The reality of the greatest loser ‘

Some competitors felt rushed to sign their contracts

Before filming began to be isolated in their hotel rooms, where they were presented with which season 8 competing tracey Yukich called “a very thick” contract. “I remember … read it and thought,” I’m not qualified to read this. ”

When Yukich requested a lawyer, she claimed that the producers suggested that her place on the show could be in danger if she took too long to sign it. “(Producers said)” Sure, we can get a lawyer. … but I got ten other people waiting for your place … so sign it and move on. ”

The winner of Season 8 also reminded Danny Cahill to be “worried” for the contract’s terms, which he says described the opportunity for death, but eventually chose to compete. “What do you do? Don’t sign it and go away?” he asked.

Season 2 -Competing Suzanne Mendonca Asked for Employment to gain weight before leaving the show

Suzanne Mendonca, which appeared on season 2 of The biggest losersaid that the producers deterred her from being healthy before the show.

After telling the casting directors that she had started training and trying to eat a more hearty diet, Mendonca said she was met with a negative answer. “They would say,“ No, we don’t want you to do it. We want you to go more weight, “she reminded.” I wanted to be on the show so bad that I got extra weight. ”

Mendonca continued its extreme diet and training routine after going home. “I was out thumping the sidewalk, drove 10 miles, trained eight hours a day. It was just everything consumed.”

According to the former police, finally resulted in the show in a loss of her identity. “I didn’t know who I was, financially, emotionally, mentally, physically,” she said. “I came back with a serious eating disorder. I stopped eating.”

Competitors consumed 800 calories per day

The biggest loserMedical advisor, Dr. Robert “H” Huizenga and several competitors on the show claim that educators Bob Harper And Michaels advised trainees to eat an uncertain amount of calories against Huizenga’s medical advice. People have reached representatives of both Harper and Michaels for comments.

“We eat 800 calories a day,” recalled Mendonca.

Cahill said: “My calorie function was lower than I think it should have been.” He added, “I eating 800 calories and burned 6,000 to 8,000 per day. When I lowered the calories I lost more.”

The US dietary lines for Americans For 2020 to 2025, adult women recommend consuming between 1,600 and 2,400 calories per day, while men are recommended to consume between 2,000 and 3,000.

They also worked for up to eight hours per day

Season 7 competition Joelle Gwynn said that competitors burned more calories “than maybe even the military did in one day.”

“The first week we needed to burn at least 6,000 calories per day. At least,” said Gwynn. (A 2023 US Army article stated that soldiers burn up to 6,000 calories per day.)

To achieve these requirements, Cahill said that competitors worked at the gym or outside for “five, six, seven, sometimes even eight hours a day.”

Season 3 competition Jen Kern’s pointed out that their fitness routines were unsustainable. “I don’t think it’s realistic for anyone to maintain that level of activity unless they are a professional athlete,” she said.

Winner of Season 8 Danny Cahill received almost all 239 kg. He dropped back after the show

Although Cahill lost 239 kg. For a period of six months, three weeks and five days during his time at the show, he has gained almost all weight back. “I thought I had figured out and then I hadn’t figured out,” he said.

As of 2018, Cahill was “just a few pounds shy” at 430 kg. He weighed when he first appeared on the show. “Shame that you feel that you are a failure after being a success, it is a heavy burden to bear,” he said.

Season 1 Winner Ryan Benson had a similar experience. “It’s no secret that I got back all weight,” he told People 2024. “Within three days after the show I had received 25 to 30 kg. Back only in water weight alone.”

The coaches were often in violation of Dr. Robert Huizenga

Dr. Huizenga was not comfortable with some of the show’s extremes and was not always consulted when he felt he should have been.

“Because the show really became popular, some things were done that I really … took problems with,” he said in the documentary. “Unfortunately, there were times when challenges were made that I did not see or heard about.”

Such a challenge was a drive of a mile in extreme heat that left Yukich admitted to hospital with rabdomyolysis, a rare condition where damaged muscle tissue releases fiber content in the bloodstream, after she collapsed on the beach from heatstroke. “They didn’t warn me about the challenge,” Dr. Huizenga.

Dr. Huizenga also disagreed with the amount of calories as a competitor was told to consume by Harper and Michaels, who fought his own recommendations of at least 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 to 2,000 for men per day. “There is no doubt that I gave a very clear recommendation to all competitors,” he said.

Despite the demand to talk to educators, Huizenga said that his advice was often ignored. “Maybe some things changed, not as much as I would like,” he said. “Jillian never really showed any interest in my advice.”

Michaels, who declined to be interviewed for the documentary, left the show by season 15 because of what she called “basic differences (with LoserProducers). ”

In addition to being depicted with what she called a “warped negative perception” in the wake of her season 15 access to giving competing caffeine pills, Michaels told us that the shocking weight loss of Season 15 winner Rachel Frederickson made her question her role. “I had to look hard at my work,” she said. “I came to the conclusion that I was moving forward must be able to influence the result of what I do.”

Coach Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper were not as close as they seemed

Although Michaels and Harper had a friendly relationship on the screen (“we were really close on TV,” Harper said), they are not close in reality.

When Harper had one Massive heart attack In February 2017, which left him “death on the gym floor for nine minutes” and unconscious for two days, Michaels did not go directly to him. Said Harper: “That for me spoke volumes.”

Michaels talked to AND! Beginner After her cost health and told the outlet that he had a family history with heart problems. “I was there when he lost his mother to a heart attack – with him that night she died,” she said.

She also suggested that his diet and training routine may have played a contributing role. “I also think that … you’re in the middle of a crossfit training and you eat paleo, it won’t help.”

Michaels explained: “It’s not a good combination … if you have heart disease in your family.”

The competitions got no “aftercare” after showing up on the show

Although he was a massive rating hit, contestants did not receive support after their return home from the series.

Cahill said he was enough to show producers to propose a aftercare program that would give previous competitors access to psychological help, recovery or continued training programs, but did not receive a positive answer. “No one was interested in doing anything like it,” he said.

Gwynn, who suffered a back injury during a season 7 training that required physical therapy, was also enough for producers to no avail. “They didn’t care,” she said.

Show creator David Broome said that a aftercare program was not possible due to financial restrictions. “We would have loved to have aftercare, but we are a TV show … without endless pots with money.”

He added, “NBC wasn’t going to give it to us.”

Bob and Jillian were “in horror” over Rachel Frederickson’s dramatic transformation

The coaches Harper and Michaels were dismissed by the drastic weight loss as Season 15 winner Rachel Frederickson achieved, after losing 155 kg. from a weight of 260 to 105 kg.

“Rachel came out, and she had lost so much weight, it was … shocking,” Harper said. “Jillian and I were just in fear.”

Michaels also talked about Frederickson’s transformation in a Thomas Delauer Podcast“She was awfully thin, to say the least,” she said. “Personally, I would not have allowed it to happen.” ”

Frederickson’s coach, Dolvett Quince, spoke in the wake of backlash and wrote in a Facebook message, “Biggest loser is a journey that has its ups and downs. Try not to look at a piece of Rachel’s journey and come to broad conclusions. Rachel’s health is and has always been my main concern and her trip to good health has not yet ended! ”

Season 15 The winner was happy with his results, but told people at that time, “I just love myself and I embrace it.”