It’s almost time for another season of The Biggest Loser. In anticipation, I am dedicating my blogs this week to tips for how you can get The Biggest Loser experience at home. As the experts behind the show explain, one of the reasons the people lose so much weight consistently is because of their new environment. Biggest Loser success is within everyone’s reach. Earlier this week, I blogged about how you can change your nutrition environment by following the Biggest Loser diet. Today I’m going to review the exercise changes that happen on the ranch and give you tips for how you can make similar changes at home and lose weight with the contestants.
Biggest Loser Exercise Program
Clearly, exercise is an important part of The Biggest Loser success. Most of the content on the show is dedicated to the contestants sweating it out to what looks like hours a day. The trainers incorporate weight training, cardio, teamwork, and competition in the form of challenges.
Now, you might not have the time to dedicate to exercise like they do, but that’s no excuse for sitting on your butt while watching the show. Why not put together a little workout program you can do while the show is on? Here are a few ideas to get your sweat on:
- 5 minute circuits – one minute each of wall sits with arm circles; crunches, lunges, push ups, and planks. Take a minute rest in between each circuit. You should be able to get 8-10 sets in each show.
- Home gym – if you are lucky enough to have an elliptical, treadmill, or other “machine,” get on it and don’t get off until the closing credits roll.
Besides the show, here are some other tips for exercise, Biggest Loser style.
- Set a goal for 7 hours per week of exercise – and stick to it. Change it up between cardio, strength, and yoga. Think differently about exercise. Take a boxing lesson, find a local pool and go for a swim or water-jogging, try cycling or anything that is new to you. The best thing you can do for your body is surprise it with different exercises. Think you don’t have time for 7 hours? Think again… 90 minutes twice a week, 60 minutes twice a week, 30 minutes twice a week and one day off.
- Wear a pedometer. In addition to your planned exercise, get moving more throughout the day. Aim for 10,000 steps. Check your steps at lunchtime and if you aren’t at 5,000 plan to take a walk at lunch and maybe dinner too to get those steps in. This is most important for any “off days” you have.
- Don’t diss DVDs. It may seem old school to do a workout video, but why not? Some of them are really hard! Why not do a workout video hosted by the show’s trainers, Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels? I personally have loved doing their videos at home. They work rain or shine, super early in the morning or late at night. It’s the next best thing to being on the ranch!
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