I really felt for Daris, one of the final 4 on the Biggest Loser Television Show. He was shown on the "confession cam" eating late at night. He knew better, but was choosing to deal with his emotions by eating.
I just got back from a visit to my mother's...so I completely understand the stress that being at home entails. It is not easy to change our emotional patterns...but we must learn to change our reactions to our emotions if we want to keep our weight loss success permanently!
Like Daris, I also ate to soothe my emotions. I am also determined that I will not allow a few nights of eating ice cream spoil what I have accomplished.
I know that I deserve to have a healthy, slender body. I know I feel better physically and emotionally when I eat well. I also know there is room in a healthy eating plan for some of my favorite treats...and I also know that I am human and not perfect!
Truth is, it was my desire for perfection (ironically) that helped me to obesity in the first place. So by letting go of the need to be perfect, to allow for human failings (now, if they are human are they really failings???) I cut myself a little slack and will then be able to get back on the horse, moving my body, making healthy food choices and loving this work in progress!
Because I know that Daris and I are not the only ones on this planet to resort to emotional eating, I have come up with some strategies that will help curb the binge.
I'll write more about these strategies over the coming days and I would love to hear from you which strategies work for you...and what strategies you have for stopping emotional eating in its tracks!
Check back tomorrow for the #1 strategy...this biggee might just stop your binge before it even starts!
Showing posts with label Biggest Loser television show. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Biggest Loser television show. Show all posts
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Curbing Emotional Eating for Permanent Weight Loss
I don't agree with a lot of the tactics in the Biggest Loser television show...however, I don't believe there is any one right or wrong way to lose weight...as long as it is done in a healthy way giving permanent weight loss results.
One of the points that was brought up in last night's episode is how essential it is to get behind the reason behind getting to be obese in the first place. Sure, it is possible to overeat because we like the taste of food, because we don't know about nutrition...sure it is possible to be fat because of this lack of knowledge...but is it possible to become obese just out of this type of ignorance?
I don't think so...and apparently, neither do Bob and Jillian.
There are emotional reasons for overeating...to become obese we have to develop a pattern of eating past the point of no longer being hungry. We are eating to feed something beside our physical body...
Often we eat to the point of discomfort or even pain.
Think of Thanksgiving dinner...the "gotta unzip my pants because I ate too much" feeling...now imagine that stuffed feeling every day...possibly even every meal. It is not by having a couple meals like that a year that we become fat. It is by practicing this pattern over and over that we become overstuffed, literally, and wind up obese.
We must curb our emotional eating in order to achieve our desired result--PERMANENT weight loss. It doesn't do us any good to lose a bunch of weight only to gain it back. I know. I've done it.
We get all excited at our "new" bodies and declare we will NEVER get fat again. And yet we do. Why? Because we did not deal with the underlying issue (or issues) that allowed us to eat all that food in the first place.
Learning about nutrition and exercise are just tools...they are both excellent tools...but there are a lot of us who DO know what healthy eating entails, who DO exercise (or at least know how to) and yet still overeat to the point of obesity.
It may be that some traumatic event happened in your life that left you feeling out of control...for some of the contestants on the Biggest Loser it was the loss of a family member at an early age. It may not have been as traumatic as that, or it may have been something that you saw, such as the story related on "Ruby"...or it may have been something that someone did or said to you...
And these things may not seem big from an adult's standpoint...from our current perspective we may be able to shrug it off...but it probably didn't happen to you as an adult! And sometimes the littlest things make big impacts on us as kids.
One of the reasons I stress getting the proper mindset for weight loss is because it is our emotions and our thoughts that got us to be obese in the first place, and we must change that foundation in order to build the new healthy, energetic, slender body that we desire.
One of the points that was brought up in last night's episode is how essential it is to get behind the reason behind getting to be obese in the first place. Sure, it is possible to overeat because we like the taste of food, because we don't know about nutrition...sure it is possible to be fat because of this lack of knowledge...but is it possible to become obese just out of this type of ignorance?
I don't think so...and apparently, neither do Bob and Jillian.
There are emotional reasons for overeating...to become obese we have to develop a pattern of eating past the point of no longer being hungry. We are eating to feed something beside our physical body...
Often we eat to the point of discomfort or even pain.
Think of Thanksgiving dinner...the "gotta unzip my pants because I ate too much" feeling...now imagine that stuffed feeling every day...possibly even every meal. It is not by having a couple meals like that a year that we become fat. It is by practicing this pattern over and over that we become overstuffed, literally, and wind up obese.
We must curb our emotional eating in order to achieve our desired result--PERMANENT weight loss. It doesn't do us any good to lose a bunch of weight only to gain it back. I know. I've done it.
We get all excited at our "new" bodies and declare we will NEVER get fat again. And yet we do. Why? Because we did not deal with the underlying issue (or issues) that allowed us to eat all that food in the first place.
Learning about nutrition and exercise are just tools...they are both excellent tools...but there are a lot of us who DO know what healthy eating entails, who DO exercise (or at least know how to) and yet still overeat to the point of obesity.
It may be that some traumatic event happened in your life that left you feeling out of control...for some of the contestants on the Biggest Loser it was the loss of a family member at an early age. It may not have been as traumatic as that, or it may have been something that you saw, such as the story related on "Ruby"...or it may have been something that someone did or said to you...
And these things may not seem big from an adult's standpoint...from our current perspective we may be able to shrug it off...but it probably didn't happen to you as an adult! And sometimes the littlest things make big impacts on us as kids.
One of the reasons I stress getting the proper mindset for weight loss is because it is our emotions and our thoughts that got us to be obese in the first place, and we must change that foundation in order to build the new healthy, energetic, slender body that we desire.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Believing in Yourself Critical to Weight loss Success on the Biggest Loser
One of the biggest weight loss challenges overweight people face is believing in themselves. This is at the core of my Refuse To Diet theory. We somehow have absorbed the message that we don't deserve to be slim and healthy...we aren't worthy of it.
