The Fitness Guru

It’s enough to make Gidget, the Taco Bell Chihuahua, roll over in her grave (RIP July 21, 2009). Desperate to both cash in on the Resolution Weight Loss Fervor, and fearful that the Fervor may cut into their market share for the first six weeks of the year, Taco Bell has inflicted Christine, the TB Weight Loss Heroine, on an otherwise unsuspecting public. According to the company, Christine, 27 years old, lost 54 pounds by eating at Taco Bell 5-8 times per week, selecting items off their Fresca menu which replaces certain high calorie ingredients with lower calorie ones. But fear not– it’s still the same burrito.

Taco Bell is quick to say that this is not intended as a weight loss program, though they use the word “diet” repeatedly.

My opinion: it reminds me of my friend Cathy who went on the frozen yogurt diet our sophomore year of college. SHe lost a lot of weight by only eating frozen yogurt. Weight loss? Yes. Because she is altering her caloric intake. Healthy? No.If you cut your caloric intake you will lose weight– in the short run. But the only healthy means of weight loss is creating a life style that can carry you for…..well, a lifetime. The people who repeatedly go to Taco Bell will start to move away from the Fresca menu because the other options are so readily available, though I am sure that hasn’t occurred to the marketing department at Taco Bell. They are only interested in a healthy America.

It also reminds me of the old “parrot” skit from Monty Python. Guy walks in with a dead parrot, store owner denies it’s dead. You can say the fast food is healthier but that still don’t make it healthy.

Chandra writes:

“Dear Fitness Guru- Is this new hot gift item the “FitBit” actually worthwhile or just another gimmick?”

Chandra, that is very good question. I looked into the FitBit. Here’s the scoop from the web site: “The Fitbit accurately tracks your calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled and sleep quality. The Fitbit contains a 3D motion sensor like the one found in the Nintendo Wii. The Fitbit tracks your motion in three dimensions and converts this into useful information about your daily activities.” And all for the low, low price of $99. Does it do all those things? Dunno. I haven’t tried it.

But, Chandra, it reminds me of a story.

Years and years ago, when I was but a youngster, I was in an acting class taught by a wise and Yoda-like figure, Fred. My friend Robert, a successful actor, was turning his sights on writing. He came in one day very excited and announced that he had just bought the most fantastic screenwriting software ever. It kept track of the characters and created the format of the screenplay all with just a few clicks of the mouse. Extraordinary and it only cost him $150. Fred asked “does it come with the story for you?” Robert replied, “well, no.” “Then it does me no good” said Fred.

Everybody wants a FitBit. I want a FitBit. I want something that is going to help me get healthy and stay fit and reach my goals. But, in the end, for most people, that FitBit is $99 that is going straight into the back corner of the sock drawer.

January is the Crazy Month. It’s the month when we suddenly turn our attention to ourselves, create our Resolution and re-invent ourselves. Health clubs go nuts because thousands and thousands of people come pouring through the doors; sign a contract to deduct a sum of money from their checking accounts for the next two years; exercise like fiends for four to six weeks; and then go right back to the same old, same old that they were doing before the big Resolution hit.

We live in a time and a society where everyone wants to believe there is a FitBit for everything: the invesment banker who can bring results that are mathematically impossible; the million dollar mortgage when there is little to income; the four week weight loss plan where you don’t really have to do anything but drink a couple of shakes and watch the fat drip off. And all of it is hype. The FitBit might do those things, but it is not going to inspire you to get more sleep, drink more water, eat less processed foods and exercise more often. You have to make those decisions for yourself. There are no easy answers or effortless results. None.

Sorry to be such a bummer. But if you think that I am somewhat cynical, understand that the attitude comes from two and half decades watching people throw their money at this problem only to become discouraged at the lack of results. They blame themselves rather then blame the strategy and decide that they are not worthy of the results that they crave. And they go right back to the habits that got them into trouble to begin with.

But you still want to invest in your well being and that is noble. So where should you put your money so that it will be well spent? Here is my list of Top 5 Must-Haves:

1. A heart monitor. I have discussed the merits of this brilliant tool over and over again. Suffice it to say, if you want results, it is first on the list.

