Does The Biggest Loser Inspire or Send the Wrong Message

This week fans of the hit reality weight loss series, The Biggest Loser are taking to blogs blasting the show for its lack of fairness.  In earlier episodes, show producers allow us to become attached to the heartfelt stories of people literally fighting for their lives.

Unfortunately, The Biggest Loser tends to follow the same blueprint for all reality series, the process of elimination based on challenges created by television execs.  Imagine the defeat for someone battling their weight, and as a reward...they are sent home for falling short.

On one hand, I applaud The Biggest Loser for sharing the reality of obesity and the triumph of losing weight and continuing on the path to a healthier and more fulfilling life.  On the other hand, when you see contestants such as Arthur get eliminated for losing ONLY 16 pounds in a week, it may be sending the wrong message.

Celebrity and Biggest Loser trainers,  Bob and Jillian, seemed to have verbally gone to the mat this time. "It should not be about a game at this point; it should be about a matter of life and death.  It kills me to see that this man is going to go home because he is not part of an alliance.”  Well put, Bob.  My sentiments exactly.

Squeezing in exercise while on vacation or visiting relatives

Trying to continue an exercise program while on vacation can be a bit tricky,  but you shouldn’t drop your healthy lifestyle altogether just because your clock is set for leisure.  Here are some tips to help keep you on track while visiting the islands or family.

-Hit the gym or pavement as early as possible.  I am not a fan of getting up early, but the best way to ensure that you will stay on track with your workout plan is to get your workout “knocked out” first thing in the morning.  Plus, you will have the rest of the day to visit or hang by the pool.

-Forgive for slacking.  Because vacations are about relaxing do just that and give yourself a break from being too hard on yourself.  Missing one or two exercise programs is not going to put you back to square one. As long as you are not entirely skipping all of your exercise routines you are still good to go.  Use this as an opportunity to cross-train and try new forms of exercise.  Cruise ships and resorts are famous for yoga, spin and even classes on surfing.

-If you are visiting relatives and your activities surround spending time with family, then you REALLY are going to need a stress reliever.  I like to slip out first thing in the morning and go for a run before the sun and my hosts will miss me.  That way you are not excluding any family members or friends that you are visiting.  Of course, you could always invite them along for the ride.

Upper body exercises that can be done anywhere

Today was not a banner day for me. After spending the bulk of my morning at one of Kaiser’s medical facilities, I found myself bound by red tape and a roll of time. This morning, while I SHOULD have been at my trainers working out, I was sitting in a small cramped room waiting for my dermatologist to grace me with his presence. Instead, I made use of my confined space and used it to my advantage. The first order of business, push-ups!

Using the wall in place of a germ-infested floor, I positioned my body as I would for a push-up on the floor.  While the resistance was less effective than a traditional push-up, I opted to up my reps.  The nurse immediately took notice of my forced workout breathing and lightly tapped to inquire if I was ok.  To her astonishment, I replied that I was squeezing in my workout under the circumstances of time and life.

The reason I wanted to share this story, was to let you know that you don’t have to be in a gym to engage your body and increase your muscle tone.  These simple exercises can be done while watching your favorite television show, or in my case waiting on a delayed physician to enter the room. Hey, they said no food or drinks in the waiting room, not exercise! 

Here is a video of how to properly execute these same push-ups that I did today!

Why I like MTV's Reality Series: I Used to be Fat

I really have to give MTV props for creating some reality programs that are well, realistic. In MTV’s latest weight loss series, I Used To Be Fat, cameras follow overweight (and in some cases obese) young people trying to slim down and change bad eating habits in just 120 days. While this is a very lofty and intense goal for anyone, producers do an incredible job of illuminating what can happen when families ignore the need for a healthy diet and exercise early on in their child’s life.