This appeared even on the Biggest Loser Television show recently. When one of the other "contestants" was sent home, one of the remaining folks felt it was difficult to continue. He really struggled with feeling deserving of being there.
We can go on all sorts of diets and every exercise routine in the world...but if we do not believe we deserve the gift of health then we will not succeed. Not in the long-run. In order to achieve and maintain, permanent weight loss you must come to know in your heart that this is your birthright.
Diets don't work because they don't address these issues. They don't fail because we are weak...it isn't about willpower...it is completely our mindset about our ability to lose weight and our deserving a healthy, slender body.
I loved how this beautiful "Loser" put it, he said that he realized he had always run from his feelings and it was time to start running towards...and through...them.
You probably don't have access to Bob or Jillian to help you face your emotional "issues"...you can get other help...and you can start working on improving your sense of worthiness right now, at home. Write down some positive affirmations about you...it doesn't have to start with anything to do with your body...just about you as a human being. Now, practice saying those affirmations over and over all day long. Every time you feel negative, say the positive affirmation.
Before long, you will even begin to believe it...and that's when you know you are making progress...and that's when you will really start to see and feel the results!
I know that you deserve a healthy, energetic and slender body...and I know that you can achieve it! Go for it!
This appeared even on the Biggest Loser Television show recently. When one of the other "contestants" was sent home, one of the remaining folks felt it was difficult to continue. He really struggled with feeling deserving of being there.
We can go on all sorts of diets and every exercise routine in the world...but if we do not believe we deserve the gift of health then we will not succeed. Not in the long-run. In order to achieve and maintain, permanent weight loss you must come to know in your heart that this is your birthright.
Diets don't work because they don't address these issues. They don't fail because we are weak...it isn't about willpower...it is completely our mindset about our ability to lose weight and our deserving a healthy, slender body.
I loved how this beautiful "Loser" put it, he said that he realized he had always run from his feelings and it was time to start running towards...and through...them.
You probably don't have access to Bob or Jillian to help you face your emotional "issues"...you can get other help...and you can start working on improving your sense of worthiness right now, at home. Write down some positive affirmations about you...it doesn't have to start with anything to do with your body...just about you as a human being. Now, practice saying those affirmations over and over all day long. Every time you feel negative, say the positive affirmation.
Before long, you will even begin to believe it...and that's when you know you are making progress...and that's when you will really start to see and feel the results!
I know that you deserve a healthy, energetic and slender body...and I know that you can achieve it! Go for it!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Biggest Loser Phenomenon
This is the first season I have seen the very first episode of the Biggest Loser...I've decided to watch an entire season...(thank goodness for Tivo!)...so I can see if there are nuggets that I can use...what works for me and what doesn't.
My first reaction was that it certainly is "good television" in that they edit it and score it to amp the viewer up and keep you watching.
I still have trouble with the whole competitive nature of the show. Is voting someone off every week necessary? I think it is more for the angst that the contestants go through and the fact that you get to like them and don't want to see them voted off (or you don't like them and DO want to see them voted off)...that is all part of the television drama off it. Especially last week when not only was their a traditional vote, but 2 other teams were "eliminated" before they even got to unpack their bags.
I used to be a competitive swimmer...I know I have a competitive streak in me. But, as much as I like to believe that I really was only competing against myself, I remember how demoralizing it could be to lose when you worked hard. It lead to my beating myself up a lot...about not being fast enough, talented enough, good enough.
I wonder if the Biggest Loser was more like swim meets if it would be as successful. After all, we ended up having rivalries like other sports...and you got to face off against your rivals time after time.
Quite a different situation with Biggest Loser where if you don't win you are sent home.
What do you think? Does the threat of being sent home inspire the participant to work harder? Isn't the prize of health (and potentially a lot of money, prestige, improved appearance, a wardrobe etc) enough to get them to work hard?
I believe the threat of being sent home is strictly for the television factor and has little to do with motivating the participants...and can potentially be detrimental to them. If the goal is truly to inspire us, the audience, to be healthier wouldn't it be better for us to see as many examples of success as possible?
What do you think? What do you like about The Biggest Loser? What don't you like? Would you want to be on the show? Why or why not? Are you inspired into action by it? Or are you sitting there on the couch watching it while eating ice cream (or your snack of choice) thinking you can only get healthy if you are ON the show?
My first reaction was that it certainly is "good television" in that they edit it and score it to amp the viewer up and keep you watching.
I still have trouble with the whole competitive nature of the show. Is voting someone off every week necessary? I think it is more for the angst that the contestants go through and the fact that you get to like them and don't want to see them voted off (or you don't like them and DO want to see them voted off)...that is all part of the television drama off it. Especially last week when not only was their a traditional vote, but 2 other teams were "eliminated" before they even got to unpack their bags.
I used to be a competitive swimmer...I know I have a competitive streak in me. But, as much as I like to believe that I really was only competing against myself, I remember how demoralizing it could be to lose when you worked hard. It lead to my beating myself up a lot...about not being fast enough, talented enough, good enough.
I wonder if the Biggest Loser was more like swim meets if it would be as successful. After all, we ended up having rivalries like other sports...and you got to face off against your rivals time after time.
Quite a different situation with Biggest Loser where if you don't win you are sent home.
What do you think? Does the threat of being sent home inspire the participant to work harder? Isn't the prize of health (and potentially a lot of money, prestige, improved appearance, a wardrobe etc) enough to get them to work hard?
I believe the threat of being sent home is strictly for the television factor and has little to do with motivating the participants...and can potentially be detrimental to them. If the goal is truly to inspire us, the audience, to be healthier wouldn't it be better for us to see as many examples of success as possible?
