long distances; she runs long because she's skinny.4 -
thelastnightingale wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Exactly. Exercise makes people fat, the more exercise you do the fatter you get. That's why marathon runners are all 400 pounds and couch potatoes are so underweight. People don't understand the power of hormones, somebody should write a song about it.
I actually lost weight when I gave up running.
I didn't run very often, so it really messed with my appetite, as my body would be starving the next day, in anticipation of needing to fuel for another run that wouldn't ever happen. I also used to go out for food with other runners afterwards, and it would be at places with no calorie count. I'm sure I ate more than I burnt off.
I know runners of all levels of fitness, shapes and sizes - the ones who 'look' like 'proper' runners are the ones who always seem to be eating, but that's because when you don't see them eating, they're busy running. They have a really consistent routine of running and refuelling, so their bodies know what's going on and they don't get confused and overeat. It looks like they're eating a lot, but they're actually just eating an normal amount of food, plus extra food to cover all the exercise.
I think it comes down to consistency and routine - if you're burning a consistent amount of calories each day, whether it's a lot or a little, just consistent - you get better at judging how much you can/should eat to maintain/lose.
I think your last paragraph is right on. I lost weight running and biking -- and at one point I lost weight training for a triathlon without changing the way I was eating or tracking cals, but that's because the way I was eating at the time was quite consistent and I had been maintaining. I tend to eat well when I exercise consistently or, perhaps, exercise consistently when I'm eating well, so the two go together for me mostly.
I can definitely see that if adding in an activity causes a shift in appetite and one doesn't do it consistently enough to get used to it, that it could feel unhelpful. (I don't find that running makes me extra hungry, but I do know the "did my long run so can eat what I want" thing.)
This all aside, I completely agree with NorthCascade's dismissal of the intense exercise doesn't help with weight loss but makes you FAT because SUGAR comment he was responding to (which wasn't from you).1 -
I don't do the intense exercise that many of you do, but even with my little chair exercises with 5 pound dumbbells, I find that I have LESS hunger/craving than when I don't do the workout. It doesn't make me extra hungry. Maybe that's because a lot of my "hunger" is really boredom or anxiety that the exercise helps me cope with.8
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I'm surprised to hear they are still making TBL. I thought the ratings fell off years ago.0
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I think they stopped for a while and restarted.0
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Whatsthemotive wrote: »I don't do the intense exercise that many of you do, but even with my little chair exercises with 5 pound dumbbells, I find that I have LESS hunger/craving than when I don't do the workout. It doesn't make me extra hungry. Maybe that's because a lot of my "hunger" is really boredom or anxiety that the exercise helps me cope with.
Who knows. If I don’t exercise I crash regularly. Cardio improves things, but strength training really helps. If I stop the crashes come back after about 3 weeks. No idea what it is, but it’s brought on by too little carbs.1 -
Whatsthemotive wrote: »I don't do the intense exercise that many of you do, but even with my little chair exercises with 5 pound dumbbells, I find that I have LESS hunger/craving than when I don't do the workout. It doesn't make me extra hungry. Maybe that's because a lot of my "hunger" is really boredom or anxiety that the exercise helps me cope with.
Yes, I find mild-moderate exercise to be a mild appetite suppressant. I used to always get the afternoon munchies at work until I created the habit of getting some form of exercise at lunch.4 -
It's just another ridiculously stupid TV show. I've never seen it.
Exercise has little or nothing to do with losing FAT. That's done by DIET a/o FASTING.
Higher intensity exercise causes stress which releases cortisol and spikes sugar.
The sugar rush will spike your insulin putting your body into fat storage mode. You will be very hungry and overeat carbohydrates.
So you only believe in the Calories In part of Calories In Calories Out?10 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Whatsthemotive wrote: »I don't do the intense exercise that many of you do, but even with my little chair exercises with 5 pound dumbbells, I find that I have LESS hunger/craving than when I don't do the workout. It doesn't make me extra hungry. Maybe that's because a lot of my "hunger" is really boredom or anxiety that the exercise helps me cope with.
Yes, I find mild-moderate exercise to be a mild appetite suppressant. I used to always get the afternoon munchies at work until I created the habit of getting some form of exercise at lunch.
Me too. Always have.2 -
It's just another ridiculously stupid TV show. I've never seen it.
Exercise has little or nothing to do with losing FAT. That's done by DIET a/o FASTING.
Higher intensity exercise causes stress which releases cortisol and spikes sugar.
The sugar rush will spike your insulin putting your body into fat storage mode. You will be very hungry and overeat carbohydrates.
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thisvickyruns wrote: »
They rebranded themselves as a show about wellness, but my understanding is that nothing changed except for some window dressing (I haven't seen the new episodes, basing this on descriptions).2 -
I think hunger/not with exercise kind of depends on consistency and also duration and all sorts of personal things. If I go for a run and my heart rate is up I'm pretty sure most of my blood flow is going to the parts being worked hard, and not my digestion, and endorphins seem to quash my appetite too. Also this only applies to short, faster runs (5K or so).
If I do a slowish 10 mile hike, I'm not going to be hungry immediately after or during but I am going to want to eat roughly half a cow an hour or two later (Or that evening).
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