Weight Management/Weight Loss
Fostering Change Within Our Communities
Mary Jayne Rogers, PhD, a 30-year veteran of the health and wellness industry, is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As owner of Profound Wellness, LLC, she provides expert commentary for leading publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Shape and SELF. Rogers has earned several industry accolades, among them the IHRSA/CYBEX Fitness Director of the Year Award and the IHRSA/Keiser 50+ Award for excellence in mature adult programming. Rogers specializes in whole-person wellness and fitness education and instruction.
Handling Negative Body Image Issues
Thank you for including my voice in the Tricks of the Trade column [January 2014] that discussed body image. Many people have contacted me about the issue, tell- ing me I am an inspiration to them. They want my advice on how to get through this size-zero world living as a plus-size trainer. Wow, I am overwhelmed by the thanks I am receiving. Trainers and everyday women have appreciated my story and say they hope one day to inspire as I am doing. Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.
Patricia Butler
Queens Village, New York
Waist Size Predicts Mortality
Body mass index is often used to determine health status and disease development potential. However, researchers from the Mayo Clinic have discovered that waist size can be a significant predictor of future problems—even among people in healthy BMI ranges.
The scientists culled data from 11 studies that included 650,386 white adults aged 20–83. At a 9-year follow-up, 78,268 participants had died.
Best Fat Loss Protocol For Obese Teens?
As obesity continues to maintain a stranglehold on the teenage population, experts search for solutions to the potentially fatal disease. When it comes to exercise, a combination of cardiovascular and strength training is best, according to researchers from Sa?o Paulo.
Embracing the Self-Care Model
Michol Dalcourt is an internationally recognized expert in human movement and performance. He is the founder and director of the Institute of Motion, inventor of the ViPR™ fitness tool, and cofounder of Personal Training Academy Global (PTA Global). An international lecturer and educator, Dalcourt has written numerous articles on human design and function, and he has developed a widely used model for high-performance training.
Modest Weight Loss Reduces Sleep Apnea
According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, sleep apnea affects more than 18 million Americans. If untreated, the condition—which often affects overweight and obese individuals—can result in heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Recently, researchers learned that even a minimal amount of weight loss may prevent the progression of— or even cure—sleep apnea for the long term.
Parents Underestimate Kids’ Weight
Concerns and subsequent warnings about the dangers of childhood obesity have made headlines for years. Despite the widespread publicity, it looks like many parents don’t see the problem when it is lurking within their own homes.
Making Realistic Lifestyle Changes
After serving many years as director of fitness research for the YMCA, Wayne Westcott, PhD, now works as director for fitness research programs at Quincy College in Massachusetts. Westcott has been a strength training consultant for the U.S. Navy, ACE, the YMCA of the USA, and Nautilus. He has also served as an editorial advisor for numerous publications, including The Physician and Sportsmedicine, ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, Prevention and Shape, and he’s written more than 20 books on strength training.
Cash or Credit? The Psychoeconomics of Childhood Obesity
It seems that debit card purchases promote the same type of frivolity in children as in adults, but when cards are swiped to pay for school lunches, the impact goes deeper than just free spending. Kids’ food choices also become foolish, according to a study that appeared in the January issue of Obesity (2014; 22 [1], 24–26).
Losing Weight With Online Training
Training from a distance. Jennifer Trimmier, personal trainer and owner of Strong Body San Antonio, enjoyed success as a mobile trainer, meeting clients at their homes or training locations of choice. After word spread about those successes, more people began to take notice.
Gender-Based Weight Loss Programs Best For Men?
Sports fans enjoy watching their favorite teams go head- to-head in physical competition. But many male spectators are reluctant to take their own measures to get fit. Researchers suggest that a more male-friendly approach could increase participation.
Is Fat or Muscle Better for Bone Density?
According to research from the The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2014; doi.org/10.1210/jc.2013-3190), body weight is associated with bone strength. But in this regard, which component of body weight is more important—lean mass or fat mass?
Eating Half An Avocado At Lunch Can Help Curb Appetite
Clients struggling with weight and snack cravings may be just half an avocado away from being more successful. Overweight adults who eat about half of this green fruit during lunch can feel more full for a longer period of time, reports a study from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California.
European Union Gets Mega Euros for Weight Loss
The European Union wants to help its citizens get fit and healthy. So much so that they have cofunded a project costing €4.9 million ($6.7 million U.S.) to help people more and manage their weight using technological and informational advancements.
Dubbed the Daphne Project, it will span 3 years and will incorporate sensors designed to accurately determine daily energy expenditure and monitor overall fitness. The EU is partnering in the project with universities and technology companies from Ireland, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, the U.K. and Israel.
Establishing Standards
Brian Biagioli is the executive director for the National Council on Strength & Fitness (NCSF) and a founding member of the Coalition on Registration for Exercise Professionals (CREP). A longtime leader in the health and fit- ness industry, Brian also serves as the graduate program director for strength and conditioning in the department of kinesiology and sport sciences at the University of Miami.
Weighty Issues for Older Women
Overweight and obesity have a known cor- relation to disability, disease and death. A recent investigation looked at obesity and its impact on women’s survival to 85 years old.
Text Clients Toward Weight Loss
Not everyone uses text messages, but for those who do, fitness professionals can harness the power of technology to help clients get healthier, say researchers at Duke University.
Scientists followed 50 obese women who received either a daily text for weight loss intervention or used more traditional methodology, such as writ- ten food journals or computer-tracked journaling. Over 6 months, the 26 subjects in the texting group lost an aver- age of 3 pounds, whereas the 24 who journaled more traditionally actually gained 21?2 pounds.
The Facts on Obesity
The following obesity facts presented by Casazza et al. are well supported by scientific evidence and offer practical guidance for personal trainers.
Putting Health Over Convenience
Kara A. Witzke, PhD, leads the exercise and sport science program at Oregon State University-Cascades. Her work in the health and fitness industry spans more than 20 years and has included positions in personal training, cardiac rehabilitation, workplace wellness, fit- ness certification, weight management, education and research. Most recently, her research has focused on the effects of exercise on musculoskeletal and metabolic systems through funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Peanuts Can Curb Appetite
A new study in the British Journal of Nutrition (2013; 109 [11], 2015–23) has found that eating either peanuts or peanut butter as part of your break- fast can control blood sugar throughout most of the day, even following a high-carb lunch.