On Monday, May 2nd the New York Times released this article “After ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Their Bodies Fought to Regain Weight” by Gina Kolata. The article speaks to the challenges the contestants in Season 8 had in keeping weight off after the program. In fact, 14 of the 16 were retested six years later by Dr. Kevin Hall at the National Institutes of Health and 13 of the 14 had regained weight.
But that wasn’t the challenging part, the study also found that nearly all had slower metabolisms now than they did six years ago. Making keeping the weight off even more difficult. Depressing, right? So why in the world would I share this?
Americans spend billions of dollars every year on weight-loss and diet programs, and yet we are not getting healthier or leaner. This study even suggests we may be fighting a biological reset. But that doesn’t mean give up hope for a healthier you! It does suggest that extreme weight loss measures and weight loss for the purpose of weight loss may not be healthy and in most cases even detrimental. That’s really not surprising if you dig into the research on weight loss beyond the media hype and the fitness and diet industry marketing.
The reality is you can live a healthy, well life and you can enjoy it too! Start with a more holistic approach…incorporate all elements of well-being! Maybe even start with purpose – what you are wanting in this life and why. Incorporate smaller, more manageable changes and build from there. Think about life-long sustainability and life choices that bring you energy, ignite your passion, and leave you recharged, connected, and fulfilled! Then choose one thing you can do differently to move you in the direction you want to go. Let go of the misery of diets and start enjoying your life...start today and create your new reality!
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