Marty Wolff from The Biggest Loser and Wrigley’s Gum

As I’ve said before, I’m a huge fan of the TV show The Biggest Loser so I’m very excited that they have chosen Workout Mommy as a stop on their Wrigley’s blog tour!

I was given the opportunity to interview Marty Wolff from season 3, who lost an amazing 146 pounds while on the show! Can you imagine? It’s hard to believe this is a picture of the same person. It reminds me of what is possible with sheer willpower and exercise.

In addition to doing the interview, I also have 10 Step it Up with Extra Gum gift packs, which include a pedometer and Biggest Loser DVD, to give away.

In order to win, please leave a comment below telling me what your favorite workout (or exercise) is and why. I’ll randomly select 10 winners at 9pm EST on Monday, November 26, 2007. Please no duplicate entries.

Here is my interview with Marty:

Workout Mommy: Can you give us some tips on how you manage to maintain your weight loss? Are there any foods that you just absolutely do not eat anymore?
Marty: Maintenance is difficult, because you realize the battle is not over and there is no finish line. The largest obstacle is getting back on track after a cheat day. I schedule my time at the gym in the morning the day after, and make sure I go. I always feel better after a workout and get re-energized and focused on my goals. That is why I decided to become a personal trainer and start a company (realitywellnessinc.com), so I can help others overcome obstacles and be the accountability they need.

My advice to others would be, don’t wait for the Biggest Loser to come along to start changing your life! Start today by taking small steps and making small changes every day. One thing that can make a difference is to log onto gumisgood.com and sign up for Wrigley’s Walk and Chew Gum Challenge. Everyone needs a support system, and this is a good way to get motivated and work toward a meaningful goal with others! Wrigley’s Walk and Chew Gum Challenge is a great program that challenges Americans to collectively cut 10 million calories and walk 100,000 miles. While it sounds like a hefty goal, it’s about making two small changes to your daily routine over the next 100 days – walk more steps each day and cut calories from your diet by chewing Extra sugar-free gum instead of eating a high-calorie snack. Check out the details at gumisgood.com , sign up and step-it-up today!

For those of you already involved in the Walk and Chew Gum Challenge, keep up the hard work and remember to log those steps and record those calories!

Most foods I have learned how to manage rather than cut out cold turkey, but I no longer drink “regular” soda. Only diet and I limit it to a couple times a week! Also, we have totally cut out fast food (unless it is what we want for our cheat meal). We don’t even go through the drive thru to get a salad. We do our best to avoid temptations now; it’s all a part of our plan!

Workout Mommy: Do you find it hard that people hold you to impossible standards now that you have lost so much weight in the public eye? For example, strangers examine what is in your grocery cart or friends make comments if you eat (or drink) something that is not so healthy?
Marty: It really doesn’t bother me, because it is what I signed up for. I knew signing up for the show that I needed the accountability, and I look at The Biggest Loser as the greatest accountability anyone could ever have! Also, people may say things, but I never hear them! Or at least they never tell me directly.

Workout Mommy: What is your absolute favorite workout and why?
Marty: I really don’t have any sort of favorite exercise; I just like moving in general now! Some of my favorite things to do to get in my cardio are:

Stair stepper- I do it usually for 20 minutes and it is intense.
Spin Classes- They are a great way to get your mind off the workout and feel good about yourself
Tennis- I enjoy getting competitive and playing tennis with AMY! I usually win!

Really, I just enjoy getting my heat rate up, sweating and feeling good about myself.

Workout Mommy: On TV there is a clear difference in training styles between Bob, Jillian, and Kim. Now that you are a personal trainer yourself, which training style do you most resemble?
Marty: Not too sure about Jillian, because she was not on our season, but have heard that her and Bob’s styles are very similar. There is a lot that people don’t see on TV, but Bob (and I have heard Jillian also) is very intense with the workouts and they work from the inside out. Bob is a master motivator! he finds something small inside you and turns it into your life’s mission! That is sort of shown in small pieces on TV, but there is so much more that what is shown. Bob training style is that he OWNS you. You submit to him and everything he wants you to do. He was truly our leader and we followed eagerly. Kim’s style, although I was never trained by her (just observed) is different in the sense that she takes more of a facilitator and educator role. She really loves teaching her team about nutrition and fitness. She prides herself in teaching them to make different choices for their lives. With Bob, you follow and model after him, with Kim, you’re taught and then expected to perform. All are terrific people and amazing trainers with two things on their mind: lifestyle changes and WINNING! I am most like Bob. Intense with my emotions during training, yet compassionate and reflective.

Workout Mommy: If you had to do the show over again, would you do anything differently and why? Marty: If I had it to do over again, I would have played the game more. I tried my hardest to believe that if I worked hard it would get me through the show, but it doesn’t really work that way. To make it through you have to play the game!

Thanks Marty for taking the time to answer my questions and many thanks to Wrigley’s for giving me the opportunity.

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