Twitter topic of the day: Reality TV & keeping realistic expectations

This post is my twitter daily tips / topic of the day. Follow me on Twitter @ezhomefitness

My #questionoftheday is do you watch a TV show and get frustrated because you can't achieve the same results as what you see on TV?

I find that weight loss shows are very motivational IF you keep them in the right context. You have to always remember that its a TV show. For a TV show, there is no entertainment value in losing a lb or 2 but there is in 10 lbs even though that is not realistic of how it works. On a TV show, they are at a camp working 6-8 hours a day like a job and being pushed by trainers and have nutrition plans by trainers. But in reality, most people work, have other responsibilities and are lucky to get in a 1/2 hour of working out & slap together a diet. The reality is that a 1-2 lb loss in a week is a safe & realistic way to lose weight. This allows you to keep muscle which helps to burn fat. The TV shows are good in the attitude they try to foster and the motivation they try to give. If an obese person can lose weight, so can you. That is what you have to take away from a TV show. Remember that it's there for entertainment first. BUT the advice they give is very good. When they talk about not giving up, digging deep, etc. - well, its what you hear me say as a trainer as well with my daily tips. I don't necessarily agree with the tasks or workouts they show on these shows. They are over the top but they also have medical staff there. Some of these workouts you see on TV are over the top for entertainment purposes & to motivate you. The people signed up for that. In reality, you should give your workouts everything you got but you also have to not overtrain because that will stop your desire to wrkout. There is just no reason to try to imitate what u see on TV while you also try to work, go to school, etc. An hour workout max is good enough. Be realistic with your goals and expectations. Don't let a "TV show" make you think different. Apply common sense to your training & diet. A 1-2 lb loss a week may not seem glamorous but that's 4-8 lbs in a month and that will show in your clothes & how they fit. 1-2 lbs loss a week = 4-8 lbs a month = 12-24 lbs in 3 months. See how slow and steady will get you there? Just be consistent & realistic. What I will applaud of these TV shows is the trainers real desire to help & the contestants real desire to help themselves. 100% real! Take the advice, take the heart shown and motivate yourself to do your best. You can achieve your own big results if you just do it!

#Quote of the day: When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place. - unknown