The Biggest Loser - Winning by Losing For discussion of the NBC tv show The Biggest Loser and the book Winning by Losing, by Jillian Michaels

 
 
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Old 09-24-2009, 03:34 AM   #1  
Started 9/20/09
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Question Did Bob say eat 1,200 cals and burn 6,000 a day?

Or am I crazy?
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Old 09-24-2009, 03:36 AM   #2  
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To pull the kind of losses Biggest Loser contestants do, I think they'd have to be doing pretty much that.

Would it be smart for anyone without an ambulance and paramedics standing by? I'm not so sure.

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Old 09-24-2009, 03:57 AM   #3  
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It kinda makes me wonder how these people survive after the show is over. I love watching Biggest Loser, but I always think about these people, and their real lives. I just think losing weight too fast is a scary thing.
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Old 09-24-2009, 04:57 AM   #4  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mara11jade View Post
Or am I crazy?
Not only that, but I would turn into Super B**ch! It would be seriously scary! I get cranky if I miss a meal and go under 1500, can you see me at 1200 and exercising that much. They would think that some demon from **** had taken over the ranch! hehehehe!

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Old 09-24-2009, 08:18 AM   #5  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mara11jade View Post
Or am I crazy?
I was kind of shocked when I heard that too, but in retrospect I think they do that because of the major health issues most of the contestants have because of their obesity. Better to take the weight off quickly, as evidenced by most of them getting off all of the meds by the end of the show.

Life saving stuff.

Liz
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Old 09-24-2009, 06:40 PM   #6  
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I have heard that it is not good to lose weight as fast as they do because it can damage internal organs making them weaker.
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Old 09-24-2009, 07:23 PM   #7  
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There's quite a bit of evidence that for most people, even most super, morbidly obese people, very rapid weight loss and rapid increases in intense exercise actually compounds the risk of injury or health risks - but I think that there's a common belief (based in fact or not) that the risk is generally "worth it" because fast weight loss is the only way to motivate people to keep losing - without it, people won't be able to sustain the motivation for lasting change. So even medical and nutritional experts who acknowledge that slow and steady is the safer route, may believe that faster is better in keeping people committed to change (it seems odd, that educating people to accept slow and steady changes isn't even considered as an option).

This time I'm intentionally trying to lose slowly, and it does feel like a lot of people in my life think I'm crazy or "making excuses," and yet this is the longest time (by a factor of about ten) that I've ever gone without backsliding. But, I'm so much treated like the odd ball, that I do wonder if one of the reasons that slow weight loss isn't more common/popular is because people just assume that only fast weight loss is legitimate weight loss - anyone who does it slow is lazy or making excuses, or just not as serious and motivated as the quick loser.

For me, it's a purely practical decision. I'm doing it slow, because I have health issues that mean even my fastest weight loss is still pretty slow, but also that this slowre pace is working better for me physically and mentally than fast weight loss ever has. Maybe I am lazy and less motivated, but I'm off the yoyo rollercoaster and am succeeding, so I guess lazy and unmotivated is working for me.
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Old 09-24-2009, 08:03 PM   #8  
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I believe slow weight loss is better.I also think though that if you are attempting to lose the weight, you really should see some loss at least monthly or obviously you are not truly sticking with your plan.I work with a lady who had been dieting for years.As far as I can tell she has not lost a pound.But she talks about it constantly, gives others advice on how to do it, and unfortunately is discounted by all.Not I do understand plateaus....but years???Hummm......As far as the biggest loser, I have recently lost a lot of respect for that show after several posts on this board recently.I used to be a fan though.
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Old 09-24-2009, 08:11 PM   #9  
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I wondered how in the heck they did it so quickly... That's kinda scary though!
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Old 09-24-2009, 08:56 PM   #10  
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They are eating 1200 calories a day. The 6000 to burn most likely includes their BMR as measured by their bodybuggs. The resting BMR for someone like Shay at 400 plus pounds is at least 2800 calories. They have to burn the difference which is 3200 calories. This means a deficit of 2000 calories a day (3200 less 1200 intake)
I think based on how the show works that this is what they are doing. It just sounds better if they say 6000.
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Old 09-24-2009, 10:57 PM   #11  
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Editing....

