The Biggest Loser and Metabolism Truths

I feel so alive Hello and welcome to Fit Ready

Go. It's been a year since we've recorded an

episode of this, but we're coming back to it.

So joining me is my wonderful wife, Mary. Hello.

And so we've been on this kind of a weird television

kick lately. I don't watch much TV anymore, but...

Yes, that's our cat in the background whining.

So... As Mary stated, we don't really watch a

whole lot of television. I watch considerably

more than she does, but that's because of my

other shows. This particular incident, she's

watched it in the past and... Never gotten into

it, but... Yeah, not really gotten into it. We've

been watching the show on Hulu, which has all

17 seasons, I believe. yeah it's missing like

seasons two through five or something those are

special seasons but it has season one in there

yeah season one and it picks back up at like

season six or seven or something i don't know

it doesn't really matter you don't have to watch

one seasons and that's kind of ridiculous but

still um so the show she's been watching and

i've kind of watched it with her when i'm out

there and i'm not working it's uh the biggest

loser which Obviously because of where I've been

and the fact that I used to be obese just like

a lot of these people on the show. Obviously

it's something that I'm interested in because

I'm so health oriented. And coming from a state

of being 300 plus pounds in the past, this kind

of resonates really well with her. We were kind

of looking at it, and she does this little research

project after every voting off of people. Well,

if I like, I should, he should say, if I really

liked the person, or, well, I guess anymore it's

almost about every person, because then if I

didn't like them, I'm like, ha ha, did they gain

the weight back? But I don't really do it for

that. There was, especially one girl. Man, I

should have researched what her name was. I really

liked her from Season 7 because she reminded

me of me. And we'll get more into her in a little

bit. But I wanted to know if these people were

really keeping the weight off. Because, of course,

I have heard rumors here and there that... The

biggest loser contestants just gained the weight

back. So anyways, as they would get voted off,

because I wouldn't check before that because

I didn't want to know who the winner of the season

was. And since these seasons are 10 years ago.

And I would look up and it just was shocking

to me. The amount that are actually just as big

as when they got on the show. Or very close to

it. Or some of them are larger than before the

show. So I started doing some research on it.

And it really started irritating me. The only

reason why I say this is because... The only

reason why I say it started irritating me is

because... They were blaming the biggest loser

for the weight gain. Because they're saying that

because they weren't, you know, which it is the

extremes. I have to say the biggest loser is

the extremes. It's a game show. That's really

what it boils down to. But, so it's extremes.

People working out for eight hours a day. I understand.

Nobody has time for that. Whether you have kids,

you work, whatever. Very few people, unless you're

an athlete, work out for eight hours a day. And

even some of them don't. So I get it. It's the

extremes. But they were eating, I believe, somewhere

around the 1 ,200 to probably 1 ,800 calorie

mark, depending on size and male, female, all

of that. And it continually shows how they educate

them on eating healthier when they get home.

And they slowly start to learn that. Because

you can't lose the weight and then just go back

to your old ways. I mean, how wonderful would

that be? But let's get for real. We'd all go

back up. But there's plenty of them that are

now suing. They're getting into a suit. They

started last year. And they're starting now to

try saying that... They were treated horrible

off camera and all of this, blah, blah, blah,

blah. Like people were just locking them in their

rooms and wouldn't let them come out. Well, if

they were working out for eight hours a day,

I'm sure they were coming out. But I don't know

what happened on the ranch, which is what they

call it. So I can't speak there. But I can tell

you right now the study, now they've done a study

on the biggest loser that says that their metabolism

has slowed. Which I completely agree with. I

believe that the research has been done. Not

with just The Biggest Loser. I did a lot of research

before recording this. And there have been others.

They're all small studies. Maybe 50 people. The

Biggest Loser one was 14 of the contestants.

But there's been studies on just normal people

that have lost weight. So obese people that have

lost at least 10 % of their body weight. The

contestants. Now before I get too far into it.

