Lena Dunham gives it the ol’ college try on 'Girls''The Biggest Loser' Has Big Problems, Health Experts Say NBC's "The Biggest Loser" is all about records. the past seasons, the weight-loss reality show has repeatedly set new benchmarks for heaviest contestant (454, 476 and 526 pounds), fastest 100-pound weight loss (seven weeks), and most weight lost in one week (34 pounds). The show, which takes obese Americans and pits them against each other in a battle to lose the most weight and win $250,000, thrives onBut physicians and nutritionists worry the show's focus on loss is, at best, counterproductive and, at worst, dangerous. "They're taking people who have been inactive and are not in good shape and boom, automatically subjecting them to this stress," Carol Wolin-Riklin, the bariatric nutrition coordinator for the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, told LiveScience. "Things are going to And indeed, things have.

Two patients were hospitalized after collapsing during a one-mile (1.6 km) foot race for the season 8This year's season 9 opened with another strenuous challenge in which contestants raced 26.2 miles (42 km) on stationary bikes. consultant and UCLA professor Rob Huizenga had to drag one protesting contestant off her bike when she was stricken with severe cramps. contestant, 526-pound Michael Ventrella, was treated for exhaustion. Health risks of obesity The show's producers point out that contestants are under medical supervision and say the extreme nature of the competition is And of course, there are serious health risks to being as obese as the Biggest Loser contestants. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer. more pronounced as the obesity becomes more severe, and losing weight is a very good idea, said Wolin-Riklin ¬— if done right.

"The way I go about encouraging healthful weight loss is by working on changes one at a time," she said. changes bit-by-bit I think you have a better shot at having long-lasting lifestyle But weight loss on "The Biggest Loser" is far removed from weight loss in the real world. For one thing, contestants start out in worse shape thanSeventeen of the 22 contestants have a body mass index (BMI) over 40,Replace Bathtub Faucet Valve Stem meaning they are severely obese. Vinyl Vs Carpet BoatIn the "real world," more thanPuppies For Sale Ny Nj Pa one-third of U.S. adults, or 72 million people, are considered obese with a BMI of 30 or higher, according to the CDC. But research published last month in the

Journal of the American Medical Association found that the number of Americans with a BMI over 40 is just under 6 percent. In other words, the show's claim that the contestants are the "epitome" of American obesity is a bit like saying that VH1's "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels" epitomizes the American dating scene. And then there's the exercise program. five to six hours a day, eating strictly supervised diets. double-digit pounds each week. The contestant who loses the smallest percentage of body weight can be sent home. In reality, said physician Robert Kushner, the clinical director of the Northwestern University Comprehensive Center on Obesity, a safe rate of weight loss is about one to two pounds per week. "I think a lot of people can feel quite defeated that they're losing weight in what we would call a recommended amount, but they would have been voted off the show immediately," Kushner told LiveScience. "So the message, to me, is just all wrong."

So is the science. Losing weight rapidly can be risky, according to Virginia Tech professor of human nutrition, foods and exercisePatients who lose weight quickly run the risk of gallstones, mineral deficiencies, loss of muscle tissue and reduced bone density. Beginning strenuous exercise suddenly can cause problems with hydration, electrolyte balance and cardiac function. can put an extra load on already-stressed bones. At least two contestants in Biggest Loser history have struggled with stress fractures. Risks aside, weight-loss experts say that the biggest problem with the Biggest Loser is that extreme methods of dropping pounds are less likely to work in the long run. Several former Biggest Loser contestants have regained some or all of the weight, which doesn't surprise Kushner. "They're not working with a trainer every day, they're not on national TV every day, they're back to life," he said. very difficult to sustain."

While researchers aren't sure if repeated cycles of weight gained are more dangerous than staying overweight or obese, the psychological toll of failing to keep weight off can be grim, said Kushner. People often feel like failures and become hopeless about their health. Those looking for a safe way to lose weight or get healthier permanently should make small changes, Kushner said, like gradually increasing exercise or substituting healthy foods for unhealthy ones. In the real world, slow, steady and committed wins the race. "We're not looking for extreme makeovers in someone's"We're looking for changes that they can Demystified: Why We Overeat Things That Are Good For You ABC Sets Summer Premiere Dates for Mistresses, Rookie Blue, The Whispers, a New Battlebots Reboot, and More Warm weather and plenty of trashy reality TV series are on the horizon, folks!Bob Brenner, the “Extreme Weight Loss” record breaker on the hit ABC television series, was so transformed by his experience on the show that he has announced plans to become a certified life coach to help others realize weight loss success.

To achieve his life coach certification, Brenner is partnering with the Colorado-based school Coach Training Alliance to become a credentialed coach. He is expected to earn his life coach certification in November. During his year-long journey on “Extreme Weight Loss” season three (season four is being filmed at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Health and Wellness Center in Aurora), Brenner lost a record 253 pounds – or 56 percent of his body weight – through a commitment to healthy eating, regular exercise and mental perseverance. His next extreme transformation is a total career makeover – going from Milwaukee undercover cop to national life coach. Brenner also remains good friends with “Extreme Weight Loss” host Chris Powell. Both guys will be in Denver together this weekend. Local comedian and former Rocky Mountain News sports columnist Sam Adams will attempt to surpass the career scoring record belonging to NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the span of 24 hours on Saturday at the Hyatt Denver Tech Center.

