Amen, Meg!

I still love to watch the show but it does make me sad to think that so many regain their weight. Not terribly surprising, but I know they try to teach the contestants how to cook and eat healthy and to incorporate exercise. You would think they would realize they have to continue this, but I guess many of them don't. It is very eye-opening... but many have successfully kept weight off. I saw Ali Vincent last month at my gym (and took a class with her!)-- she looks awesome-- she is obviously still exercising daily and she is still wearing her BodyBugg. She has learned what it takes.

I've always realized the results of the contestants aren't realistic but I would have hoped they would have learned better habits. Sigh... makes me stop and think and make sure I stick to my new healthy habits so I don't end up where so many of them have.

I don't find it surprising that they regain weight either. It is like any other quick fix - people who declare bankruptcy to get out from under debt who run up equivalent or more debt within five years because no one taught them to live within their means, or the previously mentioned drug addict sent home from rehab without therapy. There are dozens of examples. The difference between these other life changes and weight loss is that there often are resources out there for the other big changes - there are budgeting classes at your local college, NA & AA meetings, etc. When you google or look in the yellow pages under 'weight loss management' do you find a list of local support groups for weight loss maintenance? Nope.

Meg is exactly right - of the BL contestants joined the Maintaners here they would have a better chance at living with the changes they made.

BTW: I have a friend from college who applied to be on the BL one season - they turned her down because she was already working out three-four times per week at the gym. They said that they were looking for contestants who didn't know where to start, but that she was already well on her way. At this point she weighed over 300 pounds at 5'4".

I think it is sort of interesting how the last couple of seasons they've shown a lot of the trainers trying to talk to the contestants about their emotional issues, kind of buying into the whole notion that emotional eating makes people fat. Period. Fix the issues and you get to stay skinny without continuing to do the work.

I do know emotional eating is a problem for a lot of people, but I'm past the point where I believe that if somehow you just get right with yourself, it becomes easy. Getting past your issues just gets you to a place where you can do the work.

Anne

The poor maintenance rates may also have to do with the personality type of a person who would actually apply to be on the BL.

There are many contestants who go on that show thinking that it IS the "fat fairy". In any case, it is the modern day, real-life equivalent, at least in the heads of many people out there. You go to this fantasy ranch and are removed from all of your daily obligations and triggers, you are surrounded by nutritional and fitness support, and you have no choice but to lose weight. It's not quite a magic wand, and people go there knowing they'll have to work, but it's that same "magic" mentality. And unfortunately, that "magic" mentality isn't great for maintenance...because it reflects a belief that once the weight is OFF, the work is over.

Sometimes, people get to the ranch and they SHIFT their mentality away from that "magic wand" version of things, and those people seem more likely to maintain. But I'd venture that -most- of the contestants go in with a belief that they will go to this ranch, get "fixed" weight-wise, go home, and be thin forever. And as we all know, that isn't how to successfully maintain!

How are the maintenance rates after the show all that different from the maintenance rates here at 3FC?

Everyone who gained weight only once, lost the weight successfully the first time s/he tried, and never regained, please raise your hand. I'll wait.

ypu know I had to stop watching the biggest loser, I was getting angry at myself for 2 pounds loss..I was seeing how these people were 'changing' over the weeks and getting depressed because I wasn't.

I have had to make a promise to myself that I will take ONE day at a time....I will not no matter how hard a try, wake up at my goal..and as I know I need to get used to working because I will need to carry on doing this when I get there.

Back in my younger dieting days, I used to think that once the weight would come off, it would stay off and I could go about my business. Needless to say, I regained weight every time - in fact, I never made it to goal, ever.

Maintaining takes a *lot* of internal fortitude and vigilance. I know that now and have accepted that.

Some of these people lose so fast that it has to be a total whirlwind - and when they are put out on the street, so to speak, they have nowhere to turn to, or even a clue as to what happens for the rest of their life. It's really heartbreaking.

Good point, MariaMaria, but I think the discussion had to do with the unrealistic setup of Biggest Loser, which I'm sure you'll agree isn't like real life at all. BTW, where you been??

Jay

I would venture to guess that if we gathered statistics on this sort of thing, people who are here at 3FC through weight loss and who move into the Maintenance forum have greater long-term success rates than people who never have that kind of support. If only because reading about the struggles of the maintainers reminds people that weight LOSS is only half of the battle, and losses have to be maintained long-term.

That was one of the very first things I learned by joining here, and it got me out of that "diet" mentality right quick.

I also think that being here keeps weight loss at the forefront of your mind even if you are maintaining or just trying to keep the weight off that you've already lost.

I am one of those that this is my first successful time losing weight although I had tried various methods longer than I can remember but at least from early elementary school. I remember losing 75 lbs and then stopping... but I think if I didn't have the support here, I may have just slipped back into previous habits.

I wonder if the folks who get sent home from BL in say the mid-part don't do better in the long run. They are back in their own environment, but they have the tools, and they are expected to show up for the finale. Granted none of them have won, but they have all lost weight, and done much of it in the "real world." Just curious. I like the show, but have work commitments many Tuesday nights, and no Tivo/DVR (I know, waaay behind the times)

I have never ever in my "real life" come across as many people who are as dedicated to keeping the weight off as I have here at 3FC. There is not one person in my at home life who is doing what I am doing. Not one. Not the planning, the shopping, the cooking to the extent that I do, the packing of foods, frequent weighing, and the frequent exercise. Not a single solitary person.

And then of course there's 3FC. The reason we are here is so that we CAN all support one another. We've seeked it out and STUCK with this place AND our plan. Interesting.

I've been thinking about this a lot. If I didn't have 3FC I would feel unbelievably alone. And this really was my first weightloss attempt and success and who knows if I would be 4 years into it without the support I've found here- I think this says a whole heckuva lot. I know that I was desperate for someone to relate to me when I found this site (I had just hit maintenance).

You're right, Robin. I know plenty of magic bullet seekers in my everyday life, but that's fleeting. I don't know a single person in my life who can share in this experience with me as the people on this site.

group hug

Completely agree! I stumbled upon this site at the IDEAL time, around May 2005 when I was transitioning into maintenance mode. 3 Fat Chicks in general and the Maintainer's Forum in particular have been INVALUABLE. A whole forum of people who GET ME. We may not always 100% agree but if I post an "ohmygod, I ate a bunch of cheese and crackers and 2 glasses of wine AND a piece of cheesecake, I messed up I messed up!" thread I'm guaranteed to get at least a few responses - both gentle encouragements and kicks in the butt (I appreciate BOTH).

Can we get a group hug? Oh yeah.