By Kim Garcia, ACE CPT, LWMC
Many of you have seen the popular show Biggest Loser. It is truly amazing how the people on the show change their lives. Of course, it is one of my favorite shows on television, but there are pros and cons to how they lose their weight and there are definitely lessons that can be learned from the show.
First and foremost, the weight that they lose: These people lose a tremendous amount of weight in a short period of time. This can be very inspiring to those who feel like they have a long way to go to their goal weight. It can also be very discouraging to those who have been working hard and are only seeing a weight loss of a pound a week. What I want you to remember is that there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we do not see. They are medically supervised, most weeks their diets are being monitored rigorously and they workout up to 6 hours per day. This is not feasible for the everyday person and is not necessarily healthy to do if you try to do this on your own. Although, you may not lose 7lbs in a week, one to two pounds is very realistic. Keep in mind, as I have said before, 1 to 2lbs per week equals 52-104lbs per year. That’s healthy and amazing! A slower moderate weight loss also helps with maintaining muscle tone and skin elasticity as you lose weight.
Working out for 6 hours per day: What we see, are people who have maybe never worked out before in their life, working out for long periods of time at extremely high levels. Do not think this is how you should do it. Remember, we do not see what goes on behind the scenes. Trainers in real life would not typically push their clients to the limits they are pushed on this show. If you have been watching, one or two people have fallen off the treadmill, one person has a stress fracture on their shin and many wear some type of brace or wrap to mask the pain. In reality, you do not want to work out to a level that causes these types of injuries. If you are injured, you can be put out for several weeks and not able to workout. Injuries also discourage you and may cause you to give up on your goals to live healthier. As I said, we do not see what goes on medically behind the scenes. It’s all about a consistent healthy lifestyle. If you workout 3-5 times per week and eat a healthy diet, you will lose weight. You are also more likely to make it your lifestyle versus an all or nothing workout plan.
Eating enough calories to fuel your body: I love that the trainers discuss how important it is to fuel your body. There are many competitors on the show that try to take it the extra step and reduce their calories as low as possible thinking they will lose more weight and take the competition. A recent episode showed where a few people lost zero pounds and one gained three. They had worked out everyday and ate all healthy food, but they quickly admitted that they restricted their calories to 1000 or less per day. Many of my clients have a hard time trusting that eating more throughout the day can help them lose weight versus gain it. Your body needs a minimum amount of calories per pound of body weight just to get through normal everyday functions. If you are not eating enough and putting additional workload on your body, your metabolism can slow down by more than 30% to conserve the fuel you take in for survival. Never go less than 10 calories per pound of body weight when trying to lose weight. This will help you conserve muscle, keep your metabolism high and assist with weight loss.
If you love the show, keep watching it, if you haven’t seen it yet, check it out. Just keep in mind that you can achieve what the people on TV have accomplished, but you need to do it in a way that is realistic for you and your family. If it takes a year versus three months, you will still be healthier a year from now versus just a year older. Take advantage of the capabilities you have today and appreciate everyday! You only get one life and you should be able to live it to the fullest.