One of the most impressive and inspiring shows that I have seen was Episode 105, ‘Jordan.’ This once 272lb 18 year-old male was one of the first challengers to realize that change begins with you.  While he did give in to his junk-food weakness at one point,  he did understand that he himself would have to overcome his emotional tie to food.  His personal trainer was also a big part of his success. Not only did he help Jordan understand his eating issues but he gave Jordan the tools to overcome and succeed.  It’s a strong message to all fitness instructors, personal trainers and lifestyle coaches that your job is not just to teach individuals how to lose weight, but how to change lives.

Don't waste those calories on beverages

If you are keeping your calories in check to lose weight, you may want to take a closer look at the liquids you are drinking.  I mean, who wants to pass up the opportunity to eat dessert when you’ve already used up those calories on a soda or latte?

Don’t forget about those sports drinks or smoothies either.  The benefits of battling dehydration is cancelled out by loads of sugar and processed ingredients.  Here is a shocking breakdown of how many calories are in your favorite drinks.

-One 12 ounce glass of juice = 170 calories
-One 16 ounce sweetened iced tea = 120 calories
-One 8 ounce glass of wine = 70 calories
-One 12 ounce fruit smoothie = 300 calories (ouch!)

This above exercise was to open your eyes to those hidden calories that are lurking in your beverages and robbing you of shrinking your waistline. Ok, so now I am going to step down off my soapbox and offer some healthier drink options.

-If you are a coffee addict like me, then you will want to start backing off the sugar and substitute heavy cream and whipped toppings for low-fat or fat-free milk.

-Water, water and more water.  Keep a bottle with you at all times. If you have never been a fan, try adding a squeeze of fresh fruit to liven things up. I find that water is really an acquired taste.

-Replace sweetened iced tea with unsweetened green tea.  Honestly, this is one of the most refreshing beverages to me.  I know it’s hard to avoid the sweetened stuff in the South, so try just adding a splash of sweetened to a whole glass of unsweetened iced-tea.    

-I can already feel the boos coming at me from this one, but let go of the soda. Yes, I’m talking to you “diet soda” drinkers too! Water is ALWAYS better.  If you must indulge, limit it to less than one every other day and eventually to seldom.

Limit your alcohol consumption.  Hey, life is stressful enough.  Especially now that you are avoiding sweetened tea, diet soda and over-sugared sports drinks.  But if you must, keep it to less than two. You’ll dodge those calories and a hangover!

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*Always consult your physician before beginning any new diet or exercise routine.    

Fitness pioneer, Jack LaLanne, dies at 96

Jack LaLanne, who is perhaps best known as the over-enthusiastic geriatric that pushed his juicing machine in late-night infomercials, died this past Sunday, he was 96.  As a personal trainer, this headline speaks volumes about the importance of exercise and and a healthy diet in our lives.

According to sources close to LaLanne, he continued to practice what he preached throughout his very long life. “LaLanne ate healthy and exercised every day of his life up until the end, said LaLanne’s agent, Jack Hersh.

LaLanne’s love and passion for fitness started as early as his teens.  His career began in 1936 when he opened a weight gym for men and women athletes-a big “no no” at that time.  Then in the 1950s, LaLanne hosted a popular fitness show that lasted into the 1970s.

Over the years LaLanne’s fitness stunts included doing more than 1,000 push ups within 23 minutes on a television show, and an impressive swim from San Francisco’s Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf.
Although he failed to first patent his makeshift workout equipment, Lalanne has been credited with creating the first home gym. 

"It's a lifestyle, it's something you do the rest of your life," LaLanne said. "How long are you going to keep breathing? How long do you keep eating? You just do it."

What fitness and health goals have you set for your life?

Do dougnuts and running mix?

I stumbled upon a review in Runner’s Magazine on one very unusual road race called, The Krispy Kreme Challenge.  Each year over 7,000 participants take to the streets of Raleigh, North Carolina and put one question to the test, “do doughnuts and running mix?”

The four-mile race is broken down into two categories: challenger and casual. Challengers are required to run two miles, down a dozen doughy confections and then complete the last two miles in under an hour.


Casual runners are invited to run, get in on the fun, or just cheer on other runners-doughnuts are supplied but consumption is optional. 

