If you haven’t seen this show already, it’s worth an hour of your time! I’m not a big tv watcher, and most of the time when it’s on I’m not paying attention. However, this show threw all the rules out the door. The basic premiss is that they take one obese client and one very fit trainer. The trainer takes 4 months to gain an obscene amount of weight (usually 50-70 pounds) and can’t workout. After gaining the weight and getting out of shape, the client and trainer meet back up for the second time and begin to lose the weight at the same time.
SO What’s the Catch ?
While you may think the trainer has this “all under control,” you see many things happen as they lose their body…..
The Biggest Change – Their self confidence goes down the drain. They finally realize what it’s like to be on the other side of the weight.
Tired, bloated, and angry are just some of the things they begin to feel. This is all caught on a video camera as they gain the weight.
Next, their relationships unravel. They stop playing with their kids, their wife says they’ve become distant and angry.
Once the weight is on, they meet the client and begin the slow process of losing. This time, the client looks at them differently. It’s usually “Oh my god, I can’t believe you did that for me.” It takes a session or two to get the process rolling and it doesn’t come without the usual obstacles.
*Watch a preview of this season on Fit to Fat to Fit.
My Own Fit to Fat to Fit Story
* As a personal trainer that’s been over weight I understood the idea behind this. I was fit in high school, but I could never eat whatever I wanted. I was constantly checking calories and logging my food. Then in college it hit me like a ton of bricks, I was working out 6 days a week, logging my food, and for some reason the weight was piling on. 6 months later, and 50 pounds heavier, I realized what was going on with the help of a naturopath. I had an immune disorder that was affecting my thyroid called Hashimoto’s, and I was allergic to gluten. It was depressing, frustrating, and embarrassing to be that big as a personal trainer. SO, I understood everything the trainers and clients were going through. I had done my own version of “Fit to Fat to Fit” years ago and it’s helped me understand my clients better.
Picture a young fit athlete before the fat image
Before: 198 lbs / After: 148 lbs *
Through that process I learned which foods would be the most beneficial to weight loss (no matter what your issues). I also saw which foods were the most detrimental and I created a meal plan and workout routine to help others get to Fit effortlessly.
I hated cocky trainers, because I believed they didn’t understand people. I felt the best trainers were those that could understand and empathize to some degree. This program shows the cocky trainers go from over confident to humble in a matter of months!
The Biggest Takeaway From “Fit to Fat to Fit”
In the beginning of the show you see the creator talk about his history as a personal trainer and his inability to help those who were severely over weight. While he talks about gaining the weight and losing it …. that’s not the answer. The real answer is in the episodes. I keyed into this after watching only one show. The REAL answer to training really overweight people and getting them to respect you instead of hate you …. is to SUFFER WITH THEM. Don’t be the commander, be their friend, and their partner in battle. Workout with them, and struggle with them. This advice is actually GOLD to any personal trainer because it’s easy for overweight clients to alter roles and play victim if they feel threatened which you can see begin to happen time and time again in these shows before the trainer catches on. SO why didn’t trainers think of this before?? Well, we may have, but 90% of us were trained NOT to workout with clients (because it was unprofessional and we couldn’t watch their form as closely). Of course, that’s mostly corporate training gyms. If you are an independent trainer you can probably alter your training methods to take turns during sets and workout along with them effectively.
This advice can also work for parents. If you want your kids to be in better shape, get out in the yard and play with them, you will need to do it with them or have a trainer do it along with them. Another option is enrolling them in team sports. However, make sure they are placed in a supportive environment, otherwise it’s more detrimental then good.
Adria
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