I caught the end of the Biggest Loser last night and I thought it was interesting that the winner used training methods that are the opposite of those used by the show. If you’ve ever seen the show you’ll know that for the most part the training is focused on endurance cardio with bodyweight/minimal weight resistance exercise. I’ve often wondered how much more weight would be lost if they were trained with HIIT and proper weight training. Anyway, the winner lost something like 140 pounds, 54.9% of her bodyweight and at age 48 is now 117. She talked about how her trainers after the show trained her using tractor tire throws, stadium stair sprints, board presses, and that she was trained like a football player/wrestler. Still not the weight training I’d like to see but I found it funny how she was last in the running and ended up winning while the other two contestants continued using the same training methods and lost after being ahead the entire show.
Good to hear. Sounds like she actually used logic when coming up with the most efficient way of fat-loss. Hell, maybe she even educated herself instead of letting some emasculated hippie or total cunt-bitch tell her to do cardio for like 7 hours a day or whatever the hell the rest of them are doing.
I watched several episodes thru this season and was impressed. I think the training quality and the intensity level was pretty high and the results of the contestants speak for themselves. Those trainers pushed em to the limits and they went from most being near morbidly obese to lean and in shape.
D
They still have not said the exact time frame all the loss occurred in. The on the ranch part was 17 weeks then it seemed like another 2 months back home, so I’d guesstimate a six month program? 140 lbs in 26 weeks is a shade over 5 lbs a week.
If nothing else it shows people can loose a lot in a reasonable period of time IF they get off their asses and get motivated.
good for them. i saw only one bit, where a trainer was yelling at a contestant for consumoing more than a ‘fist’ size portion of protein at one meal. bit vague? thats like 80g from corned beef, or 20g from cheese.
I think it’s sad that when it came down to the wire, it was the older contestants competing. Jerry who is 64 and loses 47% of his body weight beats kids who are half his age. Also Helen the 48 year old beats the 18 year old kid who is nearly 400 lbs at the start, and a younger girl Tara who starts off with alot more weight than Helen. Shows you about how age can slow you down.
I find it very interesting how they can consistently get these people to drop 10+lbs week after week for 4 months. Obviously, these people are in dismal shape to start, so they are going to make great strides right off the bat, but the balance between training and food intake and rest has to be pretty tight to get those results with as little injury as I’ve seen on the show.
That being said, I would like to see them modify how they measure “results” by incorporating body composition rather than just “total weight lost”. Some of the people on that show (Sione, in particular) look to have built some significant muscle mass from where they started, which obviously would hurt the “total weight lost” number. I just think that would be more fair and would not have the end result of seeing some 165# guy desperately trying to lose more weight to win a contest.
[quote]jstines wrote:
I find it very interesting how they can consistently get these people to drop 10+lbs week after week for 4 months. Obviously, these people are in dismal shape to start, so they are going to make great strides right off the bat, but the balance between training and food intake and rest has to be pretty tight to get those results with as little injury as I’ve seen on the show.
That being said, I would like to see them modify how they measure “results” by incorporating body composition rather than just “total weight lost”. Some of the people on that show (Sione, in particular) look to have built some significant muscle mass from where they started, which obviously would hurt the “total weight lost” number. I just think that would be more fair and would not have the end result of seeing some 165# guy desperately trying to lose more weight to win a contest. [/quote]
I was just talking with someone about that.
it isn’t body fat lost, it is weight lost.
The guys are at a disadvantage then, because they have the potential to put on more muscle.
[quote]jstines wrote:
I find it very interesting how they can consistently get these people to drop 10+lbs week after week for 4 months. Obviously, these people are in dismal shape to start, so they are going to make great strides right off the bat, but the balance between training and food intake and rest has to be pretty tight to get those results with as little injury as I’ve seen on the show.
That being said, I would like to see them modify how they measure “results” by incorporating body composition rather than just “total weight lost”. Some of the people on that show (Sione, in particular) look to have built some significant muscle mass from where they started, which obviously would hurt the “total weight lost” number. I just think that would be more fair and would not have the end result of seeing some 165# guy desperately trying to lose more weight to win a contest. [/quote]
Agreed. At some point factoring in gains in muscle mass should be done. They were hitting the weights pretty hard for people who had never done so before.
D
I also get the impression that what they show on TV isn’t really indicative of the whole training regime. I would be very surprised if there wasn’t some heavier weight training involved in the process. My guess would be that showing people benching and squatting isn’t as interesting to the average TV viewer as watching the contestants pour sweat while sprinting on a treadmill or do more “metabolic” type weight training with lighter weight
[quote]jstines wrote:
I also get the impression that what they show on TV isn’t really indicative of the whole training regime. I would be very surprised if there wasn’t some heavier weight training involved in the process. My guess would be that showing people benching and squatting isn’t as interesting to the average TV viewer as watching the contestants pour sweat while sprinting on a treadmill or do more “metabolic” type weight training with lighter weight[/quote]
This is the sad part because watching some of the guys in the end who would probably put up a few plates per side would help the kids out there realize that lifting weight is more important than a target overall weight number which is why I also agree with the body composition and not weight…
Perhaps you’re right though I don’t recall seeing any oly bars and plates in the gym. Honestly, I’m just surprised the injury rate isn’t higher. One girl did have a slight fracture in her hip, but I think they are asking for it. You have obese, sedentary people doing endurance based cardio and it’s a recipe for disaster. Especially when you have them running half marathons and marathons. Granted, the mental boost that must give someone who weeks before couldn’t go up a flight of stairs without being winded must be huge.
Still, each step is a rep and their form while running is awful. Do any movement incorrectly with too much weight for 4-6 hours (which is what the two women did the marathon in IIRC) and you’re setting yourself up for some injuries.
Props to Helen though for thinking outside the box and getting some different training methods in there.
They showed an update of former contestant and how they are doing now that the show is over. Most of them put some weight back, and one wrote a book on weight loss since she is now an expert.
You also have to give it to the marketing genius behind the Biggest Loser. They have numerous products that they promote from the success of the show. Nutrition cook books, DVD’s, exercise equipment, and even their own protein powder from Designer Whey. Yes, it is a show about… “changing lives.”
400lbs at 18? Damn, the contestants on the American version are in a league of their own compared to here.
On top of the winners training strategies, I have no doubt if they employed this, the show (not that I watch it) could be more interesting all the while educating people more effective ways to lose weight, as well as making exercising more enjoying then endless hours on the treadmill.
But who gives a fuck about education. Its about ratings.
[quote]hardgnr wrote:
400lbs at 18? Damn, the contestants on the American version are in a league of their own compared to here.
On top of the winners training strategies, I have no doubt if they employed this, the show (not that I watch it) could be more interesting all the while educating people more effective ways to lose weight, as well as making exercising more enjoying then endless hours on the treadmill.
But who gives a fuck about education. Its about ratings.[/quote]
I watched a bit of the previous season here as two of the contests at the end could get it…I went to the logies this year on the premise they would be there, sadly only aj(hate her so, so much) attended