Post: #1

Biggest Loser’ drugged us so we’d lose weight

Quote:Lezlye Donahue survived Hurricane Katrina. Going on “The Biggest Loser,” she says, was worse than that.

“It’s my biggest nightmare,” she says, “and it’s with me to this day.”

Following a controversial study that claims to explain why almost all “Biggest Loser” contestants regain massive amounts of weight, numerous ex-Losers reached out to The Post to dispute its findings — exclusively revealing that the show encouraged contestants to take street drugs while starving themselves and to lie about how much weight they were losing.

The federally funded study, conducted by Dr. Kevin Hall at the National Institutes of Health and published two weeks ago, says changing metabolic rates, hormone levels, and genetic predispositions explain post-show weight gain.

What’s missing, former Losers tell The Post, is any examination of the show’s secret and brutal tactics, which include providing illicit drugs to contestants and submitting them to questionable medical exams by the show’s resident doctor, Rob Huizenga, known as “Dr. H.”

Huizenga collaborated with Hall on the NIH’s study.

“People were passing out in Dr. H’s office at the finale weigh-in,” says Season 2’s Suzanne Mendonca. “On my season, five people had to be rushed to the hospital. He knew exactly what we were doing and never tried to stop it.”

Many contestants return with grave medical issues they had never suffered before.

“That show is so corrupt,” a source close to production says.

This source confirms that show trainer Bob Harper and one of his assistants have supplied contestants with Adderall and “yellow jackets” — pills that contain ephedra extract. Ephedra is used to promote weight loss and boost energy, and was banned by the FDA in 2004.

“Bob Harper was my trainer,” says Joelle Gwynn, of 2008’s “Couples” season. “He goes away and his assistant comes in. He’s got this brown paper bag that’s bundled up. He says, ‘Take this drug, it’ll really help you.’ It was yellow and black. I was like, ‘What the f- -k is this?’ ”

Gwynn says she took the pill, once.

“I felt jittery and hyper,” she says. “I went and told the sports medicine guy. The next day, Dr. H gave us some lame explanation of why they got added to our regimen and that it was up to us to take them . . . People chastise Bill Cosby for allegedly offering meds to women, but it’s acceptable to do to fat people to make them lose weight. I feel like we got raped, too.”

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” it read. “Contestants are told at the start of the show that there is zero tolerance for any weight-loss drugs. Urine drug screens and the evaluation of serial weights are repeatedly used to flush out possible illicit use.”

Harper, Gwynn says, told her off-camera to lie about how much she was eating and losing. In keeping her daily log, Gwynn says Harper told her, “Lie and say you were following the directive of intaking 1,500 calories — but I want you to do 800 calories or as little as you can.”

“People would take amphetamines, water pills, diuretics, and throw up in the bathroom,” Season 2’s Mendonca says. “They would take their spin bikes into the steam room to work up a sweat. I vomited every single day. Bob Harper tells people to throw up: ‘Good,’ he says. ‘You’ll lose more calories.’ ”

Huizenga told The Post that contestants “rarely” get to the point of dizziness or fainting.

“Furthermore, I educate contestants that proper caloric intake is essential to fat loss both over the short and long term,” he said in the e-mail.

Harper did not return The Post’s request for comment. The NIH directed The Post to NBC, the network that has aired the show for 17 seasons. NBC also declined to comment, but the show’s producers issued a statement to The Post.

‘People chastise Bill Cosby for allegedly offering meds to women, but it’s acceptable to do to fat people to make them lose weight. I feel like we got raped, too.’

“The safety and well-being of our contestants is, and always has been, paramount,” it reads. “We prohibit the use of any illegal substances, in addition to the many other rules and procedures of the show that are designed to ensure safety.”

“That show is an atrocity,” says Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, who specializes in obesity at the University of Ottowa. “This approach is not endorsed by anyone in the medical community. NBC [has] made an awful lot of money off of damaging these individuals.”

Freedhoff knows both Huizenga and Hall at the NIH. He says the study’s findings aren’t conclusive.

“This show permanently damages people’s metabolic rates,” Freedhoff says, “but it’s impossible to say why this has happened.”

Freedhoff says it’s extremely rare for an obese person to permanently lose half their body weight through diet and exercise: surgery is the only way, so there will never be a control group to prove the study’s thesis.

“One of the reasons this adaptation seems to be so severe and irreversible,” he says, “could be due to psychological stress.”

