The 'Reality' of 'The Biggest Loser'

ROYAL PALM BEACH, Fla., April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine losing 34 pounds in a week or dropping 100 pounds in just seven weeks. Believe it or not, these are actual results from NBC's hit reality show, The Biggest Loser. No wonder the nation is captivated!

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100428/FL95120)

"As great as these results are… they're just not realistic," according to Dr. Al Sears, M.D., author of P.A.C.E.: The 12-Minute Fitness Revolution, www.pacerevolution.com. Dr. Sears works with people in the real world and the results they get on The Biggest Loser simply aren't possible for most people.

You can't argue with success, but there's more to this story...

To begin with, contestants on The Biggest Loser have an incentive that most dieters don't… a shot at $250,000 in cold, hard cash. That's a lot of incentive to stick with a diet and exercise program. You see, the contestants work out 4-6 hours a day. Some even add in extra workouts in their quest for the $250,000 prize. Some of these people are working out 42 hours a week – or more. That's a full-time job!

Speaking of time, consider the numbers for a moment. Losing 34 pounds in a week means dropping almost five pounds a day. You have to burn about 3,500 calories to lose a pound, so that's 17,500 calories… a day.

But a 200-pound adult only burns about 500 calories per hour doing aerobics. So, at 200 pounds, you'd have to do aerobics for 35 hours to lose five pounds.

In Dr. Sears' expert opinion, "Losing 34 pounds in a week isn't just hard. For most people, it's impossible."

The show's contestants typically can't continue those workouts when the season is over. One story tells of a former contestant who continues the long workouts. Others talk about former contestants fighting their post-show weight gain.

Losing weight is terrific for your health. But your weight-loss plan has to be realistic.

You probably can't afford to leave your job for two or three months. Or to hire professional trainers, chefs, and nutrition experts to advise you on a daily basis. What you need is an effective workout plan that fits into your busy schedule. And that's exactly what Dr. Sears developed for his patients.

As a college gymnast – and later as a doctor and certified physical trainer – Dr. Sears learned you don't have to work out for hours at a time to lose weight. Or to build a stronger heart and lungs. He's helped hundreds of patients and others trim down and get in shape – in as little as 12 minutes a day. You can find more information at www.pacerevolution.com.

Dr. Sears admits, "I admire the contestants on The Biggest Loser for both their resolve and their results. The show may be entertaining and inspiring. But it's a formula most people just can't follow."  

About Dr. Al Sears:

Author of The Doctor's Heart Cure (Dragon Door Publications, 2004), Dr. Sears is a board-certified medical doctor specializing in preventative medicine, anti-aging, and nutritional supplementation. His cutting-edge therapies and reputation for solving some of the most difficult-to-diagnose cases attract thousands of patients from around the world to his Center for Health & Wellness in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. He is the founder and director of The Wellness Research Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on researching natural alternatives to pharmaceutical therapies. P.A.C.E.: The 12-Minute Fitness Revolution is his 14th book on health and wellness. For more information, visit www.pacerevolution.com.

SOURCE Dr. Al Sears