Biggest Loser...Rachel's shocking reveal!

acrookston · February 2014

I normally love Biggest Loser but last night was too much. As soon as Rachel came out to reveal her dramatic weight loss, I was sick. She looked like the poster child for anorexia. When they weighed her, I told my husband "I hope they blur out her weight." It's just not right to show a frail skeleton of a person weighing at an unhealthy weight and then award her with a quarter of a million dollars for a job well done. Just my two cents.

fourthnlast · February 2014

I haven't watched it yet, but that seems like a REALLY drastic loss in such a short amount of time. Shit.

Mustardseed2007 · February 2014

I read she is 5ft 4, so that puts her underweight according to a standard BMI calculator, not by much but still. : /

I bet they put some rules in about loosing too much in the future.

katieharpiceland · February 2014

I think that's the scary thing about having people lose weight, in a competition, that pays them money. I was the same weight/height years ago, but, its because I was sick. Lupus and endometriosis did a toll on my body. So, maybe she has an underlying medical condition? I hope its not an ED for her sake.

Rogue237 · February 2014

Yeah, technically - BMI-wise, she should be 114 lbs at lowest. I'm surprised this issue hasn't arisen in seasons before honestly. I mean, I think the idea of the show is great, but I could see how it could become an obsession for people.

kali55 · February 2014

She does look a little shocking, but as long as she is healthy and happy I think that's all that matters.

Ashleypixie · February 2014

Her arms are really thin and she's holding them weird, like a skeleton. The rest of her looks fine to me but I don't watch the show and I'm going off the picture here. It's not an unhealthy weight for someone 5'3 or under, that's what my weight usually is. If she's taller than that she is way too skinny! I think most people are too skinny though when I'm pregnant!

Soon2bStaff · February 2014

I've watched every season and I seriously cannot believe how Rachel looks!! It does look like she's a poster child for anorexia!

Which is sad to say since once she put on the weight, people always told her she needs to lose... Now she lost and people are saying you need to gain! I do think her weight loss is too far unfortunately!

@kendracoleslaw: And they have 8 months from the start of the show to the final show!

chucko326 · February 2014

After she came out, my husband and I were both shocked. It also seemed to make Ally and Jillian a little uncomfortable. I am sure that she will gain a little now that the competition is over (they always do), but I have never seen a number that close to 100 at the finale!!

acrookston · February 2014

@ooopsbaby14 that's exactly what DH said....she looks like a bobble head :(6

*sparky* · February 2014

She definitely looks thin in that comparison picture above, but I know a few women who are that small IRL and never thought they looked anorexic. Not saying she hasn't become obsessive about it, or hasn't developed an eating disorder, but it's hard to say if that is really the case or not.

Pre-PG I was 116 and 5'7" (so probably about the same BMI as her) and nowhere close to anorexic.

sf214902 · February 2014

As a health educator, I am concerned with her overall health. I too thought that her weight was very low and she looked very, very thin. It's so easy to fall into an extreme. I hope she focuses on being healthy rather than watching the number drop. We as women are so often defined by a number that it over takes us. I also hope that The Biggest Loser follows up to ensure that she is in good health.

BiggerinRealLife · February 2014

Yeah, I haven't watched in a few years, but usually contestants come out and look well toned, or muscular even. She's obvs thin, but I don't see much muscle structure, which strikes me as odd because the show puts an even heavier emphasis on working out than they do on eating well, which is why I always thought it was a relitively healthy approach. It's the biggest loser, not the biggest starvation victim.

JessieAlbin · February 2014

The other thing that is a little scary about a low weight like that after serious weight loss is that she definitely has muscle mass from all the exercise they encourage. I would assume that all the muscle she has developed would put a healthy weight for that height more than that. With the lifestyle these competitors are adapting to, their bodies are more like athletes than your average person, and that needs to take way more than height/weight into account to be healthy.

JessieAlbin · February 2014

Anyone else wonder where all the extra skin went? How do you lose that much in that little time and not have a little extra skin? Or is that just a really flattering picture? (I didn't watch the show)

bacorrea · February 2014

By my quick calculations she lost about 5lbs a week. People are more concerned because she lost 60% of her body fat, more than anyone has ever lost on the show. I like the idea of the show, but I believe it's unrealistic and dangerous. You are only supposed to lose 1-2lbs a week (so I've been told). However the show is supposed to have medical professionals on there, so she may be fine.

acrookston · February 2014

@bacorrea that is one of the criticisms going around right now. They have medical professionals while on the ranch but when they are sent home for the final six weeks, they don't have any medical professionals checking up with them. Maybe they will make some changes to future seasons in that regard.

ksulli · February 2014

One of my good friends lost a ton of weight (150lbs or so) and recently had surgery to remove the extra skin from her stomach & arms. I would think this woman would need it for comparable weight loss, but looking at her arms maybe she already did it?

