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CNN Sunday Morning

Losing Weight and Keeping It Off

Aired October 13, 2002 - 07:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: It is a battle millions of Americans struggle with, the battle of the bulge. In a desperate attempt to lose weight, people often try one diet or -- after another.
For some, success comes from just learning the basics of nutrition and exercise. And joining us to talk about losing weight and keeping it off, and that's always a struggle, isn't it?

KAT CARNEY, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely.

SAN MIGUEL: Is CNN medical correspondent Kat Carney. Thanks for coming in this morning.

CARNEY: Thank you, Renay. Remember, the grapefruit diet? How about those clinics promising to shake you thin? Over the years, Americans have seen their share of weight loss gimmicks and gurus, but when it comes to the real deal, one name comes to mind. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARNEY (voice-over): That's right, he's Richard Simmons, the self-proclaimed court jester of fitness, a title he's held for more than 30 years.

But the man who got America sweatin' to the oldies says he once faced his own weight challenges.

RICHARD SIMMONS, FITNESS GURU: By the time I was eight-years old, I was 200 pounds. Uniforms couldn't fit. My father would sew inserts in my arms, and in my legs. The kids were pretty brutal.

CARNEY: From an early age, Simmons embarked on a long journey of fad diets, but year after year, his weight problem persisted. Desperate to be thin, his methods took a dangerous turn.

SIMMONS: I then learned how to throw up, and then laxatives, and then I began starving for 2.5 months, just drinking water, and almost died.

CARNEY: But at the age of 16, a stranger helped him turn his life around.

SIMMONS: Someone left a note on my car. And it said, "Dear Richard, you're very funny, but fat people die young. Please don't die."

CARNEY: At 268 pounds, Simmons says he made the decision to educate himself on the basics of nutrition and exercise.

SIMMONS: So I got some elementary school books, the six food groups. And I started reading about walking and exercising. And slowly but surely, I went the right path. I stopped doing all the hurtful, harmful and stupid things, temporary things to lose weight.

CARNEY: Eventually, that path led a trim and healthy Simmons to Beverly Hills, where he opened one of the first aerobic studios in 1974 and named it "Slimmons."

Today, the 54-year old Simmons still teaches up to six classes a week.

SIMMONS: I can't wait to teach a class. I can't wait to go in there and put the music on and make people sweat and laugh and have a good time.

CARNEY: And it's not just classes. Simmons tirelessly reaches out to overweight people everywhere.

SIMMONS: Hi, Sheila, it's Richard Simmons...

I call anywhere from 50 to 80 people a day. I do about 200 e- mails a day.

CARNEY: Do you ever have days when you're not motivated?

SIMMONS: Oh, no, no. I may have a bad moment. There may be a bad 10 seconds, but I clap my hands, and snap my fingers and say, "Richard, you're on. And you have a job to do. And you better go out there and do it.

CARNEY: And for Richard Simmons, that job is getting each and every person moving and grooving, the young, the old, the men, the women, and even reporters.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAN MIGUEL: Nice job there. I know that certain talk show hosts love to make fun of Richard Simmons, but he has shown that, you know, he is a success story, because he's been able to keep that weight off. And he reaches out to so many other people.

And there are more people to reach out to, because two studies this week show that obesity is at an all time high, especially among our children in this country.

What explains success stories like Richard Simmons?

CARNEY: Well, you know, Renay, that's the question that researchers were asking back in 1993 when they formed what's called the National Weight Control Registry. It's a database of people who have been successful at weight loss, and have kept at least 30 pounds off for over a year.

And the researchers wanted to know why have these people been successful? And what the studies have -- what we're seeing is that we know how to lose weight. It's in the maintenance that we're seeing some very startling characteristics here.

SAN MIGUEL: And the idea here is that, as you just saw with Richard Simmons, exercise is the key part of what he has been talking about what he preaches. What else is involved there?

I mean, I guess we all know you have to burn more calories than you take in. Diet is also a big part here?

CARNEY: Absolutely. When it comes to the maintenance phase, exercise is key. The researchers found that the people in the database do a very high level of exercise. They do at least 60 minutes a day. And that's just to maintain their weight loss.

The most popular activity was walking. All of the participants too reported eating breakfast almost every day of the week. It really is the most important meal of the day. And even now in their maintenance phase, depending on or regardless of how they lost the weight, all of them look at their fat content and their calories throughout the day.

So they do some type of self monitoring. And they're also weighing themselves. And Richard even says today, he weighs himself every day.

SAN MIGUEL: I know. It's also not just how -- what the scale says, but also how you look in your clothes, and how you're looking in the mirror as well. You know, we hear a lot about these studies that go on. How do people get involved or can actually take part in some of these studies?

CARNEY: Well, this one is called it's the National Weight Control Registry. You can find it by calling 1-800-606-NWCR. And again, it's for people who have lost at least 30 pounds and who have kept it off for a year. And I'm happy to say that I'm actually eligible, because I lost 90 pounds...

SAN MIGUEL: Yes.

CARNEY: ...four years ago. And I've been keeping it off.

SAN MIGUEL: Wow, wow, good for you. That is great. And it's a lifestyle adjustment, not just, you know, the mechanics of exercise and all that, but it's making a decision and sticking with it for the rest of your life.

CARNEY: And it really -- it's such a huge problem. And it goes beyond just, you know, health and well being. You know, with all of this talk of war, a study came out not too long ago saying that we actually have a dwindling pool of available recruits for the military because of this obesity problem. So it really is something that we need to get our hands on.

SAN MIGUEL: Good information there. Kat Carney, thanks for joining us. CARNEY: Thank you.