The contestants I've researched and their average

weight loss in the time in the six months is

39 % of their body weight is the average between

all contestants of The Biggest Loser. I can speak

from my experience because I have lost a total

of 46 % of my body weight. And so I'm in the

same boat that they're in. The first five to

six months. Of my weight loss I lost 80 pounds.

Because I was with a trainer. And I was just

full force on it. Protein diets. You know just

full. You could have put every single favorite

food in front of me. I would not have touched

it. It would not have crossed my mouth. So I

lost. I didn't do the math on that one. But I

think that's a good 25 -30 % of my body weight.

Even in that 5 -6. first months, which is close

to the same as what they had lost in their six

months. So really my weight loss was almost as

drastic. I wouldn't say quite as drastic, but

pretty close to as drastic as theirs. And the

rest of it came off within the first year. I

lost a good hundred and probably 30 to 40 pounds

in that first year of my weight loss. And of

course now it's been almost eight years since

i had ever started my weight loss journey um

and i mainly maintain now but i've lost a total

of about 150 pounds of course i don't think any

woman is ever happy with their body and i'd love

to lose another you know 10 20 pounds but anyways

um so explain about the metabolism what they

try to say is that the metabolism slows down

and um Which is obvious because if you have less

weight to move around, it's going to slow down.

But I do believe this is true. It's kind of helped

things for me. But the metabolism slows down

to the point that somebody that weighs... Okay,

I'll put myself as out there. I weigh about 165

pounds. That's where I stand around and I'm 5

'6". So I'm still considered a little bit overweight.

I seem to not be able to budge from this. I eat

1 ,200 calories a day. I put it into my fitness

pail. I'm very strict on it. Sometimes we might

go off here and there, but I'm pretty good. I

work out 8 to 10 times a week. I go to the gym

a lot. Yes, 8 to 10 times a week. It's kind of

my safe haven. I love working out. I go to the

gym a lot. That's why I'm working on becoming

a trainer. But anyways. So I do, I mean, there's

not a whole lot more I can do. If I lower my

calories anymore, I'm going to be starving. I

can't stand being hungry. For one, I'm going

to be grouchy. And then I'm going to want to

eat because I'm grouchy. And then I'll overeat.

So anyways, they're saying the metabolism and

the leptin levels have actually gone down drastically

to the point that... they have no choice but

they gain the weight back like there's nothing

they can do about it it just comes back on one

of the contestants um i don't remember who it

was at this point but when i researched it he

said in the first five days after the finale

gained 32 pounds by drinking water i call baloney

on that because he these contestants do go home

for three months and when there's a quarter of

a million dollars on the line miraculously, they

can lose more weight. Isn't that crazy when there's

money in the line that they can stick with it?

But then when all the cameras are gone and when

there's no more contests, there's none of that,

and they all seem so excited about their weight

loss. But you get back into the everyday life.

You get back into the working and having to prep

your meals and having to make sure you're not

stopping at the fast food restaurant, da -da

-da -da -da. And all of a sudden, their weight

starts coming back. And it is proven that the

levels do go down. And as they gain the weight

back, their levels aren't going back up as they

should. So it makes it harder that if they gain

the weight back that they would lose it again.

But the thing is, if they would just stay on,

and that means that they can't ever go back to

eating, you know, say a person at 165 pounds,

it says for me to maintain my weight as a female,

my age and everything, I should be able to eat

1 ,900 or 1 ,800 and some to 2 ,200 calories

a day to maintain. And that's with just, you

know, some of the workouts. We're not counting

in all the workouts and everything I do. There's

no way. There's just no way I can eat that because

if I eat that, I will gain the weight. So these

contestants are right. They're right in the sense

that if they eat like a normal person their size,

the weight's going to come back on. I mean, that's

part of it. But to blame the biggest loser, that

is not the biggest loser's fault because... i'm

in the same boat and i was never on the biggest

loser i was just i worked out i started with

working out three times a week so i wasn't massive

i don't didn't used to work out 10 times a week

that's grown over the years um but for them to

act like it's because of how how strong it was

with um with uh the biggest loser with how intense

it is and everything it has nothing to do with

that i'm gonna pull up um tara costa i think

that's how you say your last name she was my

favorite contestant season seven i've only watched

two of the seasons i've watched seven and eight

but i really really liked tara because she just

reminded me of me and i think no i don't think

she won i can't But she was really, really close.