Rogue237 · February 2014

bacorrea said:

By my quick calculations she lost about 5lbs a week. People are more concerned because she lost 60% of her body fat, more than anyone has ever lost on the show. I like the idea of the show, but I believe it's unrealistic and dangerous. You are only supposed to lose 1-2lbs a week (so I've been told). However the show is supposed to have medical professionals on there, so she may be fine.

I don't think that's the main issue so much as she's technically underweight for her height now. I know they always do quicker than normal weight loss on the ranch that is "monitored."

acrookston · February 2014

@meg.eliz1 I couldn't agree more! I read in an article that she was a size 6 at makeover week and now she is a 0/2. She looked so much more vivacious at makeover week!

Airynn Chica · February 2014

On the last episode before finale she looked awesome! The show teaches them great skills, but what she did at home seems to be destroy all her muscle to lose weight as she knew she didn't have much more fat to lose.

She looks disgusting and anorexic! And Jill was definitely not happy with her results. I wonder if they will use her for posters and public speaking like they usually do the following year since she didn't really learn how to have a healthy lifestyle.

hordol · February 2014

I might be in the minority, but I thought she looked fine. She was very thin, yes, but this is a competition. She probably did it to win--she's a very competitive person. A weight that low would be hard to maintain, so my guess is she puts 10-15 lbs back on relatively soon, this is of course assuming she isn't disordered and is eating properly. Is it possible that she developed an ED from the show? Sure. But I also think it's just as likely that she was just doing everything in her power to win, as that is her personality. It's hard for any of us to say just by looking at her weight at the finale. The finale was the last hurrah.

luvU2theMoon · February 2014

I was shocked when i saw she was only 23. her Now picture looks way older... she does not look young at all. Good for her for getting the weight off but i think sometimes with these shows these people get so addicted to loosing the weight it can become unhealthy. i hope she puts on a little weight after the show just to be at a healthy BMI atleast. I am sure its hard on her though seeing how much negative attention shes getting. Its got to be hard being called fat and being talked bad about because your are "too fat" and then loosing weight and now being talked bad about because shes "too skinny". the emotional roller coaster of that has got to be tough. I hope shes healthy and is happy with her self and not too addicted to the weight loss.

fourthnlast · February 2014

Honestly, yes, she lost a shit ton of weight, but she just looked frail and sickly instead of strong and accomplished. I would much rather have a higher # on the scale and look and feel strong instead of like that...JMO. This picture of Bob and Jillian when they saw her walk on stage sums it all up perfectly.

nikkimorello · February 2014

I understand that some people have small frames, but what bothers me is that she weighs 105 lbs. after working out like crazy to build muscle. Athletes are generally heavier than the average person because of their muscle mass. Knowing that she has put on muscle and still looks like that (and weighs so little) really concerns me.

MadBloom · February 2014

I have watched this show pretty religiously for a very long time. This was definitely the smallest most extreme reveal I've ever seen. Last weeks episode showed Rachel closer to 140 and she looked (IMO) pretty fantastic. She looked fit, healthy and athletic. I was expecting to see her drop maybe 15 more pounds for the finale and be super muscular and toned. When she came out I was so shocked. She went from one extreme to another and I really hope that this was a temporary thing just to win the money. I've got my fingers crossed that she works hard and puts ON weight to get back to a healthy medium. I really feel bad that she felt like she had to do that to herself for the money and I wish her all the luck in getting back to a happy, heathy place in her life.

fourthnlast · February 2014

MadBloom said:

I have watched this show pretty religiously for a very long time. This was definitely the smallest most extreme reveal I've ever seen. Last weeks episode showed Rachel closer to 140 and she looked (IMO) pretty fantastic. She looked fit, healthy and athletic. I was expecting to see her drop maybe 15 more pounds for the finale and be super muscular and toned. When she came out I was so shocked. She went from one extreme to another and I really hope that this was a temporary thing just to win the money. I've got my fingers crossed that she works hard and puts ON weight to get back to a healthy medium. I really feel bad that she felt like she had to do that to herself for the money and I wish her all the luck in getting back to a happy, heathy place in her life.

I agree! She looked SO good at the Triathalon!!

Alana526 · February 2014

nikkimorello said:

I understand that some people have small frames, but what bothers me is that she weighs 105 lbs. after working out like crazy to build muscle. Athletes are generally heavier than the average person because of their muscle mass. Knowing that she has put on muscle and still looks like that (and weighs so little) really concerns me.

This.

She looks so much older now too!

reillyea · February 2014

I always think they look too thin at the finale and then the next time you see them they usually gain a bit back. For the money I would do it too. But definitely agree its not a healthy situation for the contestants.

Also when they lose so much weight they always look super old. I guess it is the stress on their body and the extra skin in their faces.

