You can't out-exercise a poor diet...

(originally an email to my Fat Loss Contestants)

This week - tomorrow in fact - the final episode of "The Biggest Loser" airs on TV. I'm definitely a big fan of the show, mostly because of the inspiring stories of massive body transformations that come from the series. If you've never watched it, I suggest you tune in for a bit to maybe get some extra motivation on the last leg of our Fat Loss Contest. Their results truly are impressive.

Although I love the message that "The Biggest Loser" sends to our society - that any transformation is possible, with a lot of hard work and consistency... what I don't like is that the nutritional aspect of their transformations is greatly overshadowed by the exercise portion of their time at the biggest loser campus. The cameras do a good job at capturing their grueling sessions in the gym. But they don't get a lot of footage on food choices, difficulties with making dietary changes, etc.

I want more people to know that changes in the way an obese/ overweight person eats really do account for the massive majority of their weight loss/ fat loss. Of course, you all know I'm an advocate for exercise - during a dieting phase, it helps to create excess burned calories and it maintains muscle in the face of weight loss. But, in our convenience-driven society, the message that "good nutrition is essential" needs to be broadcast loud and clear! Especially on a show that so many people watch!

I don't want people to believe that lots and lots and lots (and LOTS) of challenging exercise itself will lead to a new, lean body. The public needs to be fed this repetitive idea: "You can't out-exercise a poor diet"!

These "Biggest Loser" contestants are dropping impressive amounts of weight because they are exercising hard AND keeping track of every single little detail in their daily nutrition. They are keeping their diet under strict control. But because they are exercising so much, they must ensure that their calories do not fall to levels that are too low. That way, they'll keep dropping fat, but they'll avoid injuries, sickness, and burn-out.

So, take a look at these people tomorrow night. They've all accepted the fact that you can't fix a bad diet through exercising whenever possible. Have YOU accepted it? Have you cleaned up your diet enough so that you don't have to ever use it as a punishment for bad decisions? If not, now's the time to pull your head out of the sand.

Poor diet + extra exercise can equal maintenance (as well as give you an unhealthy outlook on exercise and food), BUT...
Clean diet + moderate, challenging exercise can lead to progress, fat loss, transformation!

Say it with me: You can't out-exercise a poor diet!

Talk again soon!