2. A jump rope. That’s pretty simple. It’s a piece of rope. Take it with you anywhere and you have all the cardio you need.

3. Sneakers. Something nice that supports your foot and ankle (though, with all this barefoot running talk that’s circulating these days, I have to admit I’m rethinking this one).

4. Pedometer. Try to achieve 12,000 steps per day in order to maintain a healthy weight. You’ll be surprised by how little you walk.

5. A Journal. If it’s not written down, it doesn’t exist. You can keep track of what you are eating; when you are eating; when you are excising and for how long; how you feel before and after exercise; and what results you feel you are seeing from the work.

There are other things that I would add to the list. But that is your essential package.

So as you venture forth into the next decade, beware the person or company that is selling you results in a bottle. You probably end up with a rash and an empty wallet.

Remember: the most important thing is the Resolve to actually begin to change your life and then taking the appropriate steps to do so.

“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.”- Eleanor Roosevelt

I attended a wake a couple of weeks ago for my friend Christine’s dad, Frank. Frank was a great man (and a fun golf buddy) and there was tremendous love in the room. I spoke for a while with Christine’s husband, Stuart. He is a giant bear of a man, 6′8″ and 300 pounds. He makes me feel small– no easy feat. Stu and I don’t see eye to eye politically all that often, but what I love about Stu is that, even when he disagrees with you, it is clear he disagrees with your opinion but still has great respect for you.

We got involved in a conversation about the Great Health Care Debate. Now, many people have many different views on how health care should be tackled in this country, but Stu boiled it down to this: “The big problem with this country,” he said, “is that there is no sense of personal responsibility.” That thought stuck with me for days, and not just because Stu and I were agreeing.

I’ve written about Stu and Christine before. A couple of years ago, they lost a combined 120 pounds, not by fasting or protein shakes or gimmicks, but by cutting out all the extra processed foods in their home. They realized that, in the long run, the processed foods and the extra weight that they were carrying were going to make them sick. They took action, took a giant garbage bag to their pantry and lost the weight. They took responsibility.

This week I have been faced with numerous situations of individuals not taking responsiblity. The specifics are unimportant. The common denominator is that people feel that work should be done for them. Want to lose weight? The trainer will do that. Want to feel better? The doctor will do that. Work sucks? Boss’s fault. Co-worker’s fault. Client’s fault. Anybody’s fault but mine.

Then a friend posted this video. Again, regardless of your political stance on the topic, the speech is about personal responsibility and serving the greater good.

This is a tough time for everyone. It’s easy to pass the buck. It is easy to let anger and blaim fester. But when you sense that anger and that blaim, take a step back. Take responsibility for your small piece of the pie. Decide how you can make the situation better. We all benefit.

Didja hear the one about about Filippa Hamilton? Neither had I until my friend, Dana, at FitCeleb pointed out the photo-driven controversy on Twitter.

Below are three photos of the model. One is presumably as she looks as a size 4 model. One could argue that the photo has been touched up and photoshopped. But the other two photos are from a recent Ralph Lauren ad campaign. Please note: HER HEAD IS BIGGER THAN HER HIPS!!!

Now, Filippa is coming forward to say that her contract with the company, which she has had for a long time, is not being renewed because she was overweight and couldn’t fit into the clothes anymore. Ralph Lauren then ran the altered photos in ad campaigns.

I’m not sure where to begin. As the father of two girls, ages seven and twelve, the idea that a major corporation is using these doctored photographs to promote a vision of “beauty” is disgusting and beyond the point of any sort of defense. As a fitness professional who works with people on weight related issues on a daily basis , it galls me professionally. Forget that we have a nation of adiolescents (and adults) who will watch with fascination as Tyra Banks and her band of two dimensional cronies decide a standard of beauty. When more than two out of every three adults in this country has a weight problem, artificially altering the human figure to unnatural ends creates an ideal that most will find depressingly out of their reach. Consciously or otherwise, it causes many to throw in the towel and an untold number of others to go about weight loss in drastically unhealthy ways.

