The Health and Fitness Truth Blog

I have been working in fitness since 1988, and have spent quite alot of time working specifically with women as either a fitness instructor or a personal training/strength coach. I have many success stories to tell, and won’t bore you with those, because what I really want to discuss are the stories which did not result in success.  What determines who succeeds in their fitness goals and who does not?

 Well, one very clear characteristic of someone who sees a lack of progress and success, is the client who comes to me with the difficult challenges of being both obese and depressed.  Women who come to me ( and some men as well- but this does not seem to be as great a problem with men) who are very obese, and have emotional issues such as depression, rarely are successful at losing weight through personal training alone. I often wondered- is it me? What am I doing wrong?

 Well, recently I have come to the conclusion it is NOT me. In fact, in speaking to other trainers, some of whom are THE BEST in the industry, we all agree, the combination of depression and obesity is rampant and debilitating.  So- what is the answer for the client and the trainer? How do we solve this problem?

I believe that to be successful at weight loss, the client must address the depression/emotional issues first, and a personal trainer is NOT the right person to address emotional trauma or depression. Many clients come to me thinking that if they fix the outside first, the inside will fix itself. BUT, this rarely happens, as the inside is what is prohibiting success and progress! In order to lose weight and get healthy, one must be upbeat, resilient, patient, and never give up. Clients with a history of emotional issues or depression may not have these instrinsic characteristics. They do not YET believe in themselves, and thus, can not invision THEIR success.  A therapist or psychologist is the best equipped person to deal with the pain of depression or past trauma and current emotional issues and, until the client  agrees to see a therapist to deal with the emotional issues, they may never unlock the “key” to their success. 

So- which came first- obesity or depression? Well, it certainly makes sense that if you are very obese, and you can not walk, or exercise or find clothes that fit you and are judged unfairly by others, you will be depressed about it.   But not all of these people are “clinically” depressed. There are some people who were average weight, but because of illness, or injury or lack of education, gained weight over the years and are depressed about it. This is often an easier case for a trainer than a client who always has been depressed or who has had emotional trauma issues, and thus has always been obese BECAUSE they eat for comfort and coping.  Either way- it is essential that these types of clients seek professional therapy when necessary in addition to ”exercise therapy” through a personal trainer.

The final word:

Clients- get therapy for emotional issues that are holding you back from your own success and do not expect a personal trainer and exercise to be a cure all.

Trainers- take a detailed health history specifically noting any psychological issues or history of depression, and refer these clients out to an expert as soon necessary.

Research has proven time and  time again that keeping a food log increases weight loss success by 60-70%. Unless you know your successes, your pitfalls, your weaknesses, or just plain old bad habits- it’s hard to change them. Seeing your food detailed throughout the day gives you a great picture of what you need to work on, right? Unfortunately, one of the biggest issues my clients have in keeping logs is finding the time to do them. Yes, I know, excuses, excuses. But some may be valid- as keeping a detailed food log takes time and planning,  and doing a log for weeks on end can be challenging. So, in an effort to find easier ways for my clients to be successful in journaling, and to offset excuses, excuses, I will ask the client to tailor the log to their specific issues.  First, I always ask them to do whole day detailed logs for three days to one week to assess the problems. Then, once problems are identified, we can tailor the logs more specifically. For example, if day time eating has  been shown to be healthy, but night time is problematic, I will ask my clients to do a food log just from 4pm on. This is so much more doable- and  lessens the likelihood of finding an excuse not to do it. Or, if unconscious snacking is a problem, and meals are not, I ask the client to write down every snack they eat that is not during a meal. This simplifies and amplifies things, as seeing just the problematic eating really hits home. If you are having problems keeping food logs, try this, and see if it eliminates your excuses!

When most fitness enthusiasts think of training the abdominal muscles- part of the “core”, they automatically think about crunches, the old standby. However, exercise physiologists and most knowledgeable personal trainers know that crunches are NOT the best, nor safest way, to train the abdominals.

First and foremost- a reminder- abdominal exercises DO NOT burn the fat over the abdominal area. ANY infomercial or product that claims to do so is lying. You can not spot reduce any body part- abs or otherwise. To lose fat over the torso/waist area, you must eat well and expend more calories in activity than you take in for nutrition. The End.  A “six pack”, unachievable for 90% of us, is ONLY due to leanness. It is merely the visual pattern of the muscle fibers and tendons that lie over your abdomen, and ALL of us have a six pack…somewhere.

TRUE abdominal strength- not just leanness- is best built by “core” exercises that require the abdominals to hold the spine rigid and still. Exercises such as planks, side planks, physio ball walk and roll outs, push ups, etc. are, by far, the BEST exercises to do this.

Furthermore, crunches are problematic because they work the spine  in flexion- or rounding- and this is the worst position for the spine. We all spend way too much time with our spine in flexed positions- think of slouching at your desk or on the couch- so why would we want to continue to work our muscles in this fashion? It is even worse for those of you with back problems.

So- skip the crunches, add the planks, and eat well. You’ll look great and have a healthy back too!

We are offering Nordic Walking and Hatha Yoga Classes during Spring 2008.

Click on the Nordic Walking and Yoga Classes categories to view the schedules and update announcements.

Nordic Walking is BACK for the 2008 Spring Season-and-We are announcing THREE SESSIONS! 
   
Walking has never been so much fun! Nordic Walking that is! (Picture cross country skiing without the snow - and cold). It’s invigorating, fun, and best of all, easy to learn. Nordic Walking is for everyone! Nordic Walking burns up to 40% more calories than walking alone, is a low-impact, whole-body activity that improves cardiovascular fitness, exercises upper body and leg muscles for toning and endurance and is as easy as walking! Nordic Walking can also be combined with jogging and running for more rigorous workouts—but let’s get the basics down first…

Kathy will be co-teaching with Sheri Rohr. Both Sheri and Kathy are Exel® Certified Nordic Walking Instructors.

Monday Evenings, 5:30-6:30, Mar 31 - Apr 21, 2008 …Hudson, MA.
Fee is $60 and includes rental of poles. First class of session is an introductory class. Ongoing sessions will be held, weather and participation contingent, through the summer. Walks will be held at various locations in Hudson.

Saturday Mornings, 10:30-Noon, Mar 29 - Apr 19, 2008 …Hudson and Clinton, MA.
Fee is $60 and includes rental of poles. Fee is $10 per class for those who have their own poles. Session is for Nordic Walkers with previous experience. Walks will be held at various locations in Hudson and at The Wachusett Reservoir in Clinton. Classes will be ongoing after this initial session.

Saturday Mornings, 10:30-Noon, Apr 26 - May 17, 2008 …Wachusett Reservoir, Sterling, and Clinton, MA.
Class is $70 and sign-ups are through Sterling Park and Recreation Department. First class of session will be 1 1/2 hours.

To register for a Nordic Walking session, call Kathy at 978-562-0377, or call Sheri at 978-365-5673.

For information about purchasing Nordic Walking Poles by Exel®, contact Kathy.