10 things I learnt from The Biggest Loser

Posted by: catherine in weight losshungerhealthy eatingexercisediet on Print PDF

catherine
ep2_010210_shannonNow that the 2009 series of The Biggest Loser has finished in Australia, here's my take on the third season ...

 

1. It's hard - very hard - to lose weight. It takes time and persistence, two things in short supply in our modern world. The contestants had nothing else to focus on except their weight - they had the time to exercise for 3 or 4 hours a day, count calories, plan their meals, think about why they turn to food for comfort.

2. The contestants didn't have to cope with the ‘real world' - they didn't have to go to work, look after a family, shop for groceries, cook for others who can eat what they like without putting on weight, deal with the stress of traffic, queues, delays, road rage, screaming kids and demanding bosses.

3. Losing 50kg (110 pounds) when you're a huge 120kg (250 pounds) takes a lot of effort and sheer will. You need a LOT of support and understanding.

4. By Week 2, all had lost around 7kg (14 pounds), which is way too fast for long-term weight maintenance. Ideal is 1kg (2 pounds) a week. How many will have put that back on again once out in the ‘real world'?

5. Forget the fads and the magic bullets. Forget the bars, shakes, fat-blocker pills, detox diets, anti-cellulite wraps, herbal teas and fibre powders. Stick to exercise and a healthy balanced diet as the contestants did.

6. Think long-term. More than a week. Try weeks or months. The contestants were locked away for 12 weeks but even this won't be long enough for many as they lost weight at too rapid a rate.

7. To get as big as they were, they have all overeaten heaps in the past. All the wrong food in super-sized quantities. Usually in the lounge room in front of a DVD. They all admitted during the show that this was their downfall.

8. Buy a pocket Calorie Counter and learn what foods have the most kilojoules/calories [Hint: it's often the junk food].

9. You don't have to be humiliated by a snarling trainer to exercise at the right level. Just get out and walk or swim at the start - it's kindest to your joints. Then find some activity you like that gets your heart rate up and is outdoors away from the kitchen.

10. Think only one day at a time. Don't dwell on being ‘on the diet' for weeks ahead. Just get through the next 24 hours.

 

Did you watch the Biggest Loser?

  • Do you think they live in an unrealistic bubble?
  • Are they over-exercised - too much for unfit overweight slobs?
  • Do you agree with my thoughts - or not?

 

10 secrets of highly-successful 'losers'

 [ Image of two rounded pears]

Read my Top 10 secrets of highly-successful losers
The secret of successful weight loss is the creation of habits that help - not hinder - you achieve your weight loss goals. Motivation may get you started, but it's habits that keeps you going.  Read on ...

 

 

 

Comments (5)

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Cathrine well said, I totally agree with what you have said.
I post on the CK site, and they have thread on the Biggest Loser, and I told them that
I only started to watch one episode, and I couldnt bare it again. So cruel, and unreal.
Now they are on the band wagon selling their quick fix products.
I know by personal experience that its better to get back to the basics, cooking wholesome food, and hey it does NOT have to be boring. Lacking ideas, hey invest in your health and purchase Catherine's Books which is more appropriate to your situation.
OK I had best go, Good luck to Everyone with their health, and improving it.
Cheers, Sue.
Sue Warby , May 05, 2009
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I really enjoyed the Australian Biggest Loser, but my worry throughout was what were they going to do with all that extra stretched skin from thighs, tummy and arms! I also did not like the brutish way (well, it was bullying really, wasn't it?) that the trainers treated everyone. Not a good message to send to anyone, I would have thought. I agree with Catherine - and also Sue, about the need to take it all slowly and with patience and self-confidence. Prepare to take at least 12 months to lose excess weight, depending on how much you needed to lose, otherwise disappointment and depression become overwhelming and it seems easier to give up altogether. I've lost quite a lot of weight during the past 12 months, still have a few kilos to lose, but I'm not in a hurry. I have a very sore back which I need to strengthen and repair first, through some tough physiotherapy - and I can see and feel the weight I've been carrying for years, literally disappearing. Slowly does it everyone - you will succeed in the long run. Cheers, Kerry
Kerry Morrison , June 01, 2009 | url
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I agree with Kerry that losing weight does take a lot of time. How did you do it Kerry? I lost 18 kg over a 12 month period.
Anita
Anita , July 02, 2009
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Speaking of Kerri Anne....I have been racking my brain trying to remember the name of the seaweed extract pills that Kerri Anne used to promote..can you remember the name of it by any chance?
Marisa , September 06, 2009
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I watched various seasons of the Biggest Loser on and off. I think it gives people unrealistic expectations of what they can achieve. I lose a substantial amount of weight around six years ago and that was relatively easy - I ate super-healthy (clean, lean, natural), stopped drinking and started exercising - but the following six years have been much more challenging in terms of keeping it off. This is where programs like the Biggest Loser fail, they don't show people how to live their life and maintain that healthy balance.
In terms of personal trainers, if I had one that spoke to me like that - I would NOT pay them. People need to find one that suits them and their personality, I don't want to be yelled at, but I don't want claps and high kicks every time I do a rep/set. Some like the yelling or high kicks, each to their own.
I definitely agree with focussing on one day at a time. It can be so overwhelming to think too far ahead, focussing on one day at a time makes it more manageable, achievable. If you have a bad day, don't let it turn into a bad week ... bad eating can gain momentum for some strange reason.
I think it's also really important not to be too hard on yourself or watch the scale too much, other measurements like centimetres lost, improved fitness, strength and flexibility are also important indicators.
Amanda , January 06, 2012

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