Disgusted? Offended? Furious? That doesn’t even begin to capture my feelings toward a company that is trying to sell “Americana.”

For those of you who missed the video a few days ago, here it is again, maybe with a little more anger than the fascination that originally accompanied it.

And folks, feel free to comment. Silence forces people to think they are alone in this ridiculous battle of the bulge. The strength, and the sanity, are in numbers.

Rock on.

I must be living in a cave. Either that, or I have been following all the wrong Tweets. I didn’t know until this morning that Oprah had been giving away free coupons for KFC’s new Grilled Chicken Meal.

Let me back up a bit: for those of you like me who are not in on every single twist and turn in the popular culture, KFC has started offering grilled chicken at their restaurants. Forget that some of us remember that the “F” stands for “Fried”. Let’s pretend that Roger Eaton, president of KFC, had a vision that it was time to heal the wounds inflicted on our great nation by fast food by starting to use his grill. And let’s really go out on a limb and suggest that a free coupon was, in fact, a poignant mea culpa.

Even with all this feel-good energy, some problems arise:

1. KFC was completely unprepared for the response and their stores were overwhelmed by people who had downloaded the coupons. Honestly, what are the odds, in this economy, that a free meal will be turned down? And they’re surprised?

2. In an effort to make amends, KFC is offering a rain check– all you have to do is go into the store and fill out the appropriate paper work. Then they will give you a date when you can come back and eat. Oh, and while you are waiting for the paper work to be processed, avoid buying any of the fried chicken……..

So far, none of this bothers me. It is all a fantastic marketing ploy that KFC has engineered to sell their chicken. And that’s the business they are in– chicken sales.

But Oprah? C’mon Oprah, you know better. When last we caught up to you, you were despondent that you had put on so much of the weight you had lost. You cried and we cried with you. I understood completely your frustrations and questioned the advice that you had been given by the professionals in your circle. But KFC? That’s leading people right into the lions’ den.
I’ll quote one study for you: The University of Chicago (Oprah’s town) found that the presence of healthy items on a menu led consumers to purchase unhealthy items. The mere presence of the healthier choices fulfilled the consumers’ health-related eating goals EVEN IF THEY DON”T ORDER THE HEALTHY CHOICE. What’s more, these tendencies are even more pronounced in people with relatively high levels of self-control.

So what will KFC give you when you come in for your rain-check? A free Pepsi.

Oprah is the most powerful person in media. Argue with me if you like, but it is unlikely you will win. Her book choices send publishers into fits of ecstasy, her style choices are equally celebrated. Wouldn’t it be terrific, in this time of economic hardship and declining public health, if she would put her tremendous power behind the small entrepenuers who are trying to help better the health of the nation? KFC doesn’t need her help. And her viewers, who have placed their trust in her, deserve the very best.

For those of you who are starting to explore Wii Fit as a means of staying active, check these out! These are Riiflex Weights. Your Wii controls slip into the weights and you can exercise with a little more resistance.
Good heavens! What will they think of next?!

Did you wake up this morning feeling like it was a special day, but you just couldn’t put your finger on why it was sooooo special? Me too!! And it took a little time and a little investigation but I figured it out. Today is the day that Kim Kardashian releases her new exercise video, Fit in Your Jeans by Friday: Butt Blasting Cardio Step. Which leads me to the question…….

WHY THE HELL DOES KIM KARDASHIAN HAVE AN EXERCISE VIDEO?!? Why would I seek out advice about my body from this woman? What’s next? Tax advice from Paris Hilton? I am a proud member of my profession. I believe that, when people entrust you to take care of their bodies, you better damn well know what you’re doing! What are her credentials?

There are people out there who will say, “Come on, Michael. At least she is inspiring some people to exercise. That’s better than just sitting around doing nothing. Right?” Wrong. She inspiring people to part with THEIR MONEY! Oh sure, the video might be genius. What are the odds? Someone said “Hey Kim, instead of porn, let’s make a video that we can market on Amazon.” And they film it, slap a dominatrix photo on the cover and BAM all over Walmart. And every 17- to 34- year old seeking Kim K.’s………what? What on earth are they seeking?…….plops down $24.95 for a copy that will probably sit on top of the TV for the next 14 months until it is sold for 35 cents at a garage sale.

