The Biggest Loser reality television show uses the MedGem indirect calorimeter to monitor the contestants Resting Metabolic Rate, as it changes from their exercise and diet plan.
The following excerpt is from the NY Times article titled, “After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight.”
Kevin Hall, a scientist at a federal research center who admits to a weakness for reality TV, had the idea to follow the “Biggest Loser” contestants for six years after that victorious night. The project was the first to measure what happened to people over as long as six years after they had lost large amounts of weight with intensive dieting and exercise.
The results, the researchers said, were stunning. They showed just how hard the body fights back against weight loss.
The following results show you what weight they gained back, and how their Resting Metabolic Rate was affected.
RMR is the number of calories you would burn if you sat in a chair all day. It accounts for between 65-75% of the daily calories burned, depending on activity level.
Dina Mercado, 35, maintenance worker for Commerce, California says, “It’s hard. The cravings are there.”
Her weight before the show was 248 pounds.
At the finale it was 173.5 pounds.
And now it is 205.9 pounds.
Her Resting Metabolic Rate now burns 437.9 fewer calories per day than would be expected for a woman her size.
Danny Cahill, 46, speaker, author, land surveyor and musician, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, says “I won’t be victim to this. It’s the hand I’ve been dealt.”
His weight before the show was 430 pounds.
At the finale it was 191 pounds.
And now it is 295 pounds.
His Resting Metabolic Rate now burns 800 fewer calories a day than would be expected for a man his size.
Sean Algaier, 36, worship pastor, Charlotte, N.C., says “It’s not as dramatic as being told you have a disease, but it’s along those lines.”
His weight before the show was 444 pounds.
At the finale it was 289 pounds.
And now it is 450 pounds.
His Resting Metabolic Rate now burns 458 fewer calories a day than would be expected for a man his size.
Amanda Arlauskas, 26, wellness coach and social media consultant, Raleigh, N.C., says “I could tell something wasn’t right with my body. I just knew it was an issue with my metabolism.”
Her weight before the show was 250 pounds.
At the finale it was 163 pounds.
And now it is 176 pounds.
Her Resting Metabolic Rate now burns 591.1 fewer calories per day than would be expected for a woman her size.
Rudy Pauls, 37, electrical engineer, Belchertown, Mass., says ‘The Biggest Loser’ did change my life, but not in a way that most would think. It opened my eyes to the fact that obesity is not simply a food addiction. It is a disability of a malfunctioning metabolic system.”
His weight before the show was 442 pounds.
At the finale it was 234 pounds.
390 pounds in 2014.
And now, after bariatric surgery, 265 pounds
His Resting Metabolic Rate now burns 516 fewer calories a day than would be expected for a man his size.
Tracey Yukich, 44, exercise physiologist, Raleigh, N.C., says “I eat very clean and stay away from sugar, and I take supplements. I want to know what do we do now, because I am a doer.”
Her weight before the show was 250 pounds.
At the finale it was 132 pounds.
And now it is 178 pounds.
Her Resting Metabolic Ratenow burns 211.7 fewer calories per day than would be expected for a woman her size.
The show’s doctor, Robert Huizenga, says he expected the contestants’ metabolic rates to fall just after the show, but was hoping for a smaller drop. He questioned, though, whether the measurements six years later were accurate. But maintaining weight loss is difficult, he said, which is why he tells contestants that they should exercise at least nine hours a week and monitor their diets to keep the weight off.
The Biggest Loser uses our MedGem indirect calorimeter to help contestants adjust their Daily Calorie Budget. Dr. Robert Huizenga, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at UCLA and Medical Advisor to The Biggest Loser chose it “based on its accuracy in comparison to other indirect calorimeters.”
The above study proves why it is so important to measure your clients Resting Metabolic Rate with a MedGem indirect calorimeter, to track how RMR changes so that you can adjust their program accordingly.
Get more information on the MedGem indirect calorimeter