News Letter | continued

Exercise is difficult. It should challenge you to move past your comfort zone. Unfortunately, the workouts on the show are so extreme that viewers often walk away with a negative view on exercise or thinking that they could never lose weight because they could never handle such difficult workouts. Exercise should be portrayed as a positive, inviting experience that leaves a person feeling invigorated and energized. Although the show does focus on the importance of a daily routine of cardio and strength training, it offers a fairly narrow view of what constitutes exercise. A more active lifestyle can mean spending the afternoon at the park with a soccer ball or taking a walk after dinner (instead of dessert). Vacations can be planned around movement, bike trails, and hiking. True change involves every aspect of our life, including family and friends. It also requires changes in how we look at food, prepare our food, and even how we purchase our food.

The Biggest loser is very entertaining, and it should be viewed as entertainment. The extreme situations could never be duplicated in everyday life. However, sitting still and ignoring a weight problem is dangerous. So what should a person do if they are facing obesity and disease? The first step would be to simply move (once cleared with their doctor), and go for a 30 minute walk. Find a movement you love and do it. It can be rollerblading, belly dancing, swimming, or kickboxing. It does not always have to be running or riding a boring machine at a gym. The second step is to become more educated about nutrition. Consider taking a basic nutrition class at the community college or make an appointment with a nutritionist. The third step is accountability. Find some way to hold yourself accountable, through a friend, family member, or a service, such as personal training. This person would be someone with whom you can confide and share your goals and who will stay on your case, and encouraging you to keep trying. The fitness world has a love/hate relationship with The Biggest Loser. In the best case scenario, the show would inspire viewers to seek help of a professional and accept that weight loss will require a complete change in the direction of their lives. The most difficult part of losing weight is inside our heads. But perhaps we can start by turning off the television.

This article has been taken from an article written by Janet Bertrand, a personal fitness trainer at Fitness Quest 10. She loves to motivate and inspire people to achieve their goals. Working with a diverse range of fitness levels, Janet believes we all have the power to create change in our lives, we just have to tap into it.

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