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By Brent Shields
All over the world, night after night, millions of people are
riveted to their TV sets - but not to watch the latest soap,
or
CSI. Not to watch Jay Leno or Sex in the City. Not to see who
outwits, outlasts and outplays others in Survivor. No - they
are spellbound by the efforts of a small band of obese people
trying to overcome the effects of years of overeating.
It's not surprising that for so many people this is compulsive
viewing. Obesity is the new epidemic. Fat children lumber
around school playgrounds while their overweight mothers fill
shopping carts with wrong choices. Then... they sit down at
night to watch The Biggest Loser. They see dramatic weight
loss
and startling new body shapes beginning to emerge. They want
the
same results - and they begin to think it might be possible.
But who has four or five hours a day to work out? Who can
afford a personal trainer several times a week? And who has
the
luxury of their own personal adviser on calorie content and
smart food choices? The answer is: not many people. But you
have to remember that this is television: it's a false
situation. As the players keep reminding themselves and the
viewers: "This is a GAME. You have to make the most of your
time here - it's going to be so much harder out in the real
world."
IS it harder in the real world? Probably. But you can take
lessons away from watching this reality show. You can make it
work for you, as well as for the contestants. Here are three
practical and useful lessons you can put to use immediately.
1. Put Weight Loss First.
In the Biggest Loser household WEIGHT LOSS COMES FIRST. Make
it
come first in your household, too. Sounds simple, doesn't it?
It
is. In fact, so simple that many people just overlook it. They
try to fit exercise and meal planning around everything else
in
their lives, instead of making it a priority.
Think: what is most important: getting the weight off, and
becoming fit enough to put years on your life - or watching
another TV show? Sit down with a pen and paper and allot at
least one hour a day to planning meals, recording what you
eat,
and doing some form of exercise. You've still got 23 hours
left
to do everything else!
2. E is for Exercise - and Enjoy!
What else do you notice in the Biggest Loser household? The
more they exercise, the more they seem to enjoy it. Oh sure,
they grunt and they groan; they sweat and they complain. But
as
the weeks go on, you'll hear them say things like: "I never
thought I'd say that I look forward to working out - but now
don't feel right if a day goes past without exercise!"
The secret to enjoying exercise is finding what's right for
YOU. If you don't really enjoy the gym, look for other forms
of
exercise. You need a mix of cardio and resistance training -
but
it doesn't have to be on machines. Walk, swim, dance, climb
hills, push a wheelbarrow in the garden... there are endless
choices that can be fun for you. Research what happens to
various muscle groups - and to your heart - when you exercise,
and pick activities that you will enjoy.
3. Identify the Triggers.
Emotions run high when the contestants have to face their
demons. Weight gain is rarely from just a physical cause. If
you keep a food diary, and faithfully record not only what you
eat but when (and why) you eat it, you'll soon see a pattern
of
emotional eating. What are YOUR triggers? Boredom? Tiredness?
Family arguments?
Once you have identified these triggers, you can start working
on strategies to defeat them. This can be as simple as
challenging yourself every time you want food. ("Am I hungry -
yes or no? If I'm not hungry, then why do I want to eat? Am I
really just thirsty? If I'm running to the fridge because I'm
upset, is there something else I can do to feel better? Is
there a long-term solution that will fix this forever?" and so
on.) If you're not yet ready to deal with the root cause, then
be prepared with food that won't add to your problems with the
resulting rolls of fat. Make sure that you have 'good' food at
hand - but also food that you LIKE.
These are just three of the lessons that anyone can take away
from watching The Biggest Loser. And you'll have the
satisfaction of knowing you did it all by yourself.
About The Author: Brent is a health nutrition consultant that
writes for www.2-goodhealth.com - for more free
resources that are health related visit
www.2-goodhealth.com
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