And she kept, she ran, it was wonderful because

I really liked her. And she kept winning like

all of the competitions. She ran, won like the

marathon and everything. But I liked her because

she reminded of me. I could tell she was truly

dedicated to. Where her life was going. This

wasn't just a game to her. Of course. I'm sure

she wanted to win a quarter of a million dollars.

She wanted to win when they were having challenges.

Winning different things. But she just. I don't

know. I kept telling Stephen. She just reminds

me of me. I hope she wins. Blah, blah, blah.

And she didn't. But I've checked up on her since

doing all this research. And it's very interesting.

Because this woman that you can tell was like

full force. She was season 7. So that's what?

11. 10, 11 years ago, whatever it is, she actually

has kept all of her weight off. Was it 2011?

Do they have two seasons a year? They must. That's

odd. Okay, so maybe it was six years ago. But

either way, she's kept her weight off. But it's

funny because her Twitter feed, I don't get on

Twitter much, but by looking at her Twitter feed,

She just constantly is showing that, oh, my meal

prep and doing the Ironman and just like the

constant upkeep. And I believe it's because she's

making sure that, yes, she cannot eat as much

as a normal person her size. Her metabolism is

slower than what it was. But... She's sticking

with it just like I have. Like I said, I've started

my weight loss journey almost eight years ago.

I've lost 150 pounds. Most of that was lost in

my first year. And I've kept the weight off.

I've maintained it. Is it hard for me? It is

very hard for me. It is something I struggle

with every single day. It's something that...

I have to keep my workout regimen up, which that's

not my problem area. I like doing that. I have

to make sure I stay away from the sweets because

that's my problem area. I have to make sure I

stay away from the things that I know is going

to get me into trouble. And it just shows that

it's not just because of the... They were contestants

on The Biggest Loser. But because these were

obese people, this is what happens to us when

we decide to change our lives and go back down.

It doesn't mean we can change our lives for six

months, lose the weight, and think we can do

what we were doing before. Because if we ever

got to that weight, we are one, overeating. That's

automatic. And two, our metabolisms are slower.

Than those that don't. Steve. He can eat. He

used to eat right beside me. When I was big.

He ate just as much. If not more than me. More.

It was horrible. I mean. We may have only eaten

three times a day. We didn't do too much snacking

at that time. Because that was something I had

to learn. With losing weight. But now I've learned

you don't really need that. But anyways. We won't

go there. This show. But. we ate so much at each

meal i mean calories and then we ate out because

we were younger we were first you know i was

18 years old and i mean we were 15 when i got

together but then as i gained the weight like

We worked at McDonald's and we would order for

breakfast. It was horrible. We would order a

cinnamon roll and pancakes and sausage and da

-da -da. All this stuff. McGriddle, bagel. It

was horrible. And we would eat it. And Steve

ate just as much. But he never gained the weight.

It just proves, yes, I know he's a male. He's

taller than me. So that's part of it. Not by

much. No, not by that much. It's mainly our metabolism.

So an obese person. Most likely has overeats

for sure. For sure. I will not deny I overate

when I was bigger. It was completely my fault

and my reasoning that I put that stuff into my

mouth and I give nobody else the blame besides

myself. But so these people's metabolisms are

going to be slower anyways. And are some of the

women that are on there that's my size, are they

going to have to eat 1200 calories for the rest

of their lives? Yes, probably. Am I going to

have to eat 1 ,200 calories for the rest of my

life? Yes, and probably when I hit 40, I'm already

a little scared of that because 10 years from

now, I'm probably going to have to eat 200 calories.

