Thursday's Reality - Don't Believe What You See on TV!

We have all heard before: don't believe everything you see on TV; even those so-called "reality" shows are staged and fake. With that said, there are some shows that have some good info and encouragement. Two of my favorites are The Biggest Loser and Extreme Weight Loss. I do love the motivation they create in others, the tips and education provided for living a healthier lifestyle, and proof that even if you feel like there is no hope, you CAN do it!

But here's what is NOT the reality part of the show: the weekly weight loss of 10+ pounds in a week for the average person…the average mom or dad who are working, raising a family, running around to soccer games and ballet practice.

The reality is this - back go to basics: calories in/calories out

The people on Extreme Weight Loss go to a facility for the first 3 months where everything they do and eat is monitored. There is no work to do. There are no kids. No laundry. They workout 2-4 hours a day, eat prepared foods to stay within their 1500-2000 calories (depending on who they are) and get plenty of sleep.

If you had 3 months to only workout and eat right wouldn’t you also lose 90 pounds in 90 days?

So let's break down YOUR reality: It takes 3500 calories burned to lose 1 pound,   which is a NET Number. To lose a pound a day, you have to burn 3500 calories - NET. There is also your metabolic resting rate to factor into the equation which will be different for everyone (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator).

What is realistic for you? Can you go out and burn 3500 extra calories a day? Probably not. The reason I ask this is because I had a client who lost 3 pounds in a week; I was happy for her and she thought she failed. She thought she should be losing 10 pounds a week like they do on the TV shows. When I broke it down to her and asked if she was working out at the gym, burning 3500+ calories a day, she said no. AND THAT’S OK!! She’s a mom of 3 teenage kids, wife of a busy doctor, and works full time herself.

Here is what she is capable of: she walks every day, she works out with me twice a week for strength and interval training, she’s on The Challenge (www.iCanDoProject10.com) and she’s eating breakfast! So, yeah – 3 pounds average per week is great; it’s what the “normal” person can do. 

The next time you only lose a pound or three, that’s okay; you’re going in the right direction. Just know that to do more quicker, you need to change things up and burn more calories, while properly fueling your workouts with the right diet and nutrition.

A pound lost is always better than a pound gained!