Check out this feature story in today's NYTimes. It reports on a very good research study with albeit a small sample -- 14 of Season 8's 16 "Biggest Loser" contestants.

(FYI, TBL's Season 8 was in 2009.)

Summary: Dramatic weight loss lowered their basal metabolic rate, and it never came back up.

But we already knew that, after decades of yo-yo dieting, right?

BTW, one of the contestants (Rudy Pauls) had weight loss surgery since being on TBL and is doing pretty well weight-wise.

I predict this is going to be a huge news story for some time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/02/health/biggest-loser-weight-loss.html?emc=edit_th_20160502&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=40256033&_r=0

This was the lead story on NPRs All Things Considered tonight.

Interesting how a very small study, published in Obesity, that really doesn't tell us anything much that we don't already know (as far as I can tell) gets such a big media splash because of the reality TV connection.

The New York Times is doubling down on this story, adding more videos, more side-stories.

I think they're on a journalistic mission to destroy The Biggest Loser and its bad, bad "medicine."

Fine by me! I hope that effing TBL "doctor" who trashes WLS goes down like the Titanic.

Any idea of how much it costs to get your metabolism measured? I would love to do this, but never realized it was available. Given the study results (even though it is such a small sample), I hope they will at least put more money towards this research.

Thanks for the info! I have been wondering for years why there are so few

" where are they now" stories from TBL. (I wondered if they signed privacy contracts)

I'm grateful to have WLS as I would be slowly regaining using any other weight loss program.... And probably blaming my willpower. ...

WRONG...now I understand in a better way how come diet programs truly do not work long term for about 95% of people.

Thanks again... Information is power in my world.

FYI. My doctor reported my brm at 1300 calories/ day.

Any idea of how much it costs to get your metabolism measured? I would love to do this, but never realized it was available. Given the study results (even though it is such a small sample), I hope they will at least put more money towards this research.

I'm curious about this too

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UC Davis does it for $30 or thereabouts.

Edited May 3, 201610 yr by 2goldengirl

UC Davis does it for $30 or thereabouts.

Oh ok..for some reason I just knew it would be way more than that. I'm glad to know its not and I can get it done. Thanks for the info.

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I am a broken record with this, because it's so obvious.

There is a faction of obesity and weight loss they just don't talk about. food ADDICTION. The real reason why people fail. Why I have failed time and time again through my life. Who in their right mind would gobble down an entire bag of potato chips? ME. A person with a food addiction.

I don't care what diet someone is on, or what kind of surgery they have had, the weight will not stay off, if you don't get help for your addiction. People don't get fat because they walked past the box of krispy kremes, and just smelled them.

Sure, it's good to know about the metabolism, but that's inconsequential I think, if you have someone eating an entire bag of potato chips. Trying to fill up a big empty space inside you is psychological. Not physical.

Here's a good idea, don't bring the crap into your house, and you can't eat it. Simple as that. If you know it's crap and you are feeding it to your family, that's beyond my help at this point. Why would you feed crap to your family?

Even the bariatric center I go to gives so little help with the psychological aspect of weight loss, and why a person like me ate their way up to 345 lbs. It's all in my head. That is what I had to fix...my head, because losing weight after surgery is easy. In my opinion anyway.

Just my 2c, my truth doesn't have to be yours.

Edited May 3, 201610 yr by SkinnyDown

I am a broken record with this, because it's so obvious.

There is a faction of obesity and weight loss they just don't talk about. food ADDICTION. The real reason why people fail. Why I have failed time and time again through my life. Who in their right mind would gobble down an entire bag of potato chips? ME. A person with a food addiction.

I don't care what diet someone is on, or what kind of surgery they have had, the weight will not stay off, if you don't get help for your addiction. People don't get fat because they walked past the box of krispy kremes, and got fat off the smell.

Sure, it's good to know about the metabolism, but that's inconsequential I think, if you have someone eating an entire bag of potato chips. Trying to fill up a big empty space inside you is psychological. Not physical.

Here's a good idea, don't bring the crap into your house, and you can't eat it. Simple as that. If you know it's crap and you are feeding it to your family, that's beyond my help at this point. Why would you feed crap to your family?

Even the bariatric center I go to gives so little help with the psychological aspect of weight loss, and why a person like me ate their way up to 345 lbs. It's all in my head. That is what I had to fix...my head, because losing weight after surgery is easy. In my opinion anyway.

Just my 2c, my truth doesn't have to be yours.

