Fitness Contraptions Are No Magic Bullet

Hello All,

You’re innocently sitting on the couch flipping channels when it hits you! This guy with a pony tail is on this contraption with his legs flailing back and forth and telling you it’s the answer to your prayers. The one and only thing you need to finally reach that size 6 or 32 waist!

You know it’s BS, you know the thing can’t possibly be worth the 3 easy payments of $59.99, but you watch for a little while anyway. Well, just maybe . . .

An infomercial might seem obvious but how about that fitness aisle at Target? Weighted balls, “better” yoga mats, some circle contraption with pads, the lady on the box seems nice, she’s fit, hmm, there’s a video with the doodad. Maybe that’ll work . . .

Perhaps the one we’re all the most likely to fall for is the MD endorsement. Some guy on the cover of a book, or on the corner of a box with a white coat on ~ looking all official ~ telling us this is the way to go. You have to trust a guy with an MD after his name right?

This is magical thinking people! And your body and that pudge are unfortunately quite real!

So if your contemplating buying a fitness contraption to finally reach that weight loss goal here’s some tips on what will really help you to get there.

1. Realize that your body is unique and there is no “one diet” that works for everyone. Your friend might do great at Weight Watchers, but maybe you’re a Sonoma Diet kinda gal. Group fitness classes at a gym might be one person’s solution, yours might be Pilates. Keep an open mind when you’re trying different fitness options. If it doesn’t feel right, chalk it up as a learning experience and move on.

2. Social support is crucial. Websites like this one, or weight loss groups in real life (IRL) will offer you real support. You can bounce ideas off of group members and learn from them. You also need your immediate family on board. If your spouse is still bringing home ice cream & cookies you will have a much harder time being successful. In the same vein, if your spouse doesn’t support the extra time you’ll need to get your workouts in, it’ll be that much harder to achieve weight loss.

3. Fitness contraptions can be fun to spice up a workout but they are not what will get you fit. Your body moving at a strenuous level will get you fit. You really only need your own body and a rug or mat of some sort. Everything else just adds variety. So buy the contraption if you’re looking for variety, don’t buy it if you’re looking for a magic bullet.

4. The best people in the industry are highly trained! Look for the best to avoid being the victim of marketing. My Pilates certification took 500+ hours to attain. I’ve done over 10,000 hours training clients. I know what I’m talking about, I’ve seen just about every type of body and yours is probably not going to be a surprise to me.

Here are some sources to explore.

A. Personal trainers: ACSM & NSCA certifications are the best in the industry right now. Look for those letters.

B. Diet Books: I am a big fan of “You On a Diet” by Michael Roizen & Memhet Oz, MD. Dr. Oz is Oprah’s diet guru, but he’s also the head of cardiovascular at a top NY City hospital. He knows he stuff and breaks it down in a way lay people can understand, he’s definitely worth the read. Other books respected in the field right now are The Sonoma Diet by Dr. Connie Guttersen & Stephanie Karpinske, and the Flat Belly Diet by Prevention Magazine nutritionist Liz Vacciarello.

C. Fitness Contraptions: Free weights are always good, a workout mat can be helpful if you have hard surface floors. That’s all you really need to start.

Would love to hear some feedback. Let me know if this was useful or not.

Talk to you soon!

Lisa