be healthy

By LAURIE STERBENS
Lifestyles Editor

Want to know how you can lose more than 100 pounds in a single day at the gym? Fire your personal trainer!

Sorry, couldn't resist. However, that bad joke isn't too far from the assertion made by Ashley Marriott and Marc L. Paulsen, M.D., in their book, "Looking to Lose Weight? Dump Your Trainer: The Only Thing They'll Reduce is Your Wallet" (BookSurge Publishing, $20.99).

No, they are not out to get all personal trainers. In fact, Marriott is a personal trainer, certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. So why write a book that would result in, as she admits, "some less than flattering phone calls" from other trainers?

"The good trainers that are worth it, that really specialize in what they do, are not threatened by this, because this is talking about an industry problem," Marriott said. The problem, according to Marriott and Paulsen, is an industry in which corporate gyms are pushing trainers to sell more training sessions, so the emphasis is more on the amount of time booked with clients rather than the results achieved for them.

And, with the popularity in recent years of "The Biggest Loser" and other fitness-related shows, and a celebrity culture that emphasizes sometimes unrealistic levels of thinness, "I think it's become much more common in people's mindsets that if they want to lose weight, (they) need an expensive trainer," Marriott said.

"In reality, if someone wants to have a few sessions to kind of set them up, I'm not saying that's not a good thing to do," Marriott said. "But you don't need to think that that's the long-term solution. You need that trainer to educate and empower you to be able to do it on your own because, looking at your life over the course of how long you're going to be exercising, it's a lifelong commitment, and relying on a personal trainer and spending the money that way is really not a reality."

And if you're looking to lose weight, pumping iron with a trainer isn't going to do the trick, anyway, she added.

"If you're looking for weight loss, 80 percent of your time needs to be spent on the cardio component. And that's something you can do for free. You don't need a personal trainer watching you walk or jog or ride a bike."

Marriott and Paulsen's book is aimed at exercise beginners who might be intimidated about going to the gym. Their exercise "80/20 rule" calls for 80 percent aerobic exercise and 20 percent strength training.

"I believe that the way it works best is to keep it really basic so that it's not overwhelming, you know, start with a walking program, look at your lifestyle, make healthier eating habits," Marriott said.

They recommend a back-to-basics diet plan that emphasizes portion control, calorie counting and keeping a food journal. The meals include lean protein, lots of leafy green vegetables, fruit and whole grains, as well as vegetarian options. Marriott calls it a "clean meal plan."

What they don't recommend is the type of weight-loss seen on television shows such as "The Biggest Loser."

"One of the most important points we stress for those starting out on a weight loss program is to start off slow and avoid injuries," Paulsen said in an e-mail. "We caution that the injuries you sustain in an effort to lose weight too quickly can rapidly derail a weight loss program and can lead to long-term damage that can come back to haunt you."

So, do you need a trainer?

"It depends on where they work," said Rob Maxwell, sports medicine director at Keiser University and owner of Maxwell's Fitness Programs in Port Orange. "A trainer in a standard health club serves a good purpose of teaching clients how to exercise there safely and with an exercise plan."

Trainers with the right qualifications can help special populations such as people with arthritis or osteoporosis. "But again, this person better be trained for this and if they don't have (the necessary training), they can do more harm than good," Maxwell said.

Trainers are also great for motivation and accountability, Maxwell said.

"If this is what it takes to get you to exercise properly and consistently then it's well, well worth the investment."