Thursday, February 19, 2009

Disillusioned

I am all fired up about this week's "The Biggest Loser" episode. And not in a good way.

I've bored you with my weight loss tales for a year so you know that I've lost over 50lbs by eating right and exercising with fitness DVD's. I have not stepped foot into a gym at all during this time. The only special equipment I've used are hand weights and frankly, a couple cans of soup would have worked just as well. So when the contestants on "The Biggest Loser" were locked out of the gym for a week in sunny Southern California, I didn't think it was such a big deal. Go for a flipping run outside instead of on the treadmill. Fill a couple jugs with water and you've got hand weights. Try some water aerobics in that crystal blue pool. It's not that hard people.

But the contestants were practically crying. Which is fine. They can whine and cry if they want. It's hard when someone throws off your routine. If someone told me I had to workout in a gym for a week, I'd probably whine too. The commute, the germs, the girl wearing perfume and makeup on the elliptical, the communal changing rooms. Eck. But when Jillian, my hero and personal trainer, started whining too, I wanted to slap her silly.

First she complained because she's not an outdoor girl. Neither am I. So she decided to convert the living room into a gym of sorts. Perfect, I do the same thing with my kid's playroom. Move on.

Then she moans about how much she loves her equipment and toys. Mkay...

Finally she starts training her team with moves that were very familiar. Mountain climbers. Jumping rope. Plank stands. All the torture she inflicts on me through her workout videos. I'm thrilled to see other people sweating and huffing through the same moves instead of the typical uber-fit women from the videos.

And then Jillian says this: "I basically did like a horrendous host of fitness videos circa 1980's. But you know, that stuff used to work. That crap." [2:38 mark in the video]

With that, I lost my mind. I forked over my hard earned cash for 10 of those "horrendous fitness videos" that SHE created (none of which are circa 1980's). I workout with that "crap" every freaking day. I lost 50 lbs by sweating to that "stuff [that] used to work." So when a trainer who I respect(ed) starts making fun of those workouts, I tend to get a little mad.

If they are so outdated, why does she make fitness videos? If she loves her toys so much, why does she create video workouts that don't involve treadmills and weight machines? If she is such a gym rat, why does she tell me that her 30 Day Shred workout will "take the place of hours of phoning it in at the gym, if you give me 20 minutes of intensity."

Talk about hypocritical! Grrrrrrrrrr.

4 comments:

Dorothy February 19, 2009 at 4:39 PM  

Yes, I too was a bit surprised. I workout at home to videos, or walk/run outside. In fact the only time I have really lost weight was when I had to do it on my own with no gym. I hate paying for the membership, and frankly I prefer to be outside when the weather is nice. It was a bit of a slap in the face. What if these contestants go home and think they can only work out in a gym. What if they can't afford a membership? Thanks for the post!

La Maestra February 20, 2009 at 7:57 AM  

I think the average person doesn't know how to use a gym effectively, either. Unless I'm swimming, I tend to dawdle around, use cardio machines, get a drink, la dee dah. I would be much more efficient with a video. If the Biggest Loser is supposed to inspire the average, overweight American, suggesting that the gym is the only way to lose weight is pretty disappointing. Remember the first episode where the contestants were in the gym trying to work out by themselves? What a joke! They had no idea what they were doing! Without their trainers they were lost.

I have my membership for the pool and rainy days and days when I can go with my husband. But in this economy, that may be a luxury that will soon be on the chopping block.

Good post, Lori! You should write Jillian a letter.

The Tucson Gang February 21, 2009 at 1:46 PM  

I was REALLY annoyed at their whining too! Give me a freakin' break! Like you said, go for a walk, go for a run...take a hike...swim...ride a REAL bike...sheesh! I would guess that 70% (or more) of America doesn't belong to a gym, and have all those toys. GIVE ME A BREAK! And, it seemed to me that those people "forced outside" actually lost more weight than those in the gym! Hmmm...a little change up doesn't seem that bad...does it!?!? Get a life Jillian - you've forgotten reality a little bit. Ok - done w/my rant - so long story short - I too was very disappointed at the show last week!

Sara February 28, 2009 at 5:07 PM  

You know what? I thought the exact same thing when she said that! All those people out there who are busting it to workout videos and thinking, "yeah man, I'm working out, doing good for my body and I'm gonna lose weight" and here she disses them (her own videos included). Exercise is exercise, no matter where you get it. Heart rate up, little bit o' sweat, maybe a touch of soreness when you get started...doesn't matter how you get it, just that you get it at all.

And I totally agree with Mindy's comment about not always using the gym effectively. Just because you walk in the door, doesn't mean you're working all that hard. There are plenty of days that I wander in, chat it up with friends, half-heartedly pick up some dumbells, get a smoothie and exercise my jaw a little more in gossip, then roll home having burned about 6 calories. Rock on. Go me ;) It happens

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