GETTING THE BURN
There was a time when I was definitely NOT in the kind of shape I’m in today. I carried about 40 pounds of extra fat on my body and a large portion of it seemed to settle around my mid-section.
So like anyone else in my position I figured I’d better start doing some ab exercises so I could “burn away the fat”.
While I’d feel the “burn” in my abdominal region from the exercise, it didn’t actually melt the fat away from that area (it was just lactic acid accumulation).
I later learned that spot reduction, from exercise, doesn’t actually exist. The only way to spot reduce fat is from a surgical procedure like liposuction.
SO WHAT DOES WORK?
What I also came to learn was that it took a combination of things to achieve the results I wanted.
First and foremost, I had to face the fact that I had to change how I was eating. I was on the classic “See Food” diet where “If I saw it, I ate it!”
Second I had to start on a consistent exercise program.
This plan worked and I not only lost almost all 40 lbs in about 6 months but I also got extremely fit!
I WANT TO PUMP YOU UP!
Interestingly enough, what worked for me was not the typical cardio approach that so most people believe is key to losing weight (i.e. body fat).
I intuitively discovered that it was about building muscle!
This was lucky for me since I enjoyed resistance training more than cardio.
I did supplement occasionally with cardio, just because I figured I should do some cardio, but it was really a minimal amount.
Years later I learned that the reason resistance training was so critical to the success I had is because muscle is “metabolically active” tissue.
This means it requires a certain amount of energy in the form of calories in order to maintain itself.
Fat doesn’t use much energy and in fact it is a form of stored energy, so it’s not metabolically active in the way muscle is.
FAT LOSS PATTERNS
One thing that really surprised me throughout the process was that as I started losing fat, it came off pretty much everywhere else before my abs.
When it did start to come off there, it started with a 2 pack just below my sternum, then a 4 pack and eventually a 6 pack in the lower abdominal region.
I eventually learned that people tend to lose fat in a certain pattern . On most men it seems that the waist is the last place fat tends to come off, with women it’s usually, the hips and thighs .
Certainly some folks have different genetic patterns and I’ve actually seen the exact opposite scenarios between men and women.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
Even after all these years that I’ve been involved with fitness, first as a “layperson” and then as a fitness professional, the only difference my physique undergoes these days in terms of fat loss is primarily as a result of how I eat.
This is because my fitness program is extremely consistent in terms of the way I cycle intensity.
In the winter months I like to carry about 5 extra pounds because I find being too lean in the winter doesn't work for me (as I can't stay warm), but as spring approaches I shed them.
This is always accomplished by gradual reductions in my overall caloric consumption, small changes that get me to where I want to be pretty easily and painlessly.
And what do you know, those lower abs come back where I want them to without any extra ab exercises. :)
IN SUMMARY
So in Summary. No matter how much time you spend working on your abs. butt or thighs, it won’t burn off the fat in those specific areas.
What will work for most people is to first clean up your nutrition, add a resistance training program to build lean body tissue (i.e. muscle) and supplement it with cardio as the "icing on the cake" (pun intended! :)).
A caveat: I wanted to clarify that I am not against cardio training and I do include training that I call "conditioning" work. This includes modalities like kickboxing, aerobic stepping and agility work among others.
I also do metabolic strength training which are intense circuits (or complexes) which create a great metabolic disturbance. This type of training does give cardiovascular and weight loss benefits.
Primarily, I'm just not a big believer in the efficacy of "steady state" cardio such as typical machine training on treadmills, bikes and ellipticals, as a primary weight loss tool (note: for severely overweight or deconditioned individuals, this may be a good starting point but not to the exclusion of nutritional modifications-the most important element- and resistance training).
If one wants to use those types of modalities, then interval training, in particular high intensity interval training, can give great benefits and will certainly produce caloric expenditure both during and after the workout.
The problem is that often people do that type of training as their sole source of fitness and often additionally neglect the nutritional element, and therefore don't get the fat loss benefits they are seeking.
Scott Fishkind
http://www.time4youfitness.com/
"So you’re a personal trainer?" I am commonly asked.
"Yes" I say.
"Like those folks on “The Biggest Loser?"
"Well, to be honest, nothing I do remotely resembles what is portrayed by the trainers on that show!"
This type of conversation happens to me on a regular basis. I’m put in the position to explain that what folks see on their TV is the polar opposite of how I treat or train my clients.
I’m sure it’s a pretty common scenario for most Personal Trainers ever since the phenomenon of “The Biggest Loser” ("TBL") came on the scene.
Before I continue, I do want to say that I'm sure there are a percentage of viewers who may be motivated to start exercising and trying to clean up their eating as a result of the show and that is great, but there is a lot about the show that concerns me on many levels!
PERSONAL TRAINING?
First of all, even though they have personal trainers leading the workouts on the show, what they are doing on the show is not actual personal training.
What makes Personal training “personal" is the idea that programs are custom designed to meet the specific, individual needs of each client. However on the show there seems to be a general plan that each trainer uses and some contestants survive it and some don’t.
Also no responsible personal trainer would ever risk putting a severely deconditioned and morbidly obese individual through those types of grueling workouts. It takes time for one's body to adapt to safely handle the stresses of exercise both from a musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory standpoint.
Maybe they can get away with it because they have medical staff "in the wings" on "TBL", but it's not the way personal trainers would typically handle a client with that type of physical profile.
Second, I can’t imagine any responsible trainer who would even consider, let alone get away with, the type of verbal abuse seen on "TBL". It also should go without saying that no paying client would tolerate that sort of behavior for a minute.
