The world of weight loss is often sensationalized and fraught with misconceptions. From reality TV shows like The Biggest Loser to competitive dieting programs, the pursuit of a slimmer physique is frequently portrayed as a battle against oneself and others. This article delves into the complexities surrounding weight loss, examining the impact of extreme dieting, the ethics of weight loss competitions, and the portrayal of weight loss in popular media.
The Biggest Loser: A Case Study in Metabolic Adaptation
"Will decades of dieting mean a broken metabolism?" This question plagues many, fueled by concerns highlighted by shows like The Biggest Loser. The show's contestants are famous for dramatic weight loss - and for the devastating regain that sometimes follows. Competitors running on treadmills with tears streaming down their faces. Trainers screaming. How-this-happened-to-you montages set to emotive music.
A study by Fothergill E, Guo J, Howard L, Kerns JC, Knuth ND, Brychta R, Chen KY, Skarulis MC, Walter M, Walter PJ, and Hall KD, titled “Persistent metabolic adaptation 6 years after ‘The Biggest Loser’ competition,” published in Obesity (Silver Spring) in 2016, shed light on the long-term consequences of rapid weight loss. The study followed contestants from The Biggest Loser and revealed some unsettling truths about metabolic adaptation.
Understanding the Key Concepts
Before diving into the study's findings, it's crucial to understand some key concepts:
- Body composition: Body composition is someone’s ratio of fat mass to lean mass (muscle, bone, etc.).
- Resting metabolic rate (RMR): Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories a resting body burns in a day, without activity. Weight loss aside, smaller bodies require less energy to maintain and should have lower RMRs.
- Leptin levels: Leptin is a hormone that, among other things, gets released after we eat, suppressing our appetite and increasing energy expenditure to help keep our calories in / calories out balanced and our weight stable. In general, the more fat cells in your body, the higher your leptin.
The Study's Shocking Results
The researchers measured the subjects’ RMR, total energy expenditure, and physical activity expenditure in 2009 and again in 2015. This means that, on average, participants regained 70 percent of the weight they’d lost. Surprisingly, despite their weight regain, participants were burning 700 fewer calories per day at rest vs. when they started the show. Participants lost 25 lbs of lean mass during the filming of the show.
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This phenomenon is known as metabolic adaptation, a natural defense mechanism against starvation. Metabolic adaptation is a natural defense mechanism against starvation. What was interesting about this study? Muscle maintenance: Theoretically, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Time passing: We used to think that metabolic adaptation may reverse with time, and it might. In the end, as you can see in the following graph, participants’ metabolisms were just as low after six years (and after regaining almost 100 pounds) vs.
As expected, The Biggest Loser participants experienced a huge drop in leptin when they lost weight in 2009. “Normal” leptin doesn’t mean it’s easy to control your appetite. Pre-Biggest Loser, these folks were used to eating a certain amount; now they need less to stay smaller. The participants’ leptin and RMR are no longer linked. If the two usually rise and fall together, why didn’t RMR go back up - as leptin did - when the weight was regained? This could also lead to weight regain. Eat 500 fewer calories per day than their bodies are telling them to eat. Expend 500 more calories a day than their bodies tell them they should. Feeling hungrier than they should.
Implications and Limitations
The study suggests that extreme dieting comes with consequences. Reduce your calories to an extreme and your body will likely fight back. Maybe for years.
It's important to note some limitations of the study. The initial conditions themselves are mostly a mystery. We just don’t know. The participants reported maintaining the Biggest Loser-approved nutrition regimen and exercise level over the six-year period. But: Self-reported data are notoriously unreliable. Some of the participants were able to keep weight off for years before it returned. The Biggest Loser program helps contestants lose weight at a rate you rarely see elsewhere. Obviously, gastric bypass is about as fast as it gets. Others found the results somewhat reassuring. It relieved some of the sense of failure or shame around re-gaining weight.
The Ethics of Competitive Dieting: "Weighing Up the Enemy"
"Might as well get this out of the way - I hate the premise of Weighing Up the Enemy (Channel 4). Absolutely hate it. Why oh why must we add an element of competition to everything?"
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The Channel 4 program Weighing Up the Enemy exemplifies the problematic trend of turning weight loss into a competition. Dr Christian Jessen, one of Channel 4’s “faces”, had adapted research by economists at Yale to fit his own area of interest. The researchers had found that we humans hate losing more than we love winning; so why not apply that to weight loss? In his estimation, motivation was what was missing from people’s diets. What could be better motivation to lose weight than having to hand over your hard-earned cash to a rival to spend on a pursuit you hate? And lo, a television series was born. I have no great affection for Dr Christian Jessen, nor diet competitions.
The contenders in this battle were Harriet, a doctor from London, and Jo, an ecowarrior vegan mum-of-two from the Isle of Wight. If Jo won, she would spend Harriet’s £500 on a toilet-building course in Wales; if Harriet won, she would spend the day driving around a race track with Jo’s £100. The usual followed: the women met up, expressed their disdain for the other’s lifestyles and tried to psyche each other out with barbed comments and unexpected squats in public. The goal was to lose more body fat than the other. Both of them exercised more (Harriet drafted in a friend and a military trainer; Jo upped her daily step count to 15,000) and changed their diets.