You bring up a very interesting point because the surgery is done on our stomachs and not our brains. I think its quite interesting insurance only requires one visit to a psychiatrist and that is before surgery (nothing after). I completely agree that patients are monitored and cared for as far as any physical changes after surgery (i.e. complications) but what about mental changes? Complications can occur there too. If a person doesn't understand why they have a problem with their weight (and how to fix or properly cope), having surgery or going on a diet is only putting a band aid on a gunshot wound.

Sent from my SM-G925T using the BariatricPal App

I am a broken record with this, because it's so obvious.

There is a faction of obesity and weight loss they just don't talk about. food ADDICTION. The real reason why people fail. Why I have failed time and time again through my life. Who in their right mind would gobble down an entire bag of potato chips? ME. A person with a food addiction.

I don't care what diet someone is on, or what kind of surgery they have had, the weight will not stay off, if you don't get help for your addiction. People don't get fat because they walked past the box of krispy kremes, and got fat off the smell.

Sure, it's good to know about the metabolism, but that's inconsequential I think, if you have someone eating an entire bag of potato chips. Trying to fill up a big empty space inside you is psychological. Not physical.

Here's a good idea, don't bring the crap into your house, and you can't eat it. Simple as that. If you know it's crap and you are feeding it to your family, that's beyond my help at this point. Why would you feed crap to your family?

Even the bariatric center I go to gives so little help with the psychological aspect of weight loss, and why a person like me ate their way up to 345 lbs. It's all in my head. That is what I had to fix...my head, because losing weight after surgery is easy. In my opinion anyway.

Just my 2c, my truth doesn't have to be yours.

You bring up a very interesting point because the surgery is done on our stomachs and not our brains. I think its quite interesting insurance only requires one visit to a psychiatrist and that is before surgery (nothing after). I completely agree that patients are monitored and cared for as far as any physical changes after surgery (i.e. complications) but what about mental changes? Complications can occur there too. If a person doesn't understand why they have a problem with their weight (and how to fix or properly cope), having surgery or going on a diet is only putting a band aid on a gunshot wound.

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That is why I spent a year in therapy before surgery, and continue therapy for my food addiction issues. It's a shame so many people suffer even after surgery with head hunger and end up gaining it all back. I think that could be avoided, I care so little about food now, because I found other things in my life to keep me occupied/busy. Have to fix the brain first. That's not easy either, it took me 48 years to even admit I was an addict. Yes, just like a heroin addict. I was hiding food, I was lying about food, I was spending a LOT on food, I am an addict. Simple as that, and once I admitted that, life got a hell of a lot easier.

You made some excellent points too, putting a bandage on a gunshot wound....that's exactly right.

The two biggest "stats" I noticed were 1) those that lost the most, the fastest had the biggest drop in their metabolisms (remember this, all you newbies that whine about being slow losers) and 2) the guy that had WLS not only relost weight, but his metabolism actually went up. I think this is good news to all of us lucky folks that had WLS.

If you've ever noticed, WLS specialists, studies and organizations are often lumped together and labeled as "bariatric and metabolic surgery". Having surgery changes our metabolism in a way that was not discussed in this article. One example is the fact that so many diabetic patients get off their medications so quickly after surgery. Their insulin resistance/diabetes actually resolves long before they experience any significant weight loss. The surgery changes more than just restricting our capacity or creating malabsorption. We get extra benefits that traditional "diet and excercise" methods don't provide. I have no doubt that's part of the reason WLS patients are able to maintain their loss so much more successfully than those doing it the "old fashioned way". For some reason our metabolisms don't take as big of a hit.

@@audaciousmarie and @@SkinnyDown I wish I could love your posts but there's only a like button.

I am a broken record with this, because it's so obvious.

There is a faction of obesity and weight loss they just don't talk about. food ADDICTION. The real reason why people fail. Why I have failed time and time again through my life. Who in their right mind would gobble down an entire bag of potato chips? ME. A person with a food addiction.

I don't care what diet someone is on, or what kind of surgery they have had, the weight will not stay off, if you don't get help for your addiction. People don't get fat because they walked past the box of krispy kremes, and got fat off the smell.

Sure, it's good to know about the metabolism, but that's inconsequential I think, if you have someone eating an entire bag of potato chips. Trying to fill up a big empty space inside you is psychological. Not physical.

Here's a good idea, don't bring the crap into your house, and you can't eat it. Simple as that. If you know it's crap and you are feeding it to your family, that's beyond my help at this point. Why would you feed crap to your family?