The race is organized by North Carolina State with proceeds going to North Carolina Children’s Hospital.  Last year, the race raised $55,000 and is expected to draw a record number of participants.

Fact: a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts contain 2400 calories and 1200 grams of fat.

Top 10 tips for quick weight loss

I am not a fan of fad diets, so before you read any further these tips are meant to be more of a lifestyle change.  However, if you are overweight these tips will allow you to lose weight pretty fast if you stick to them.

1. Exercise. I cannot stress this enough for anyone at any weight.  It keeps your heart healthy, burns calories and is a great stress reliever. You should workout at least three times week for at least 30 minutes.  No need to run out and join a gym, but a simple  brisk walk will do the trick.

2. Eat your fruits and vegetables.  Ideally, you should consume at least five servings of fruit and vegetables each day.  See, Mom was right about something.  The fresher the fruits and vegetables the better.  I will tell you that it’s easier to eat fruit raw than vegetables, so start there. You will also find that the more you consume fresh fruits and veggies the more you will crave them.

3. Control your portion size.  This is a case where more is worse.  Being a member of the clean plate club is out these days, as restaurants continue to serve up heaping plates of foods. One simple tip: Sub out fries for a salad instead and savor that burger.

4. Avoid sugary beverages.  Don’t waste those calories on an unfulfilling drink such as a soda.  Or if you have to, treat yourself to just one.  This is especially true for the new fad sports drinks. They also can contain mass amounts of sugar.

5. Eat fresh.  Avoid processed foods such as macaroni and cheese, meal helpers and artificial sweeteners.  These are chemicals that simply weren’t meant to be put into our bodies.

6. Do not skip meals.  Depriving yourself of breakfast, lunch or dinner is not a good thing. Your body will think that you are starving yourself and cause you to overeat at the next meal and store those calories instead of burning them.

7. Don’t deprive yourself too much.   It’s ok to have the occasional cookie or two.  One easy way to keep from over-consuming on your fave indulgences is to buy smaller portion or snack sizes.

8. Keep track of what you eat.  This is the easiest way to get started and better understand how much calories and fat you are consuming.  Pay attention to serving sizes on labels. For instance, if the calories listed are 110 that is usually PER serving not the whole box.  Serving sizes vary and could equal 10 crackers or a tablespoon of rice.

9. Learn how to read food labels. This is key to understanding what you are eating and how much you are eating.

10. Hire a Personal Trainer or Lifestyle Coach. The path to learning more about your body and what you should be eating and how much exercise you need can be tricky.  Personal trainers can help get you started on the right track and allow you to commit to a plan.  Plus they know more tricks and tips to lose weight just for you!

*As always consult a physician before trying any new diet or exercise plan.

Top celebrity diets of 2011

It’s that time of year again when gyms fill up and popular diet products such as Slimfast crowd grocer's shelves.  Shedding those unwanted pounds takes shape in the form of resolution-desperate dieters turning to celebrity success stories as a way to quench their starvation for success.  Here are some of the top celebrity diets of 2011.

The Master Cleanse.  This hot diet is rumored to have burned the calories off celebrities such as Beyonce and Demi Moore.  Basically, it involves drinking a sugary concoction wish a dash of cayenne pepper to help detox your body.  Premixed detox kits are also available in health food stores.

The Raw Food Diet.  I’m not a medical professional or nutritionist but there is something to be said for consuming foods in their natural state. Consuming at least 75 percent of raw foods (uncooked) is said to allow better consumption and absorption of nutrients in nuts, fruits and veggies.  At least you wouldn’t have to worry about reading those confusing food labels.

The Baby Food Diet.  This is one diet that will be a complete gross out for most parents out there.  This diet boasts keeping the bloat at bay and giving your body a break from breaking down food through the consumption of pureed foods. Reese Witherspoon is one rumored celebrity that has tried this diet.

The Coconut Diet.  This diet is easy enough. Just add a dash of coconut oil or milk to your daily foods and beverages to help jump start your low-carb diet.

*Always remember to consult your physician before beginning any new diet or exercise routine.