My metabolism slows again. I'm a little scared

of that, but I'll come to that when we get to

it. But it's just something we put ourselves

in that position in the first place. We had to

lose our weight in the first place. And that's

what's going to happen. Don't get mad because

you're back to this weight that you previously

were. And let's just blame the... TV show, because

a TV show has millions of dollars. Why don't

we just sue them and get some money and get the

show canceled? And you know what? I think it's

one show out there. We have so many depressing

shows, and that's why I don't watch anything.

That and my 600 -pound life are all I watch on

Hulu. The rest of that is just garbage. I will

agree with that. It is nothing but garbage. Netflix,

besides a few documentaries they have about food

out there, about healthy foods, they're a lot

of garbage too. TV. I mean, I don't know. It's

just there's so much garbage out there these

days and so much depression on TV. So much killing

and fighting and love stories and all this. This

is one show we have that's showing people, look,

our obesity rates. I looked it up the other day.

The obesity rates are... It's 52%, I think, in

America now. And for people that are at least

overweight or obese, it's like 86 % or 87%. So

pretty much all of America. And this I do want

to just address because I said that is we don't...

Just because you're 10 pounds, say, over the

BMI... weight does not mean you're actually overweight.

I've been told this by doctors when in my mind,

I'm still overweight. And because on the BMI.

Well, tell me the experience of that recent doctor

you had because that we haven't had. Well, because,

um, my BMI is actually a 26%. I'm supposed to

be under 25 % to be of healthy weight. And they

don't put any muscle mass into that. They don't

put, they just put literally what the scale says

and how tall you are. So it bothers me because,

you know, I was obese for so long and I've been

overweight for so long. I'm just like, I just

want to be considered normal. I just want to

be considered healthy. And so we had some issues

and I had to switch doctors and whatever. And

I really liked this doctor. Well, obviously,

why wouldn't I? Which way he said. But anyways.

Um, he had me come in for blood work, you know,

new doctor thing. And he took, you know, half

the blood out of my body and everything. And

then had it tested, called me back. I had to

go wait a week and a half to get an appointment

and call me back. And I'm thinking, oh my goodness,

what's wrong with me? Could I possibly have cancer?

Like diabetic? Like why is this? Normally if

everything's fine, they don't make you come back.

They might tell you and say your blood work came

back. Everything looks normal. Have a good day.

No, I had to go in to see the doctor. So for

like a week and a half, I'm like, okay, honey,

like something might be wrong with me. The doctor

has to talk to me. Well, I'm sitting in the office

with my two kids. Of course, I had to drag to

the doctor, you know. And finally he comes in

and he's like. Um, I just want to let you know

that your blood work came back and you're going

to live forever. And I'm like, what are you talking

about? I just started laughing. And he's like,

your blood work is one of the best blood work

I've ever seen. He's like. This is good. And

he starts going over all the medical stuff of

that and saying my cholesterol and how this,

this level, you know, there's like 16 different

kinds of cholesterol. I don't really understand

all that, but he's like this cholesterol. And

so he's just telling me that how wonderful my

blood work is. And you know what my question

to him was? Well, I'm still considered overweight.

Should I lose another 10 pounds? Because I think

it's about 10 pounds that I would have to lose

to get under that 25 BMI. And he's like, I don't

even go by that. He said, you are completely

fine. He said, you are of healthy weight. He

said, you are so healthy. Your blood levels are

great. And so it just shows that here we're so

focused on. One, what the scale says. I know

that's still something I struggle with. And what

society wants from us. But we just, we have to

do what we know is right. We know that eating

kale chips, yes, I love, love some kale chips.

