How regularly do you have your obese clients weigh themselves?
Hi Jessica,
I’ve found, that it depends on the client. I often have a conversation with the client to see what they want. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but I want our sessions and their experience with exercise and healthy living/nutrition to be a positive and uplifting one. I want them to look forward to our working together, learning more, changing lifestyles and not worry about the scale and the possible negative connotation that can take. So I ask them. How do they feel about weighing in weekly?
Some of my clients LOVE IT! They jump at the chance! They chart their progress, look over my shoulder as I jot in on their chart/graph. They’re excited to see how they’re progressing or where they need to make changes. And we talk about both depending on what the numbers are telling us.
I have other clients who have been on the weight loss/gain roller coaster for years and just can’t take another set back. The scale sends their self worth plummeting. I don’t want that! So we don’t weigh in as often, maybe once a month. We focus on what changes they’re making. How they’re feeling. Did they “move” more this week. Make food substitutions. Work on personal issues that affect their weight. We discuss what food means to them and how we can change perceptions. We take a different approach.
You’ll know which category your client falls into by asking them that question. And they’ll appreciate another approach than just the scale. Remember, we’re trying to improve overall health and lives, not just a number on a scale!
Good luck,
Jocelyn