Shouldn’t we as people with normal, regular lives look to stay healthy, rather than appear healthy. Being at your perceived “ideal” weight can come at a cost to your health and potentially shorten your life.

Always remember that what we do while we are young can impact our bodies later in life.
Just a quick thought..

The BL contestants are obviously gaining from the show in exposure to the public and lessons in health. Many previous contestants are now the face of various weight loss products and for the most part have improved their lives. It is this second point where I start to wonder whether the contestants are gaining valuable experiences or are just being used to line the pockets of the shows producers and sponsors.

My first gripe with the show is the format, anyone taken out of their normal routine and blasted by personal trainers for hours a day, will lose weight. What happens when the contestants return home to the same life choices which caused the weight gain. Self discipline isn’t tested when you are being watched 24/7.

My second gripe is the game style of play, I know that this is to get people watching however what is the benefit of sending a contestant away after a week (benefit to the contestant is all I’m concerned about). One idea would be to send contestants away to a wild card camp to continue their training and play for a spot in the main group towards the end. That way they are going to experience the kick start needed to drop the weight. Perhaps even filming a portion of the show from the contestant’s homes and teach them how to balance exercise around “normal” life.

Thirdly, the merchandise is terrible. The shake system of dieting is proven to work over a short period of time but who can really maintain drinking one of these sugar filled protein based meal replacements for any longer than a couple of months!!  Whilst on a shake diet what are you learning about food?? What are you going to do once you’ve had enough of the not eating food? Shakes are proven to help drop weight and are great for Yo-yo dieters. I think a show of this popularity should make a stronger stance on healthy eating for life rather than loseing weight for 6 months of every year. I am aware that the BL website does offer calorie calculators and food ideas, however the shakes are the most prominant aspect of their campaign.

For all the exercise purists I guess a TV show isn’t going to satisfy everybody. I would like to see a show which is actually showing you the workouts and meals that the contestants are using. Ideally a concept which follows the current government’s ad campaign about not crossing the line to make a positive change. After all isn’t that what everyone in the fitness industry and government should be working towards ??

1. Eating Less Frequently

If you think the best way to lose weight is to eat less meals well that is mistake number 1. It is considered ideal to eat 5 meals a day. That may sound ridiculous considering that the main meals of the day are breakfast, lunch and dinner and to eat 2 more meals when your trying to lose weight. The idea behind this is if you eat regularly with portioned sized meal your body will speed up it’s metabolism. When you eat large meals spaced far apart your metabolism slows down and your body may start to store fat from the food you have eaten as your body won’t know how long it will be until it gets more fuel.

2. Skip breakfast

This is pretty much continued on from what I stated above. People think that by skipping breakfast they will lose weight. Theoretically it would given that you have minimised your calorie intake as you have missed a meal, however your metabolism is slowing down, your body is starved for fuel and what it will do once it obtains fuel is store whatever it can as fat. Not to mention skipping breakfast will leave you tired/fatigued and malnourish throughout the day.

Weight loss rule of thumb: Energy in has to be less than energy out. This is achieved through eating regularly and portion sized meals. There is no supplement for a healthy diet and a well planned fitness program.

Firstly, let’s make sure you manage your expectations realistically. Don’t assume you will be able to do what you used to do, especially if it’s been more than 6 months since your last spate of exercise. If this is the case, you are most likely in a detrained state. This is not a major issue, but it’s important to know from the outset that it will take time to build up to your desired level of fitness. Be patient. 

It’s best to ease into things. Your first week of training should be more than what you’ve been doing, but don’t go too hard in the hope that it will speed up your progress. It won’t. You’ll just feel over-exerted, expose yourself to injury and become discouraged. 

If you decide to conduct your program outside a gym, you can start by walking or jogging in the park. If you are going to join the gym, start with a personal trainer. Just having that appointment will keep you motivated to attend. I’ve seen so many people join the gym, attend their first appraisal, and never come again. People who do this are a gym’s bread and butter. If you are going to join, make sure you come into the gym and get your money’s worth. 

A gym is a business – they exist to make a profit, and will charge everyone the same rate whether they come in or not. When I worked for a major gym chain, I wanted members to come and ask me questions or give them new exercises. Not only did it keep me in a job – it kept them on the right track and ensured they got maximum value from their membership. Use the gym as a resource for your benefit, and make your membership work for you. 

During your first session, bear in mind the following: 

- You will be sore the next day. 

- Stick to the weights given on your program 

– these will be increased over time. 

- Be receptive to advice. Gym staff are there to help you. 

- Speak up if a particular exercise hurts or you have any existing injuries. 

Once you’ve survived your first session, set aside the time for the second. Don’t look six months ahead just yet, get through the first week. At this stage, you don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself. We will go into goal setting later, for now I just want you to start moving and maintain that movement.

The Lunge

The lunge is one of the most commonly prescribe exercises in gyms, it is also more often than not performed incorrectly. As a base I shall explain the lunge and more exercises as time goes by adding a new exercise monthly.

What Is It?

The basic lunge is one foot in front of the other bending the front knee. Now that’s not too helpful. Step by step the lunge is as follows:

1. Place your feet one in front of the other, front foot forward of your body and back leg behind your body.

2. Lift your rear heel up off the ground leaving your toes on the ground. Keep your whole front foot planted on the ground, don’t lift it up at all.

3. To start the movement bend your front knee, putting all of your body weight through the front foot. When you’re as low as you can go push through your front heel to straighten your front knee.

4. Repeat for the set range, alternating feet at the end of each set.

Why Do We Do It?

The primary function of a lunge is to develop single leg strength and stability. Most people have a dominant side, the role of single side exercises is to try and eradicate the difference between dominant and non-dominant side. This is also good for preventing knee, hip and ankle injuries as we seldom use both legs at the same time.

What Muscles Are Worked?

Your dominant leg muscles are the primary movers for this exercise, quadriceps, hamstrings, calf (gastrocnemius and soleus), gluteals and abdominals if your maintaining correct posture.

What Else Can I Do With It?

There are many additions to the basic lunge and these will be addressed further down the line or you can e-mail me for any ideas.