Is ‘The Biggest Loser’ Weight Loss A Sham? Shocking Study Suggests It Is
It was just four days ago that The Inquisitr reported that Ali Vincent, the winner of the 2008 season of The Biggest Loser and the first female winner of the show, had gained back almost every pound of weight she had lost on the show. This left a lot of fans with one simple question – is the weight loss on The Biggest Loser real or a sham?
According to PEOPLE Magazine, a new study suggests that while contestants are able to lose a significant amount of weight in just a few weeks on The Biggest Loser, it is unlikely they will be able to maintain this weight loss.
This study followed and researched 14 of the contestants from Season 8 of The Biggest Loser for six years. Among the contestants they followed was the winner Danny Cahill. The study revealed that 13 of the 14 contestants followed regained some of the weight they lost after leaving The Biggest Loser. The study also revealed that four of the contestants ended up gaining back more weight than they had lost while on The Biggest Loser.
The Biggest Loser contestants permanently harm their metabolism, says study https://t.co/YyELmiECpS pic.twitter.com/Fv4XMXk5xJ
— People (@people) May 2, 2016
Erinn Egbert was the only contestant from Season 8 of The Biggest Loser who didn’t gain any weight back. Not only was she able to keep the weight off, she was able to lose additional weight. She started out the show weighing 263 pounds and ended the show weighing 176 pounds. To date, she weighs somewhere between 152 and 157 pounds. She too, however, struggles with a slow metabolism the same way the other contestants observed in this study do. The study revealed that Erinn burns 552 fewer calories than an average person her size should.
Results of the study reveal that The Biggest Loser contestants start out the show with an average resting metabolism. By dieting and exercising at a rapid rate in order to try to lose enough weight to win the show, they lower their metabolism significantly and it is never able to recover.
“We have comprehensive procedures and support systems in place which we routinely re-evaluate to ensure all contestants receive the best care possible. The lead medical doctor on the show, who has worked with the National Institutes of Health on initiatives in the past relating to ‘The Biggest Loser’ has been made aware of this most recent study and is in the process of evaluating its findings.”
PEOPLE Magazine also reported that a representative of The Biggest Loser is looking into the study to make sure the contestants of the show are receiving the best care possible.
The New York Times reported, Danny Cahill, the winner of Season 8 of The Biggest Loser went from 430 pounds to 191 pounds while he was on the show. To date, he weighs just five pounds shy of 300 pounds. His metabolism has slowed so much that he burns 800 calories less a day than a man his size should.
What shocked the researchers was the fact that the contestants’ metabolism never seemed to recover after being on the show. Instead, the metabolism levels slowed even more, and the pounds piled on instead of coming off. According to the researchers, it appeared as though their bodies were making an intense effort to pull the contestants back to what they originally weighed when they were on the show.
After Season 8 ended, Cahill was one of the worst off because of how much his metabolism slowed. If he eats more than 800 calories a day it will turn into body fat because of how much his metabolism slowed.
“The Biggest Loser” proves that drastic measures only make things worse https://t.co/1kxs4NbIYc
— Salon (@Salon) May 2, 2016
The results found in this study certainly explain why it is so difficult for nations like the United States to make headway with their obesity problem. Despite spending tons of money on weight loss medication, diet programs, healthy food, exercise equipment, and even surgery – your own biology is working against you.
[Image via Shutterstock]
