As an avid tv-lover, I too enjoy kicking back and watching the biggest loser. Although as a trainer, the things I pick up on from the show may be different from what others do, so I’m straightening out the inconsistencies today.
First lesson from the biggest loser – buy ziploc. Ok, I don’t really care if you buy ziploc, and a stand up pouch really isn’t anything new. And being a little bit concious of the environment, I would probably recommend that you use a smaller bag or a reusable container for such small snacks (those bags were HUGE). Second lesson – buy biggest loser “designer” whey protein. Again, I really don’t care – I just think it’s funny watching all the product placements on the show. Seeing how it’s supposed to be a reality show, those lines are just too much for me.
Onto the good stuff. Jillian has an obsession with the calories in/calories out weight loss plan. The only problem with this, is that it should tell people that whatever they eat, whenever they eat doesn’t matter as long as the calories add up right. This is clearly not the case as evidence in the emphasis on the contestants needing to regulate their hormones, eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per day, and eat a proper amount of protein (and and we can assume a proper amount of carbohydrates and fat as well). So if you REALLY watch the show – you’ll know that it is not simply calories in/calories out – and I’ve blogged about that before as well, so you can read previous blogs to get more detail on that.
The second problem with calories in/calories out is that there have been contestants who have burned 3500 calories (the energy that would be required to burn a pound) as there exercise for only 1 day (so imagine that times 7), and have not lost weight. The proof is in the low fat sugarfree tasteless pudding.
Thirdly, if it were strictly numbers, then 26 pounds of weight loss in one week would pretty much be impossible. Let’s think about this – 26 pounds x 3500 calories burned/pound = 91000 calories. For the average guy on the show who weighs 400 pounds, his basal metabolic rate (the number of calories he expends in a day just do live) is around 3200 calories. For the average woman on the show, it is 22oo calories. If the guys consume 1600 calories per day, burn 3200 just from their bmr, add in 2 hours of intense exercise, plus another 6 of moderate exercise adding an extra 7000 calories, their net calories for one day would be -8600 calories. Meaning they are burning 8600 calories more than they intake in one day. They do this for 7 days a week and you’re looking at a 60200 calorie deficit per week. That means that 26 pounds is unachievable. However, it does mean that 17 lbs is. But then why don’t the contestants lose 17 pounds every week when the output of energy is the same? And for those who are less than 400 pounds, who burn less calories/minute in and out of their workouts, it’s even more unattainable to lose 20+ pounds.
Let’s talk serious water weight. The contestants on the show are very limited in their salt intake (which is great) but all the water they were retaining from their preshow diets – that’s what’s coming off now folks. In the long run (of the show) they do lose legitimate weight, that’s obvious. They do work their butts off. That’s obvious too. But don’t be disillusioned about calories in/calories out.
Exercise. Yes. You need to burn off that fat. Eat well portioned meals. Absolutely. It does matter where the calories are coming from. Know what you’re eating, why you’re eating it, when you’re eating it. Exercise, know what you’re doing, why you’re doing it. The contestants have trainers working with them on strength and endurance. They work with weights, machines, body weight, trainer weight. They are not simply expending calories. They are working a program. Don’t let the glitz and glam of tv make you think it’s anything less than hard work and lots and lots of programming.
Cheers to your health,
Adina
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