Why I Don’t Watch the Biggest Loser

As a health and wellness educator with 25 years experience, I am ever diligent about staying abreast of the latest exercises, diets and gimmicks advertised regarding weight loss. I know how the human body works and its limitations. I am always suspect of any program, product or gadget that advocates quick weight loss. One of the most watched and highly publicized programs today that touts and celebrates quick weight loss is the TV show, The Biggest Loser. I firmly believe that this program does more harm than good to the masses who watch in desperation each week to see who loses the most weight in the fastest time.

Whenever you come across any program that emphasizes quick weight loss a big red flag should come up in your brain. Don’t fall victim to this scheme. You will do more harm than good to your body if you follow this philosophy.

According to Cannon and Einzig, authors of Dieting Makes You Fat, “...rapid weight lost on a diet is of glycogen.” Glycogen is stored energy from carbohydrates and the body’s immediately available form of energy on a restricted diet is not fat. To encourage and reward people for quick weight loss is not recommended and is counterproductive. The loss of lean muscle tissue, water and some fat is the end result. Further, your metabolism slows because the body’s furnace, muscle tissue is lost. Hence, the more a person diets, the more muscle is lost, and the slower the metabolism becomes. Once the diet has ended and the person resumes even modest amounts of food, the human body will gain weight quickly in an attempt to regain the weight lost. Muscle tissue can only be gained by performing resistance exercises with free weights, machines, bands, tubing even your bodyweight. Failure to perform strength training exercises a minimum of two times a week will result in the regaining of fat only after a restrictive diet.

Another aspect of TV shows encouraging quick weight loss that is bothersome to watch is the fact that participants are made to perform dangerous exercises. Despite the fact that trainers and medical professionals oversee the Biggest Loser camp, because of their excessive weight, participants are prone to stress fractures, lower back injury and more. I have watched a few episodes where obese participants weighing upwards of 400 lbs. were made to carry large boulders and made to run up and down an unpaved gravel road. Firstly, for each step each participant takes, three times their body weight is pounded on that ankle and foot. Further, obese individuals don’t burn fat exclusively when they exercise even if the exercise is aerobic. Gradual cardiovascular exercise is necessary to burn fat in obese individuals because they have lost their fat burning enzymes. According to Covert Bailey, author of The New Fit or Fat, “…the fat person who exercises heavily is unable to burn the fat he’s trying to get rid of and then makes more fat right after exercise.” Intense fast cardiovascular exercise stimulates hunger in obese individuals because they burn glycogen and very little fat. Their bodies signal hunger to replace the lost energy in their muscles. Carbohydrates are preferred to satisfy this hunger. However, this carbohydrates immediately gets stored as fat. One of the signs then that a person is getting fitter aerobically is to notice the absence of hunger after an aerobic exercise. Obese persons must work out gradually and slowly to allow their bodies to rebuild fat burning enzymes they've lost.

Lastly, in the Biggest Loser TV show, I feel so badly as I watch the participants and audience reward and encourage large weight loss in just a one week’s time. The human body should only lose roughly one to two pounds per week. This is preferred. Large amounts of weight lost in a short amount of time is not fat, as I have mentioned earlier in this article.

So the next time you sit and watch a TV show about weight loss, remember the information I’ve shared with you about how the human body works and the difference between fat loss and muscle tissue loss. TV shows should reward the person who loses 1 to 2 pounds per week. But of course, that wouldn’t be as exciting to viewers. By the way, your heart is a muscle too. Weight lost quickly is of muscles all over the body, even the heart.

Warning: Ankle Color May Indicate Clogged Arteries and a Greater Chance of Suffering a Stroke or Heart Attack

Before I teach an exercise camp or start a client on a personal training program, I do a complete assessment. I ask clients to make sure they get a physical testing for the blood sugar levels, blood pressure, cholesterol and HDL, LDL, readings for me to see. I also encourage them to get permission from their physician to start an exercise program and to give me any precautions because of existing medical conditions etc. Once I receive this information, I test for body fat, take measurements and weight. The last thing I do is ask the client to remove his or her socks and shoes. This is done so that I can examine his or her ankles.

The blood vessels to the feet are few and must carry blood from the heart to the toes and back. (When I visited an exhibit in Los Angeles called Body Works I was amazed at the one cadaver that only had its blood vessels exposed. I knew the blood supply to the feet was limited but I was surprised at how few vessels to the feet there were). When there is any kind of clogging of the arteries in the upper part of the body, blood flow to the farthest extremities suffer. One of the side effects then, is the gradual darkening of ankle and even calf skin color.

