6,000 calorie burn?!

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toots99
toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
That's how much Bob on BIggest Loser said a girl's gotta burn each day! Holy moly! They've gotta burn 6,000 all still while taking in 1,200! And guys have to burn 8,000 (I am guessing they take in 1,800?...it wasn't mentioned). They've gotta be dead at the end of the day...I know if I burn 1,000 I'm beat! :laugh: No wonder they lose as much weight a week as they do. :noway:
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  • MFPfriend
    MFPfriend Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I heard that too- I was shocked.
    They are taking in -4800 calories a day, which means they are burning about 1.3 pounds a day.
    How do they not die? People here talk about starvation mode when you eat 1000 calories a day.
    How they heck are they doing -4800?????
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    No idea! They must be very closely monitored, as it mentions at the end of each show. I had to rewind to just make sure I heard Bob right. Amazing.
  • xglassjaw86x
    xglassjaw86x Posts: 10
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    seriously... i was trying to see about how many hours of workout per day one would have to do to approximately burn 6,000 calories/day.
  • berlin80210
    berlin80210 Posts: 59 Member
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    I thought I imagined it too! My daily is 1300 and I am no where near the weight of these contestants. I can't imagine living off that little of food, especially when your exerting so much energy!

    What happens when they go back to a normal life?!
  • lizzys
    lizzys Posts: 841 Member
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    i did not think it was 4800 it was only 1200 thats all your body really needs, when your exercising hard your not hungry if you eat to much it makes you sick i lost five pounds this week i did buns of steel and walk a way the pounds i want to lose ten pounds this week so i need to step up my work out but when you this big and your working out hard its easy to stay with in:yawn: your calories
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    i did not think it was 4800 it was only 1200 thats all your body really needs, when your exercising hard your not hungry if you eat to much it makes you sick i lost five pounds this week i did buns of steel and walk a way the pounds i want to lose ten pounds this week so i need to step up my work out but when you this big and your working out hard its easy to stay with in:yawn: your calories

    She said it's -4800 calories. They burn 6,000 and take in 1,200. That's MINUS 4,800 calories.
  • cheri03
    cheri03 Posts: 172 Member
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    Some of their body sizes would make that easier though. I know when I started 25 lbs heavier than where I am now, I burned more calories. It does seem extreme though.
  • margaretthedevil
    margaretthedevil Posts: 215
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    I don't think they'll die or anything as they are closely monitored and usually extremely obese so their fat stores are enormous, although I think that the show itself is a tad extreme and some people just go back to their old habits afterwards if they haven't been taught to eat better or just lack of will.
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
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    If I had to burn 6000 calories a day, I'd be one big sweat puddle. YUCK! :sick:
    But I think that is what Bob figured they needed to burn so that they could make the numbers they needed to (the 150 pounds combined, which they blew out of the water - AMAZING!!) - and then they would forego week 3.
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
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    There is a reason they sign a "No I won't sue you if I die" release.
    I don't care if that IS doctor monitored, there is no way that is healthy.
    Risking someone's health for the glitz of a tv show is wrong, imo.
    And worse yet, making America think it's okay because they are under a doctor's care bothers me too.
    :frown:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    There is a reason they sign a "No I won't sue you if I die" release.
    I don't care if that IS doctor monitored, there is no way that is healthy.
    Risking someone's health for the glitz of a tv show is wrong, imo.
    And worse yet, making America think it's okay because they are under a doctor's care bothers me too.
    :frown:

    THANK YOU.

    The Biggest Loser propagates all the unhealthy rumors and quick-fix methods for dropping lbs fast. While it might be motivating to some, it's entirely unrealistic and isn't doing its viewers any favors by promoting this kind of weight loss and excessive exercise.
  • Demetria
    Demetria Posts: 178
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    I heard that too- I was shocked.
    They are taking in -4800 calories a day, which means they are burning about 1.3 pounds a day.
    How do they not die? People here talk about starvation mode when you eat 1000 calories a day.
    How they heck are they doing -4800?????

    I think it works differently for extremely obese people and that show does seem a bit fanatical.

    Demetria
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    There is a reason they sign a "No I won't sue you if I die" release.
    I don't care if that IS doctor monitored, there is no way that is healthy.
    Risking someone's health for the glitz of a tv show is wrong, imo.
    And worse yet, making America think it's okay because they are under a doctor's care bothers me too.
    :frown:

    THANK YOU.

    The Biggest Loser propagates all the unhealthy rumors and quick-fix methods for dropping lbs fast. While it might be motivating to some, it's entirely unrealistic and isn't doing its viewers any favors by promoting this kind of weight loss and excessive exercise.

    Wow. I have never watched the show, but this is bizarre. I am in total agreement with you. When I saw snippets of the show on TV ads or Talk Soup, part of me liked the idea that they were challenging people to be more aggressive about fitness routines and realistic about the commitment it took to really change things. I also thought, like you, that images of obese people really working hard might be motivating to some or make others feel less self-conscious about working out in public.

    However, "weight loss contests" are always inherently wrong, IMO, and this just confirms that this show is beyond irresponsible.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Hold up a sec guys. Before we go crazy there are a few things to remember. And so everyone knows, I'm very torn about this show as well, sometimes I love it for the stories, and sometimes I hate it for the incomplete information and bad impressions it gives. In no way do I think the average person that needs to lose about 40 or 50 or even 100 lbs should attempt any of this on their own.

    I spoke to my dietitian about this about 6 months ago, this is how she explained it to me.

