Name: Why the ‘Biggest Losers’ Regained Weight | Dr. Jason Fung
Uploaded: 2026-01-15T15:12:34.000Z
Description: “The Biggest Loser,” a competition reality show involving overweight contestants, relied largely on cutting calories to deliver weight loss. What did we learn from this about the effectiveness of cutting calories? How can we work with our metabolism instead of against it to lose weight?

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“The Biggest Loser,” a competition reality show involving overweight contestants, relied largely on cutting calories to deliver weight loss. What did we learn from this about the effectiveness of cutting calories? How can we work with our metabolism instead of against it to lose weight?

<em>Watch our exclusive episode, only on <a href="https://www.ntd.com/vital-signs" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">NTD</a>.</em>

“They’ve brainwashed us into thinking that the only thing that’s important is the calories. But that’s not true,” says best-selling author of “The Obesity Code” Dr. Jason Fung.

Fung points to “The Biggest Loser” as an example of this. At a six-year <a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a20795430/good-news-and-bad-news-for-biggest-loser-contestants/">followup</a>, participants maintained only 11.9 percent weight loss on average.

Why did contestants gain the weight back? Did they cheat on their diet, or did the experts teach them the wrong weight-loss method?

Fung says that focusing on only cutting calories may ultimately make it harder to lose weight. This is because, over time, the fewer calories you eat, the less your body will burn.

Thus, many find themselves hungry, frustrated, and gaining weight back. “And that’s the problem when you only focus on the calories,” says Fung.

If cutting calories isn’t the key to weight loss, what is?  Fung says it is our hormones.

Regardless of the amount of calories consumed, hormonal response impacts weight gain or loss. For every calorie you eat, your hormones decide whether it’s stored as fat or burned for energy.

Which hormone does Fung pinpoint as the major culprit in obesity? How do we switch our metabolism from storing fat to burning it?

Dr. Jason Fung is a physician and nephrologist (kidney health specialist). On “Vital Signs with Brendon Fallon,” he reveals what could have helped “The Biggest Loser” contestants lose weight and keep it off.
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Vital Signs’ host, guests, and contributors offer general information on improving health and wellness. This is not intended as diagnosis or medical advice. You should consult your medical doctor or holistic doctor before enacting any suggested strategies for health and wellness improvement, including those in relation to preventing or treating specific diseases featured on this program.</span>

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