Weightloss TV Show Discussion Thread.

[samjohn]

So often I see weight loss shows with 'expert' advice, and always want to talk about them here but they rarely warrant a full thread, so here this is if anyone else also has the urge.

Watching this British show, and the fatties in it have been exercising every day, and eating less, yet not losing weight consistently. It is pretty obvious that the whole eat less/move more dogma is just not sufficient, but still peddled as gospel.

I find myself feeling really sorry for these people, totally changing their life and diet, yet still not getting good results because the government sanctioned 'expert' advice is neither evidence based nor accurate.

[Shenandoah]

Some of them have dramatic results on the shows (usually because of abuse to the body - eating SO little, exercising SO much, forced dehydration before weigh-ins, etc) - I'd love to see a REAL follow-up study (not handpicked by the show) with stats showing where they are today - how much they put back on.
It seems the only ones who can keep it off are those who completely dedicate their lives to that way of eating, usually by becoming a motivational speaker, or fitness trainer.  Those who go back to "normal" life seem to put it right back on.

[sparrow]

My husband and I were watching "Heavy" (newer U.S. show), and we were somewhat pleased to see that the personal trainers seemed to focus mostly on resistance training.  One of the trainers also told a person that, "If it comes in a wrapper, it isn't food," but beyond that they didn't go into what they're feeding these folks while they're at the camp.  I thought that was interesting - weight loss competition shows usually focus a lot on the whole low fat calorie restriction thing, so not having food mentioned is unusual.  This show wasn't competitive - people on it were just losing weight for themselves.  We'll probably watch it again.

I can't stand Biggest Loser, and it sounds like the contestants have a lot of peer pressure to go to extremes.  One of the former contestants (she may even have been a winner) said that she was pressured to exercise when injured, and encouraged to starve herself before weigh ins.  Not fun.

[samjohn]

I can't stand Biggest Loser, and it sounds like the contestants have a lot of peer pressure to go to extremes.  One of the former contestants (she may even have been a winner) said that she was pressured to exercise when injured, and encouraged to starve herself before weigh ins.  Not fun.

Better that than dead of a heart attack I'd say. It is sad though that despite all the research, these trainers still recommend hours of running per day instead of 12 minutes of HIIT.

[Wlfdg]

It is sad though that despite all the research, these trainers still recommend hours of running per day instead of 12 minutes of HIIT.

That is still the programming recommended by the certification organizations. Machine based, body part circuits and steady state cardio. The reason I quit being a trainer.

[Warren Dew]

Better that than dead of a heart attack I'd say. It is sad though that despite all the research, these trainers still recommend hours of running per day instead of 12 minutes of HIIT.

On "The Biggest Loser", they lose weight at rates much faster than can be done with healthy diet and healthy exercise.  There is a point at which you get so much exercise that you really are burning more calories - and on "The Biggest Loser", you've got someone watching to make sure you don't eat more because of it, even if you do get hungrier.

If they ran a contest for how much weight people could keep off for 5 years, the HIIT approach would work better, but it probably wouldn't make for a very gripping TV show.

[Oodar]

I'd like one cameo scene of "biggest loser" featuring a shot of me eating a pumpkin pie in front of the contenstants while drinking a regular coke with my 170 lb skinny butt plopped on the couch watching TV while they treadmill.

It's the only way I'd consider a cheat like that. Not like I'd gain much weight...

[NutMeg]

I got sucked into TBL train wreck this season, I watched one other season in re-runs.  I like the approach of the two new trainers.  I wish they had their contestants eating paleo to go with their better fitness program.

[samjohn]

I got sucked into TBL train wreck this season, I watched one other season in re-runs.  I like the approach of the two new trainers.  I wish they had their contestants eating paleo to go with their better fitness program.

They'd win. Calorie deficit high fat Paleo + training is in my mind an unbeatable weight loss combination. Not necessary outside of a weightloss race of course, nor is losing weight that fast at all healthy or desirable. No surprise that they all have huge amounts of excess skin afterward, whereas losing it in a more timely fashion gives your skin a chance to recover.