The skin color in Caucasians starts out as beige spotty areas, and then gradually turns brown. In Pacific Islanders, or people of color it starts out as light brown or black even burgundy then gets much darker as time goes on. Many people simply ignore this not realizing how serious this condition is. The condition I’m referring to is PAD or Peripheral Artery Disease.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/peripheral-arterial-disease/DS00537/DSECTION=symptoms This condition will worsen with time without proper intervention. Changes must include a low fat, low sodium, low sugar, high fiber diet, daily cardio exercises and lifestyle changes. You want to take immediate action because once the plaque build-up hardens on the artery walls; you will suffer from several life-threatening diseases.

When you have a physical, ask your physician about PAD and show him or her, your ankles. Be proactive. I had a slightly obese 50+ Caucasian student present me with rosy colored ankles. I immediately asked her to see a physician about this condition. She reported that her Physician’s Assistant told her it was cosmetic. I told her to keep seeing other physicians because she may need to take medication to help prevent further clogging of her arteries. I have since run into this student in the past five years and her ankles are now almost burgundy colored. She is so at risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

My older brother suffers from heart disease. Many years ago I alerted him to the fact that his ankles were dark brown. He was surprised to learn about PAD. Sometime later he underwent triple bypass surgery. Three months later when he returned home, we both looked at his ankles and noticed that they were of normal color.

Because we tend to hide our ankles in socks and under pants we can forget that there may be a change in color or not be aware of changes in color to our ankles or even our toes. It’s important that as we age we include a visual check of the ankles and feet to give us an inside look into what‘s going on inside our arteries.

By the way, this change in color can be visible in young adults as well. I noticed a young 20 year old obese male at a fiesta walking with difficulty who at his age already displayed discoloration of the ankles. Changes in diet and lifestyle should start at an early age. If you have children, remember that PAD can happen to them too. Take action now. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

What Do You Want to Lose, Weight or Bodyfat?

In the 25 years that I have taught my exercise camps and done personal training I have always run into clients who just want to lose weight. I’m amazed at how people, in general, are so stuck on numbers when it comes to weight loss. I often ask them if they want to lose weight or fat. Many look at me with a puzzled expression having never really thought of weight loss that way. What many people fail to realize is that you only want to lose fat, not muscle. Because muscle weighs much more than fat, people don’t seem to care what they lose. They just want to be lighter. This is a big mistake.

Weight lost on a restrictive diet is of muscle, water and a little fat. This is not a preferred way to lose weight. The numbers on the scale may go down but so will your metabolism. As we age our metabolisms starts to slow down as part of a natural declining of muscle tissue. Restrictive diets speed up this process. Once muscle tissue is lost due to dieting, overtraining or aging, the only way to replace valuable muscle tissue and tone is with resistance training.

Resistance training involves working all muscle groups with free-weights, machines, bands, rubber tubing or even bodyweight. Of course, the machines and free-weight at a gym are the best way to build muscle tone but not the only way. The newly advertised training DVD’s that use bodyweight, plyometerics, stability balls, chin up bars, and push-ups, are excellent ways to build lean muscle mass without going to a gym. Whatever you choose, you must perform these resistance exercise a minimum of two times a week forever. Yes, I repeat, forever. This is not a choice but a must. You must also remember that your heart is a muscle too. And that the heart loses strength with restrictive diets as well. The best way to strengthen the heart is with cardiovascular exercise.

Cardio exercises are any exercise that raises your heart rate to its fat burning range. Everyone’s fat burning range is different. Beginners only have to walk short distances to feel fatigued. Fitter individuals have to do more to “get their heart rates up”. Everyone should do some kind of cardio work-out a minimum of 5 times a week to help burn fat, strengthen your heart muscle, help alleviate stress and have overall improved health.

To burn fat, select exercises that you enjoy doing. That way you’re more likely to keep doing them. If you have two left feet, then step aerobics is not for you. If you’re uncoordinated, try indoor cycling. You may be uncomfortable at first, but you may find you’re more successful at sitting on that cycle and peddling away. Try walking or walk jogging on a treadmill or use an elliptical machine. Add the arm pulls while you’re on the elliptical to get a more challenging work-out. And of course, going for a brisk walk outdoors is ideal for most anyone.

