The Biggest Loser Is THE Biggest Loser:  Dirty Secrets Exposed

I have previously blogged about My Top 10 Secrets of the Biggest Loser.

And now former contestants like Kai Hibbard are stepping forward exposing what REALLY goes on behind the scenes in the making of a “reality” TV show surrounding weight loss contestants.  Hibbard lost 118lbs in 12 weeks on the show yet has regained 70 of the 118 lbs.  Props to her for coming clean on the TRUTH.

I hear comments from time to time…  “The Biggest Loser is soooo inspirational.”  or “The contestants on the Biggest Loser work so hard and look so great.”

I knew there were shenanigans behind the curtain of the TV Camera.  Here are some juicy details and my response to them.

BIggest Loser Shenanigan #1:  A Week Is Not a Week on TV

TV tells you that these people lost up to 12 pounds in 1 Week.  Hibbard says a week is not a week on TV.  Sometimes “a week” is 12 days for 15 days behind the scenes.  Remember they are slicing and dicing 7 days (or 12 or 15 days) of footage down into about 40 minutes of content.

BIggest Loser Shenanigan #2:  Weight Loss Techniques Shown can be Duplicated

Remember this is “Reality TV”.  Reality TV = The most drama possible to drive the highest ratings possible.  So reality is not really “reality”.  Biggest Loser Contestants are encouraged to use DEHYDRATION TECHNIQUES to max out their Weight Loss NUMBERS for that given time period.  But what I watch on TV and what is told to me on TV is REAL, correct?  aaaaaaahhhhhhh TV.  Ridiculously unhealthy and promoting unrealistic results.

BIggest Loser Shenanigan #3:  Encouraging 300lb+ Contestants to Run.

Running?  These people can’t even hardly WALK!  Here’s how much stress you put on your joints when you run

Bodyweight x 10-12.  Mine would be 205 x 10 = 2050 lbs PER STEP.  That’s fine if you’ve worked into adaptation.  Not so much if you have successfully planted your ass on the couch for 10 years and then say “I’m going to run a 5k in 3 weeks.”  Uh, no.

BIggest Loser Shenanigan #4:  Pressure of Losing Maximum Weight in 12 Weeks

I run 12 Week Body Transformation Contests at RAD Boot Camp.  I do promote maximum BODY TRANSFORMATION in 12 Weeks.  Our focus is Inches, Body Fat, and pounds.  The scale is not the “tell all”

It’s your journey.  You put on 22, 53, 87 or however many pounds over the course of years.  Unlikely you will strip all of it off in 12 weeks…the 22 is possible and has been done in my gym.

BIggest Loser Shenanigan #5:  Negative Body Image

Anyone who loses over 100lbs in 12 weeks is going to have some former habits take back over when they leave a super structured environment.  Personal chef.  Working out 4-6+ hours per day.  No job.  No spouse. No kids.  That’s as close to “reality” as I can think of.  When the TRUE reality of life sets in back home are the results going to stick?  And when they don’t, what are the thoughts running through the contestants’ heads?

It all comes down to Lifestyle Change.  To make permanent changes you must do things you have never done.

Share your comments below!

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B-Rad

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This one is mostly for the LADIES…yet guys pay attention because this is
THE BEST FEMALE SELF-DEFENSE COURSE to send your wife, daughter, mom, friend through along with yourself.

Today is guest interview with my wife Jordan.

I interviewed her on her attendance at Target Focus Training.

TFT is a system created by Tim Larkin designed to save your life or your loved one’s life when faced with a violent confrontation.

What would you do if you met this guy…

walking down the street in broad daylight?

Or this guy…

in the grocery store parking lot while buckling your kids into the car?

It can happen anywhere at anytime.  One more time:  It Can and DOES Happen ANYWHERE at ANYTIME.

ARE YOU PREPARED?

Best Women’s Self Defense Class

Here we go…

Brad: Have you ever taken any other women’s self defense courses or have any martial arts background?

Jordan: No. Nothing.

Brad: You recently attended Target Focus Training in San Diego.  As a female, describe your experience of the course?

Jordan: I was most surprised that I came into the course knowing NOTHING and left the course feeling confident
that I could handle myself in a bad situation.

Brad: Were you skeptical prior to the Target Focus Training Course?

Jordan: Anxious at first because I didn’t know what I was getting into.
Yet I always thought a self defense class would be great but wanted to be sure I invested my time and effort at the best class.

Brad: What did you learn about yourself and about self preservation?
Jordan: That my strength really didn’t matter if I didn’t know how to use it.

Brad: Are you more aware / confident that you would now be able to take care of yourself if a sketchy situation / attack came your way?
Jordan: Absolutely, don’t mess with me.

Brad: Who would you recommend this course to?  Why?

