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OBESITY
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hether it’s new theories on all calories not being equal, the influence of hormones
on weight loss, the pros and cons of resistance training vs aerobic activity vs high intensity training - as fitness professionals we are constantly relied upon to sort the wheat from the chaff when it comes to finding that elusive ‘cure’ for weight gain.
It’s not that any of this information is necessarily wrong, but a majority of weight loss studies typically tend to look more at the physiological responses and less at the behavioural aspects of weight loss.
Whether it’s that all calories are not equal, how hormones influence weight loss, resistance training vs aerobic activity or High Intensity Training; as fitness professionals we are often On that basis, we have a professional to find that elusive ‘cure’ for weight gain.
The difference between a client who wants to lose weight and someone wanting to stop smoking is that smokers can delete that behaviour completely, whereas to lose weight you can’t stop eating - you have to eat several times every day, so in order to make changes, you have to learn to think and feel differently about food.
the majority of weight loss studies typically look more at the physiological programmes we currently
It’s not that any of this information is wrong, however, behavioural change techniques with the
ysiological responses and less at the behavioural aspects of weight loss. deliver. A mind-body approach has to be the way forward because it’s never just about physiology.
The difference between a client who wants to lose weight and someone wanting to stop smoking, is that smokers can delete that behaviour completely, whereas to lose weight you can’t stop eating; you have to eat several times every day, so in order to make changes, you have to learn to think and feel differently about food.
On that basis, we have a professional responsibility to learn as much as we can about how to combine effective behavioural
When it comes to exercise regimes there is a clear response relationship between the amount of exercise and the amount of weight lost. But many people cannot physically manage the required activity
A weight off your mind?
change techniques with the physiological programmes we currently deliver. A mind-body approach has to be the way forward; it’s not just about physiology.
targeted by the proponents of ‘this diet’ or ‘that diet’ in the bid responsibility to learn as much as we can about how to combine effective
In 1997 The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised obesity as a global epidemic. Since then, according to the Department of Health, it’s estimated that obesity costs the NHS £4 billion per year, and will rise to £6.5 billion by 2015. But what can we do about it? Janet Thomson finds out.
levels and end up ‘failing’ which results in them giving up and feeling disillusioned. Few studies have looked at the effectiveness of behavioural intervention specifically as a methodology for weight loss, but a systematic review of literature shows that although the rate of weight loss is slow, the success rate is good, and furthermore 80% of people using this approach maintained their weight loss 18
When it comes to exercise regimes there is a clear response relationship between the amount of exercise and the amount of weight lost. But many people cannot physically manage the required level and ‘fail’ which results in them giving up and getting disillusioned. Few studies have looked at the effectiveness of behavioural intervention specifically as a methodology for weight loss, but a systematic review of literature shows that although the rate of weight loss is slow, the success rate is good, and furthermore 80% of people using this approach maintained their weight loss 18 months later; the key reason being the ability to adhere to the programme. When people ‘fail’ to do it ‘naturally’ they often look to medication for an answer. The NHS Information Centre have estimated costs of directly treating obese patients and state that: “The total NIC for drugs for the treatment of obesity increased from £6.6 million in 2000 to £46.8 million in 2009, reaching its peak in 2007 at £51.6 million.” Whilst there’s no doubt some individuals might benefit from some medicated intervention, are we in danger of ignoring the hippopotamus in the living room if we ignore the potential benefits of behavioural intervention?
months later, the key reason being the ability to adhere to the programme.
As personal trainers and exercise professionals we are on the front line in terms of offering a useable effective treatment. So where does that leave us? Is it necessary to do a degree in psychology as well as physiology training? Perhaps not; in the last ten years there has been an increase in the demand for new therapeutic styles of behavioural intervention. These include Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Cognitive
When people ‘fail’ to do it ‘naturally’ they often look to medication for an answer. The NHS Information Centre has estimated costs of directly treating obese patients and state that: “The total NIC for drugs for the treatment of obesity increased from £6.6 million in
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