Rate of Weight loss on shows like The Biggest Loser

[butterflygurl]

I was reading this article:
http://www.burnthefat.com/BIG_FAT_LIES_10_the_quick_fat_loss_lie.html


I have always heard that one should only lose 1-2 lbs per week. This article puts it into perspective, why this is healthier. Losing muscle is not good!! So I absolutely love to watch The Biggest Loser. I know losing the amount of weight they lose each week is unrealistic for the average person. However, I thought it was b/c they were exercising for 4-6 hours per day. Does this mean they are losing lots of muscle too? That could be very damaging. This really disturbs me. What are your thoughts?

 

[javajane]

Kim -

This has me bothering me also. Here is the rough math...

The gentleman that lost 30 pounds last week -- based on his age, approximate height and a starting weight of 300 pounds -- requires about 4,000k a day to maintain his mass. So if he were to decrease his caloric intake to 2,000 cals per day he would lose about 4 pounds a week (with no increase in activity) 2,000k x 7 days = 14,000s/3,500k (amount of calories in a pound) = 4 pounds.

Okay he still has 26 pounds to burn off. Let's say he shed 6 pounds of water weight. Now we are down to 20 pounds. 20 pounds x 3,500k = 70,000k or 10,000k per day.


Now I know I feel like I burn 10,000k when I do Drill Max, but in reality it is a mere fraction of that.

The calorie deficit needed for that kind of weight loss is unimaginable.

I always wish that they did a body fat measurement along with the weight loss. It seems to me that what ever muscle they are adding through working out must be cannibalized due to the major reduction of caloric intake.

I am flummoxed.

The enjoy the show but often wonder about the psychological effect it has on others who need to lose weight. Isn't it the same message that we always send - "your best is not good enough." The poor woman who "only" lost 7 pounds was a failure for pity's sake.

Well, sorry, I best climb down off my soap box


Debbie Russo

 

[pixie9]

I'm actually having a discussion on this topic on one of my online classes (program design and development). We are all in agreement that the participants of these shows are probably losing a LOT of muscle and water weight with a little bit of fat loss thrown in. Also, when an obese person loses weight too quickly, the skin may have a hard time catching up with the weight loss creating a 'saggy' appearance. Working out continuously for hours and hours a day is just BEGGING for a stress fracture or some other horrible overuse injury IMO.

Carolyn

 

[butterflygurl]

Debbie-

I totally agree!! The calorie deficit needed to lose 30 pounds is unimaginable. I did read an article - I think from Time magazine earlier this year (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1627013,00.html)

that discussed how some contestants would go w/o drinking water to keep weight off; how Kai from Season 3 spent hours in a sauna to sweat off water weight the night b/f the final weigh in; there were several methods (all unhealthy) they used to keep the weight off. But, even with all these- you have to drink water eventually or you will dehydrate and your bodily functions will shut down. I do not think any of these methods will account for the unaccounted for 20 pounds. Nonetheless, I have to totally agree that the body must be cannabolizing on the muscle!!!!:-( Fit and healthy is better than skinny any day!!;-)

Flummoxed??? LOL!!!

Carolyn-

I agree, that working out at that pace is just asking for an injury unless you work your self up to it. I understand that trainers and aerobic instructors may be able to do that type of workout- but no right off the bat. They build their bodies up to it.

I now feel guilty for liking the show so much. It is inspirational to me, but at what cost?! It comes on tonight and I really want to see the reaction of the red and blue teams when they find out about the black team!!! I love Jillian. I guess I should take the show with a grain of salt like I would a drama or comedy- I guess reality tv is not real.

Now I will get off my soap box!!

 

[cakebaker]

The contestants don't have a very good record of keeping their weight off - so it looks like they aren't taught to be in there for the long haul of weight loss maintenance. So I keep watchin' it anyway! I like to watch the transformations, I guess.

 

[NRGWoman]

Have you all noticed that near the end of their time on the ranch a lot of them have injuries. In the season where the challenge was to run up the stairs in the building I remember watching in horror as they explained the challenge to the contestants and several of them on one team were quite injured. One of the women even had a boot on from an injury and took it off to compete in the challenge.

I am absolutely addicted to the show as a person watching tv. However, I am a trainer and I spend a lot of time undoing uninformed people's perceptions of what normal is.