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Biggest Loser Finalist: It Gave Me an Eating Disorder

Weight loss show disregards safety, contestant says

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 16, 2010 6:20 PM CDT

(Newser) – The Biggest Loser tells tales of disciplined self-improvement, but one finalist has some horror stories to tell. In an interview with Golda Poretsky surfaced by Jezebel, season 3's Kai Hibbard says the brutal regimen and pressure from the show's staff endangered her health and gave her an eating disorder. She tells of working out as many as five hours a day on the show—with injuries, while eating what she estimates was just 1,200 calories. Among the more unfortunate side effects: vomiting, hair loss, bruises.

At one point, her "major food groups were water, black coffee, and Splenda." After an intervention from her family, she managed to turn things around, but not without struggle. She tells Poretsky of the "first meal where I actually ate again"—oatmeal and an egg-white omelet. "It took me an hour and a half and I cried through the whole thing." Click to read Poretsky's fascinating interview here.

A 'Biggest Loser' contestant doesn't have fond memories of the show.
A 'Biggest Loser' contestant doesn't have fond memories of the show.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 11 comments
biancabtravel
Jun 22, 2010 2:49 AM CDT
Kai sounds like she is justifying gaining 70 pounds back and not being able to continue her new found skills in order to maintain her weight loss.

I have recently lost 50 #'s eating more food than ever before. The difference is that I eat good foods and exercise 5 days a week for 30 minutes.
Peter Westwood
Jun 18, 2010 4:27 AM CDT
If The Biggest Loser doesn’t torture their contestants I don’t know what the hell they’re doing. I understand you go on the show to lose weight but to work out for 2-5 hours and consume only 1,000 calories is deathly to anyone, I don’t care if you weigh damn near 900 pounds!

http://scallywagandvagabond.co.../
HMunster
Jun 17, 2010 7:26 PM CDT
"Biggest Loser Gave Me an Eating Disorder"... That's alright, it gives ME heartburn...
 

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