Here's what she had to say.
1.) DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR SELF-PRESERVATION.
I told Jillian that some of my habits--flushing
rice down the toilet so I won't eat it,
bringing my own high-fiber bread to
brunch--stirred some controversy on the blog.
"Why?" she asked. "Why should we apologize for the practices that
help us manage the symptoms while we deal with the real reasons we
eat? I pour candle wax on my food at restaurants," Jillian
admitted. "Not wanting to 'waste food' is a poor excuse for ending
up far worse off later on, dealing with all the health problems
that come with obesity." (Here are a few
restaurant do's and dont's to help you maintain your healthy
eating goals while dining out.)
2.) RUN.
I asked Jillian if running really is the best form of cardio for
weight loss. "Absolutely," she said. "There are lots of great ways
to get your heart rate up, but if you want to see the pounds melt
off, running is the fastest way. But I get that not everyone is
built for it--knee problems, tight IT bands, heel
spurs; I get it." Whatever you do, she said, "Don't forget the weights! The more muscle you
build, the faster your metabolism will run."(What's better
running outdoors or on a treadmill?)
3.) THE BIGGEST LOSER IS NOT REALITY.
"You don't watch the Olympics and think, Hmm, I should swim for 6
hours a day like Michael Phelps, do you? But you might think about
joining a pool and swimming a few times a week," she said. That's
what Jillian wants people watching TBL to think, too: "If these
people can lose ten pounds in two weeks, maybe I can lose ten
pounds in a couple of months." She adds: "I want people to realize
their own potential; I meet people all the time who never thought
of themselves as athletic, but now? They truly are
athletes."
4.) FORGET WILLPOWER.
"Losing weight is not about willpower--it's about
moments of bravado, like the moment when you ask your
waiter to take the bread away from the table right
away."
5.) JUST SAY THANK YOU.
When I told Jillian how much weight I've lost, she congratulated
me. And then (as I always do), I added, "But I still have a long
way to go." "Stop," she said. "What does that do," she said, "apart
from negate everything you've already accomplished? You're being
self-deprecating and disempowering, and that doesn't serve
anyone-and especially not you. Be proud of what you've done for
yourself."
Got it, Jillian. Thank you! :- )
What do you guys think--is weight loss about willpower? I happen to agree with Jillian and think it's NOT. It's not about gritting your teeth and finding the strength "deep within you"--I think that's B.S. and will leave many people feeling really bad that they can't find it. They key, I think, is to set up your environment and make decisions so that you can succeed even when willpower is nowhere to be found.
by Margarita BertsosRelated: 50 tips from top trainers!
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