How would you deal with a client who wants to lose 60 pounds in a couple of months because of upcoming wedding?
Hi Fabian,
If I have a client who indicates they want to lose weight quickly, I always let them know my job is to help them achieve their fitness goals–but in a safe, effective, and healthy way. I try to help my clients set realistic (part of SMART goals) goals and give them a very real picture of what to expect. 60 pounds in a few months is not only unrealistic, it is not the healthiest or safest way to lose weight. You could let your client know that a weight loss of about 1-2 pounds per week (give or take) is considered safe, and that losing weight slowly–with a combination of clean, healthy nutrition and exercise–is the best way to achieve that goal and maintain the weight loss. It will also help her realize that her goal will be more doable at a slower and healthy pace, and she will not feel unhappy or deprived (as she would with a very low calorie and unsafe calorie restriction).
You can keep your client focused on a healthy goal, and perhaps break down her larger goal into smaller amounts, so she can feel a sense of accomplishment in the short term–while keeping her eye on her full goal.
Encourage her to go slow, and re-evaluate every week to check her progress and keep her motivated in a healthy way. Let her know it’s more than just weight loss–it’s also about making long-lasting healthy lifestyle changes.
Good luck to you–and keep us posted!
Christine