Jordan: I like to find a way to make my sister’s (AND their husbands) and girlfriends go, I wish I would have taken this class before leaving for college.
I don’t have any kids yet but when I do this will be mandatory as soon as they are old enough, just before they leave for college and another review following college.

Brad: Why is it important for women to understand and apply the Target Focus Training methods?

Jordan: Bad things can happen to good people and when you least expect it, I hope I never have to use the information that I’ve been taught
but if I do I am 110% confident I can defend myself in a bad situation regardless of what it is.  You know I lay awake sometimes worried and one of my sister’s is the same.
I suggested this class to her and she said “she’s not worried, she’s got her home protected like Fort Knox.”

Hmm… well I said “what do you do if someone confronts you in a parking lot.”

Sister:  Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I didn’t consider that.

Lesson learned if you are confronted you can’t control, when and or where.  You can only control your ability to protect yourself and Target Focus Training did that for me.  That being said I hope I never have to use what I’ve learned.

Brad: Thanks for investing in this interview!  You provided much needed insight into a subject that no one likes to think about, yet could happen anytime, anywhere.

I HIGHLY recommend Target Focus Training to anyone who wants to know exactly what to do if violence strikes.

Check it out here:  Target Focus Training

Crank it!
B-Rad

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Fat Loss Tip #11
Jelly or Jam?

Jam.  As in “jam” to music. The rock gods invented the iPod for you to collect the classics and rock out. Zeppelin, The Cult, GNR, Alice in Chains, Metallica, whatever gets you moving…even if it’s Kate Perry (not my style).

Led Zeppelin is still my favorite group of all-time. R.I.P John Bonham epic drummer.

Summer is here. Get outside, get some music Crankin’ and get a workout in.

Preferable to jam to upbeat and fast tunes…”allegre” for the band geeks.

Crank it!
B-Rad

P.S. New Stone Temple Pilots hits the store TODAY! STP Jams.

P.P.S  Leave your favorite Band/Group/Song to workout to in the comments below!

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Nitro Lame Exercise #20 – Fire Hydrants

Fire Hydrants left with Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons!

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B-Rad

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St. Paul RAD Boot Camp Body Transformation Contest III

Very proud of this crew!  Winners are…

Female 1st Place – Lisa Adelmann
(6 Months Unlimited Classes – $870)

Lisa Adelmann

Inches Lost  -15
Pounds Lost  -15.4
Jean Sizes Lost  -1
Body Fat Lost  -7.5%

——————

Female 2nd Place – Shelley Lillie
(3 Months Unlimited Classes – $485)

Shelley Lillie

Inches Lost  -4.75
Pounds Lost  -8
Jean Sizes Lost  -1
Body Fat Lost  -4%

——————

Male 1st Place
(6 Months Unlimited Classes – $870)

Joe Tebbe

Inches Lost  -4
Pounds Lost  -14.4
Jean Sizes Lost  -1
Body Fat Lost  -7.7%

——————

Male 2nd Place
(3 Months Unlimited Classes – $485)

Mark Hesse-Withbroe

Inches Lost  -12.25
Pounds Lost  -7.6
Jean Sizes Lost  -1
Body Fat Lost  -3.8%

——————

Crank it!
B-Rad

P.S. Want Results Like These?  Click here

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You may or may not have seen this….

It’s been all over the media.

World’s Fattest Mother Wants to be World’s Fattest Woman

Right now she ways just a touch over 600lbs.  So 400lbs in 2 years is certainly reasonable AND healthy in her world.

Begin RANT.

From my experience working with clients in the fat loss world, here is what is wrong with this entire

“Prima” Donna – The Messenger Messages

1 I am starved for attention – OK, maybe “buffeted” for attention
2 I am SELFISH. I will gain 400lbs, DIE, and leave my child, who I chose to bring into this world, behind.
3 I have massive emotional baggage – therefore I will shield myself by adding 400lbs since 600 isn’t enough.
4 I don’t care who I offend.  When I die, who pays for my kid and all of the ramifications?  YOU do.
5 I am a person of action.  I have so much to offer the world that I will spend my time EATING my way to gain 400lbs…because I am special and I want to die going after a ludicrous Guiness Book of World Records.

B-Rad Speaks.

Donna Simpson has a problem… a MENTAL problem.  NOT an exercise problem.  NOT a workout problem.  NOT a food problem.  A MENTAL PROBLEM.

I have a theory.  It’s more a reasonable conclusion after 12,000+ hours logged in the fitness/fat loss industry.

There is a tipping point at the 70-80lbs overweight benchmark.  A threshhold where obesity transcends exercise and food and is a true psychological phenomenon.  I can prove it over and over.  I have worked with numerous clients who have lost between 60 and 80lbs and kept it off and are doing great.  I also know of a few exceptions to my theory (which there always will be) who have lost over 100lbs and kept it off.  Guess what?  They had some mental funk they had to deal with and get past.  When they did, the weight melted off.

