Drastic weight loss may trash your metabolism.

[Milchshake]

A 6 year study of Biggest Loser contestants found in the long term their metabolism are noticeably lower than for people of their current weight.

NYT has the most indepth story of the NIH study.

Yet their experiences, while a bitter personal disappointment, have been a gift to science. A study of Season 8’s contestants has yielded surprising new discoveries about the physiology of obesity that help explain why so many people struggle unsuccessfully to keep off the weight they lose.

[I Push Buttons]

Biology mang.

Body gets so much for so long, when it stops getting as much its like "oh shit, we're starving... we gotta do something to not die."

Voila, slowed metabolic rate.

[Kujako]

Well... duh?

[Acidbaron]

They had to do a study for this?

[Zafire]

I thought it was common knowledge that your base metabolic rate goes down the less you weigh.

[Dug]

No being the size of a small house is what trashes your metabolism. Then add drastic weight loss, your body still has the trash metabolism. Even now after I've been "thin" for 2 years my metabolism is so garbage I feel like I have to work twice as hard as my peers to keep weight off. My body still holds on to every molecule of fat that it can

[Brubear]

I thought it was common knowledge that your base metabolic rate goes down the less you weigh.

Not sure if you read the article, but they mention that six years after the weight loss and their metabolic rate was significantly lower than someone of similar size. As some of the examples pointed out, only of the contestants surveyed was able to maintain a significant amount of weight loss and her metabolic rate was around 500 calories lower than someone of her size, meaning she has to work that much harder just to maintain her weight.

It also showed that you experience a major decrease in leptin which leads to severe hunger pains. So even when a lot of time has passed you're still feeling like you're starving, and you have to work twice as hard as someone who never gained the weight or (maybe, as this only looked at extreme weight loss) someone who gradually lost it over a long period of time.

Now some people point out that this had no control group and so the results may be slightly skewed, but it does raise some interesting questions regarding what we thought occurred when you lost weight.

[Milchshake]

I thought it was common knowledge that your base metabolic rate goes down the less you weigh.

It was common knowledge that after a period of dieting a person's metabolism would slow down. But it was assumed the metabolism would tick back to a regular rate. What this study is showing, is these drastic weight-loss contestants seem to have permanently damaged their metabolism. Even when they regain their old weight, their metabolism is slower than expected.

Sean Algaier
36, worship pastor, Charlotte, N.C.
WEIGHT Before show, 444 pounds; at finale, 289 pounds; now, 450 pounds
METABOLIC RATE Now burns 458 fewer calories a day than would be expected for a man his size.

Dina Mercado
35, maintenance worker for Commerce, Calif.

WEIGHT Before show, 248 pounds; at finale, 173.5 pounds; now, 205.9 pounds
METABOLIC RATE Now burns 437.9 fewer calories per day than would be expected for a woman her size.

[Jayburner]

I lost 50 pounds and don't feel better or stronger ..slightly weaker though.

[Celista]

Hunger signals too are higher for those who were previously obese. This lasts *for years* after weight loss, not at my computer at the moment but there's lots of info out there about increased appetite after weight loss. Hence why we need to support others in their weight loss efforts, not shame them.

Metabolism can be boosted via maintaining muscle mass during and after weight loss via protein supplementation and resistance training.

[Jayburner]

Hunger signals too are higher for those who were previously obese. This lasts *for years* after weight loss, not at my computer at the moment but there's lots of info out there about increased appetite after weight loss. Hence why we need to support others in their weight loss efforts, not shame them.

Metabolism can be boosted via maintaining muscle mass during and after weight loss via protein supplementation and resistance training.

couldn't say it better.

[Farath]

Don't see why they needed to do any kind of study for this really. It's pretty damn well documented already that crash dieting and rapid weight loss doesn't do you very well in the long term. Apart from the slowing metabolic rate, you also have the lack of good habits and discipline.

[Deezlar]

The human body isn't a car.

A car has a finite amount of fuel, and can do a finite amount of things with that fuel before it stops.

99% of Diet plans and fitness regimes use an analogy similar to a fucking car.

A car cannot lower its energy expenditure to compensate for a lower fuel input.
A car cannot store excess fuel in case it runs out.
A car cannot devour its wheels to keep the engine running in case of emergency.
A car cannot decide which fuel source to use depending on the kind of fuel given to it.

Most of what you read about fitness and weight loss is UTTER BOLLOCKS and always has an agenda to sell you something, be it a diet plan or supplement.

People need to learn what works for them, take ownership of their bodies and stop putting the blame on fast food, intolerances, big pharma etc...

[RaoBurning]

Well I'm glad this health thing I'm working on is a lifetime goal, because if I wasn't already in it for the long haul I'd be pretty pissed off about the duration of the after effects. That said I ate a slice of pizza today and it was amazing.

[Deleted]

You rarely gain weight overnight, and as a contrast, you shouldn't lose it overnight either. It's much better for you in every way if you lose it slow and steady, and let your body keep up with the changes.

[TirielWoW]

I was really interested in the passing line they had about bariatric surgery, and how it apparently affects the metabolism. But they never expanded on it. ._.

[ro9ue]

What did you start at? For example over the last 5 years the most I was was 250. I have been on a diet and workout plan since the Jan 6th, I was 234 and am at 210 right now. I feel much better.

Congrats on that. I feel like my "default" weight for my lifestyle is 230. However I got down to 205 two summers ago with a ton of exercise and dieting. Unfortunately I just couldn't maintain it and now two years later I'm back to 230. It kinda sucks.

I was hoping that once I get down to ~200 it would just be easy maintenance mode but I found myself putting on weight like crazy if I just skipped a few days a week dieting/exercising. Brutal.

[Damajin]

Yeah, crash dieting is shit, so are these 10 hour exercise-athons they put those people on for those shows. Only place I've ever seen that kind of physical intensity was the military and they feed people like horses even in Basic.

[Akka]

Yeah, crash dieting is shit, so are these 10 hour exercise-athons they put those people on for those shows. Only place I've ever seen that kind of physical intensity was the military and they feed people like horses even in Basic.

10 hours a week is pretty active but it's not even remotely in the realm of excessive... Our bodies have evolved from a time where they would spent basically that time each day walking, running and hunting...
I does usually 6 to 8 myself and I'm far from being an athlete...

[Damajin]

10 hours a week is pretty active but it's not even remotely in the realm of excessive... Our bodies have evolved from a time where they would spent basically that time each day walking, running and hunting...
I does usually 6 to 8 myself and I'm far from being an athlete...

That's not in a week, those shows do that to them daily if what I've read is correct. They're basically exercising all day which is why they end up having huge issues with their joints, muscles and the like.