I’m not against videos. Check out Petra Kolber. Check out Chris Feitag, Check out Minna Leissig. Hell, check out Richard Simmons. These are people who have devoted their lives to the human body in all its fitness wonders. They are not spoiled celebutantes looking for the next media fix.

There. I feel better now.

More fun with studies. Sometimes I wonder what I would have blogged about years ago when there wasn’t such easy access to all of these studies.
First, I find out that the average American is consuming a pound of sugar per week. That didn’t really come as a surprise, as you can’t quite reach for anything on the shelves at the supermarket without somehow coming in contact with some form of sugar. Next, soda erodes tooth enamel. Again, not a shocker– the dentist and my mom have both been saying that for four decades. Then a scorcher that liquid calories do far more damage to our weight than food. So I am getting a little nervous, but I am still keeping it under control.

As I was working with clients this morning, two in a row asked me about their drinking habits. By drinking habits, I am referring to non-alcoholic beverages, not whatever you may be downing during a hard core Monday night session of “Drinking with the Stars.” Both of my clients, very intelligent gentlemen, told me that they didn’t enjoy water but instead chose to drink a) sodas and b) Jamba Juices.

I have caught a great deal of flack in the past for suggesting to people that they drink half their body weight in ounces of water per day (200 lb man would drink 100 oz of water per day). Some of my colleagues feel that amount is too high, that it should be more like 30 to 40 ounces. My answer, with a wave of the hand, is “whatever!” The fact is that we as a population do not drink enough water. Not even close. And, worse yet, we replace water with drinks like soda and juices, packing on the calories and doing all sorts of crazy things to our ability to process sugar. It just isn’t healthy.

The downside is that water just isn’t exciting. Funny enough, there are many people who make livings finding ways of making diet sodas exciting to drink. They create formulas that almost dare you to stop drinking. And, consequently, it becomes a habit that wreaks havoc on your health.
So here is what you do:

• For every serving you have of whatever you are used to drinking, have a glass of water.
• Keep water near you while you are at work, or watching TV. If it is within arms length, you will drink it.
• Make your water more exciting. Add fresh lemons, limes, cucumbers, anything you like to make the taste more intriguing. (I know where you are going with this– that does not mean going to the store and buying flavored water. Avoid the laboratory water. Make your own.)
• For the first couple of weeks, keep track of how much you are drinking daily.

The results will be tremendous. You will lose weight, feel more vital, look more vital and allow your body to function far more efficiently.

It’s not as easy as This Is Why You’re Fat vs. This Is Why You’re Thin.

Two fun studies, both from the Journal of Consumer Research: the first tells us that when we are given nutritional information on a menu, we are more likely to choose the healthier option; the second says that having a healthier option on a menu, like a salad, is more likely to drive us toward the unhealthy, like fries. Apparently, seeing the healthy option displayed before us allows us to lower our guards and reach for something that we know is not as healthy ( 10% of the test subjects from a “no-salad” menu ordered fries, as opposed to 33% who ordered fries when given the option of salad). But if we have the nutritional information in front of us, then we are more likely to make the healthier choice.

I’m not quite sure how that works for me. True story– we took the kids to Five Guys Burgers on Friday because all the reviews say that the burgers are OUT OF CONTROL. And they were kind enough to print calorie counts next to each dish. In the end, I consumed about 2000 calories, which is usually my daily total (funny side note– went home and passed out immediately).

What’s your habit? Will you ask to replace the fries with salad? Does the nutritional information help to guide you? Let us know if the Journal for Consumer Research is really on the money.

Ok, yes, it kind of misses the irony and it doesn’t have quite the shock power, but, since we celebrated This Is Why You’re Fat, I feel the need to introduce This Is Why You’re Thin. Enjoy!!