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After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

nytimes.com

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Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#151

Post by Aelinsaar »

wobbleblob wrote: post #100
sageabilly wrote: post #90

The results of this study, while interesting, seem flawed to me because losing 200+lbs in only 8 months' time is ridiculously fast. I would be more interested in a study following people who lost weight very slowly and steadily over time, and curious about their metabolisms and recidivism rates. I've lost 100lbs over the last three years and have had zero issue (so far, not saying I won't ever) with keeping at this w…

Maybe there's something different about the metabolism of people who manage to reach a weight of 450lbs in the first place. Without exercise and watching what you eat, almost everyone will gain weight, but most people never get anywhere close to the 300lbs+ range.

In my experience, this is the case. Or at least, it's the case after they reach that weight and maintain it for a significant period of time. I don't think there is any clear indication of which comes first though.

Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#152

Post by ameen »

varelse wrote: post #46
IndianAstronaut wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you manage the 1 to 2 hours of daily exercise with a programmer lifestyle(assuming you are a programmer)?

I get up from my desk and go to the gym mid-day or I do so at the end of the work day depending on my flow. Also, I've cut most meetings out of my life, especially pointless time-eaters like daily scrum. Also: 1. No kids 2. I only watch 4-6 hours of TV per week 3. I walk to work, there's an extra hour right there at the expense of a higher rent (totally worth it). Previously, I worked from home 4. Most of my social l…

I so want to try this. Any tips and pointers? I'd quit the industry due to health issues (Obesity, NAFLD, Plantar fasciitis, etc) and would love to return if I can stay healthy in such a manner

Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#153

Post by nkassis »

cableshaft wrote: post #126

I really need to lose weight, my heaviness has started to lead to other health problems, but I find that whenever I try to eat significantly less, I have difficulty concentrating on heavy mental tasks (i.e. programming, my job). The constant feeling of hunger distracts me, or my mind just drifts, until I get some food in me again. I never see any of these articles even acknowledge this as an issue, either as if no on…

I found that exercise helped me with energy and concentration level. Even while eating less. When I sometimes slip and reduce my exercise time for periods of weeks (say I don't feel like riding my bike indoor in the middle of winter) I start to get tired again and lack focus.

Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#154

Post by jschwartzi »

sageabilly wrote: post #90

The results of this study, while interesting, seem flawed to me because losing 200+lbs in only 8 months' time is ridiculously fast. I would be more interested in a study following people who lost weight very slowly and steadily over time, and curious about their metabolisms and recidivism rates. I've lost 100lbs over the last three years and have had zero issue (so far, not saying I won't ever) with keeping at this w…

It's pretty well-known that if you drop more than 2 lbs/week you're very likely to gain it all back later.

Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#155

Post by richmt »

checker wrote: post #87
vitno wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Study after study has repeatedly shown this to be untrue. People who think they "eat as much as they want" really don't eat as much as people who think they "eat almost nothing" Try actually counting your calories over the course of a week.

Valid point, but I think there's more here. Kenji is saying that he is satiated. It doesn't really matter what he eats compared to others if his brain/body is happy eating the correct amount. The real question is: Why are people like Kenji satiated at an appropriate level of calories while others are not? And I think the answer is going to be a complex mix of physical, psychological, and societal factors.

I don't think there's more to it.

Eating three meals a day at about 2,500 calories for a few weeks, and my body will adapt to feeling full at those portions.

Upping that to 3,000+ calories a day when on a bulk, and the first week or two are difficult, but then I adapt and feel hungry if I eat the smaller portions I used to eat.

Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#156

Post by jschwartzi »

hourislate wrote: post #121
varelse wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"As you age there is no amount of exercise that will allow you to maintain the amount you weigh in you 20's or 30's." This seems overly general and anecdotally total BS. I still eat what I like just like I did in my 20s/30s. It's just that what I like is generally lots of vegetables and sufficient protein, with occasional vices slipped in because YOLO(tm). That said, without the exercise, I gain about a pound per wee…

As you naturally age you will burn less calories. So as you continue to eat the same way and the same amount you will have to up your exercise to impossible limits. What needs to change is your diet. No sugars and lots of healthy fats. Here is an excerpt from the book I mentioned. Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes http://amzn.com/0307474259 >The authors were Paul Williams, a statistics expert at…

It's also well known that as you become fitter, your body becomes more efficient at performing the same activities. It doesn't surprise me that people who habitually run get fitter, burn fewer calories per mile, and need to run farther to maintain the same burn rate. That these people are also getting older at the same time might just be a coincidence.

Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#157

Post by pc86 »

alva wrote: post #139
xlm1717 wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buying a blood glucose meter is not an expensive investment (provided you don't really need it, ie. don't have diabetes) and it will pay dividends in terms of health. With a meter and about 200 strips and lancets, you can determine a big list of foods that raise your blood glucose and foods that don't. I've been customizing my meals based on what my glucose meter tells me raises my blood glucose the least and I am lo…

This is the first time I have heard glucose meters being used specifically for weight loss, very interesting. If this is a safe and effective way to encourage weight loss, this could be a huge business opportunity.

> If this is a safe and effective way to encourage weight loss

It is, presuming that your macros and micros are still in line. It's easy to eat the same meal for lunch and dinner every day and lose weight but be very unhealthy while doing so.

Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#158

Post by richmt »

rickdale wrote: post #75
vinceguidry wrote: post #69

I managed to lose 40 pounds last year, using intermittent fasting. That impressed people, but what's impressed me is how easy it was to keep it off. I expected to have to do a lot more work than I have, I really seemed to have found a new 'set point', where I can simply let my body self-regulate eating and I won't gain weight. Sometimes it even goes down. I think a person's state of mind plays a huge role. I used IF…

I'll concur with this. I have been practicing one meal/day for almost 3 years now. I think it took my body over a year to really adjust to all the benefits. Now I realize I have some big eating days, some small eating days, I mostly crave healthy stuff and I let the rest take care of itself.

What about feeling tired/lethargic during the time in which you fast?

Also, can your body really efficiently utilize all of the micro/macro nutrients it needs in a day when it's handed them all at once?

I agree that IF can be a good little mental trick for a quick cut, but I'm skeptical on one meal a day for a life time and if there's any negative effects that could come up.

Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#159

Post by antisthenes »

hourislate wrote: post #121
varelse wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"As you age there is no amount of exercise that will allow you to maintain the amount you weigh in you 20's or 30's." This seems overly general and anecdotally total BS. I still eat what I like just like I did in my 20s/30s. It's just that what I like is generally lots of vegetables and sufficient protein, with occasional vices slipped in because YOLO(tm). That said, without the exercise, I gain about a pound per wee…

As you naturally age you will burn less calories. So as you continue to eat the same way and the same amount you will have to up your exercise to impossible limits. What needs to change is your diet. No sugars and lots of healthy fats. Here is an excerpt from the book I mentioned. Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It by Gary Taubes http://amzn.com/0307474259 >The authors were Paul Williams, a statistics expert at…

My anecdotal experience seems to confirm this. I've gained ~30 lbs throughout my 20s (130 --> 160), even though I've become at least twice as active as I have ever been in my late teens.

The weight gain has been both fat and muscle, however, but I'm not exactly sure in which proportions (I can notice both more subcutaneous fat in the belly area as well as more pronounced muscles)

By far the biggest metabolic cliff seems to occur around ~25 years of age +-1-2 years. I've noticed a very sharp increase in weight around that time, despite keeping my diet constant.

Re: After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight

#160

Post by gmarx »

sageabilly wrote: post #90

The results of this study, while interesting, seem flawed to me because losing 200+lbs in only 8 months' time is ridiculously fast. I would be more interested in a study following people who lost weight very slowly and steadily over time, and curious about their metabolisms and recidivism rates. I've lost 100lbs over the last three years and have had zero issue (so far, not saying I won't ever) with keeping at this w…

How many times have you lost and regained? I ask because I am a little older and have done that cycle multiple times. This last time I am going on a decade without periods of large weight gain. The first time you lose a lot of weight you feel like you have it mastered and that is one of the ways your brain gets you. Eventually you figure you have it handled, relax and then two years goes by and you are heaver than when you started. I've done that at least 3 times
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