The Problematic Nature of Competition
This type of show raises several ethical concerns. It fosters an unhealthy relationship with food and body image. It promotes the idea that weight loss is a battle against others. It exploits individuals' vulnerabilities for entertainment.
Jessen was exploring other issues around weight. He rocked up to SimplyBe, a plus-size fashion shop with bloggers Naomi and Lucie in tow. As they tried on clothes, they explained how it had been a wilderness for fashionable plus-size clothing until a few years ago. “The fashion industry certainly has embraced plus-size clothing. But as a doctor,” he mused to camera, “should I be more worried? Is being overweight becoming just too normal, even glamorous?” He spoke to Louise Cooper, a financial analyst who thought so. The plus-size industry, she said, sells it as women enjoying their curves: “If you’re flogging clothes, you’ve got to make the larger woman feel good in those clothes.” Fat women feeling good in their clothes and enjoying fashion? Perish the thought. “The trouble is, ‘embracing your curves’ may be one message but ‘you are so fat that you will die early’ is not a great message to persuade people to buy your clothes,” Cooper said. At home, I harrumphed loudly. Name me one fashion brand that sends that message. In what world is being fat actively encouraged by anyone? Fat people are barely tolerated. We live in such fear of fat that the diet industry continues to make billions off us despite evidence that would suggest it’s useless.
Jessen had more thoughts. If fashion bloggers can now dress fashionably, does that mean the urge to lose weight is diminished? He asked the bloggers if having access to stylish clothes “inspired complacency”. What would he have them wear - sacks with holes for arms? Naomi gave him a nice answer about looking good and feeling good, and how that confidence and higher self-esteem could well inspire people to want to lose weight. Naomi was a lot nicer than I would have been in the circumstances. But Jessen wasn’t done pondering. At the Plus Size Awards, he wondered: “Is it ethical to be profiting from an unhealthy body shape?” Rivki Baum, editor of Slink magazine, gave the question the answer it deserved. “I’m consistently asked if I’m promoting obesity, which I think is a really ridiculous notion.” Fiona Ross, managing director of Evans, which used to be the only plus-size outlet on the high street, put it quite succinctly: “We’re just saying, you are who you are and we will help you dress fashionably and confidently.”
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Later on Jessen explored the world of diet products - apparently, female dieters spend £500 each on diet foods and services a year. I noticed he voiced no qualms on the ethics of this business model, though. Was it the worst thing in the world for these women to lose weight this way? Probably not. They’re both adults and clearly consented to appear on telly to document this “experiment”. But I hate that it exists. Harriet won, by the way. I got sucked into rooting for Jo. She based her diet on potatoes, which displayed a naivety and optimism I found enchanting. I love potatoes too, Jo, and I would never give them up.
"Oh My Venus": Romanticizing Weight Loss
Numerous dramas explore weight loss as a central theme, often intertwining it with romantic relationships. One example is the South Korean drama Oh My Venus. While some viewers found the drama to be a "feel good romantic drama" with "off the chart chemistry" between the lead actors, others criticized its focus on weight loss as a means to achieve happiness, deeming it "very damaging, specially for young girls."
Conflicting Perspectives
Some viewers appreciated the emphasis on the health aspect of weight loss, as opposed to solely focusing on beauty. They praised the "strength" and "maturity" of the leading couple, highlighting the absence of "unnecessary angst, mother-in-law drama or dead-fish kisses." The drama's "light and uplifting" nature and the "fantastic chemistry" between the leads were also commended.
However, other viewers expressed concerns about the drama's underlying message. Some felt that the female lead was "not fat" and that calling her "obese" was "annoying." Others criticized the male lead's limited range of facial expressions and the "hallow and flat" side characters.
The "Your Body is Mine" Trope
One particular aspect that drew criticism was the "your body is mine" trope. Some viewers felt that the male lead's interest in the female lead was contingent on her maintaining a slim and attractive figure. This raised concerns about the drama's potential to perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards and objectify women.
The Ending: Affirming or Problematic?
The drama's ending, in which the female lead gains back all the weight but is still loved, was interpreted differently by viewers. Some found it "very affirming," while others felt that it detracted from the overall message of health and well-being.
Sustainable Strategies for Weight Management
So is it possible to lose a lot of weight, and keep the weight off? Precision Nutrition Coaching clients hear this over and over: Each day is a clean slate.
Here are some sustainable strategies for weight management:
- Play a game with yourself: Try to be the last one eating - even after your slow-as-molasses toddler).
- If the answer is yes, take another bite, chew slowly, and repeat.
- Of course, what you find rejuvenating might be unique to you.
- Change is hard for most people, and it’s partly due to our hardwiring. Shifting your mindset from “this is impossible” to “I can do this” will take time. For many people, a sense of shame, failure and fault is caught up in weight gain. Don’t beat yourself up. What we do know about The Biggest Loser participants’ lives? A great place to start? Connect with them. Talk to them about what you’re trying to do with your focused nutrition and exercise practices. You can help people build sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will significantly improve their physical and mental health-while you make a great living doing what you love. If you’d like to learn more, consider the PN Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification.