This is a follow up to “Have You Ever Wanted To Be A Reality TV Star?” article in which I talked about some clients that asked me how the contestants on the “Biggest Loser” shed so much weight.  I recently read an article (Senger, 2011) that highlights the entire weight loss, “I was once morbidly obese but am now fit” TV shows.  The author focused on the fact that reality TV may go too far and I’m going to highlight a few key points.  To see this article in it’s entirety feel free to contact me.

 

The leading experts from the American Council on Exercise suggest safe weight loss being 1 to 2 lbs a week.  To give you an idea of what 1 to 2 lbs of weight loss equals that is 3500 to 7000 calories “burned” on a weekly basis.  So right now you may be thinking, “How am I supposed to do that?”  Follow me on this very complicated mathematics trip (insert sarcasm) to find out how this is possible.

 

There are 7 days in a week (this may be news to some, if not ignore it and move on).  So over the course of 7 days you need to have a deficit of 500 calories a day to come up with 3500 calories and lose 1 lb.  Now those 500 calories need to be made up somehow of diet/nutrition and exercise.  So lets say you restrict the food you eat by 200 calories and exercise 300 calories daily.  Voila! This type of regimen or structure may be needed when first beginning a program to learn the amount of work that must be done to see results.  This is not the habit that you want to form to follow for the rest of your life.  You’ll end up like the Scrooge McDuck of calorie counting land.

 

The author makes 3 main points of difference between your exercise routine and weight loss/fitness program and the ones that you’ll flip on TV (watching many hours of TV may not be beneficial to reaching your goal anyway) are the presence of a medical staff, an environment without distractions and the shows being focused on short term interventions instead of long term ones.

 

If anyone reading this decides that they would like me to train them “Biggest Loser” style I would be more than happy to clear my weekly schedule to accommodate you for 8 hours a day 5 days a week.  Oh yea, by the way, good luck working your full time job.

 

A key point made in the article was that, “Heavy”, filmed 6 months of TV time and put it in a 44 minute block show that obviously doesn’t show every fluctuation in weight and all of the ups and downs.  This is true of client weigh-ins or stressful life situations that are encountered on a daily or even weekly basis that are not seen on the shows.

 

Reality TV is beginning to not seem so real now is it?

 

If these shows motivate you to become more active than they are doing their job.  If they educate you in correct nutrition and exercise, then they are doing their job.   However, do not think that the short term nature of the programs/shows in a secluded environment with a team that includes medical staff and trainers will yield the same results as a exerciser that has a full time job with kids and spouse at home.

 

Never lose sight of your goal.

Brent

Brent

President, Personal Training Manager at Body By Brent LLC
Brent
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