CHECKING IN WITH ... BACK BAY FITNESS:

So you’ve just indulged in a ginormous Thanksgiving dinner, wolfing down all the goodies like your favorite aunt’s candied yams and then Mom’s delicious pumpkin pie. Then the bad news — you’ve just stepped on the bathroom scale. Time to loosen that belt and make an appointment with the personal trainer. So who best during the holiday season of Christmas cookies and milk than to check in with personal trainers Sarah Daum and Donna Vittorio at Back Bay Fitness in Costa Mesa.

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How long is it going to take to shed that spare tire? Let’s say, 10 or 15 pounds.

Daum: The time it could take to lose the weight depends on you! If you were fully committed to losing the weight, the quickest and most sure-fire way of losing it safely and for good would be two pounds per week. If you lost more than two pounds per week it could be water or muscle loss, which is not the kind of loss we want. So, this means around five to eight weeks for fat loss.

Vittorio: It will probably take about six weeks to lose 10 to 15 pounds if you do it right!

Take us through a typical workout regimen that you would recommend.

Daum: A good workout regiment for losing weight efficiently while boosting your metabolism is circuit training mixed with bouts of interval cardio training. This will work your muscles, forcing them to burn calories for you, and interval training will keep your metabolism running throughout the entire day.

Vittorio: My typical workout consists of a 10-minute warm-up, 20 minutes of vigorous cardio-endurance training followed by strength-plyometrics- functional training ending with flexibility-stretching- breathing techniques for distressing before facing reality once they walk out the door.

What do you tell people intimidated by the gym?

Daum: I would tell them that it’s normal, but to not let it stop them from entering. The gym can be intimidating, I know I was intimidated when I first joined my first gym, but making myself go was well worth it. Working with a trainer can definitely help ease your way into the gym, introducing you to new exercises, muscle groups, and good technique. Your fears will soon subside and you will surely build your confidence with time.

Vittorio: Everyone comes to the gym for various reasons. If you watch people without a plan they are like the balls in a pinball machine bouncing aimlessly off of the stations not knowing where to go or what to do. They hire a trainer for help because they do not know how to do it. It’s not just using gym equipment; it’s knowing how to use your body like a fine-tuned instrument.

What’s the biggest mistake people make when they want to shed the weight quickly?

Daum: A big mistake would be a quick fix. A quick fix would be a fad diet, something like the grapefruit diet, or only liquids for a few days. Sure, greatly limiting your caloric intake will render results quickly, but they are only that — a fad. It will almost guarantee that the weight will come back on, if not more. The best way to prepare for your vacation would be to give yourself time to incorporate a healthy eating plan and workout strategy to lose the unwanted weight. The weight will likely stay off, and I guarantee your body will feel good getting to eat, rather than being deprived.

Vittorio: Most people go on fad diets because they are just ignorant and looking for an attractive, easier way to lose weight. The problem is they have no idea that losing weight too fast is not the way to go, and they wonder why they gained it all back and in some cases gaining more! People need to be trained all over again on how to eat properly.

It seems like there’s always some new diet out there that contradicts the previous one. What’s the straight dope on dieting?

Daum: The straight dope on dieting is that it shouldn’t be called a diet. Diets are only for periods of time, and then once off the diet, the weight usually comes back on. It calls for a vicious cycle of yo-yo weight loss and weight gain, which only lowers your metabolism in the long run. The real term should be “lifestyle change.” These are changes that you plan on maintaining permanently. The truth is you wont get the body you want without the “lifestyle” changes taking place. The food you eat will account for about 80% of the way you will look. Eating more fruits and veggies and lean meats will keep you lean, mean and strong.

Vittorio: It is really simple and basic — eat from the four food groups. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with a healthy snack in between. It depends on activity levels, too, but for the average person just looking to lose 10 to 15 pounds it should not be that difficult. It takes discipline and some people do not have it, so that’s where a trainer comes in handy.

Are you seeing any drop-off in customers, and what would you say to folks who might want to cut the health club membership out of their budget?

Daum: I haven’t had any clients drop off because we can always work with what they got. Only a few have cut back on the number of sessions they will train. They have found ways to budget it in. Even training once a week is well worth it. Getting a week’s worth of homework, checking in with your diet regimen, and maintaining that accountability will keep you on your path even in these hard times.

Vittorio: I have lost clients due to layoffs at work, or not being able to afford it. It’s not that they want to stop or lost motivation.

Can you recommend any good books or DVDs on eating right or working out?

Daum: I really like “The Eat-Clean Diet” book, by Tosca Reno. She really explains good lifestyle choices to make for getting lean and healthy, and she will teach you how to eat clean. She will give you good recipes, and talk about translating your menu while eating-out. I also like, “The Abs-Diet” book by David Dinczenko. He covers it all. He really has good food strategies and food plans to help you get those abs in check.

Who would you rather train with — Jane Fonda or Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Daum: I would definitely have to say Arnold Schwarzenegger. I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to weight lift with one of the most well-known and accomplished body builder of his time. Not to mention, he is the governor and the Terminator!

Vittorio: This one is easy! Arnold! My hero! You don’t want to hear what I have to say about Jane Fonda.