NUTRITION AND EXERCISE PROGRAMMING
- Have you lost weight on a specific diet but regained pounds after stopping?
- Did you feel deprived, couldn’t wait for it to end?
- Do you have difficulty devising a workout routine?
- Do you have difficulty getting up to exercise – or just hate it?
The benefits of exercise and optimal nutrition are well documented and studied. Many people who struggle with weight are aware of what they “should eat” and that they should exercise. The “eat this, not that” conversation has to be better defined and individualized based on disease, culture and other aspects in order for it to work in the long run.
NUTRITION PROGRAMMING
Individualized Nutrition and Exercise Programming is vital to the success of sustained weight loss.
Several years ago I worked at blink fitness. One of my goals was ensuring the nutrition component was implemented in an exercise plan for all clients at the gym. Weight loss without exercise is possible but it is very hard to lose weight without adjusting nutrition. That said, clients need to be involved in providing meal choices and receiving a plan specific to their needs and goals. However, because this is time consuming as well as requires another set of skills, many personal trainers go to the basic food pyramid and mainstream eating plans that do not address cultural diversity.
With cultural diversity tailored into eating plans, clients are capable of reaching goals while maintaining results.
EXERCISE PROGRAMMING
Exercise Programming should also be individualized. An assessment of physical limitations and health history is vital to ensuring a program is safe and effective. Also, exercises should be person specific in type and lifestyle.
During the pandemic when the gyms were closed, many patrons were confused and concerned they would not be able to exercise including myself. I was confused because I had my gym routine down to a science which on
different days consisted of using the treadmill, elliptical, stair climber and weights. I knew I had to workout for physical and mental health so I went to central park and started running. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. The hills and heat were challenging – I couldn’t wait for the gym to open up. But, the more I ran outside, the better I felt mentally and even physically.
There are so many ways to exercise in a manner that is tailored to individual sustenance. Many tools have been created to facilitate the recommended guidelines of exercise including pedometers, GPS trackers, etc.