What do you think? What do you like about The Biggest Loser? What don't you like? Would you want to be on the show? Why or why not? Are you inspired into action by it? Or are you sitting there on the couch watching it while eating ice cream (or your snack of choice) thinking you can only get healthy if you are ON the show?
Friday, November 20, 2009
Biggest Loser Weight Loss Inspiration
Rudy faced a big mental break through on the Biggest Loser television show this week...I wrote about that yesterday...but there were a couple other moments that I also found inspiring...and important to point out.
Rebecca was the big inspiration to me...not because of what she did while on the show, but because of what she has accomplished since going home! She is showing the drive and determination to succeed and achieve her health goals...and to help overweight kids to become healthy and I applaud that!
The spotlight is still on her...and will be for a long time, especially in her hometown...and I hope that she is able to reflect that light to shine a beacon of hope for many, many people...kids and adults alike.
One of the biggest lessons I got from TBL this week, was that even with all the exercising and access to coaches, weight loss is not a consistent, predictable event.
Weight loss is not a simple math equation. Two women "only" lost 3 pounds...while that would be an excellent weight loss at home, 3 pounds at the ranch is surprisingly low. You could see the disbelief on the faces of everyone. Not just this week, but in other weeks when a participant didn't lose much weight.
The truth is, it happens. It doesn't mean the person ate more than the others or exercised any less. Sometimes weight just hangs on...I don't know why...but I know from personal experience it does!
Then sometimes you will have a HUGE weight drop even though you are doing the same things as the week before. This was exemplified by Amanda's weight loss success this week.
The three women all weigh about the same amount. Amanda and Rebecca are similar in age, and appear to workout at a similar intensity...so why did one have a 3 pound weight loss and the other lose 9 pounds?
The take-away here is not that one of them was better or luckier than the other. It is that this does happen. Don't beat yourself up over it.
Take the steps towards your health and you will get there. It might take you months or even years...but as long as you continue to take the steps you will get closer and closer and ultimately achieve your goal.
Use this to inspire you to your own weight loss success!
What did you think about this week's show? What part moved you the most? Was there a message you resonated with...that you can apply to your life?
Rebecca was the big inspiration to me...not because of what she did while on the show, but because of what she has accomplished since going home! She is showing the drive and determination to succeed and achieve her health goals...and to help overweight kids to become healthy and I applaud that!
The spotlight is still on her...and will be for a long time, especially in her hometown...and I hope that she is able to reflect that light to shine a beacon of hope for many, many people...kids and adults alike.
One of the biggest lessons I got from TBL this week, was that even with all the exercising and access to coaches, weight loss is not a consistent, predictable event.
Weight loss is not a simple math equation. Two women "only" lost 3 pounds...while that would be an excellent weight loss at home, 3 pounds at the ranch is surprisingly low. You could see the disbelief on the faces of everyone. Not just this week, but in other weeks when a participant didn't lose much weight.
The truth is, it happens. It doesn't mean the person ate more than the others or exercised any less. Sometimes weight just hangs on...I don't know why...but I know from personal experience it does!
Then sometimes you will have a HUGE weight drop even though you are doing the same things as the week before. This was exemplified by Amanda's weight loss success this week.
The three women all weigh about the same amount. Amanda and Rebecca are similar in age, and appear to workout at a similar intensity...so why did one have a 3 pound weight loss and the other lose 9 pounds?
The take-away here is not that one of them was better or luckier than the other. It is that this does happen. Don't beat yourself up over it.
Take the steps towards your health and you will get there. It might take you months or even years...but as long as you continue to take the steps you will get closer and closer and ultimately achieve your goal.
Use this to inspire you to your own weight loss success!
What did you think about this week's show? What part moved you the most? Was there a message you resonated with...that you can apply to your life?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Weight Loss Inspiration on Biggest Loser This Week
If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that the Biggest Loser television show (TBL) is not my idea of the perfect way to lose weight...
While I don't think that any one way to achieve your health goes is perfect for everyone, I'm also open to the idea that most ways are good for some people.
This week on TBL a couple things came up that really had me apologizing to Jillian, Bob and TBL...at least mentally. Hmmm, maybe I'd better send them a apology tweet, too.
Why the change of tune? First I got to see how Jillian was with Rudy and to actually hear her say that unless he faces the emotions behind WHY he got to be obese he won't have real, permanent success. That was huge...and to see her push him to get to the answer was very important...for Rudy and the viewers at home.
While Rudy's success has been stellar...one of my concerns all along (for all contestants, not just Rudy) is will they be able to keep it off? Once they are away from the ranch...working on their own...back to their families and their lives...will they have success.
I am hopeful that this signals in Rudy an awareness...because it is by being aware of when we are eating and why that we can actually make some changes! It is about conscious eating choices, not reactive eating.
For most of us, there is an underlying reason why we packed on the pounds. Rudy faced abandonment issues, Liz put everyone else first and stuffed down her needs...whether you had a traumatic experience or just allowed life to overwhelm you, it is possible to overcome this pattern and achieve your weight loss and health goals.
Another point that I want to commend Jillian and Bob on...one that you don't see too often...was how they were supportive of Allen when he didn't post a huge weight loss number. You could hear them telling Allen that he is healthy, it is a good number. They reminded him more than once this week that it isn't about the show...it isn't about playing the game...it isn't about winning the title...it is about getting healthy.
Check back tomorrow and see what else inspired me from this show this week.
While I don't think that any one way to achieve your health goes is perfect for everyone, I'm also open to the idea that most ways are good for some people.
This week on TBL a couple things came up that really had me apologizing to Jillian, Bob and TBL...at least mentally. Hmmm, maybe I'd better send them a apology tweet, too.