Both of those issues go against everything our education as trainers (not to mention "common sense") teaches us. Rather what I have seen on that show would be considered reckless and abusive, plain and simple.
In fact if a trainer used those types of tactics and a client was injured, they wouldn't have a leg to stand on from a legal standpoint because it would be so far outside of what is considered the "standard of care"
Train Wreck?
Fairly recently I was listening to a podcast interview with Coach Robert Dos Remedios (2006 NSCA Collegiate Strength Coach of The Year). In it, Coach Dos (as he is called) referred to “The Biggest Loser” as a ”train wreck”.
This is because it has the same effect on people as a terrible accident that people can’t turn away from out of morbid curiousity. He continued by saying something to the affect of "And this is coming from a guy who works his athletes so hard that most people would consider what I do abusive!"
He said that if he treated his athletes that way the folks on "TBL" were treated, he wouldn’t have a job very long because no one would tolerate it!
Is It All An Act?
The irony is that I wouldn't be surprised if in "real life" the trainers on "TBL"are completely different in how they would train or treat real clients "off screen". In fact they may be the kindest, most compassionate people in the world, but regardless of what the truth may be, that isn't what "TBL" viewers get to see so all we can go by is what we're given.
Bottom line, whatever they're doing is working to attract viewers and sell products so I don't see a change anytime soon.
And The Winner Is!
The only reason the trainers on 'TBL" get away with all of the above on the show because ultimately it’s a “game” and the "contestants" know that they've got no choice but to deal with it in order to have a chance at winning the prize money!
Sadly, it has been reported that in numerous cases, many of the contestants on "TBL" don’t end up keeping the weight off (in fact an NBC exec said about 50% ) because they lost it in an environment they cannot possibly duplicate in their real life.
Also, the backlash of going through an extreme process like that is analogous with what happens when someone severely deprives themselves on a diet and then goes on uncontrollable eating binges.
Getting Real!
Ultimately, REAL transformation happens both on the inside as well as the outside. What I mean by “Real” is a change that will last indefinitely. That is unlikely to happen if one's primary motivation is coming from a combination of prize money and the prodding of overly aggressive trainers beating them senseless with exercise.
For example, when I train my own clients, I challenge them to find their edge but not go over it. They know I "want" them to stop if they start to feel overwhelmed. Within a fairly short amount of time, every client I've worked with ends up pushing "themselves" because they learn where their personal safe threshold is.
A big part of the reason people may not work hard initially is because in the beginning they can't tell the difference between discomfort and fatigue or when they are actually moving into the danger zone.
Once they learn to judge that difference internally, they are self motivated and actually seem to enjoy the challenge of pushing to their personal edge. I've never once had to yell at a client and in fact I'm more likely to be reminding them to be mindful of not crossing the edge rather than trying to force them over it.
It's the difference between "extrinsic" (outer) and "intrinsic" (inner) motivation. Intrinsic motivation is ultimately more powerful!
The truth is, it really doesn't take more than a few sessions for this to start to happen and they could easily employ this approach as well on "TBL" but I guess that wouldn't get ratings!
Who Are Really The Biggest Losers?
Ultimately, I really believe that the real “Biggest Losers” are many of the people watching the show, in particular those who may have a lot of weight (i.e. bodyfat) to lose themselves.
I say this because those viewers see the contestants losing insane amounts of weight each week and may feel that if they can’t accomplish the same that they are somehow failures. This can lead to them just give up in frustration!
Even if they are fully aware that the “contestants” on the show are in an unrealistic situation, with nothing to do 24-7 but concentrate on losing weight, it doesn't help them feel better about their own predicament. The show has led to unrealistic, not to mention unhealthy expectations regarding achievable weight loss.
Where are they now?
MSNBC Interactive did an article about the show called "Where are the biggest losers now?" Erik Chopin, the overall wnner of season 3 was interviewed. He revealed that he has put almost all of the 200 lbs that he lost on the show.
When he spoke with Bob Harper, his trainer on "TBL" Bob recommended that he use a more balanced approach that he can do for the rest of his life" in order to take the weight off again.
In fact Bob said (direct quote from the article) “You know how to take it off and you know how to put it on — what you don’t know is how to live your everyday life”.
Okay, so much for the great tools these folks were given to take into their lives. I guess all those 100 calorie snack bags and Subway sandwiches (no doubt products of the show's sponsers) didn't do the trick..... big surprise!
Unfortunately most people watching "TBL" probably haven't seen that article I referred to above and may mistakenly still believe that the only way to achive weight loss is using the extreme tactics shown on the show.
They may also believe those solutions will bring about long term change, that once you lose it then you are all done and you'll keep it off forever. I mean, who could lose 200 lbs and ever go back. Just ask Erik, and about half of the other folks who lost all that weight on the show. This is a terribly sad situation!
A "Personal" Concern
Besides having unrealistic weight loss expectations, it also greatly concerns me that the viewers may be afraid of hiring a qualified fitness professional who could help them because they are afraid they might be treated like the folks on "TBL".
This is extremely upsetting to me because the main reason I went through the process of becoming a certified personal trainer was because I wanted to make my living making a positive difference in people’s lives. I would never think of treating my clients with anything other than respect, kindness, patience, and compassion!
Most people really don't know how to go about tackling such a complex issue. They don't know where to begin in terms of setting up an appropriate exercise program. Most likely they will need the help of a Registered Dietician or nutritionist along with a fitness professional to help them have the right tools to be successful. But if they think all personal trainers are like those on "TBL" they may never take the first step on what may be a life changing experience!
Scott Fishkind Time4You Fitness
http://www.time4youfitness.com/