Now that you’ve embarked on both resistance and cardio training, make sure that you eat 4-5 smaller meals a day emphasizing good high fiber carbohydrates and low-fat food. Be sure to eat some healthy fat daily to help lover your LDL or bad cholesterol and elevate your HDL or good cholesterol. Be sure to look for food that is low in sodium and sugar. Read labels, ask how things are made or make your food at home. Don’t be afraid to ask the waiter or waitress how food items are prepared. Red flags for high sodium are things made with oriental/Asian ingredients, cheese, sautés, soy sauce, patis sauce, MSG, oyster sauce or heavy sauces. Anything breaded, on the other hand, will be high in bad carbs and fat.

Lastly, make sure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. Drink mostly water before, during and after exercise. Your body burns fat more efficiently when you’re hydrated. Carry your bottled water and sip water while you walk or jog. You may leave a water bottle at the half-way point of your jog so you won’t have to carry your bottle. Even resistance training requires water. Muscles are 60% water. You must hydrate to keep your core temperature cool and to aid in weight training. Staying hydrated also helps prevent cramping and bloating from a high sodium diet. Avoid Gatorade type sport drinks unless you are exercising in the hot sun for 90 minutes or longer. Cold water is still the best for hydration.

Even in the winter, your body needs hydration. Cold weather requires lots of water too. Don’t be fooled into thinking you don’t need to drink as much. Remember that when you feel thirsty it’s too late. Being thirsty is a sign that you are dehydrated. Remember that coffee, soda, tea and juice don’t count towards hydration. Many articles I’ve read say that juice can count toward hydration but it doesn’t. It is too rich in natural sugar. Stick to plain water or water with lemon squeezed in it. Avoid vitamin water or sugar water too.

So now that you know that you should want to lose just fat, and not muscle, go to a calendar and come up with a plan. Start now. Don’t wait for the first day of the week or the first of the month or the first of the year. Today is a good time to start. Good luck.

Honesty Jeans, A Better Way to Monitor your Weight Loss

In all the years I’ve taught my exercise camps, I constantly try to find better ways to help my students monitor their weight loss progress. I don’t believe in weighing yourself daily. Your body can lose 5 lbs. of water in a day and that’s not fat. Daily weigh -ins may give you a false sense of accomplishment in your weight loss program. Instead, I prefer to use two other types of measurements: the waist measurement or the “ honesty jeans” method.

The waist method is simple. Measure your waist at the beginning of every month and mark that number on your calendar. At the end of the month, measure it again. As long as you keep that number as close to the number 30 as possible, you’ll probably maintain a healthier weight without knowing your exact weight. (This is because some people with big bones or who are more muscular will weigh more but can look smaller). Numerous studies also have shown that a mere waistline measurement is a good predictor of diabetes and heart disease.

For instance, if your waist as a female is 36 inches and it should be 30 the waist measurement method is easy to follow and chart. If you’re 34 inches, petite and should be 27 inches then bring the number to 30 or just below. These goals ARE attainable. They just take time. If you’re a male and your waist is 40 inches, then keep trying to get your waistline measurement down slowly to 38 inches, then 36 and probably a healthy 34 inches.

The “honesty jeans” method is one I coined many years ago, in the 1980’s in my gym in Maite. I tell all my students not to bother weighing themselves frequently but to find a pair of jeans that they Should be wearing. I’m not talking about wearing your high school size but something as an adult you used to wear that looked good on you. We all have a pair of those back in a drawer somewhere. Jeans by the way, are the most unforgiving garment we own.

Now put the jeans on and mark on a calendar the day’s date and where on your body those jeans fall. For example: You put the jeans on and they come as far up as my knees only. On the calendar put “ up to my knees”. Two months or so later, try the jeans on again, and mark where they hit you now. It may be “up to my thighs”. Repeat this periodically going to “over my hips” to “on but can’t zip” to “6 inches to closing” to “can zip but can’t breathe” to “can zip but can’t button” to “ zipped and buttoned with two fingers comfortably fitting inside”. Congratulations. This process may take 8 months or a year but you did it.

Now keep these jeans handy. Every now and then try them on and use them as a guide. When they start getting tight then put the brakes on the eating. Go back and figure out what you’ve been eating that hasn’t been as lean or may be too rich in sugar or more. Or, maybe you started to slack off on your daily exercise routine. I have found that this system of monitoring your measurements really works.

By the way, stretch jeans with elasticized waists don’t count. They must be a pair of real jeans by any manufacturer. Try it and let me know how you’re doing. I’d love to have you blog me on your progress. Good luck.

