am a 45-year-old man and have been trying desperately (and unsuccessfully) to lose 20 or so pounds in excess weight. I have tried every diet known to man and have been doing cardio at the gym two times a week but can’t seem to lose more than a pound or two here and there. Then I turn on the TV and see contestants on “The Biggest Loser” dropping 12 pounds or more in a week! What are they doing that I’m not?
Answer: Please don’t confuse “Reality TV” with real life! First of all, the dramatic weight loss you see on weekly episodes of “The Biggest Loser” do not take place in a week as episodes are filmed over a longer period. Secondly, the practices used on the show generally amount to dangerous, unhealthy and unsustainable weight loss – and the fact that the contestants invariably regain most or all of their weight after the show ends seems to confirm this. It’s extremely important to understand the difference between weight loss and fat loss. Our weight is basically made up of water (55-78% of the human body) as well as blood, bones, muscle, fat and tissues. A certain amount of fat is necessary for our bodily functions, but excess fat leads to stroke, heart disease, hypertension and a host of other illnesses. Therefore excess body fat not weight – needs to be our focus.
Unfortunately, the focus on “The Biggest Loser” is weight loss rather than fat loss, which is a slower process and less dramatic. Dropping weight so quickly is simply dangerous to your health. It has been well documented that contestants on “The Biggest Loser” are made to do eight hours or more of cardio daily and many literally starve and dehydrate themselves to drop weight rapidly. They end up losing a lot of water weight in the process and also break-down calorie-burning muscle tissue (which slows their metabolism and burns fewer calories and less fat in the long run). A condition called ketosis in which the body breaks down muscle for energy often results. You will notice there is little or no strength training on the show to build muscle; having contestants build muscle, which would be healthy, would not lead to the jaw-dropping weight loss numbers on which the show thrives! When these contestants return to the real world where it’s not practical to do eight hours of cardio a day, eat specially-prepared, low-calorie meals and have their every move monitored by a coach, the weight returns. There is no magic pill or diet to lose body fat.
In the end it comes down to learning how to eat the right foods in the correct portions and engaging in regular exercise comprising both cardio and strength training. Start by determining exactly how much fat you need to lose. If you are a male weighing 200 pounds and your body fat measurement is 30 percent, you are carrying around 60 pounds of fat. At aged 45, a body fat measurement of 14-17 percent would be healthier, so this means you would need to lose about 30 pounds of fat. A pound of fat equates to approximately 3500 calories, so burning 500 calories more than you eat each day (500 x 7 days = 3500) will lead to a pound of fat loss in a week. Health professionals advise against losing more than 1.5-2 pounds of fat per week. The advice to you would be to set reasonable goals for yourself, pay attention to what you are eating, how much you are eating and how many times a day you are eating (five to six small meals are recommended), increase your cardio and strength training routine to jumpstart your metabolism, avoid alcohol, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep.
Healthy fat loss is a process that takes time, so be patient with yourself. If you are watching your carbohydrate intake but craving something sweet, try eating sugar-free jello (gelatin) which is fat-free, has no sugars or carbs and only about 10 calories per serving. It’s super easy to make and has health benefits: Gelatin is excellent for your skin, nails, hair and bones because of its high concentration of glycoprotein and proline amino acids. Add chopped fruit during the mixing process (bananas, strawberries, blueberries and pineapple are all nutritious choices), so that the fruit is set in the gelatin during refrigeration. Overall, a healthy dessert you can have daily. For more articles, visit the link below.
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