Wednesday, January 28, 2015

A weight-loss challenge

I am coaching a 12-week weight-loss challenge at the local YMCA.

While I used to do a great deal of personal training, I would never say weight-loss was my specialty. I always asked people besides changing the number on the scale, what do you hope to accomplish?

When I meet my group, I anticipate doing the same thing. What do they want to accomplish?

By focusing solely on the number on the scale, we set ourselves up for failure. When the number fluctuates, we get frustrated and lose our focus. By taking the focus away from that number, we create more opportunities for over all success.

Additionally, I am going to use body composition, and circumference measurements to demonstrate progress. While, the team will get on the scale weekly, we will do these other measurements monthly.

 

I am going to ask that they track their food or caloric intake for the first several weeks, possibly a month. Many of us do not really know how much we eat. We underestimate, and are generally shocked to see that we may be eating not enough or perhaps way too many calories. I will encourage the group to use a calculating app like My Fitness Pal, to be aware of what each is eating. I also want them to observe what they are doing when eating and how they feel afterwards.

In keeping track of quantities, the participant can also start to learn how much is enough. When did she feel satisfied, when and where she feels hunger, and even what thirst feels like. These are senses we tend to ignore.

Some mindless eating stems from behavior. Boredom, randomness, conditioned to eat in front of the TV or computer, stress -- these are behavioral situations that can be changed that influence when and why we eat.

Observing how one feels after eating -- sluggish or energetic -- may indicate a food allergy, or eating too much or too little, or perhaps even the wrong combination of food.

I also am going to explore with my group a variety of activities to discover what they enjoy doing. This includes what is the current activity level. It is recommended that one takes 10,000 steps per day. For many of us, we do not accomplish this, as we have become a society of sitters. (I too am guilty).

And in their homework and group workouts, the challenges will include a variety to stimulate the senses. If they do not like group activities, asking them to do two classes a week is not beneficial. Similar to asking an individual who thrives in the group setting to do individual work.

And to be in the spirit, I will join these on their journey. Teaching and learning as we go along.

I meet my team Friday evening.

Would like to join us?

 

 

 

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