Every contestant who spoke to The Post cites this very factor in their post-show weight gain.

“‘The Biggest Loser’ doesn’t save lives,” Mendonca says. “It ruins lives. Mentally, emotionally, financially — you come back a different person. Half the people from my season have gotten divorced. The ripple effect isn’t just weeks or months. It’s years.”

For some contestants, the torture begins well before filming.

“They said, ‘You need to gain 40 pounds. Keep eating.’ ” Mendonca entered the show at 255 pounds.

“They manipulate you,” says Lezlye Donahue. A single mom to one young son, Donahue was depressed, in debt and vulnerable when casting directors spotted her. She was given a free consult with Huizenga.

“He says to me, ‘If you don’t do something today, you are going to die.’ ” After Katrina, the 5-foot-5 Donahue had gone from 135 pounds to 250. “Then he made a fist and opened his hand very slightly and said, ‘This is your heart. It won’t open all the way, and the reason is: you’re fat.’ ”

Like all participants, Donahue was separated from family and friends, contact completely cut off. For her season, producers installed contestants in a former psychiatric hospital and put 12 obese contestants in one bedroom in the LA heat, with no air conditioning.

“It was hot as hell, and the smell was horrible,” Donahue says.

The contestants were forced to shower together with no curtains or barriers of any kind. There were also no working toilets during Donahue’s season, so producers made these severely overweight contestants squeeze into Port-a-Potties — a challenge even for thin people, and yet another humiliation.

Donahue’s daily food intake consisted of seven asparagus sticks and 3 ounces of turkey. Once eliminated, all contestants go home and are expected to keep losing weight, with no support from the show. They’re contractually obligated to weigh in on the show’s finale.

“I wasn’t going to go, but they threaten to sue you,” Donahue says.

Since the show, she’s gained all the weight back. She says she lost her job, suffers from depression, and has thousands of dollars in medical bills as a result of the trauma her body went through.

“I read that [NIH] study, and there’s so much more that people don’t know,” she says. “There are nurses sitting there [filling people] with IV packs. I took away an eating disorder. I have nightmares about it.”

Numerous contestants told The Post that they were contacted throughout the years by Huizenga, who said he was working on a study and asked them to fly to LA so he could evaluate them.

“This is without a doubt the most important research project I have ever been involved in,” Huizenga wrote to Mendonca, who shared an e-mail dated Dec. 2, 2010, with The Post. He goes on to promise “a wild Hollywood party to follow.”

“After the show, I was so physically ill that it took a while to address the psychological ramifications,” says Kai Hibbard (Season 3). She never saw drugs on set: “Not my season,” she says. “I’ve heard the stories about other seasons, but can’t confirm.”

Before his Season 2 finale, San Francisco Police Officer Mark Yesitis dumped 17 pounds of water weight. “I was probably near death,” he says.

Months earlier, after he was sent home but before the finale, Yesitis experienced unbearable pain. “I had my gall bladder removed,” he says. “I’d never had issues with my gall bladder before the rapid weight loss.”

More alarming: “The day after my surgery, I ran five miles,” he says. “My doctor was very angry. But that’s how brainwashed I was.”

Yesitis has suffered from depression. “I see a lot of bad stuff,” he says. “I’ve seen people’s brains outside their heads.”

“Psychologically, you’re like a weight victim,” Gwynn says. “The weight rapidly came back on. Your metabolism is all screwed up, but you think it’s you.”

“You don’t know how messed up you are until it becomes incredibly obvious,” says Jen Watts (Season 2). When she got off the show, “I thought, ‘I can’t work eight hours a day because I have to train eight hours a day.’ I started taking Zoloft and Xanax for the anxiety and depression. My marriage — that only took a couple of years to disintegrate.”

Watts blames her months-long sequestration and her obsession with food and exercise for her family’s struggles. “We were making this the most popular show in the United States,” she says. “They should really give people help.”

“I personally have tried exceptionally hard to give contestants the information they need to be successful in continuing their weight loss journeys at home with their local health care providers,” Huizenga told The Post.

NBC refused to confirm whether “The Biggest Loser” will return for Season 18. Last season, which aired from Jan. 4-Feb. 22, got a low 1.06 rating among viewers age 18-49.

On May 13, Bob Harper, the trainer, went on the “Today” show to discuss the NIH study. He called it “super-interesting.”

As for Huizenga’s participation in the NIH study, Dr. Freedhoff is flummoxed.