Last edited by Idealmuse; 09-24-2009 at 11:03 PM.
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Old 09-24-2009, 11:17 PM   #12  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by misskimothy View Post
They are eating 1200 calories a day. The 6000 to burn most likely includes their BMR as measured by their bodybuggs. The resting BMR for someone like Shay at 400 plus pounds is at least 2800 calories. They have to burn the difference which is 3200 calories. This means a deficit of 2000 calories a day (3200 less 1200 intake)
I think based on how the show works that this is what they are doing. It just sounds better if they say 6000.
You're right they say 6000 because that's just how the bodybugg tells you your overall burn number to aim for. You have to include BMR. Yes, Shay would have to burn 3,200 calories on top of her 2,800 to reach 6000 burned (Burned and deficit not being the same thing) so Shays 2,000 target would be a 3,100 target at my weight for example if I wanted to arrive at the same deficit, but that's not quite how bodybugg sets it up. It looks more like this:

Calories Burned (including BMR) - Calories Consumed = Calorie Balance (deficit)

6000 - 1200 = 4,800 deficit (which I think comes to somewhere to like 9.6 pounds per week they are aiming for in this example?) (4,800 x 7 = 33,600 / 3,500 = 9.6)

I also use a bodybugg and my burn Target is 3000 eating 1500 calories for 3lb/week, which is pretty aggressive already... I can't imagine aiming for double that!

Last edited by Idealmuse; 09-24-2009 at 11:59 PM.
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Old 09-25-2009, 11:24 AM   #13  
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I see what you are saying! I guess all I was trying to say is that instead of having to exercise 6000 calories away, they need to exercise 6000 calories less their BMR. Which is a little different, perception wise, but still really really tough. Sometimes how they word things or do things on TBL seem shocking but arent' as shocking as we thing. Like the time last year that they walked a marathon. I was shocked that they would have to do this, but when I thought about it, they were walking at their own pace with a full medical support team following them and they could stop and rest and didn't have to do it at all. This I think is different from my perception that they would have to do it under "event conditions", where you have like 7 hours to complete it.

I know that they really inspired me last year. I think I might start to train for walking a marathon! That would be a great goal and sometimes shows like these can motivate or help a person realize that the ability to do amazing things is within each of us. We just have to dig deep and realize that we CAN do these things, instead of deciding that we CAN'T. Often "we CAN'T" really is "we WON'T" and THAT is a different issue altogether.
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Old 09-25-2009, 07:53 PM   #14  
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Yeah shock value for TV I guess, and the marathon thing like you say isn't as bad as it sounds. Most people can do one in 8-9 hours or so. Those people had been working out at a super intense level for months so their body could handle it. I'm sure several of the people who took longer took rest breaks.

Although, I have to admit it was a bit irresponsible to make Ron do that. They must have had medics following his shadow!

I think it's cool how it inspired a lot of people. I haven't done a mary but my ironman includes a marathon at the end (yes I am crazy to have signed up for that one!!)

I'm not sure how I feel about them telling the general public about the 6000 target though... I imagine a few people are going to try and attempt that. Not cool. I'd have to work out for 8+ hours to get anywhere near that. My VERY best day I burned 4200 I think... maybe 4500.

Last edited by Idealmuse; 09-25-2009 at 07:56 PM.
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Old 09-26-2009, 07:38 PM   #15  
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Beautiful posts here but I want to lose it any kind of way. I quit smoking with none of the heartaches and can't seem to drop two pounds for the life of me. Good reading here and I will continue to keep my mind on losing this 50+ pound baggage.

Last edited by RayStar; 10-29-2009 at 08:21 AM.
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