What kind of Psych issues?  All emotional.  Stuff that hasn’t been dealt with.  May be something that was said at a young age, a spouse who verbally abused, sexual abuse, something triggered a protection mechanism that internally said “I will protect myself from other people by exponentially laying tissue down to push people further away.”

Prima-Donna Simpson “Our Fattest Lady” is the icon of the epidemic that is going on worldwide.  Dr. Phil has something to say about that…

What do YOU have to say about that?  Constructive discussion welcome below.

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B-Rad

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I returned yesterday from a ski trip to Park City, Utah.  This was my second ski trip ever.  So I now have officially 6 days of skiing logged.  Learning new skills is humbling.  Yet at the same time it’s great to be a beginner.  Let’s review some highlights.

Friday – Deer Valley Ski Resort

We stayed ski in / ski out literally about 150 ft from the nearest chair lift.
Got on the skis early a.m and managed to not fall in line for the first 100 ft.  Bonus.

The first day actually overall was fair to good.  I was surprised how much I remembered from last year.  Actually felt a little more natural.

My mother-in-law coined a new phrase that will be used from now on to describe epic wipe-outs…

“Yard-Sale” = defying gravity while dislodging skis and poles and realizing why wearing a helmet is fantastic idea.  Crash and burn.  Laughing is mandatory.

Friday Highlight:  12-year old after watching me “yard sale”

Kid:  “Hey mister, are you OK?”  (stopping for a short 5 seconds before he continues to shred the run)
Me:  laughing… “yeah man”

You know it’s a great wipe-out when you’ve got kids asking if you’re ok

Saturday – The Canyons Ski Resort

Now it’s time to do some blacks.  Trees are an interesting obstacle when stopping ability is not yet a priority.

I kept doing the same run over and over to work on turning in moguls in between trees and falling in powder.  The landings weren’t hard, just frustrating after the 12th time.

New motto:  “If you’re not fallin’ then you’re not pushin’ hard enough.”

Well I must have been pushin’… A LOT.

Saturday Highlight:  late 40-something female getting drilled in the back by the chairlift and then ending up riding with my brother-in-law up the lift.
She and my brother in-law.
One Chair ahead = her friend
Two Chairs ahead = yours truly and my sister-in-law.

Small talk all the way to the top.

Dismounting the lift…she hesitantly says a couple of things to me (remember I am working on Black Diamonds)

Lady:  “You fell a lot on that last run…are you OK?”
Me:  “Yes I’m fine…did he tell you that it’s only my 5th day skiing in my life?”
Lady:  “Yes you’re doing very well for that.”
Me:  (maintaining my inside voice) at least I can get on a chairlift :/

Sunday – The Canyons Ski Resort

Final day.  Back to skiing over my head.
Managed to fall A LOT in the course of 3 days without getting hurt until…
yes, the LAST / FINAL run of the day.
Tired.  Snowing.  Going too fast (theme of the weekend).
Got my pole stuck under my ski while cruising down the run.
Yanked my pole so hard…

Sunday Highlight:  Punched myself in the face leaving the entire left side of my jaw swollen chipmunk-style.

6 Days of skiing down.  Numerous to go.

Weekend Summary:

Bite off more than you can chew and … CHEW IT!

Crank it!
B-Rad

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Grip N Rip 2.0 Saturday Feb 6, 2010 co-taught with partner in crime Adam T. Glass.

There’s a New Kid on the Block and he’s “Hangin’ Tough”

Sometimes I wonder how and why certain people cross my life path.  At this point in my journey, I understand there are zero coincidences.  When you cross my path for whatever reason, I will make sure to let you in on that thought stream.  Whether it resonates with you at that specific moment in time and what you do with that encounter will be left to your free will.

There is something about gathering open minds and the open forum synergy it creates.  The world is changing.  Adaptation is taking place…Learn to adapt or be forced to adapt.  Weekends like this are indescribable in a blog post and that’s why you need to attend.

Fourteen brave souls entered my private lab at 1000 hours eager, excited, nervous.  A few from the Twin Cities proper.  Most from different area codes.  The actual workshop ended at 6:30pm.  Yet the material absorbed and implemented will change these 14 people (and myself and Adam) included forever.

Where else can you bring together…

a medical company worker
a lawyer
a barber
a programmer
an IT analyst
a railroad worker
a pipe layer
a construction company owner
a machinist
a sex offender case worker
a ski instructor
a communications professor
a guy with off-the-charts Tourette’s
a guy who elects getting punched in the face a couple times per week
an E6 Air Force Sergeant
and myself who has seen the tip of the iceberg in my 11 year+ fitness industry stint

…and have everyone feeling like they just were struck with a lightning bolt?