Why the change of tune? First I got to see how Jillian was with Rudy and to actually hear her say that unless he faces the emotions behind WHY he got to be obese he won't have real, permanent success. That was huge...and to see her push him to get to the answer was very important...for Rudy and the viewers at home.
While Rudy's success has been stellar...one of my concerns all along (for all contestants, not just Rudy) is will they be able to keep it off? Once they are away from the ranch...working on their own...back to their families and their lives...will they have success.
I am hopeful that this signals in Rudy an awareness...because it is by being aware of when we are eating and why that we can actually make some changes! It is about conscious eating choices, not reactive eating.
For most of us, there is an underlying reason why we packed on the pounds. Rudy faced abandonment issues, Liz put everyone else first and stuffed down her needs...whether you had a traumatic experience or just allowed life to overwhelm you, it is possible to overcome this pattern and achieve your weight loss and health goals.
Another point that I want to commend Jillian and Bob on...one that you don't see too often...was how they were supportive of Allen when he didn't post a huge weight loss number. You could hear them telling Allen that he is healthy, it is a good number. They reminded him more than once this week that it isn't about the show...it isn't about playing the game...it isn't about winning the title...it is about getting healthy.
Check back tomorrow and see what else inspired me from this show this week.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Oh No! I Have to Lose 125 Pounds AGAIN!?!
Boy, is this overwhelming...there is so much to do...so far to go...how on earth am I going to achieve this goal?
I didn't gain 125 pounds overnight...and no, I won't drop it overnight, or in a weekend either...but where to begin? This excess has been accumulating for years and years.
This weekend I vowed to make huge progress...and by last night I was exhausted, drained and demoralized when my results did not seem to match my efforts...
I took a good look around and realized there is excess all over...top to bottom...I've always put on weight all over, but with extra padding going to my thighs.
This time the weight settled mostly in my basement...literally!
I have been gathering "stuff" for a long time...maybe because I moved so much as a kid and had to throw stuff away...but I have boxes and boxes of stuff that is cluttering my life.
I've watched shows and read books about how to handle it, and it is exciting, scary, overwhelming and liberating to watch as people like Peter Walsh (Oprah show clutter guru) help declutter viewers in a matter of days...kind of The Biggest Loser for your stuff!
Well, for me, trying to do this on my own was daunting and seemingly impossible.
This morning I woke up with a huge Ah Ha! This is so like losing weight...okay, I know other people have said the clutter in our homes can be a reflection of the clutter in our minds and bodies, but the PROCESS of getting rid of it is also the same...you can't just throw it all away in a weekend and expect the results to be permanent.
When I looked at losing 125 pounds of body fat it seemed overwhelming. I kept putting it off because it just didn't seem possible. I tried and failed, tried and failed, tried and failed so often that I began to believe I was a failure and that I would never have a healthy, slender body.
Weight loss success came when I changed my mindset. I began to believe that it just might be possible to lose weight and I chose to move towards HEALTH and make small changes that I could maintain.
The realization came that if I approach my basement clutter in the same way I can have success there, too! I'm moving towards health, freedom, and mobility. Some of that is figurative, but it is also literal. I've contemplated moving closer to my mom...but that thought is depressing when I think about all the c*&p I'd have to pack or get rid of...so by going through it NOW, bit by bit, I will gain the power and freedom to move if that's what is the right thing for me and her.
Instead of dieting, rather than focusing on the entire 125 pounds, or 125 boxes, I will celebrate each box...and if an entire box is too much, I will celebrate with each item that is removed from my house!
Whether you want to successfully lose excess fat or stuff...it takes mindset first, and small, consistent steps in the direction you want to go.
You CAN do it.
Celebrate every success.
It isn't a competition...it is about your life!
To healthy, energetic & slender bodies...and the houses they live in!
I didn't gain 125 pounds overnight...and no, I won't drop it overnight, or in a weekend either...but where to begin? This excess has been accumulating for years and years.
This weekend I vowed to make huge progress...and by last night I was exhausted, drained and demoralized when my results did not seem to match my efforts...
I took a good look around and realized there is excess all over...top to bottom...I've always put on weight all over, but with extra padding going to my thighs.
This time the weight settled mostly in my basement...literally!
I have been gathering "stuff" for a long time...maybe because I moved so much as a kid and had to throw stuff away...but I have boxes and boxes of stuff that is cluttering my life.
I've watched shows and read books about how to handle it, and it is exciting, scary, overwhelming and liberating to watch as people like Peter Walsh (Oprah show clutter guru) help declutter viewers in a matter of days...kind of The Biggest Loser for your stuff!
Well, for me, trying to do this on my own was daunting and seemingly impossible.
This morning I woke up with a huge Ah Ha! This is so like losing weight...okay, I know other people have said the clutter in our homes can be a reflection of the clutter in our minds and bodies, but the PROCESS of getting rid of it is also the same...you can't just throw it all away in a weekend and expect the results to be permanent.
When I looked at losing 125 pounds of body fat it seemed overwhelming. I kept putting it off because it just didn't seem possible. I tried and failed, tried and failed, tried and failed so often that I began to believe I was a failure and that I would never have a healthy, slender body.
Weight loss success came when I changed my mindset. I began to believe that it just might be possible to lose weight and I chose to move towards HEALTH and make small changes that I could maintain.
The realization came that if I approach my basement clutter in the same way I can have success there, too! I'm moving towards health, freedom, and mobility. Some of that is figurative, but it is also literal. I've contemplated moving closer to my mom...but that thought is depressing when I think about all the c*&p I'd have to pack or get rid of...so by going through it NOW, bit by bit, I will gain the power and freedom to move if that's what is the right thing for me and her.
Instead of dieting, rather than focusing on the entire 125 pounds, or 125 boxes, I will celebrate each box...and if an entire box is too much, I will celebrate with each item that is removed from my house!