    A couple of things to remember, 1st, EVERY SINGLE PERSON on this show is on the Dangerous side of Morbidly obese. if they went to a doctor, to a man (or woman) the doctor would most likely put them on a VLCD (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_low_calorie_diet) until they were out of the extreme danger zone. That's the thing we don't see, they have doctors that live and/or work with these people as well, and (from what I've read on the site in the past) these professionals review their numbers weekly to make sure they aren't overly deficient in any area.

    With that said, Morbidly obese people can afford a far higher calorie deficit than others, and for a longer period of time. That doesn't mean it's the BEST way to do it, but generally, right now it's just as important to remove some of the weight as it is to eat more.

    While I DO feel it's irresponsible for them to give us (as viewers) those numbers without a detailed explaination as to why it's not ok for the average person, I understand why they are doing it themselves. What I don't agree with is the length of time they (seem) to keep them on that diet. It's not clear to me how long they stay on the extremely low calorie diet, but I know it's more than 3 weeks, which most doctors agree is the maximum you should be on a VLCD even when under physician supervision.

    We need to remember, these people are averaging 50 to 60% body fat, that's bad news. Like, you'll die within a couple of years bad news. Getting off some of the weight at that point is generally the biggest concern.
  • MFPfriend
    MFPfriend Posts: 1,121 Member
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    Hold up a sec guys. Before we go crazy there are a few things to remember. And so everyone knows, I'm very torn about this show as well, sometimes I love it for the stories, and sometimes I hate it for the incomplete information and bad impressions it gives. In no way do I think the average person that needs to lose about 40 or 50 or even 100 lbs should attempt any of this on their own.

    I spoke to my dietitian about this about 6 months ago, this is how she explained it to me.

    A couple of things to remember, 1st, EVERY SINGLE PERSON on this show is on the Dangerous side of Morbidly obese. if they went to a doctor, to a man (or woman) the doctor would most likely put them on a VLCD (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_low_calorie_diet) until they were out of the extreme danger zone. That's the thing we don't see, they have doctors that live and/or work with these people as well, and (from what I've read on the site in the past) these professionals review their numbers weekly to make sure they aren't overly deficient in any area.

    With that said, Morbidly obese people can afford a far higher calorie deficit than others, and for a longer period of time. That doesn't mean it's the BEST way to do it, but generally, right now it's just as important to remove some of the weight as it is to eat more.

    While I DO feel it's irresponsible for them to give us (as viewers) those numbers without a detailed explaination as to why it's not ok for the average person, I understand why they are doing it themselves. What I don't agree with is the length of time they (seem) to keep them on that diet. It's not clear to me how long they stay on the extremely low calorie diet, but I know it's more than 3 weeks, which most doctors agree is the maximum you should be on a VLCD even when under physician supervision.

    We need to remember, these people are averaging 50 to 60% body fat, that's bad news. Like, you'll die within a couple of years bad news. Getting off some of the weight at that point is generally the biggest concern.

    Very well said, Banks.
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    I don't think there's misinformation given to the contestants by Bob and Jillian - we just only see a portion of what's said because it's edited out.
  • paddlemom
    paddlemom Posts: 682 Member
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    If any of these folks had bariatric surgery, they would have the same or similar extreme drop in caloric intake . The limitations of the surgery, at least during recovery, would prevent them from doing the extreme exercise,. Tthey wouldn't have that huge calorie burn, but they would, nevertheless have a deficit that is way beyond what the average person on here would consider reasonable. At least with this approach, they are also gaining cardio and strength benefits. IMO if "starvation mode" was a factor for the morbidly obese, then gastric bypass would never be as successful (pro/con arguments aside) as it is in producing rapid weightloss.

    I think both extreme dieting and exercise , as in TBL, and bariatric surgery are radical approaches for folks who's priority is just to move them out of that critical zone. As long as they are closely - and professionally - monitored, I don't see how one is more dangerous or unrealistic than the other.
    Once they get some of those numbers down, then, hopefully, they are not only mentally motivated, but physically more capable of learning more sustainable lifestyle habits.

    At any rate, it DOES look like a brutal ride and I admire the folks on there who are sticking it out!
  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    While I DO feel it's irresponsible for them to give us (as viewers) those numbers without a detailed explaination as to why it's not ok for the average person, I understand why they are doing it themselves. What I don't agree with is the length of time they (seem) to keep them on that diet. It's not clear to me how long they stay on the extremely low calorie diet, but I know it's more than 3 weeks, which most doctors agree is the maximum you should be on a VLCD even when under physician supervision.

    I was sprt of surprised to hear them say exact numbers, the don't usually mention the exact numbers they burn everyday, they normally say they workout for hours, being vague. Maybe it's for the reason you mentioned, that they don't want to give viewers the wrong impression that that's okay, that they can do it that way on their own.
  • lizzys
    lizzys Posts: 841 Member
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    : i love the biggest loser i plan to lose ten pounds. all this complaing its like saying you dont want to get of your butt :explode: frist thing frist with out a trainer you have to work up to it with a trainer they make you do. for those who go in to great detail about how its soooooooo bad. if they did that to the food they ate they would not be fat just think to yourselfs what is the number one killer out theri it sure is not exercise.:tongue: hay what did that fast food do for you?
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    When you're extremely obese, you can lose large amounts of weight pretty quickly (and I assume "safely"?) as bypass patients do. When I'm watching that show, I do expect most of them to keel over of a heart attack and die...I'm actually shocked more of them don't end up being taken to the hospital.

    By the way, I really hate Jillian. She's a complete and utter nut. Did you see her talking to herself last night? Crazy much? And her efforts at sympathy are laughable- they're so fake.

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