Even the bariatric center I go to gives so little help with the psychological aspect of weight loss, and why a person like me ate their way up to 345 lbs. It's all in my head. That is what I had to fix...my head, because losing weight after surgery is easy. In my opinion anyway.

Just my 2c, my truth doesn't have to be yours.

You bring up a very interesting point because the surgery is done on our stomachs and not our brains. I think its quite interesting insurance only requires one visit to a psychiatrist and that is before surgery (nothing after). I completely agree that patients are monitored and cared for as far as any physical changes after surgery (i.e. complications) but what about mental changes? Complications can occur there too. If a person doesn't understand why they have a problem with their weight (and how to fix or properly cope), having surgery or going on a diet is only putting a band aid on a gunshot wound.

Sent from my SM-G925T using the BariatricPal App

That is why I spent a year in therapy before surgery, and continue therapy for my food addiction issues. It's a shame so many people suffer even after surgery with head hunger and end up gaining it all back. I think that could be avoided, I care so little about food now, because I found other things in my life to keep me occupied/busy. Have to fix the brain first. That's not easy either, it took me 48 years to even admit I was an addict. Yes, just like a heroin addict. I was hiding food, I was lying about food, I was spending a LOT on food, I am an addict. Simple as that, and once I admitted that, life got a hell of a lot easier.

You made some excellent points too, putting a bandage on a gunshot wound....that's exactly right.

I admire you for being so in touch with your emotions and not being afraid of them. I too am a food addict. Its almost harder being a food addict than being a drug addict because at least there is the possibility to go cold turkey from drugs. We cannot just quit eating food so the temptation is always there. I am going to make sure that I make regular therapy appointments apart of my post op care.

Sent from my SM-G925T using the BariatricPal App

The two biggest "stats" I noticed were 1) those that lost the most, the fastest had the biggest drop in their metabolisms (remember this, all you newbies that whine about being slow losers) and 2) the guy that had WLS not only relost weight, but his metabolism actually went up. I think this is good news to all of us lucky folks that had WLS.

If you've ever noticed, WLS specialists, studies and organizations are often lumped together and labeled as "bariatric and metabolic surgery". Having surgery changes our metabolism in a way that was not discussed in this article. One example is the fact that so many diabetic patients get off their medications so quickly after surgery. Their insulin resistance/diabetes actually resolves long before they experience any significant weight loss. The surgery changes more than just restricting our capacity or creating malabsorption. We get extra benefits that traditional "diet and excercise" methods don't provide. I have no doubt that's part of the reason WLS patients are able to maintain their loss so much more successfully than those doing it the "old fashioned way". For some reason our metabolisms don't take as big of a hit.

WOW..I literally had no idea about this. It makes me feel even better about this journey to the ultimate lifestyle change. As WLS patients we are really given the tools and its just up to us what we do with them. This is very encouraging.

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@@audaciousmarie and @@SkinnyDown I wish I could love your posts but there's only a like button.

Aww thanks:)

Sent from my SM-G925T using the BariatricPal App

The two biggest "stats" I noticed were 1) those that lost the most, the fastest had the biggest drop in their metabolisms (remember this, all you newbies that whine about being slow losers) and 2) the guy that had WLS not only relost weight, but his metabolism actually went up. I think this is good news to all of us lucky folks that had WLS.

If you've ever noticed, WLS specialists, studies and organizations are often lumped together and labeled as "bariatric and metabolic surgery". Having surgery changes our metabolism in a way that was not discussed in this article. One example is the fact that so many diabetic patients get off their medications so quickly after surgery. Their insulin resistance/diabetes actually resolves long before they experience any significant weight loss. The surgery changes more than just restricting our capacity or creating malabsorption. We get extra benefits that traditional "diet and excercise" methods don't provide. I have no doubt that's part of the reason WLS patients are able to maintain their loss so much more successfully than those doing it the "old fashioned way". For some reason our metabolisms don't take as big of a hit.

WOW..I literally had no idea about this. It makes me feel even better about this journey to the ultimate lifestyle change. As WLS patients we are really given the tools and its just up to us what we do with them. This is very encouraging.

Sent from my SM-G925T using the BariatricPal App

>@@audaciousmarie and @@SkinnyDown I wish I could love your posts but there's only a like button.

Aww thanks:)

Sent from my SM-G925T using the BariatricPal App

Thank you