Whether you want to successfully lose excess fat or stuff...it takes mindset first, and small, consistent steps in the direction you want to go.
You CAN do it.
Celebrate every success.
It isn't a competition...it is about your life!
To healthy, energetic & slender bodies...and the houses they live in!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Celebrity Weight Loss Week: Biggest Loser Extra Edition
First off, happy Friday the 13th! Our 3rd this year...wow! If you think this is an unlucky day, then switch up that thinking...use this as another opportunity to remember that your mindset determines your reality...I love Friday the 13th, it has always been a good day for me and I expect it will continue to be one in the future.
OK, the real reason for the post...I just couldn't wait any longer to comment about this week's episode of The Biggest Loser television show. (If you TIVO the show and haven't watched it yet, then you might want to wait to read this post...so quick, watch the show and then come right back here!)
I still have my doubts about this program, other than from an entertainment standpoint. Does the show really help people lose weight? It seems to work for some of the participants...at least some of the time...but does it work for them once they get home? And more importantly, does it really work for the Johns and Janes watching at home?
I firmly believe that no one weight loss program is perfect for every person, and the "ranch" is obviously not 'real life', but if it can help guide people to be more healthy, then I support that.
I admit, I'm getting sucked in to TBL, but I root for everyone. I want them all to succeed. It sucks that there are eliminations...but that is what makes the competition and the show...and the good part is we also get to see how those participants who are eliminated fare once they are off the ranch. Still not "normal" life because they know there will be follow up shows...but clearly, not everyone has success off the ranch as was evidenced by the follow up with Daniel (who is doing really well, hurray!) and his buddy (who isn't ready yet...)
One of my questions for you is, do you think Jillian's style works? The in-your-face, yelling, calling people names? Some of the participants seem to respond...but I've now seen 2 in very recent weeks walk out of the workout session with her because she pushed them too far. Many of them seem to really love her...is her style about "tough love" and pushing people past what they believe their limits are...showing them they are stronger than they every dreamt possible?
I think the reason they put up with her is because she does help them get through their emotional blocks and they see results.
But her method works because they are with her so much of the time...AND because her style is also balanced by Bob's style.
Is this yelling necessary for weight loss? Absolutely not. But it makes great television.
Another question I have about all this exercising...are they encouraging behavior that leads to anorexia? (Anorexia and obesity are really just flip sides of the same coin.)
I hope that all participants are given the tools they need for dealing with their emotions and eating habits when they are no longer under the television spotlight.
Bottom line, what bothers me most about TBL is the competition...while healthy competition can be helpful for some people to achieve their weight loss goals...a healthy competition is also support. Yes, they do get some of that at the ranch...and it is why having a workout buddy can really help.
But competition where a person is punished, in this case sent home, for not losing enough weight--even when that's 17 pounds in a single week and 100 pounds in only 9 weeks like Shay's experience, that can reinforce negative messages of not being good enough, never being able to lose enough weight, etc.
Please, do not model your program on TBL...without lots of modifications to allow for life. TBL is a television show. These people are closely monitored and supervised. To expect that you will be able to lose 100 pounds in 9 or 10 (or 12) weeks could set you up for massive disappointment.
Instead, encorporate small changes in your behavior...starting with your mindset. Believe that you can lose weight. Believe it is possible NOW. You do NOT have to be on TBL to have weight loss success.
Do you watch the Biggest Loser? Tell me what you like about it, what you don't like...has it inspired you? Or are you watching it, like Shay was last season, while eating a half gallon of ice cream?
Use their examples to inspire you to have your own success, in your own time...and to start now!
To YOUR healthy, energetic, slender body--you deserve it! (No yelling required.)
OK, the real reason for the post...I just couldn't wait any longer to comment about this week's episode of The Biggest Loser television show. (If you TIVO the show and haven't watched it yet, then you might want to wait to read this post...so quick, watch the show and then come right back here!)
I still have my doubts about this program, other than from an entertainment standpoint. Does the show really help people lose weight? It seems to work for some of the participants...at least some of the time...but does it work for them once they get home? And more importantly, does it really work for the Johns and Janes watching at home?
I firmly believe that no one weight loss program is perfect for every person, and the "ranch" is obviously not 'real life', but if it can help guide people to be more healthy, then I support that.
I admit, I'm getting sucked in to TBL, but I root for everyone. I want them all to succeed. It sucks that there are eliminations...but that is what makes the competition and the show...and the good part is we also get to see how those participants who are eliminated fare once they are off the ranch. Still not "normal" life because they know there will be follow up shows...but clearly, not everyone has success off the ranch as was evidenced by the follow up with Daniel (who is doing really well, hurray!) and his buddy (who isn't ready yet...)
One of my questions for you is, do you think Jillian's style works? The in-your-face, yelling, calling people names? Some of the participants seem to respond...but I've now seen 2 in very recent weeks walk out of the workout session with her because she pushed them too far. Many of them seem to really love her...is her style about "tough love" and pushing people past what they believe their limits are...showing them they are stronger than they every dreamt possible?
I think the reason they put up with her is because she does help them get through their emotional blocks and they see results.
But her method works because they are with her so much of the time...AND because her style is also balanced by Bob's style.
Is this yelling necessary for weight loss? Absolutely not. But it makes great television.
Another question I have about all this exercising...are they encouraging behavior that leads to anorexia? (Anorexia and obesity are really just flip sides of the same coin.)
I hope that all participants are given the tools they need for dealing with their emotions and eating habits when they are no longer under the television spotlight.
Bottom line, what bothers me most about TBL is the competition...while healthy competition can be helpful for some people to achieve their weight loss goals...a healthy competition is also support. Yes, they do get some of that at the ranch...and it is why having a workout buddy can really help.