“Dr. Huizenga has said things that challenge my understanding of obesity in general,” he says. “He has a history of making rather ridiculous statements . . . plus the defense of the techniques on ‘The Biggest Loser’ as do-able.

“It is the worst thing to happen to sensible weight loss, ever.”

http://nypost.com/2016/05/22/biggest-los...ntestants/

Post: #2

Interesting article. Thanks for the share.

Couldn't the people just use T3 after the show to prevent the problems with their metabolism?

Post: #3

Quote:“I felt jittery and hyper,” she says. “I went and told the sports medicine guy. The next day, Dr. H gave us some lame explanation of why they got added to our regimen and that it was up to us to take them . . . People chastise Bill Cosby for allegedly offering meds to women, but it’s acceptable to do to fat people to make them lose weight. I feel like we got raped, too.”

Post: #4

Quote:The federally funded study, conducted by Dr. Kevin Hall at the National Institutes of Health and published two weeks ago, says changing metabolic rates, hormone levels, and genetic predispositions explain post-show weight gain.

So fat people have broken the laws of physics by gaining mass without any mass & energy going in?

Maybe you missed the part where these fat fucks have no self-control and eat enough shit food for a couple of families in a day Doctor.

Post: #5

I'm not surprised by any of the reveals on this show in the article. I have been calling bullshit on this show since it started. I thought the show literally was the most dangerous television show in America at the time. I am just surprised they did not have lots of fatalities on it. Anytime I told others about how dangerous this show was, they would question me as if I have no idea what I am talking about. I recall some of my fighters telling me it was okay because we would have 300 pound guys join the dojo/gym and lose 50-60 pounds a month doing Brazilian JiuJitsu only.

What they did not understand is that a 20 something year old male can do that, especially a near 6 foot one. If a guy was 5 foot 3 and weighed that much, he could endanger his life. Most contestants were in the high end to the dangerzone for BMI. My ex wife was a huge fan of that show and it caused many arguments and fights. She even wanted to get on it and I told her if she did I was gone immediately. She like everyone that watches that filth, wanted an extreme method to deal with their issues. They all wanted something quick fix but even faster. Any dumbass that ever trains anything hardcore could see that those fat people on that show were dropping weight in ways that were not true to what was being shown on TV. They were running those people to death 24/7 and physically and emotionally destroying them in the process. How else can anyone lose that much weight in 24 hours? Even us wrestlers, MMA, and grappler guys could not do shit like that safely. How can obese amateurs do it without getting to close to death? The fact that the US govt itself never stepped in to stop this show, was a major indictment to me personally that they truly do not care for anyone's well being here, just money. It was a very early red pill for me personally and eye opening.

Julien and that guy host have blood on their hands for certain. They made a killing off those people's misery as did that show's producers. They need to be sued into oblivion.

What an morbidly obese person needs is a moderate means to come down from that weight, so that they could gradually speed it up if they wanted to, that would not risk death or other dangerous issues. They did not gain the weight in 1 year, they cannot lose it all in one year either. They have a handful of success story people for sure and that will rebuff alot of criticism but it does not change the fact that they endangered many people's lives tricking them into thinking it was worth the risk to do so.

Post: #6

Sounds like some people (not just the women) hamstering a reason for gaining back the weight. All of this drama means one thing - queue the money grab in 3, 2, 1.

Quote:More alarming: “The day after my surgery, I ran five miles,” he says. “My doctor was very angry. But that’s how brainwashed I was.”

I don't believe this.

Quote:Yesitis has suffered from depression. “I see a lot of bad stuff,” he says. “I’ve seen people’s brains outside their heads.”

You don't say.

Quote:Bill Cosby for allegedly offering meds to women, but it’s acceptable to do to fat people to make them lose weight. I feel like we got raped, too.

Don't minimize the real problem of the massive rape epidemic - especially on college campuses.

Quote:After the show, I was so physically ill that it took a while to address the psychological ramifications,” says Kai Hibbard (Season 3). She never saw drugs on set: “Not my season,” she says. “I’ve heard the stories about other seasons, but can’t confirm.”

Yeah, it's hard to diet and exercise when all you've known is eating and laziness.

Quote:Before his Season 2 finale, San Francisco Police Officer Mark Yesitis dumped 17 pounds of water weight. “I was probably near death,” he says.

I doubt it. That's less than fighters routinely lose before a fight. Georges St. Pierre would typically lose 30.