Why I don’t take supplements

I started bodybuilding in Sept. 1984. At that time I was told by my coach that I needed to take supplements to help with my training and weight gain. I barely weighed 100 lbs. and had to drink a milk shake from Baskin Robbins after each work-out otherwise I’d lose weight and become even skinnier.

I sold supplements in my gym and even represented Beverly International Supplements by posing for their ad in their catalogue. I truly believed that everyone needed vitamin packs, amino acids and protein shakes to become healthier. I continued to sell and take additional supplements as they became available believing that these products would make me healthier.

Please note that the vitamin/supplement industry is not as closely regulated as the pharmaceutical companies. Supplement companies can produce and sell products easily. Every time you flip open a magazine you’ll come across an ad for supplements, juices or shakes that claim to do one thing or another. In our quest to become ever healthier, we fall for these claims and buy these products.

I had taken supplements for 20 years. At my yearly physicals, my family doctor always prided himself in knowing that my test outcome would show optimum results. I was always in perfect health.

In 2000, I had my regular physical and was surprised when my doctor called me to ask me if I drank alcohol. I was puzzled because I rarely drink alcohol or any beverage other than water. He explained that my liver enzymes were that of someone who drank alcohol daily. He then asked me to explain my daily routine and to describe whatever supplements I consumed. I told him that I ate breakfast and took a vitamin pack, liver tablets, amino acids after a work-out, drank a protein shake in between meals and took a fat burner before a cardio work-out. He asked me to go to the cabinet that I stored these items and to hold a trash can up to it and dump all the bottles out. He was serious. I did as instructed.

The next day, I lie on my couch trembling and nauseous. I was weak. I was addicted to those supplements. They were affecting me negatively. That lasted 3 days. I then went back to the clinic after several weeks to repeat the liver enzyme test and my levels had dropped a few points. This indeed was the cause. I was instructed not to even take a Tylenol tablet or aspirin.

It took about a year for my liver enzymes to return to normal. In that time I learned that the liver is a filter and any excess supplements that are not needed are stored there. I came so close to damaging my liver permanently.

Please do not take supplements unless you need them. Be careful of medical doctors who sell supplements.

Today, I take a calcium supplement because I am in the earliest stages of osteopenia, because I’m over 50 I take fish oil gels for heart health and low grade aspirin to help with blood thinning. Except for my hormone replacement pills that I truly need, I don’t take any other supplements.

By the way, because I’m lactose intolerant.instead of milk, I add 1 scoop of strawberry flavored protein powder to my cereal each morning.

Please click on the following links to read my eye opening articles on supplements and the supplement industry.

http://cspinet.org/nah/09_07/supplements.pdf http://cspinet.org/nah/09_07/mfj_supplement.pdf

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The importance of the proper type of footwear for exercise. How to pick the right shoes.

The average person who embarks on an exercise program may not know how to select the proper work-out shoes. Inevitably, we find ourselves asking a store clerk to get a style that we picked out based on looks only. This is not a preferred way to shop for exercise shoes. The following is a brief education about foot type and exercise footwear.

First time exercisers are the most susceptible to injuries so it’s important that they spend money on good quality shoes and socks. Weather you’re a walker only, a walk jogger, or a runner, a good pair of RUNNING is best for cardio work-outs. You can walk in running shoes but you can’t run in walking shoes. Running shoes offer the most support for overweight individuals and those who are new to exercise. Walking shoes are best for wearing with jeans to go shopping at the mall.

Know your foot type. Go to www.roadrunnersports.com and click on go fetch to get a shoe analysis. Answer the questions. If you’re new to exercise just click on the lowest miles run. Even walkers can fill in information as if they were runners. Once you’ve figured out if your feet tend to turn inward, outward or are pretty straight when you walk, the proper shoe style will be easier to find.

If you have bunions or corns or notice that your feet get numb while walking or on an elliptical trainer in a gym, then you must wear shoes with a wide toe box. Women may even opt to wear men’s running shoes. I wear a ladies size 9 even though my dress shoe size is an 8. Men’s shoes even come in extra wide widths.

If you have wide feet you can also try retying your shoes to allow for more room in the toe box. Remove laces and retread them skipping the second and third set of holes. Lace only the first holes and the top two or three. You’ll experience relief from tight shoes almost immediately.

Be careful of wearing cross trainers to go walking or running. These shoes are designed to be worn for weight training or court sports (tennis, squash, volleyball). Cross trainers are too heavy and don’t have enough give to allow you to propel forward while walking to burn fat.

Basketball shoes are for basketball and may be worn in the weight room. Please do not wear them when doing a cardio workout on a treadmill or on the sidewalks outdoors. Remember, the best shoes are running shoes for a cardio work-out.

