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The Biggest loser dangers? (Read 636 times)


sugnim

    Hahahaha I do love the plugs for their corporate sponsers. I didn't even think about the contestants regaining all the weight.

     

    Some do, some hopefully don't.  I actually know a man who was on one of the 1st seasons.  He's a cop, and he now weighs more than he did before he went on the show.  Pretty sad, and pretty messed up.

    Julia1971


      Found a fluffy Yahoo! article about the dangers of rapid weight loss.  Sorry, that's as much research I have time for.  Smile  It seems to say the dangers are muscle wasting, bone loss, dehydration, and an increased risk of binge eating in some people.  But, I wonder if this applies in a case like the Biggest Loser (obese/over-weight people who have lots of excess the weight to lose and are eating/working out) or if these dangers are more applicable to people with eating disorders.

       

      ETA: Here's one from LiveStrong.  Seriously, I'm done with this for now.  Smile

      zoom-zoom


      rectumdamnnearkilledem

         

        How does losing weight affect your metabolism? does it make it fluctuate When you get to maintenance?

         

        This piece explains things fairly well.  It explains the shitty phenomenon where 2 individuals of similar size/weight will have entirely different experiences maintaining the same weight.  The individual who has always been at said weight will have little trouble maintaining their size, where the person who has lost will have to eat fewer calories AND exercise relatively more to maintain...and generally will struggle more with hunger.

        Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

        remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

             ~ Sarah Kay

        stealth.rnr


        She laughs at me......

           

          I think I'll have some Jenny-O Turkey followed by some water from my Brita water pitcher and a stick of Extra Sugar Free gum.

           

          ....while walking to Subway.

           

                                                           

          Zelanie


            I don't watch the show, so I couldn't say how their methods compare to other stuff.  I do cringe when I hear people say that they're unhappy because they "only" lost two pounds in the past week, though.  I am guessing that some of those unrealistic expectations come from the show, and that's too bad because it's long-term success that matters much more than how quickly you lose, I think.

             

            What gives me hope are the people listed in the National Weight Control Registry.  These folks have lost a lot of weight AND kept it off.  So I know it can be done.  I'm hoping to join once I've been at goal for a year.


            Not dead. Yet.

              What helped me from watching the show was the psychological part of weight loss.  When you are fat you really are putting a limit on what you can do in life and how good you can feel.  Losing weight puts you in control, and they explore that idea in depth.  It gets a bit too emotional for me nowadays, but it was one part of the puzzle for me learning how to be healthy.  

               

              I don't think it is necessarily dangerous to lose the weight as fast as they are, but unless people are totally committed to changing their eating/exercising habits for the rest of their life, they will gain the weight back.  That's where the show comes short, and thats why a lot of people get fat again.  And thats not something anybody or any show can give to you, it has to come from inside.

              How can we know our limits if we don't test them?


              Cool Jump Suit

                I think the show does a decent job of monitoring the weight loss of each contestant to make sure it is as safe as possible. But I am always a little curious as to the timing of the events and especially at the end of every show when they give a update on the contestant that was voted off.  How much time has really passed?  A coupe of years ago they did a story about a previous winner (Eric something) that had gained all of the weight he lost back (maybe like 200lbs?!?!)  Yikes.  Maybe he lost the weight too fast??   I really just watch the show for the entertainment value.  I think it is fun to watch each contestant go through his or her "transformation".   Very little reality TV is "real".  They gotta sell it to advertisers, right?

                So bittersweet,
                This tragedy
                Won't ask for absolution;
                This melody,
                Inside of me,
                Still searches for solution.
                A twist of faith,
                A change of heart
                Cures my infatuation.
                A broken heart, 
                Provides the spark
                For my determination.

                Julia1971


                   

                  ....while walking to Subway.

                   

                  I'll bring some Ziplock bags with me.

                    It's actually interesting to see many people actually bring up a question of "how quickly" losing weight.  Even before that, I in fact stumbled upon this show a few days ago while switching around the channels.  I knew about this program but never saw this show.  After a few minutes, I got so disgusted that I changed the channel.  A typical American military style.  No pain, no gain.  Someone said something about they have doctors standing near by.  Well, with body that heavy, all it takes is one snap and that could be the end of it.  It wouldn't matter if Jesus was standing by (well, he might be able to revive him/her...).  The way a fat kid flew off the treadmill and what's her name was yelling at him...  That was totally disgusting.  That's all I can say.

                     

                    Incidentally, I went to the club with my wife the other day.  Our gym is very small and they get packed for about 3-5 weeks in the New Year's time.  This guy was so rude that he would "walk" for about 5 minutes and then step off the treadmill, leaving his gym bag on it so he could "secure" the treadmill, and take a 10-minutes water break!!  Of course, it took a bit longer for my wife to come out of the locker room so I was running on the treadmill already and, as she came up, and rode a stationary bike and was getting frustrated with this A-hole, I stepped off and offered her the machine.  Well, she's got healthy set of eyes and ears so I just literally "stepped off" the machine.  Who had thought you couldn't see the belt was running!!  She stepped right on and flew off the best and scratched her knees!!  Later that day, my daughter texted me and she said; "I heard about your accident".  I said, "It wasn't MY accident!!  It was ma's accident!!...  But it's my MISFORTUNE!!" ;o)

                     

                    I am addicted to the biggest loser. My brother and I got into a discussion last night about the show and if it is unhealthy to lose weight that fast. Do you guys think it is worth the dangers of losing weight so quickly since the contestants are in so much danger from their extreme weight? For people who don't watch, most contestants lose double digits or close to it every week.

