Too overweight, too underweight, not toned enough… Society puts a huge amount of pressure on the image we’re “supposed” to see in the mirror. But what really constitutes a healthy weight and how can one achieve it? Perhaps the first thing you should know is anyone can lose weight and achieve his or her goal—with the right tools and strategy, of course. It’s not without a challenge, however, especially considering that more than 600 million American adults suffer from obesity and 1.9 billion adults identify as overweight. You can help your client turn his or her exercise and nutrition program into a lasting lifestyle change.
How to encourage your clients to make healthy weight management a top priority
Permanent weight loss is a lifelong commitment
If your client is serious about weight loss, he or she can’t think of it as just a temporary fix. The truth is, it takes time and dedication to see a weight-loss goal all the way through to the end. One of the most important tactics you can use to motivate your client is to outline the health risks linked to poor weight management. While it may be widely known that poor weight management is linked to a number of chronic diseases, it may be beneficial to your client to hear it from someone they trust—you.
Start by calculating body mass index, aka BMI, to make an accurate assessment of the diseases of which your client may be at risk. Along with obesity, these can include hypertension, cancer, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and more. Once you understand how lofty of a goal your client is working toward, you can then design an effective weight loss plan tailored to his or her specific needs and current health condition. Finally, an effective weight-loss goal is both controllable and measurable—which will help your client to see progress along the way—something many of your clients will likely need to keep going.
Fitness and a healthy diet go hand in hand
The truth is many dieters often overestimate the amount of calories that they burn after completing a workout. So beyond just eating healthy, you must put an emphasis on the importance of staying physically active to reap the long-term benefits of proper weight management. Encourage your clients to replace some of their favorite snacks with a healthy alternative and to stick to a schedule—such as three meals and two snacks per day.
Finally, if your clients want to keep the pounds off it’s important that they make time for stress relief. After all, stress hormones do ramp up fat storage. So whether your clients like to destress with a yoga class or just take that extra time each evening to curl up with a good book and a cup of chamomile tea, encourage them to take the time to recuperate from a stressful, busy week.
With AFPA’s comprehensive program, you can become a yoga guide and make a positive impact on the lives of others.
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