Yes, and our sons love them. If you make them

the right way, which maybe I should post exactly

how I make those. Um, they are so good. And eating

a bowl of those, you know, a small bowl of those

is better than me sitting and eating some potato

chips. I mean, if I eat a bag of potato chips

or if I really, yes, my dehydrator, we're going

to do a whole segment. Well, not a whole segment,

a whole show on my dehydrator. I love dehydrators

and I'm finally getting one after borrowing one

from a friend. But, um, Yeah. So you have to

put those things and it's such obvious things.

One thing I will say is eating the things that

God gave us to eat on this world and not all

these things that men have made. That's what

our bodies live on. That's what our bodies need.

Our bodies don't need all this other junk. And

I'm not saying I don't occasionally have, you

know. my chocolate bar or I don't occasionally

have things and sometimes I have them too often

but I always get myself back in check ask Steve

I beat myself up about it if I eat a candy bar

and then I go okay we've got to do this we've

got to do this we've got to do it and then I'm

gonna mess up again it's going to happen I understand

it's going to but to say to mess up this day

And this one and this one and this one and this

one. And let's just put our blame on somebody

else. Because I want to, say I gain 10 pounds,

I just need to blame Steve. Like, Steve, it's

all your fault. You shoved the food down my throat.

And maybe sometimes, yes, he has the temptations

that get me there. But some of the time it's

me too. We can't put our blame of our wheat.

ever being large so if you are large and need

to get off don't put your blame on somebody else

it is you that's gotten there and it's you that

has to decide that you're ready to get it off

and if you're somebody that used to be big lost

weight and have gotten big again it's still not

too late but it is you that have put yourself

there let's not go to the biggest loser For those

contestants. And sue them. Or to say it's their

fault. And make all this bad media over them.

Or go to our spouse and say it. Because even

though those people may have. Been a part of

our lives. It did not make them. Do what we've

done to our bodies. So. So. What are. What are

some suggestions. As far as. some of the eating

regimens i know that you did the all protein

diet i don't know if you want to get into that

in a future episode but um yeah we'll probably

do future because that could take a whole other

half hour um because i was gonna make an episode

kind of over some of the diets i have done and

really what some things have worked So essentially

what you're telling everyone is this is not a

diet. This is a lifestyle change. And I know

you hear that all the time. We all know it. We

Google every single type of thing out there.

But what it comes down to is how we make our

life. And it does become... Sorry, Steve just

pointed out to me. We're on... We have like both

computers up with notes. There's three screens

running right now. There's one with his recorder

and there's one with her notes and one with mine.

So he has Twitter of the Terra Costa up because

I wanted to see some of the stuff she had written.

And he just shows me one that says, get comfortable

being uncomfortable. Jillian has told me this

numerous times. And it's so true because get

uncomfortable being uncomfortable. Because it's

uncomfortable when you're out at a party and

you want to be like everybody else. And I, like

us, we have potluck at church a lot. And, you

know. I have to get comfortable with the fact

that I can't eat some of the stuff that's there.

Or if I do, I have to be very careful with it.

And you may have a different scenario that you

may have to tell friends no when they want to

go out to dinner. We don't really go out to dinner

with friends. But maybe there's a place that

just doesn't have the healthy foods. You have

to get comfortable with saying no. You have to

get comfortable with working out at the gym maybe.

Or you can do it in your house if that's where

you choose. But get comfortable being uncomfortable.

So that's... that was just funny because he pointed

that out to me and it is very true so just took

me from the other part so anyways i think that

about rounds it out for this episode and uh hopefully

you guys learned something and have something

to contribute uh be sure to leave comments in

the section below on the episode post And I just

do want to say that if you guys ever have one

little question, because I haven't ever gotten

a comment on any of my stuff, I would love to

hear a comment. Of course, I'd rather it be positive.

But if you have a question or you have a little

thing that you'd rather I switch up, or if you

have something you'd like me to cover. I mean,

I love researching this stuff. A lot of knowledge

I have. Just from years of doing this. And I

would love to cover a whole area of something

that you guys would like covered. So, yeah. So,

until next time, I've been Steve and this is

Mary. And we'll catch you next episode. Bye.