                      I got so disgusted that I changed the channel.  A typical American military style.  No pain, no gain. 

                      Yes, it seems to me that BL does everything imaginable to make exercise look horrific and like something that no one in his right mind would ever do for fun. The show definitely perpetuates the warped idea that exercise is a necessary evil.

                       

                       

                      kcam


                        I've read that losing more than 1-2 pounds per week can be dangerous, but the contestants on the biggest loser show are monitored by health care staff, so I think they should probably be OK.

                         

                        Slightly off-subject: Did anyone else notice Jillian Michaels' arms are even more awesome this season than ever.  She is smokin' hot!  I'd pay to have her kick my ass through a workout.

                         

                        ETA: Of course, it's not "reality."  It's TV.  Entertainment.  However, I think it can and does inspire some viewers to take charge of their health.

                         

                        I did, in fact, notice that Jillian is as hot as ever and I'd defintely get spit out the back of a Tmill to have her get in my face like that.

                          ...., I stepped off and offered her the machine.  Well, she's got healthy set of eyes and ears so I just literally "stepped off" the machine.  Who had thought you couldn't see the belt was running!!  She stepped right on and flew off the best and scratched her knees!!   

                           

                          Ouch!  I bet this might get brought up over the next few years.  Long after healing, there'll be pain Smile

                          Life Goals:

                          #1: Do what I can do

                          #2: Enjoy life

                           

                           

                          DoppleBock


                            Ok - It is a lot harder than "No Biggie" - Before I found running, I lost 60-100 pounds a few times.  Sure the 1st 10-15 pounds are from de-tox and depleting glycogen etc.  But it still takes the discipline to change habbits.  When you 1st start to exercise you might be full of piss and vinegar to stick with it, but you immediately are sore as hell, your legs feel like lead day after day.  After awhile you are tired of always being hungry and often hit a plateau or you fall off the nutrition wagon.  So I do not every minimize the accomplishment of anyone working on a healthy lifestyle.

                             

                            The question is yes - It is unhealthy to loose weight that fast.  But it is also unhealthy to be so obese.  So you can lose weight fast and get to fitness much quicker or not.  The biggest problem with max weightloss is that I think you have a much harder time avoiding a weight gain rebound.

                             

                            I think a slower approach with watching calories and matching your intake with the amount of exercise.  Eating healthy amounts, healthy foods. but maintaining a deficeit is something very close to what you will need to do to maintain after you hit your goal weight.  More of a life style change than a diet.

                             

                            Yes the closer you get to your goal the harder it is - I think this is both physical and psycological.  Sometimes it also is because your goal is below your bodies natural minimum weight.

                             

                            Fast weight loss in the short-term for someone who is obese/morbidly obese is no biggie--a lot of what is dropped early in the course of any strict die (say, in the first 2-3 weeks) is water weight as fat cells begin shrinking.  Once a person gets within maybe 25-50#s of ideal weight it's generally not wise to lose more than 1-2#s/week.  The faster it comes off, the less likely it is to stay off...slow and steady wins the race.

                             

                            For a lot of us it's damned difficult to lose even 1#/week once within 10-20#s of ideal weight.  I'm 15-20#s from where I'd like to be and I'm thrilled when I can drop a pound in a week.  Once I get 10#s out I know from past experience that .5#/week is a real victory.  When I initially lost 60#s years ago it took me ~2.5 years.  I lost 40#s in the first year.  It took me 1.5 years to lose the last 20#s while obsessively logging every molecule I put in my mouth.

                            Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                             

                             

                            DoppleBock


                              I have seen maybe 30 minutes total of biggest loser - But I understand the idea.

                               

                              In the past (Younger) I could lose 5 pounds a week pretty consistently.  I would eat @ 2,000 calories a day and do the rest with excercise.  i do recognize that the 1st 7-10 pounds is glycogen and this is not fat loss and will return immediately after eating enough to equal the amount I burn.

                               

                              I would track calories consumed - base metabolism - excercise.  At the end of a month I could take the Defeceit from the calcualtion and divide by 3500 and get within a pound or 2 of actual weight loss.

                               

                              In 90 days I went from 278 to 187.  2-3 hours a night on an eliptical machine or stair climber without any glycogen to burn was pretty damn hard.  I would keep my heart rate between 150-190.  The only reason it was so high - I had no glycogen to burn and my legs were dead all the time.  I would always back off if I hit > 190.  My max was @ 210.

                               

                              I do not enjoy the eliptical or stair climber, so when I hit my goal - I was "Done" and bounced back all the way to 300+.  The next time I did it with running, walking eliptical and weight lifting - I enjoy 3 of the 4 activities.  Starting @ 300+ (Likely @ 305) I ran (1st month run walked) every morning.  I walked at lunch and after work.  I ate 2,000-2,500 calories.  Once fall came I bought an eliptical machine and did 1-2 hours on top of running in the morning and walking at lunch.  I lost 15-20 pounds some months, 0-10 others - I battled hard, running was the constant that kept me on track.  From July 2003 to May 2004 I lost 90 pounds.

                               

                              I have run ever since - I gain more weight than I would like, but I pretty much stay within a 30# window.  When I fall down eating eventually running brings me back.

                              Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                               

                               

                              DoppleBock


                                PS - Now my goal when I am trying to lose weight is 2,500-3,500 calories per day - Depending on my activity level.  I feel like I can lose @ 2# a week and still train and feel good.

                                Long dead ... But my stench lingers !

                                 

                                 

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