“Poppin4PSP” is a one-man Pop-A-Shot basketball marathon fundraiser being staged to heighten the public’s awareness of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and related neurodegenerative brain diseases. Starting at 7 a.m. in the Hyatt DTC atrium, Adams will play Pop-A-Shot basketball for 24 hours, hoping to surpass Abdul-Jabbar’s career record of 38,387 points throughout his 20-year NBA career. To achieve his goal, Adams needs to average 54 points per game, playing an average of 30 games per hour and attempting 1,300 shots per hour for 24 consecutive hours on a Pop-A-Shot basketball machine. For the first time since the initiative’s inception, Xcel Energy employees will be joined by community members in the third annual Xcel Energy Day of Service, in partnership with CBS4, from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. There are nine volunteer projects, and community participation from across the state is welcome. This year should be Xcel Energy’s biggest Day of Service with 1,300 employees and 1,000 community participants.

Take a bite of the “Im-burger-amo” at TAG Burger Bar (1222 Madison) through the month of September and $1 per burger will go to Work Options for Women, an organization that trains impoverished women culinary skills to gain employment. This great veggie burger, named for Denver restaurant consultant and vegetarian John Imbergamo, combines black beans, garbanzo beans, corn, fire-roasted jalapeños, panko, cotija cheese and tomatillo salsa. It’s topped with guacamole, crispy fried zucchini chips, Sriracha aioli and cilantro slaw, and served on a toasted bun with a side of fries and a house made pickle. The movie “Havana 57,” from the novels of Harlan Abrahams, will be shown during a fundraiser for the Rose Andom Center, a facility that will house a myriad of agencies set up to help those dealing with domestic violence, at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Wolf Theater, Mizel Arts and Culture Center, on the campus of the Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 Dahlia St.

“Havana 57″ is the first full-length English-language feature film shot entirely on location in Cuba since the revolution is 1959. The movie was inspired by “Col. Carlo” novels written by Abrahams. Special guests Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey will share some new news about the Andom Center. Checks should be made payable to “The Denver Justice Center”, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.Tickets will be sent via e-mail and collected at the door. There’s still time to get in on the Denver Food and Wine action today, Saturday and Sunday. Tonight, Art of the Cocktail from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at The Ritz-Carlton Denver, 1881 Curtis St., will pit chefs and bartenders against each other in competitions to win $500 cash plus an overnight at The Ritz and breakfast at Elway’s in the hotel. On Saturday, the Grand Tasting, the granddaddy of Denver food fests with an expected 4,500 food and wine fans, will serve bites from 35 local restaurant and 600 wines and spirts from Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado from noon the 4 p.m. under a tent pitched on the grounds of the Metropolitan State University campus.

The Grand Tasting is presented by US Foods. On Sunday, the DFW weekend wraps with a wine pairing dinner, beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday at Panzano Restaurant, 909 17th St., featuring Panzano executive chef Elise Wiggins, and Denver restaurant chefs Paul C. Reilly of Beast + Bottle, Bob Blair of Fuel, Aaron Whitcomb of Ya Ya’s Euro Bistro and featuring award-winning chef/author and restaurant owner Brian Polcyn. Denver Food and Wine is a fundraiser that benefits The Denver Post Community Foundation, Colorado Restaurant Association Education Foundation and the Metropolitan State University of Denver Hospitality Learning Center. I told you earlier this week that Denver’s City and County building is bathed in teal light this month in honor of ovarian cancer and prostate cancer awareness. That prompted me to ask Mayor Hancock’s office what other colors, months and diseases make the City and County building glow throughout the year. * January – holiday lights (through the end of the Stock Show);

* February – red for heart awareness; * March – blue and pink for the March of Dimes’ premature baby awareness; * April 1 only – light blue for autism awareness; * June 4th and 5th – teal for the ovarian cancer walk; * September – teal for ovarian and prostate cancer awareness; * October – pink for breast cancer awareness; * November – purple for Alzheimer’s awareness; * December – holiday lights. /pennyparker subscription drive is Terri Alexander, client services manager for Project Angel Heart, a charitable organization that provides nutritious meals free of charge for people with life-threatening illnesses. Alexander won two VIP tickets to Saturday’s Denver Food and Wine Grand Tasting on the grounds of Metropolitan State University (a $500 value). But wait, there’s more. From today through Wednesday at 6 p.m., anyone who’s a veteran or newbie subscriber will be entered in a drawing to win two Denver Beerathon VIP tickets.

The first Denver Beerathon, on Sept. 14, features a self-guided tour of 26 downtown-area bars, pubs, taverns and restaurants offering special deals for ticketholders. The VIP ticket directs beer lovers to check in between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. is at Fado Irish Pub and Restaurant (1735 19th St.), and includes a VIP-only party with a buffet, prizes and giveaways and a $20 Uber car service pass plus a $25 day of event pass (new Uber users only),  Altitude Peak Fitness two week unlimited pass, $99 room rate at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel among other goodies. Eavesdropping on a signature taker to a male voter at a library on Parker Road and Florida: “Are you a Colorado voter?” Did you hear that I have a new column, “Mile High Life,” in Colorado Community Media’s 17 weekly newspapers circling Denver? Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Want to advertise your business here?