But competition where a person is punished, in this case sent home, for not losing enough weight--even when that's 17 pounds in a single week and 100 pounds in only 9 weeks like Shay's experience, that can reinforce negative messages of not being good enough, never being able to lose enough weight, etc.
Please, do not model your program on TBL...without lots of modifications to allow for life. TBL is a television show. These people are closely monitored and supervised. To expect that you will be able to lose 100 pounds in 9 or 10 (or 12) weeks could set you up for massive disappointment.
Instead, encorporate small changes in your behavior...starting with your mindset. Believe that you can lose weight. Believe it is possible NOW. You do NOT have to be on TBL to have weight loss success.
Do you watch the Biggest Loser? Tell me what you like about it, what you don't like...has it inspired you? Or are you watching it, like Shay was last season, while eating a half gallon of ice cream?
Use their examples to inspire you to have your own success, in your own time...and to start now!
To YOUR healthy, energetic, slender body--you deserve it! (No yelling required.)
Celebrity Weight Loss Week: It's a Wrap with a Little Ham and Cheese
This has been a fun week looking at various celebrities and their weight loss successes and challenges. Big & beautiful Mo'Nique, Kirstie Alley's poised for her new show, Kate Winslet avoiding excessive dieting and exercise, and the big winner Abby...we have been able to learn something from all these amazing women.
In the past I've also blogged about other celebs and their weight loss, or position on dieting...recently Taylor Swift declared she refuses to diet, Valerie Bertinelli revealed her new slender bod on the Oprah show, Star Jones talked about her weight loss surgery, and Marie Osmond discussed her healthy "large" size 2/4 body....
Clearly, having money and fame does not guarantee you a healthy and fit body. Nor does it guarantee that if you do get fat you will have weight loss success. Women like Kirstie and Oprah can afford trainers and chefs, and still they struggle with their weight.
But we can also see that weight loss success is possible when we approach for our selves our health--not for our network...whether that netowrk is CBS, NBC or Family&Friends. If takes a shift in mindset!
Each of these women who have successfully dropped excess fat has said it...it isn't about going on a "diet"...it is about changing your thinking and making small changes in your life.
These people have DONE it differently...wrapped the mindset up with different tools...maybe a diet coach or an exercise coach...but before they could do that work they had to change who they were BEing on the inside.
I hope I'm wrong in my concers about Kirsties. I want her to succeed...permanently. I don't want to see her not lose weight, nor do I want to see her gain it all back...but she hasn't revealed to me the mindset shift yet. Until she does, I fear she will only have short-term results at best.
To these other fantastic women--keep doing what you are doing. Your weight loss success inspries us, helps us remember beauty comes in packages of all shapes and sizes. You help us know we too can have a healthy, energetic, beautiful body.
What did you think about this week's theme?
Did any of the celebrites speak to you? Did you identify with any of them?
In the past I've also blogged about other celebs and their weight loss, or position on dieting...recently Taylor Swift declared she refuses to diet, Valerie Bertinelli revealed her new slender bod on the Oprah show, Star Jones talked about her weight loss surgery, and Marie Osmond discussed her healthy "large" size 2/4 body....
Clearly, having money and fame does not guarantee you a healthy and fit body. Nor does it guarantee that if you do get fat you will have weight loss success. Women like Kirstie and Oprah can afford trainers and chefs, and still they struggle with their weight.
But we can also see that weight loss success is possible when we approach for our selves our health--not for our network...whether that netowrk is CBS, NBC or Family&Friends. If takes a shift in mindset!
Each of these women who have successfully dropped excess fat has said it...it isn't about going on a "diet"...it is about changing your thinking and making small changes in your life.
These people have DONE it differently...wrapped the mindset up with different tools...maybe a diet coach or an exercise coach...but before they could do that work they had to change who they were BEing on the inside.
I hope I'm wrong in my concers about Kirsties. I want her to succeed...permanently. I don't want to see her not lose weight, nor do I want to see her gain it all back...but she hasn't revealed to me the mindset shift yet. Until she does, I fear she will only have short-term results at best.
To these other fantastic women--keep doing what you are doing. Your weight loss success inspries us, helps us remember beauty comes in packages of all shapes and sizes. You help us know we too can have a healthy, energetic, beautiful body.
What did you think about this week's theme?
Did any of the celebrites speak to you? Did you identify with any of them?
- Mo'Nique: Bid and beautiful: dropping weight for health and longevity
- Kirstie: Putting her health on hold: are you waiting for the perfect moment to start
- Kate: No Slave to the gym: balancing her health with a your family and career
- Abby: Releasing the pain gain: removing the insulating layer, willing to feel and live again
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Celebrity Weight Loss Week: Abby's a Big Winner
I'm not a big fan of the Biggest Loser television show...I've written about some of my concerns before, in Biggest Loser Biggest Lie?
This time however, I have to admit that I am extremely touched by the success of one of the folks who was recently voted off...that would be Abby.
If anyone has a reason to bury her feelings, Abby sure did. Losing her husband, young daughter, and baby (just weeks after delivery)--all gone in a horrible car accident. I don't know if I would have had the strength she did to live...I hope to God I never have to find out.
Three years later, she is on TBL show and that experience has helped to bring her from living to back to life! Abby has lost over 80 pounds and true to TBL format, has lost it very quickly. Back home, she has continued her weight loss success and she is now speaking publicly...inspiring others with her story.
"You never know what's coming for you," as is often said in my favorite film, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." When life throws you a major curve ball, you may pack on some pounds. If you do, or have, know that you too can drop them off.
Like Abby, you have to face what's eating you, what feelings you are stuffing down. When you do that, you can have success.
You may not have Bob and Jillian and the Ranch...but you don't need them. And frankly, their style doesn't work for everyone. Empower yourself! Take control! Choose not only to be alive but to truly live...seek out the joy that is to be had in life.
