Why I don't like shows like the Biggest Loser and Extreme Weight Loss

I was watching TV the other night and I came across extreme weight loss. I haven't watched this show as much as the biggest loser but I quickly became disappointed in it as much as my old favorite.

Most people misunderstand why I don't approve of these shows. These shows are inspiring, motivating, encouraging and give people hope. So why wouldn't I like that?

That part isn't the problem. I do think anything that motivates and inspires you to change your life for the better is a good thing.

The issues with these shows are that they are unrealistic, unsafe and promote fitness and nutrition methods that are outdated and frankly unhealthy.

These shows focus on the competition of weightloss for a prize. Healthy things like recovery, programming, body composition, supportive nutrition, FAT LOSS, and lean body mass are not only absent but have nothing to do with the shows.

Crazy, super long, cardio based workouts with low calorie diet concepts are used throughout these shows with the sole focus of making the scale go down big.

Nobody in the professional fitness world does these things anymore because they are unhealthy and very outdated.

Even all of the popular fad fitness programs like crossfit, insanity and P90X use better training and nutrition concepts than these shows.

So what happens is that average joe and jane watches these shows and sees all of these people losing 30lbs in a week and bamm - they are off to globo gym to hit that treadmill and they embark on some haphazard diet routine.

They lose lean body mass and bone density, retain bodyfat and make that scale go down -woo hoo the scale is down!

Then after a few weeks, they plateau and eventually give up and usually gain all they lost back and many times much more. A circle of despair that never ends. When it could all be avoided if the right stuff was shown and taught.

Unhealthy and ineffective methods are perpetuated through media for the sole purpose of making money. That is why I don't like these shows.

I study and teach clients how to do it right everyday. It is frustrating to see the exact opposite of what I teach being promoted as the way to go on these hyped up weightloss shows.

Learn how to do it right. Burn fat and build muscle through safe, productive and challenging exercise and healthy, supportive nutrition. If you need help learning how to do it, I'm here to help.

Eric Dempsey
Master Sergeant, U.S. Army Retired
NASM Certified Personal Trainer & Weight Loss Specialist
Graduate Student In Exercise Science At Cal U.
Dempseys Resolution Fitness
www.dempseysresolution.com