Lessons from the Biggest Loser Study
As humans, we are hardwired to desire quick and effortless solutions to our problems, and this desire is especially strong when it comes to weight loss. The appeal of crash diets and intense exercise programs is undeniable; we are promised rapid and dramatic results. However, as a 2016 article from the journal Obesity entitled “Persistent metabolic adaptation 6 years after ‘The Biggest Loser’ competition” shows, the reality of weight loss and weight regain is much more complex than we often want to believe.
The Biggest Loser Study
The Biggest Loser is a reality TV show featuring a group of contestants with severe obesity (defined by a BMI greater than 40) who are challenged to lose weight and transform their lives through a series of intense physical and mental challenges. Each season, the contestants are placed under the guidance of expert trainers who work with them to create personalized exercise and nutrition plans. The contestants are also subject to weekly weigh-ins and elimination challenges, which test their physical strength, endurance, and mental fortitude.
The 2016 article published in the journal Obesity focused on 14 contestants who had lost an average of 128 pounds over the course of the competition. However, six years after the show, most of the contestants had regained much of the weight they had lost, with four of them even exceeding their initial starting weights. This is a phenomenon that is all too common; studies consistently show that 80% of people who lose significant amounts of weight will eventually regain it, often ending up at a higher weight than where they began.
Weight Loss, Metabolism, and the Limits of Calories-in Versus Calories-out
There are many reasons why losing weight is so hard and why regaining weight is so common, but one key factor is metabolic adaptation. Metabolic adaptation refers to the way in which our bodies adjust to changes in our energy intake and expenditure, including changes that result from diet and exercise. Essentially, our bodies naturally resist losing weight and naturally maintain a certain weight range or set point. When we deviate from that range, our metabolism adapts to bring us back up to our set point.
One way in which our metabolism adapts is by reducing our basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy our bodies burn at rest. When we lose weight, our BMR decreases because there is less body mass to maintain. However, metabolic adaptation can cause our BMR to decrease even more than would be expected based on our new body size. For contestants in The Biggest Loser, this decreased metabolism persisted even after weight regain and even after six years post competition. Because our metabolism decreases as we lose weight, we burn fewer calories at rest than we would expect based on our size, which makes it more difficult to maintain our weight loss.
Another way in which our metabolism adapts is through changes in hunger hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin. When we lose weight, our bodies produce less leptin, which is a hormone that signals to the brain that we are full. At the same time, our bodies produce more ghrelin, which is a hormone that signals to the brain that we are hungry. This combination of hormonal changes can make it difficult to stick to a reduced-calorie diet and can lead to increased hunger and food cravings.
You Can’t Outrun an Unhealthy Diet: Weight Loss and Exercise
Exercise can also play a role in metabolic adaptation. When we engage in regular physical activity, our bodies become more efficient at using energy, which means that we burn fewer calories during exercise than we would expect based on the intensity and duration of the activity. This is why it is often said that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet; even if you are burning hundreds of calories during your workout, your body may be compensating by burning fewer calories at rest and increasing your appetite.
Key Takeaways
So, what does all of this mean for those of us who want to lose weight and keep it off? First and foremost, it means that we need to approach weight loss with realistic expectations. Losing weight is not a simple matter of eating less and moving more. It is not a simple matter of willpower and discipline. Losing weight involves complex physiological and psychological processes that are largely out of our control. We need to accept that sustainable weight loss is a slow and gradual process, and that maintaining weight loss can be even harder than achieving it in the first place.
Second, it means that we need to focus on sustainable lifestyle changes rather than quick fixes. Crash diets and extreme exercise programs may lead to rapid weight loss, but they are not sustainable over the long term. Instead, we need to focus on making gradual changes to our eating habits and exercise routines that we can maintain for the rest of our lives.
Instead of abruptly trying to follow a strict low-calorie diet and intense exercise routine, focus on making small, gradual changes to your lifestyle that you can maintain over the long term. This might mean cutting back on sugary drinks, choosing healthier snacks, and finding an exercise routine that you enjoy and can stick with. And for many people, this might mean starting medication to aid in weight loss in the short term, and even continuing medication into the long term. Just as chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure require long term medication management, obesity is also a chronic disease that deserves the same long-term attention.
It’s also important to be patient and kind to yourself. Weight loss and weight maintenance are not easy, and it’s normal to experience setbacks along the way. Instead of beating yourself up for not reaching your goals, focus on the progress you’ve made and the habits you’ve built.
Finally, don’t be afraid to seek out support and guidance from a professional. Working with a healthcare provider, dietitian, or personal trainer can help you develop a personalized plan for achieving your weight loss goals and maintaining your weight loss over the long term.