Airynn Chica · February 2014

One of the previous contestants said they gain back 20-30lbs in the 2 weeks following the finale. He said the 2 days leading up to the finale they don't eat or drink to drop all their water weight while still working out. Totally unhealthy and not taught at the ranch but people will do anything for money.

On a happier note, Tumi looks AMAZING!!!!! She won the at home prize.

AcaAwkward · February 2014

Honestly, I think BL has had this coming for a long time. Every season they get more and more extreme with their contestants (constantly advertising "the biggest contestant ever;" having someone sent to the hospital or passing out from exertion, etc), workouts, and challenges. I understand it can be the extreme jump start some of these people need, but, let's face it, The Ranch is not teaching a realistic way to live in the real world ("chew some gum when you're starving for a snack!") -- they are making good reality TV. It was only a matter of time before something or someone went too far.

pdilly2b · February 2014

I also think she didn't look that bad for the finale (though if the TV adds 10 lbs and she actually seemed any thinner in real life, then that's pretty bad).

If she doesn't gain 10-15 pounds to settle in at a more realistic maintenance weight like the other winners have done, I'd be more concerned. I do hope she's being monitored for eating disorders and that it was just for the finale, not because her lifestyle has gone off the deep end.

kateleestar · February 2014

As a gal who started at 289, lost to 170 (in 14 months, pretty much through diet and very low impact workouts) I can say that she likely lost very very quickly at first. My first month of 'changing my ways' and walking, I lost over 30lbs (36 to be exact - I have a spreadsheet, LOL.). I lost that in a month. If I would have been working out, and burning more calories, I would have lost more... maybe even 50. Who knows. (Although, I can hardly wait to start losing post-baby! I'm so excited! I'm gonna actually work out this time, lol...) I've never seen an episode of TBL, Jillian makes me want to scream while kicking her in the face.... And I agree that she seems thin, but... I know how when you (as in a general you) start losing weight, you suddenly become obsessed with watching that number fall. I read something this morning that quoted her earlier in the season as saying she was a very competitive person and that the competition had brought it out in her even more. Winning money + being competitive + seeing that number drop = I can't imagine the rush, lol. I want someone to pay me to lose, lol. Just watching the number drop for me was enough of a rush to keep going, to keep cutting my calories and doing what I could to lose. (The body is a funny thing, what worked one month wouldn't the next.) She doesn't seem so thin to me to think that she has anorexia.. Although, the pic of that in my head is extreme. If she gained that much weight after a breakup, and turned to food, she already has an ED (I bet), hopefully this didn't swing her the other way - to the other extreme of staying thin. I like to call those people 'skinny fat.' ...they look skinny but their health has been so compromised that they are really 'fat' unhealthy people. Having not seen TBL, I can't say for sure, but I know they help them workout, so I'd assume they are watched by doctors...? I do know that she will have a 'leveling off' period that she will go back to regular life and gain some... Maybe gaining 15lbs/20lbs, shed look more 'normal'. Reading all these things, it hurts my tiny cold heart that people want fat people to lose, and then when they do, they are criticized for it, too. Sigh... lol. Its sudden and shocking when people look at a before and after. I don't know how TBL works, if its a slow progression and you actually see the months of work to get down to look like that, or if its shown over a couple of weeks... More power to her, but I hope she levels off and finds a weight that's easier to maintain. I don't know how tall she is, but to maintain 105, she wouldn't be consuming very many calories at all... Unless she was working out A LOT. I hope it works out for her and I wish her the best, and I hope all the negative attention that she's now getting doesn't have a worse impact on her mentally than losing that much weight that fast.

reginahcampbell · February 2014

I'm 5'2" and in 2009 i weighted 105lbs, due to stress I was working out about 15-20hrs a week training for mountain bike races and just riding my bike all the time. I look at pictures of myself then and they scare me. I have a very small frame and I looked basically like Rachel. Very skeleton like. Before getting pregnant I was averaging between 125-130lbs and honestly looked a million times better and fit the same clothes. Simply because I gained some weight, mostly muscle, it helped me look normal.

Rachel just looked scary thin.

emh81 · February 2014

bottom line... the show is called "The Biggest Loser" it is NOT called "The Healthiest Loser" Personally I think she looks very thin but I don't think she looks sickly or any thinner than most of the Hollywood starlet types (Guiliana Rancic anyone?). People are going nuts that she is below the "ideal weight" for her height... 1.) she's 9lbs under, not 30 2.) a LOT of people are a little over or a little under their ideal weight. One look at her an you can see she has a very small frame. 3.) She's in her early 20's! I'm sure she's a lot healthier now than she was when she was 150lbs overweight. I say give the girl a break, she's obviously worked very hard!

Hopefully she hasn't developed and eating disorder because of the show but if she has, its kind of the risk you run when you participate in a reality show that awards $250K for the most extreme weight loss. She now has plenty of money for a trainer, nutritionist and if need be, a therapist!

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