SAN MIGUEL: We appreciate your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 13, 2002 - 07:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: It is a battle millions of Americans struggle with, the battle of the bulge. In a desperate attempt to lose weight, people often try one diet or -- after another.
For some, success comes from just learning the basics of nutrition and exercise. And joining us to talk about losing weight and keeping it off, and that's always a struggle, isn't it?

KAT CARNEY, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely.

SAN MIGUEL: Is CNN medical correspondent Kat Carney. Thanks for coming in this morning.

CARNEY: Thank you, Renay. Remember, the grapefruit diet? How about those clinics promising to shake you thin? Over the years, Americans have seen their share of weight loss gimmicks and gurus, but when it comes to the real deal, one name comes to mind. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARNEY (voice-over): That's right, he's Richard Simmons, the self-proclaimed court jester of fitness, a title he's held for more than 30 years.

But the man who got America sweatin' to the oldies says he once faced his own weight challenges.

RICHARD SIMMONS, FITNESS GURU: By the time I was eight-years old, I was 200 pounds. Uniforms couldn't fit. My father would sew inserts in my arms, and in my legs. The kids were pretty brutal.

CARNEY: From an early age, Simmons embarked on a long journey of fad diets, but year after year, his weight problem persisted. Desperate to be thin, his methods took a dangerous turn.

SIMMONS: I then learned how to throw up, and then laxatives, and then I began starving for 2.5 months, just drinking water, and almost died.

CARNEY: But at the age of 16, a stranger helped him turn his life around.

SIMMONS: Someone left a note on my car. And it said, "Dear Richard, you're very funny, but fat people die young. Please don't die."

CARNEY: At 268 pounds, Simmons says he made the decision to educate himself on the basics of nutrition and exercise.

SIMMONS: So I got some elementary school books, the six food groups. And I started reading about walking and exercising. And slowly but surely, I went the right path. I stopped doing all the hurtful, harmful and stupid things, temporary things to lose weight.

CARNEY: Eventually, that path led a trim and healthy Simmons to Beverly Hills, where he opened one of the first aerobic studios in 1974 and named it "Slimmons."

Today, the 54-year old Simmons still teaches up to six classes a week.

SIMMONS: I can't wait to teach a class. I can't wait to go in there and put the music on and make people sweat and laugh and have a good time.

CARNEY: And it's not just classes. Simmons tirelessly reaches out to overweight people everywhere.

SIMMONS: Hi, Sheila, it's Richard Simmons...

I call anywhere from 50 to 80 people a day. I do about 200 e- mails a day.

CARNEY: Do you ever have days when you're not motivated?

SIMMONS: Oh, no, no. I may have a bad moment. There may be a bad 10 seconds, but I clap my hands, and snap my fingers and say, "Richard, you're on. And you have a job to do. And you better go out there and do it.

CARNEY: And for Richard Simmons, that job is getting each and every person moving and grooving, the young, the old, the men, the women, and even reporters.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAN MIGUEL: Nice job there. I know that certain talk show hosts love to make fun of Richard Simmons, but he has shown that, you know, he is a success story, because he's been able to keep that weight off. And he reaches out to so many other people.

And there are more people to reach out to, because two studies this week show that obesity is at an all time high, especially among our children in this country.

What explains success stories like Richard Simmons?

CARNEY: Well, you know, Renay, that's the question that researchers were asking back in 1993 when they formed what's called the National Weight Control Registry. It's a database of people who have been successful at weight loss, and have kept at least 30 pounds off for over a year.

And the researchers wanted to know why have these people been successful? And what the studies have -- what we're seeing is that we know how to lose weight. It's in the maintenance that we're seeing some very startling characteristics here.

SAN MIGUEL: And the idea here is that, as you just saw with Richard Simmons, exercise is the key part of what he has been talking about what he preaches. What else is involved there?

I mean, I guess we all know you have to burn more calories than you take in. Diet is also a big part here?

CARNEY: Absolutely. When it comes to the maintenance phase, exercise is key. The researchers found that the people in the database do a very high level of exercise. They do at least 60 minutes a day. And that's just to maintain their weight loss.

The most popular activity was walking. All of the participants too reported eating breakfast almost every day of the week. It really is the most important meal of the day. And even now in their maintenance phase, depending on or regardless of how they lost the weight, all of them look at their fat content and their calories throughout the day.

So they do some type of self monitoring. And they're also weighing themselves. And Richard even says today, he weighs himself every day.

SAN MIGUEL: I know. It's also not just how -- what the scale says, but also how you look in your clothes, and how you're looking in the mirror as well. You know, we hear a lot about these studies that go on. How do people get involved or can actually take part in some of these studies?

CARNEY: Well, this one is called it's the National Weight Control Registry. You can find it by calling 1-800-606-NWCR. And again, it's for people who have lost at least 30 pounds and who have kept it off for a year. And I'm happy to say that I'm actually eligible, because I lost 90 pounds...

SAN MIGUEL: Yes.

CARNEY: ...four years ago. And I've been keeping it off.

SAN MIGUEL: Wow, wow, good for you. That is great. And it's a lifestyle adjustment, not just, you know, the mechanics of exercise and all that, but it's making a decision and sticking with it for the rest of your life.

CARNEY: And it really -- it's such a huge problem. And it goes beyond just, you know, health and well being. You know, with all of this talk of war, a study came out not too long ago saying that we actually have a dwindling pool of available recruits for the military because of this obesity problem. So it really is something that we need to get our hands on.

SAN MIGUEL: Good information there. Kat Carney, thanks for joining us. CARNEY: Thank you.

SAN MIGUEL: We appreciate your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com