The reality show “Biggest Loser” followed up with 14 contestants who had lost a large amount of weight (128 pounds in 30 weeks) six years after the reality show ended.These contestants averaged five pounds of fat loss a week during the program but when researchers examined the contestants years later, they discovered that all but one contestant had an increase in weight when compared to their previous weight. What is more concerning was that these contestants’ metabolic rate was slower than before. They burned around 500 calories less than predicted based on their body composition. These results indicate that rapid weight loss has a negative effect on metabolism, in fact it may actually slow it down.
One factor that was not addressed in this study was how the composition of your diet, proteins vs. fat vs. carbohydrates, affects your metabolic rate after weight loss. Here at 360 Medical Weight Specialists, our focus is on changing hormones that affect how we store fat, specifically targeting and reducing insulin production. In addition, to change our hormones we aim for steady, consistent fat loss (our goal is 2 lbs per week) all of which can have substantial effects on weight loss without a drastic reduction in metabolism.
