Why you shouldn’t work out like you’re on the Biggest Loser reality TV show:
1. Undiagnosed conditions. Obese and overweight people can have undiagnosed disorders such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Working out BL-style could “dramatically increase your risk” for “a heart attack, a stroke or becom(ing) hypoglycemic,” said Jeffrey Potteiger, a kinesiology professor.
2. Moderation in all things. Truly obese people need to build up their strength and stamina gradually by changing their behavior, diet and exercise regimen over time. A healthy lifestyle is balanced, said Nicki Anderson, named trainer of the year by IDEA Health & Fitness Association, “and nothing they’re watching is about being normal and balanced.”
3. Muscle strain. Extreme exercise can cause extreme fatigue and soreness. Unless you’re highly motivated, Biggest Loser-style workouts will only discourage you from staying healthy, said Anderson.
4. Would you eat like you were on Survivor? The program’s creators expect viewers to know the difference between the “extreme” stunts in the show and their own healthy workout options. “People are watching the show to be inspired and not to feel hopeless anymore,” said the show’s co-creator J.D. Roth. That means the show is designed to make you feel a certain way, not act a certain way.
Filed under: Physical Fitness | Tagged: Biggest Loser, diet, exercise, Physical Fitness
