Biggest Loser Secret

Question: The Biggest Loser finale is soon and I am amazed at how much weight the contestants can lose in a week. Is it healthy to lose that much weight? Is it possible lose weight like that in the real world with kids and a job without drugs or surgery? Can they keep that much weight off permanently? I need to lose weight, a lot of weight but I can't push myself that hard. How can a real person get off the morbidly obese list?

Answer: The secret to "The Biggest Loser" is that hard work and healthy, restrictive eating will take weight off in outrageous amounts in short periods of time. This year one of the contestants had previously undergone gastric bypass years earlier but had regained the weight. This guy had been over 300 pounds since he was in his mid-teens and was over 400 pounds when he arrived on the ranch. He has a bad knee and arm but still left the ranch under 300 pounds. These were the biggest contestants and in the worst health ever on the show success stories prove if you have the will anyone can lose weight.

They all had bad habits to break. Prior to getting on the show most of these people regularly would eat over 1000 calories on their drive home and sit down and eat dinner when they got there. In comparison, at the ranch, they were only getting 1200 to 1600 calories a day and they were working their tails off. On one episode, one of the contestants was complaining about the lack of attention he received from Jillian, one of the trainers. He was on the treadmill for over two hours and she never came over to check on him or to encourage him. Read it again; he was on the treadmill for over 2 hours. Then, he worked out and as far as I can tell from piecing it all together worked out like that at least two times a day. A person in such a closely controlled environment will lose 8 to 12 pounds a week, especially when they have over 100 pounds to lose. The weight loss leader had lost 163 pounds in 17 weeks, then he went home for a month. Prior to going home he lost an average of 8 to 10 pounds a week. He only lost ten pounds in the month he was home. Life can get in the way juggling your homelife, work and the kids.

It is possible to lose 6 to 15 pounds in a month with kids, a spouse and a job but you'll have to make changes and sacrifices. One sure way to go crazy is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results. If you really want to lose weight, you have to get rid of the junk food in your house, plan meals and cook. Read the labels on the foods before you buy them. Manufacturers are deceptive and you will usually have to check serving size and calculate calories from that. If a serving is 10 chips and 100 calories and there are 8 servings in a can then you'll eat 800 calories if you eat that whole can of chips. Measure your snacks portions and use fresh fruits and vegetables instead of packaged food whenever possible. Reduce or eliminate the amount of sugar you eat.

Put time to exercise in your schedule, write it down and keep the appointment with your self. Hire a trainer to get you started or exercise with a friend who trains. Start walking daily at whatever pace you can muster. It takes 21 days to make or break a habit. To be successful you will have to establish and break habits at the same time. It never is easy especially at the beginning but it is one of the most worthwhile goals you can undertake to get yourself lean and healthy. Make the time, get a plan and execute it. Once you lose the weight and have exchanged poor habits for healthy ones you will continue to be active and successful on your life change and keep the weight off. Go for it!

God bless and keep training,
Daryl