Aerobics shoes are for aerobics only. They may be worn in the weight room but they have the most cushioning in the ball of the foot and not the heel.

Socks: Please invest in good quality socks like Thorlos brand or another anti blister brand. Roadrunnersports.com has other brands avaialbe. Cheap cotton socks sold in bags at stores bunch up when the wearer sweats. This results in a blister. The last thing an exerciser wants is a blister anywhere on his or her feet. Thorlos brand socks run about $11.00 a pair but they are worth the money. You can find them at any Footlocker store on-line at http://www.thorlo.com. There are Thorlos socks for skiing, basketball, walking, running and more.

When trying on shoes, go at the end of the day. Your feet swell when you exercise so you’ll get a better fit at that time of day. Buy your Thorlos socks and even an insert ( a rubberized sole that you put inside your shoes) and bring them to the store. Make sure that you can play piano with your toes while wearing them in the store. Never think that you can break a pair of shoes in. They should feel comfortable when you put them on and lace them up.

Avoid buying fashion exercise shoes. These are fads that are usually geared towards young teens and adults. Stick to brand name shoes found in athletic stores. Avoid buying inexpensive exercise shoes in discount stores. They do not offer the support needed for regular exercise.

By the way, it’s time to buy a new pair of running shoes when they become loose from the inside. Exercise shoes lose their support way before the treads get worn. Use old shoes for yard work. Invest in two pair of the same running shoe and alternate them to make them last longer.

Fat Belly, Stay Away from Pasta and any Noodles

Time and time again, I get approached by men and women asking me how to lose their belly fat. The answer is multi-faceted, and can’t be answered quickly. Belly fat isn’t caused by one food or only inactivity, it’s caused by a lifestyle of processed food and possibly the wrong type of physical activity.

Certain food will most certainly be stored in your stomach as fat. Juice of any kind, sweets, sodas, fat free candy like licorice, gummy bears, white bread and pasta are partly to blame. Refined sugar is the big culprit because it so easily and quickly processes into sugar and gets stored as fat. If you can cut the intake of these food items you will lose belly fat. If you find it hard to stop, cut down eating each of these items by 50 percent. Then slowly cut them out and replace them with the high fiber versions. Instead of drinking juice, eat the fruit, instead of white rice, brown rice with 3 grams of fiber or more, instead of gummy bears, Hershey’s with almonds..(just remove the chocolate around the outside of the almonds and eat the strip of almond chocolate). The good fat and fiber in the almonds will help slow the digestion of the sugar in the candy bar.

For those of you who love pasta, I have found a wonderful whole wheat Japanese noodle.

Shirataki Noodles! The famous noodle seen in several health magazines is available on-line now. These low-carb noodles can satisfy your spaghetti cravings, and are a gluten free replacement for pasta. Shirataki Noodles are made from yams, and are naturally low in calories and carbs, plus they are an excellent source of fiber, depending on the brand you prefer. These low fat noodles are tender and absorb the flavors you cook them with, so be creative and try them with every meal. If you are a health-conscious eater then Shirataki Noodles are for you. Go to http// www.asianfoodgrocer.com to order. This can take the place of pancit noodles, ramen noodles or Thai noodles. You many also find whole wheat noodles at your favorite grocery store. Look for 6 grams of fiber per serving (2 ounces) and stick to the serving size. The noodles are dark brown but taste delicious.

Once you’ve attempted to eliminate processed carbohydrates from your diet, make sure you do activities that burn fat for energy. Swimming burns very little fat. I suggest swimming for the obese, or elderly or those with arthritis. If you can walk, you should swim for fun only. Swimming actually stimulates your appetite because the energy source you use is not predominantly fat but glycogen. Glycogen is limited and once used up, must be replaced. Thus the craving for carbohydrates after the swim.

Weight lifting is great to put back muscle lost from dieting and aging. Weight lifting without doing cardio workouts will increase your appetite, especially for carbohydrates. I suggest you weight train to raise you overall metabolism but you must do cardio fat burning work-outs as well.

Volleyball, baseball and tennis are not fat burning exercises. Do these exercises for fun and overall exercise but don’t expect your waistline to be smaller just from doing these activities.

Finally, do abdominal and lower back strengthening exercises daily. You won’t burn fat doing ab exercises but you will strengthen your ab and lower back muscles so that when the fat on top and underneath your abs are burned away your posture will be better. You’ll have a stronger core and you’ll look better.