For 17 seasons, America tuned in to watch contestants battle their histories, habits, and bodies to thinness. With the help of personal trainers and associated medical personnel, the contestants dieted their way through the 30-week season—3 months sequestered on the Biggest Loser Ranch and 4 months spent at home applying what they’d learned—before the final weigh-in. The majority of contestants dropped 100+ pounds over the course of the season. But, as a recent study has shown, they found it difficult to maintain their weight loss. The competitive dieting and exercise slowed their metabolism drastically—burning 500 fewer calories a day—and decreased levels of leptin—the hormone associated with hunger regulation. After 6 years, 13 of the study’s 14 participants had regained significant weight and 4 had even surpassed their initial competition weight.
So how do you attain sustainable weight loss? You’ve struggled with weight loss for years. Fad diets and yo-yo weight loss cycles have left you discouraged. If contestants who had ready access to medical professionals, personal trainers, and a nation of motivators to jumpstart their weight loss couldn’t keep the weight off, how can you be expected to? The key is to create a realistic, trackable weight loss plan. With the help of a weight loss counselor, you can set attainable weight loss goals and master weight-maintenance skills—which studies have shown leads to less backsliding or weight re-gain.
Do you need a little extra push? The gastric balloon can safely jumpstart your weight loss. A non-surgical outpatient procedure, the gastric balloon is inserted into the stomach and inflated via endoscopic techniques. Once positioned, the gastric balloon remains in the stomach for up to 6 months. On average, patients who have utilized the gastric balloon procedure lose 3 times as much weight as patients who receive just diet and exercise counseling.