Quote:“Psychologically, you’re like a weight victim,” Gwynn says. “The weight rapidly came back on. Your metabolism is all screwed up, but you think it’s you.”

Because it is, sweetheart. You're eating too much and not exercising again. Notice, "the weight came back on", no mention of the eating habits, it just...happened. Like magic.

Quote:You don’t know how messed up you are until it becomes incredibly obvious,” says Jen Watts (Season 2). When she got off the show, “I thought, ‘I can’t work eight hours a day because I have to train eight hours a day.’ I started taking Zoloft and Xanax for the anxiety and depression. My marriage — that only took a couple of years to disintegrate.”

Had nothing to do with the drugs and drama, huh?

Post: #7

When I was younger and more naïve I believed reality shows simply because "if it's on TV it must be true".

Now I no longer trust them at all, I believe they're all fake to some degree or another.

Post: #8

Now I'm starting to believe the "1 in 5" statistic, given the obesity rate.

Post: #9

while I wouldnt be surprised at whatever a reality show producer pulled out of their ass, providing the contestants illegal street drugs seems a little far fetched.

Post: #10

(05-22-2016 01:10 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  Gwynn says she took the pill, once.

“I felt jittery and hyper,” she says. “I went and told the sports medicine guy. The next day, Dr. H gave us some lame explanation of why they got added to our regimen and that it was up to us to take them . . .

“Psychologically, you’re like a weight victim,” Gwynn says. “The weight rapidly came back on. Your metabolism is all screwed up, but you think it’s you.”

Watts blames her months-long sequestration and her obsession with food and exercise for her family’s struggles. “We were making this the most popular show in the United States,” she says. “They should really give people help.”

Travelerkai does make some great points about the show, but those bolded quotes say enough about the contestants.

Recently there was a fat girl doing mma in our private messaging group, i've never seen so much victimization, excuses and just plain looking for someone to blame in a single person. Of course she not only did not lose any weight whatsoever, but put on quite a few pounds in a matter of months.

I wouldn't be surprised if those people took drugs willingly (which are proven to speed things up) only because they wanted the effects they produce but couldn't handle being personally responsible for the consequences later on, what better way to alleviate guilt than to say that they were fed to us.

Also there's is a reason they were on the show on the first place, people with so little self control are undoubtly the bottom feeders of society, they were looking for a quick buck and a bit of fame added with a bit of quick everything. If it weren't for the producers scamming them it would have been personal trainers, dietitians or whatever infomercials on tv offering quick reward with little sacrifice.

Obvious money grab in my opinion.

Post: #11

To add a little to what dog24 was saying. I imagine they select people who would be entertaining. So someone who is a trainwreck will be more entertaining than someone who shows the potential to have discipline and is no nonsense. If there is such a thing for a fat person (not trying to be mean - just saying if they had that - they probably wouldn't be fat.)

Post: #12

That's exactly why people that fat do not need to be doing MMA, crossfit, or other extreme forms of fitness/exercise. Someone that fat must get the psychological part under control first. Life Coaching, Counselors (religious or secular), or Psychologists (Controlled Behavioral Theraphy etc.) need to be involved. Hormonal health checks are necessary these days now that we know better, otherwise no amount of exercise will do shit. After that Homeopathic doctors/specialists, dieticians (like paleo etc), and personal training are needed. Very light exercise because their joints and organs should not take too much damage to do so.

They did not put the weight on in 1 year or less, so it will take time to knock it down. The biggest benefit of a controlled approach like this is because the lifestyle change is ALOT more likely to stick. Losing 100 pounds in one month doing extreme shit, usually results in putting the weight right back and burnout. Add the physical damage and you rarely see anyone do two or more cycles of this. They usually give up for good and die that way.

Problem is that the United States has a huge Break/Fix style to medical care. We are not European enough to ever attempt a Preventative Style System. Doing so would be a mass departure from expensive pill making and sales industrial complex. Bariatric surgeries and similar things as well. Can we hired tons of professionals like this and federally fund them? Yeah! Give them case loads and use Obamacare/Medicare on it and mandatory keep people on it until their BMI is normal or reasonable. The savings on people not being diabetic or having heart disease, etc. would more than pay for itself. Problem is that doctors have the country by the balls and there are dialysis centers every fucking where.

The whole system is literally a fucking racket stacked on top of more rackets. Too many pieces of bread have to be buttered to not hurt the powers that be or the economy for real change to happen, which is why it may never change until people themselves check out the system completely. I would not hold my breath on it.