Cold water immersion (a.k.a., “ice baths”) has become a popular method amongst exercise enthusiasts and athletes to enhance recovery after an intense training bout. The strategy involves exposing either the trained limb or the whole body to very cold liquid temperatures. According to p...
Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D, C.S.C.S., is an internationally renowned fitness expert and widely regarded as one of the leading authorities on body composition training (muscle development and fat loss). He is a lifetime drug-free bodybuilder, and has won numerous natural bodybuilding titles.
Apparently this comes as a surprise to many of the show’s loyal viewers. If so, it shouldn’t. Reality check: shows like The Biggest Loser are nothing more than fitness theater. It’s not real life. Sure, contestants lose a ton of weight. They are placed in a controlled environment, follow what amounts to a starvation diet, and are subjected to hours upon hours of exercise. Based on Newton’s First Law of Thermodynamics, expending more calories than you take in will result in weight loss. Can’t argue with physics.
But this is neither a realistic way for the rest of the world to to pursue weight loss, nor is it a good strategy for lasting weight management. What’s particularly disturbing is the pressure to which contestants are subjected in order to lose more weight than the other competitors. As claimed in the video, the extreme dehydration techniques employed are dangerous to say the least. Moreover, the trainers on the show display a complete lack of understanding about exercise physiology, and often have contestants perform acts that utilize poor form and are highly risky for their current fitness level (apparently a number of contestants have been hospitalized).
The bottom line is that weight loss should be approached systematically. A realistic goal is to lose about 1-2 pounds per week. Over the course of six months, this can equate to 50 pounds of fat loss! Best of all, this can be accomplished with a sensible nutritional regimen and a properly structured exercise program performed 3-4 days a week; something everyone can follow. Before you know it, you’ll be sporting a terrific body while those TV contestants have all gained back their previous weight.
Stay Fit!
Brad
3 Comments
Hi Brad. Thanks for posting this. I absolutely agree with you 100 percent! None of these shows are reality–though they claim to be so. Not to mention probably the thousands of dollars contestants have to spend to fly to “the ranch,” invest in fitness clothes, take off work, etc.
Good job in exposing this. Most people want to lose weight overnight, but they didn’t gain it overnight.
I was nervous about being able to maiantin a steady routine on my own. I purchased this book and was very impressed with it’s training advice and recommended workout routines. There are many exercises with pictures and explanations that that have proven to be very effective for myself. This book also explains how to work out intelligently- how to incorporate cardio exercises, how to allow muscle groups to recuperate, and how to concentrate on the muscles being utilized in each exercise. The routines suggested are designed for a woman’s body but do not lack in intensity and endurance. This is a fantastic book for any woman who just joined a gym as well as those who would like to improve upon their current routine. I’m very pleased with my results and I attribute them to the advice and information provided by Mr. Schoenfeld.
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Hi Brad. Thanks for posting this. I absolutely agree with you 100 percent! None of these shows are reality–though they claim to be so. Not to mention probably the thousands of dollars contestants have to spend to fly to “the ranch,” invest in fitness clothes, take off work, etc.
Good job in exposing this. Most people want to lose weight overnight, but they didn’t gain it overnight.
Comment by JC — July 13, 2010 @ 9:20 am
So true, JC. Appreciate the feedback 🙂
Brad
Comment by Brad — July 13, 2010 @ 6:33 pm
I was nervous about being able to maiantin a steady routine on my own. I purchased this book and was very impressed with it’s training advice and recommended workout routines. There are many exercises with pictures and explanations that that have proven to be very effective for myself. This book also explains how to work out intelligently- how to incorporate cardio exercises, how to allow muscle groups to recuperate, and how to concentrate on the muscles being utilized in each exercise. The routines suggested are designed for a woman’s body but do not lack in intensity and endurance. This is a fantastic book for any woman who just joined a gym as well as those who would like to improve upon their current routine. I’m very pleased with my results and I attribute them to the advice and information provided by Mr. Schoenfeld.
Comment by Enrique — October 11, 2015 @ 8:54 am