Cry when you are sad, rail when you are angry, laugh when you are tickled...get your emotions out and make healthy, small changes that you can live with and you will see results.
TBL is a television show...yes it can be inspiring, but remember weight loss isn't about competition...it isn't about 6 weeks, or 6 months. It is about your health--and that's a lifetime.
If you want to read more about Abby and what she is up to now, you can find out on the BL site.
You go, Abby! We are so happy for you! Keep up your positive mindset and you will continue to have that healthy life that you so desperately want--and deserve!
Be sure to come back tomorrow for the final post in our celebrity weight loss week!
This time however, I have to admit that I am extremely touched by the success of one of the folks who was recently voted off...that would be Abby.
If anyone has a reason to bury her feelings, Abby sure did. Losing her husband, young daughter, and baby (just weeks after delivery)--all gone in a horrible car accident. I don't know if I would have had the strength she did to live...I hope to God I never have to find out.
Three years later, she is on TBL show and that experience has helped to bring her from living to back to life! Abby has lost over 80 pounds and true to TBL format, has lost it very quickly. Back home, she has continued her weight loss success and she is now speaking publicly...inspiring others with her story.
"You never know what's coming for you," as is often said in my favorite film, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." When life throws you a major curve ball, you may pack on some pounds. If you do, or have, know that you too can drop them off.
Like Abby, you have to face what's eating you, what feelings you are stuffing down. When you do that, you can have success.
You may not have Bob and Jillian and the Ranch...but you don't need them. And frankly, their style doesn't work for everyone. Empower yourself! Take control! Choose not only to be alive but to truly live...seek out the joy that is to be had in life.
Cry when you are sad, rail when you are angry, laugh when you are tickled...get your emotions out and make healthy, small changes that you can live with and you will see results.
TBL is a television show...yes it can be inspiring, but remember weight loss isn't about competition...it isn't about 6 weeks, or 6 months. It is about your health--and that's a lifetime.
If you want to read more about Abby and what she is up to now, you can find out on the BL site.
You go, Abby! We are so happy for you! Keep up your positive mindset and you will continue to have that healthy life that you so desperately want--and deserve!
Be sure to come back tomorrow for the final post in our celebrity weight loss week!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Quick Weight Loss: Inspiration or Deception?
Stories of people who have lost 30, 40, 50, 100 pounds and more are pretty darned inspiring! When I hear stories about people who have lost that much in an extremely short period of time it has a different effect.
Maybe it is just me. Maybe it is because I have done it. And maybe, because I have done it and gained it all back (and more)and seen lots of other people have similar results...just maybe that is the reason red flags shoot up whenever I hear about these amazingly fast results.
I think on the one hand hearing these kinds of stories may make it possible for some folks to say, "Wow, if they can do it, then I can too!" On the other hand, it could seem like a Herculean effort (like in the Biggest Loser) that is beyond most of us mere mortals.
Can I say on the other hand again? I mean, how many hands do I get? Well, on the other hand, if you do work hard and don't achieve massive results fast it can easily lead to thoughts of doubt, shame, guilt and worthlessness...hopelessness. That can't be a good thing for anyone!
The fast results are often more deception than anything else. A deception in that we have not changed our thinking about food and our bodies...and when that is revealed we will not be able to maintain the weight loss.
I realize it is not as "sexy" to lose weight over time...but like a lot of other goals, when we take small steps on a consistent basis we WILL get results. And truth be told, we will have the results faster in the long run because we keep plugging away at it--and we have made the changes that are necessary to sustain our new bodies--and those changes start with our minds, not our mouths!
Maybe it is just me. Maybe it is because I have done it. And maybe, because I have done it and gained it all back (and more)and seen lots of other people have similar results...just maybe that is the reason red flags shoot up whenever I hear about these amazingly fast results.
I think on the one hand hearing these kinds of stories may make it possible for some folks to say, "Wow, if they can do it, then I can too!" On the other hand, it could seem like a Herculean effort (like in the Biggest Loser) that is beyond most of us mere mortals.
Can I say on the other hand again? I mean, how many hands do I get? Well, on the other hand, if you do work hard and don't achieve massive results fast it can easily lead to thoughts of doubt, shame, guilt and worthlessness...hopelessness. That can't be a good thing for anyone!
The fast results are often more deception than anything else. A deception in that we have not changed our thinking about food and our bodies...and when that is revealed we will not be able to maintain the weight loss.
I realize it is not as "sexy" to lose weight over time...but like a lot of other goals, when we take small steps on a consistent basis we WILL get results. And truth be told, we will have the results faster in the long run because we keep plugging away at it--and we have made the changes that are necessary to sustain our new bodies--and those changes start with our minds, not our mouths!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Weight Loss Hindered not Helped by Competition
It is my experience that competition (yes, I'm still ranting about the Biggest Loser) hinders rather than helps in weight loss.
Of course different people react differently...so maybe for some it is a good thing...
I think that collaboration and cooperation is a better solution than competition when it comes to our overall health and fitness. When we compete than it is necessary that someone win and therefore someone loses. Ego gets involved. We are either better or worse than another person.
My proposal is that we support and encourage one another...let's not vote one another off or worry about who is the biggest loser! Let's all be big winners!!! We can help each other--sometimes we gentle nudges, sometimes with loving kicks in the behind...and sometimes by leaving each other alone.
The truth is, it is harder to support and encourage with love because we have to put ourselves into the other person's shoes and really listen to them. It is much easier to focus just on ourselves and what we like, how we react...
I have certainly been "guilty" of this--even with this post...so if competition serves you--then use it! I ask that you please use it with others who also thrive on the competition. For like-minded people, competition can be the motivation they need...especially if they truly respect each other!
