Sunday, October 04, 2009

Weigh Loss & The Biggest Loser

I'm watching the first show of season 8 of The Biggest Loser. I have a love/hate relationship with this show. I love Bob Harper - he's really hot and he makes for good scenary. I hate watching these people broken down again and again though. They might lose weight, but how many of them actually keep it off?

What is the deal with the trainers looking like raging psychopaths this season? I realize this is a 'reality' show and its all about the ratings - but their behavior enforced it this time around. In order to lose weight, everyone needs encouragement but this, IMO, isn't encouraging. It's nothing short of abusive - to yell and scream in someone's face like that is just messed up. If I had to go through that to lose weight, I'd grab another Twinkie and turn to HBO.

Also - anyone who has studied the science of weight loss knows that to lose more than 1% of your body weight per week is too much. I understand why the first week these contestants lose big numbers, a lot of it is water weight as salt is pretty much being removed from their diet. If you drop the salt & salty foods I can guarantee that you'll drop some pounds as well.

While it might look good to see people watching big chunks of blubber each week, what is the real cost to their bodies? Hormone levels go nuts, stress hormones increase and the tissues become inflamed. Inflamation , for those of you who don't know, is almost the same as an injury - it causes your body to go into overdrive to repair the inflamed tissues. The metabolism starts doing gymnastics and your body goes into fight mode which means it hangs onto every calorie, every pound that comes your way. Its a vicious cycle which takes me back to - how many of them gain their weight back?

Daniel, a contestant from Season 7 - lost a good amount of weight and he's returned for this season. At the finale, he won 312 pounds and at the beginning of the season he weighed...312 pounds. Now this man states that he's been working out for four hours a day and lost...nothing?

I know how everyone loves to chant the weight loss mantra of calories and exercise but somtimes that equation doesn't equal success. Sometimes its about WHAT you are eating, not how much you are eating. I'm sure there are many who would argue with me on this but I've fought with my weight all my life and this has been my experience.

Show 1 - Julio should've been sent home because he's a whiner.

2 comments:

Monica Burns said...

I want to go back to the days when being overweight meant you were rich, and that Titian would love my rounded belly and plump, luscious thighs. Ahh...those were the days.

I don't watch reality shows period. I get too much abuse in my real life,I want escapism. But then even Heroes has disappointed this season. Medium is good as is Ghost Whisperer. Numbers is beginning to be a yawner, although the guy who plays Don Epps is the reason I watch anyway. LOL

Wow, how did I get from weight loss to the guy who plays Don Epps. *shrug* Oh well, it was fun getting there. LOL

Carolan Ivey said...

This is exactly what Weightwatchers teaches - and why many people quit because they're frustrated with losing "only" a pound or two a week.

Slow and steady wins the race, and it's been proven over and over again that if you A) eat too little or B) exercise too much, you won't lose. Or you'll lose but you'll shut down your metabolism and gain it all back plus more.

If it was a simple as exercising until your lungs burst, we'd all be doing it. :) Er, maybe not!