What do you think of the new show, “Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition?”
/dislike
A trainer like that could never make it. I remember when an episode aired of a 450lb man was taken on as a new client.
First thing the trainer did was have him step out of the car and run to the gym.
A man who hadn’t more than walked fast to his fridge in 30 years shouldn’t be running. Period.
The ensuing Bootcamp style workout continually pushed the client past his limits. If a regular trainer had done so, they would have been liable for a lawsuit the moment it happened.
The only reason they are able to get unreal results is because they meet with the trainer almost every day for a year, dietitian, nutritionist, doctors, as well as a chef to cook their meals.
By the end of the show they could be working as long as 4 hours a day.
Unreal because its on TV but people dont realize that.
Hi Megan. I have not seen this show but can say that if it deals with sensationalism, unrealistic goals and achievements, and doesn’t address making long-term lifestyle changes that will positively effect the person’s health, then I wouldn’t be supportive of this show for anything other than whatever “entertainment value” you can get from it, but certainly not as a serious advice on safe and effective, long-term health and weight-loss.
LaRue, CSCS
www.lecfitness.com
[email protected]
I like the idea of the show. I will admit to watching. I think it’s inspiring to see the years transformation squeezed into one episode. That being said, I am very disappointed in some of the safety issues blatantly being ignored! These clients use improper form, sometimes work with serious injuries. A few examples that come to mind was when a client was in there first workout, begging for water and was refused for a long period of time. The trainer said it was to make the client push the breaking point and grow from discovering his strengths. If a trainer knows about dehydration like they should, they should never force it upon a client. The other big “no no” for me was when a client kept complaining about knee pain (having completely screwed up knees to begin with) and wasn’t taken seriously. He ended up having a torn meniscus, which still wasn’t dealt with for the remainder of the year. What trainer would let a person that weighs hundreds of pounds work on a torn meniscus! Not to mention his form when doing squats through the whole show was falling forward putting weight on his toes. We all know that this puts direct pressure on the knees. That’s just ridiculous!
I like the show and taking the viewer through a year in the transformation of the client. I follow Chris on Twitter and used his Stax system before and I believe in what he does. As fitness professionals, we know what to look for and what are red flags; the general consumer does not. I think it’s part of our professional responsibility to engage in conversations with our clients and others outside of our industry about potential problems. Part of our job is to educate and we can use these shows as teaching tools.
I like that show. It really captures the effect of a person’s accountability. Depending on how much someone is committed to making a change through following a calorie-restricted diet and exercise program really shows how dramatic their transformation can be. I really wish that he would do more behaviour change earlier on, I think that would truly benefit the clients in helping them stick to the plan.