Competition about my physical appearance has set me up for failure in the past--because I was then comparing myself to others. It seemed that I always came out on the low end of the comparison, no matter what it was about. I was never good enough, pretty enough or my hips were too big or my eyes were crooked..whatever. The comparisons reinforced my negative feelings about myself.
Truth is, I competed just fine in other areas where I had more confidence. But comparing myself to others about my weight and appearance was too personal, too emotional...I was too sensitive about it.
The end result for me was that I gave up! I wasn't making as much progress as "Sue", or my hips were bigger than "Diane's" or because I was fatter than "Joan" or because I was a girl I couldn't lose weight as quickly as "Joe"...all of these comparisons led me down the path of despair and I lost confidence, faith and the desire to even try. If I couldn't be the best, what was the point of trying???
I have been able to shift a lot of my feelings and thoughts...about myself, my value as a human being, being worthy...and that is what allows me to be successful with my weight loss goals...and I still know that I am better served to come from love and support and allow my body and my spirit to be different from Sue, Diane, Joan and Joe...and to allow theirs to be different from mine.
So if you are a winner for health join me in supporting everyone else in their efforts to be healthy and fit and live the best life they possible can!
Of course different people react differently...so maybe for some it is a good thing...
I think that collaboration and cooperation is a better solution than competition when it comes to our overall health and fitness. When we compete than it is necessary that someone win and therefore someone loses. Ego gets involved. We are either better or worse than another person.
My proposal is that we support and encourage one another...let's not vote one another off or worry about who is the biggest loser! Let's all be big winners!!! We can help each other--sometimes we gentle nudges, sometimes with loving kicks in the behind...and sometimes by leaving each other alone.
The truth is, it is harder to support and encourage with love because we have to put ourselves into the other person's shoes and really listen to them. It is much easier to focus just on ourselves and what we like, how we react...
I have certainly been "guilty" of this--even with this post...so if competition serves you--then use it! I ask that you please use it with others who also thrive on the competition. For like-minded people, competition can be the motivation they need...especially if they truly respect each other!
Competition about my physical appearance has set me up for failure in the past--because I was then comparing myself to others. It seemed that I always came out on the low end of the comparison, no matter what it was about. I was never good enough, pretty enough or my hips were too big or my eyes were crooked..whatever. The comparisons reinforced my negative feelings about myself.
Truth is, I competed just fine in other areas where I had more confidence. But comparing myself to others about my weight and appearance was too personal, too emotional...I was too sensitive about it.
The end result for me was that I gave up! I wasn't making as much progress as "Sue", or my hips were bigger than "Diane's" or because I was fatter than "Joan" or because I was a girl I couldn't lose weight as quickly as "Joe"...all of these comparisons led me down the path of despair and I lost confidence, faith and the desire to even try. If I couldn't be the best, what was the point of trying???
I have been able to shift a lot of my feelings and thoughts...about myself, my value as a human being, being worthy...and that is what allows me to be successful with my weight loss goals...and I still know that I am better served to come from love and support and allow my body and my spirit to be different from Sue, Diane, Joan and Joe...and to allow theirs to be different from mine.
So if you are a winner for health join me in supporting everyone else in their efforts to be healthy and fit and live the best life they possible can!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Biggest Loser Big Lie?
I have never watched the tv show the Biggest Loser...last night I turned the television on to watch a show I had recorded and BL was on...so I checked it out for a bit...
The reason I got "sucked in" was because they were weighing in and Kristin had actually gained 1lb. The shock that registered on the faces of everyone--including her trainer--hit home.
What that one show demonstrated to me was that it is not just a simple equation of calories in vs calories out.
If it was that simple then Kristin would have lost weight that week. Her trainer said she worked really hard and did really, really well that week.
So why didn't she lose weight?
She admitted that she was really stressed and put a lot of pressure on herself and that she was concerned about not making it.
Those mental conditions can be enough to have our bodies "hold on" to some fat. That is a component to weight loss that defies the community that insists it is strictly a mathematical formula.
Look, anyone who has made the effort to lose weight knows that sometimes you drop pounds even if the calorie equation says you shouldn't. And other times you don't when you "should"...
Is it that things balance out in the end? Or is it that the mind is a powerful part of the equation...the hidden factor that like adding a zero to a multiplication table can negate all your results?
I was glad to see the show cut to Kristin a few months later and see her positive attitude was back. My wish for her (and for all of us) is that she continues to see the goodness that is inside her. May she keep tapping into her personal power and keep that dream alive!
As Kristin said, "Change is possible--and you are worth it!"
Yes indeed. We are all worth it. You go, girl!
The reason I got "sucked in" was because they were weighing in and Kristin had actually gained 1lb. The shock that registered on the faces of everyone--including her trainer--hit home.
What that one show demonstrated to me was that it is not just a simple equation of calories in vs calories out.
If it was that simple then Kristin would have lost weight that week. Her trainer said she worked really hard and did really, really well that week.
So why didn't she lose weight?
She admitted that she was really stressed and put a lot of pressure on herself and that she was concerned about not making it.
Those mental conditions can be enough to have our bodies "hold on" to some fat. That is a component to weight loss that defies the community that insists it is strictly a mathematical formula.
Look, anyone who has made the effort to lose weight knows that sometimes you drop pounds even if the calorie equation says you shouldn't. And other times you don't when you "should"...
Is it that things balance out in the end? Or is it that the mind is a powerful part of the equation...the hidden factor that like adding a zero to a multiplication table can negate all your results?
I was glad to see the show cut to Kristin a few months later and see her positive attitude was back. My wish for her (and for all of us) is that she continues to see the goodness that is inside her. May she keep tapping into her personal power and keep that dream alive!
As Kristin said, "Change is possible--and you are worth it!"
Yes indeed. We are all worth it. You go, girl!
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