Your belief systems (positive or negative) are the driving force in your life.  They determine EVERYTHING.  Are your belief systems serving you?  Question “authority.”

The ONLY thing this weekend could rival is a Monster Truck Showdown.

Why a Monster Truck Showdown?  Because the reverberation felt around the training world sounds like the Monster Truck announcer in that deep announcer voice growling “Sunday-Sunday-Sundaayyy!”

Crank it!
B-Rad

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I have a beef.  And it has to do with a VERY popular TV show which claims to help obese people lose weight.  Buckle up…

vs.

“I PITY the fool who believes these two…” –>

I watch ONE episode of the Biggest Loser per year.  Any more than that and I tend to throw up in my mouth which doesn’t exactly satisfy my taste buds.

Why do I have such disdain for the Biggest Loser?

10 Beefs With the Biggest Loser

10 Ridiculous Challenges…

You have avoided all forms of movement for years.
You are 43, 53, 78, 143, 235 lbs overweight.
Now let’s take you out and run 20 degree incline hill sprint repeats for an hour.
I have no idea how you just created a stress fracture in your foot in the first 10 min on an exercise program.

9 UNREAListic weight loss…

Is it unhealthy for someone to lose 25lbs in ONE week?  A better question…is it healthy to weigh over 400lbs.  Not so much.  It’s NOT about shedding the fat…it’s about KEEPING IT OFF!

8 Horrific exercise technique…

You’ve seen my rant on Jillian’s kettlebell technique.  It’s not just about kettlebells.  It’s about everything they do on that show.  There is bunk technique on almost every exercise they choose to show…boxing anyone?

7 Bunk Training Methods…

Pushing yourself to failure every workout is a surefire way to stay fat.  Fat is a function of hormone production in response to threat.  Going to failure produces threat.  Threat produces Cortisol.  Cortisol produces fat.  Jillian wrote a book on this and she still isn’t getting it right.

6 Doctors and Psychologists behind the scenes…

Supposedly there are doctors monitoring the Biggest Loser contestants’ training programs.  I’m sure they do exist because of liability.  I would like to meet them and ask them how much they are getting paid.  Psychologists.  They have to have them behind the scenes.  When someone is more than 100lbs overweight, it is outside the scope of food and exercise.  There is an underlying mental block that is manifesting bodyfat in order to “protect” that person from that same mental block.

5 Personal Chef…

They have chefs on this show that cook EXACT portions and EXACT food (healthy) that the contestants want.  Do YOU have a personal chef?

4 Planted sales pitches...

The show is becoming a pitch fest.  Is Wrigley’s Gum really going to control your appetite?  uh, no.

3 Bob and Jillian are LAME trainers…

I know the producers of the show are in control of portraying Bob and Jillian the way they want to.  But they could still control A LOT of variables when it comes to exercise selection and also exercise technique.
Nitro could do better   Check out Nitro’s favorite exercise…  click here

2 Focus Weight Loss vs. Body Composition change…

This is definitely BIGGEST rant peeve.  Ladies…  does it matter if you weight 180lbs if you fit in a size 4 jeans?  No.  STOP FOCUSING ON THE SCALE!!!!!!!!  The Biggest Loser has YOU focusing on the scale instead of the way your clothes fit.  You WANT to look better naked.  You must tone and maybe even build some muscle in order to look better naked.  Losing weight and leaving loose skin behind IS NOT looking better naked.  It’s looking more like a clothes rack.

1 UnREALity TV… UNREAListic Results…

12 weeks.  Lose 200lbs.  Possible?  yes.  We’ve seen it done.  Probable?  No.  Keep it off?  HELL NO.  I am going to guess that 90% of the previous Biggest Loser contestants have gained a lot of if not ALL of their weight back.  So what did 12 weeks of suffering teach them about lifestyle behavior modication?  ZERO.  and ZERO is a whole lot of NOTHING!  Bottom-line is this is Television Drama.  Let’s revisit…

vs.

“I PITY the fool who believes this TV show…” –>

***Hey, if the Biggest Loser “inspires” you to get off your ass and change your life…word.  Just make sure you find someone to hold you accountable and to keep you going when results aren’t happening as fast as you would like them to .***

Seek out the advice of a professional who has a proven track record of Fat Loss RESULTS.
In Minneapolis?  Check out http://RADBootCamp.com

Crank it!
B-Rad

P.S.  What do you think?  Leave your comments below!

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Nitro – Lame Exercise #19 – The Body Bar

Nitro would have to perform 3,248 reps with a body bar per session to build his legs with a body bar!

Crank it!
B-Rad

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