DIET | DETECTIVE^®

A pioneer in the fitness industry, who has helped millions to get fit, Gilad Janklowicz, continues to inspire and lead, with his consistent message, “keep it simple”.

This year Gilad’s television show, Gilad’s Bodies in Motion, now airing on Discovery Fit TV, celebrates its 25^th anniversary, making it the longest running fitness show in history. Seen in over 80 countries world wide, in a viewer’s poll conducted by Discovery, Gilad won the title of “Television Fitness Instructor of the Year” in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Recently Gilad created a new fitness show for Fit TV, Total Body Sculpt with Gilad, designed to give viewers a dynamic new concept in fitness that focuses on functional exercises, dynamic strength, toning and core training.  Gilad was inducted into Israel’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 and into the US National Fitness Hall of Fame in 2007.

No matter the medium, the message is consistent and commanding, states Gilad, "Fitness is a journey not a destination".

Name: Gilad Janklowicz

Birthday: July 27th

Location: Born on a Kibbutz in Israel by the name of Gal-On.  Currently resides in Waikiki, Hawaii

Website: www.bodiesinmotionwithgilad.com

Diet Detective: Hello Gilad, we’re very happy you agreed to answer a few of our questions and give us a bit of fitness insight from your years of experience – thanks again.  I always ask a similar first question to our guest because I’m curious how people get started on their individual quest for living a healthy life. So, how did you get started?

Gilad: As a teenager I excelled in track and field and eventually became the National Record holder in the Decathlon.  Training and competition have helped me focus my energy to living a healthy and fit lifestyle and at the same time influencing others to join the journey.

Diet Detective: You have a very interesting background and have been in the fitness business for a very long time – what do you think is the one most important thing that makes or breaks a fitness program?

Gilad: The most important elements in a fitness program are:

1. Sustainability - Each person should find his favorite fitness activities and then apply them into his weekly schedule at a time of day that will be easy to commit to.
2. Setting realistic goals - A step by step approach is very important to the beginners as well as for the advanced. Don’t set contracts in your mind that your body is not ready to meet.  
3. Consistency – it is better to do a little bit everyday rather then to push hard for a short time and end up giving up.

Diet Detective: Can you explain the core concept behind "Bodies in Motion?” What makes the show and DVD’s different than other fitness shows?

Gilad: In the Bodies In Motion show that has been airing daily since 1983 as well as in our new show Total Body Sculpt that started airing in 2005, I incorporate a variety of fitness disciplines and styles, from traditional cardio to kick boxing and martial arts to sculpting, Pilates and Yoga as well as Polymeric, isometric and core exercises. I break these different disciplines into easy to follow functional routines that the viewer can perform comfortably. My goal is not to impress the viewer with what I can do, but rather to pull the viewers along with me showing them what they can do with just a little effort.  

Diet Detective: Can you tell us what it’s like living in Hawaii? Does living in that environment help you stay fit?

Gilad: Hawaii is probably one of the best states in the United States to live in. We have a very mild winter (if you can even call it that) and it is definitely conducive to anyone wishing to live a fit lifestyle since the weather is almost always accommodating. Outdoor activities, beach activities, hiking, it’s all literally in your back yard. However, in other states that don’t enjoy the year round sunshine there are also many ways to stay in shape even during the harsh winter months, it just takes a bit more planning.

Diet Detective: Speaking of staying fit? How do you stay in shape?  

Gilad: My weekly training schedule includes:  

Ø      Moderate weight/strength training at the Gym two or three times per week.

Ø      Swimming in the ocean a couple of times per week, about a mile each time.

Ø      Teaching several fitness classes per week to the public.

Ø      Playing soccer once or twice per week in a local league

Diet Detective: Tell us the biggest secret that fitness professionals typically don’t tell people, but should?

Gilad: Staying is shape is a lot simpler then people think...

Diet Detective: What’s a typical day in Gilad’s life look like?

Gilad: Unlike what some might expect, I do not rush out of bed for a morning workout but rather like to take my time in the morning. Breakfast for me is usually around 8:30am and then off to the office. My office work during the day includes: regular office maintenance, production meetings, editing and planning future projects and DVD’s.

My teaching and personal workouts are usually scheduled for the late afternoon or early evening hours. Dinner for me ends up being around 9pm usually.

When shooting shows all day is spent on location on some exotic beach. Typically, we are able to complete 6 half hour shows in one production day which is of course a very grueling day since we are exercising all day in the sun. I typically finish those days on a high and it feels like a great accomplishment being to able to produce so much material in one day.

Diet Detective: How do you get someone motivated to stick to a fitness program?

Gilad: When discussing a persons training program, I try to find out their own specific “motivation factor” such as: how important is it for them to be in shape? What is it worth to them to be in shape? How do they think it can better their lives?

Once I get these answers I can then give them their own personal “prescription” based on their own needs and desires.

Diet Detective: Your videos seem to focus on aerobic exercise with core training, I know you use dumbbells, but what about weight training? Where does that fit in?

Gilad: Weight training is very important especially as we progress in years, it helps keep the muscles strong and increase bone density. Several of my DVD’s and TV workouts incorporate hand held weights into the routine as well as medicine balls and resistant bands. Besides the other activities, I would highly recommend people get into the gym a couple of times per week for a weight training session in order to increase their strength and muscle density. The Gym simply offers a variety of machines that would take up too much space up in the home.

Diet Detective: What do you consider the best non-weight related exercise (e.g. lunge). Can you also explain how to do the exercise?

Gilad: One of the best overall non weight related exercise is a front lunge combined with a shoulder press. The way to do it: From a standing position move one leg forward into a drop lunge position and extend your arms towards your toes while keeping a stable core (pulling the lower abs slightly in). Then, push off the leg and come back to the starting position extending your arms upward without lifting your shoulders (keep your shoulder blades pressing downwards) and repeat. You should do 8 such lunges on each leg.

Diet Detective: If you could only do only one strength training exercise (using weights) what would it be?

Gilad: I would do the one of the 3 power lifting moves where the weighted barbell is taken off the floor and pressed over head with both arms. 

Diet Detective: What’s your favorite “junk food?”

Gilad:  Dark chocolate! 

Diet Detective: What’s your favorite healthy breakfast?

Gilad: My favorite healthy breakfast would consist of oatmeal with mixed berries or scrambled egg whites with broccoli, tomatoes parsley and salsa. 

Diet Detective: What do you consider the world’s most perfect food?

Gilad:  Hummus…it is tasty and has almost all of the nutrients necessary for survival. 

Diet Detective: Who’s your hero?

Gilad: My dad because he has the most integrity of anyone I have ever met.

Diet Detective: What's the most bodacious chance you've ever taken?

Gilad: The biggest chance I have ever taken would have to be, leaving Los Angeles, dropping out of school and coming to Hawaii. 

Diet Detective: Define failure.

Gilad: Failure:  Inability to get yourself of the floor and going again, after a loss. 

Diet Detective: What’s your motto?

Gilad: Keep it simple 

Thank you!!!!

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