Why do people need a personal weight loss coach? Every fitness coach knows that if you want to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. But according to Dr. Katan and Dr. Ludwig who recently published an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, January 6, 2010—Vol 3030, No. 1), weight change is self-limiting. They calculated that if you eat an extra cookie every day, your weight gain will level off at about 6 pounds, even if you continue to eat the extra cookie. That sounds great! Go ahead and eat that cookie and don’t worry about hiring a fitness coach or a personal weight loss coach.

A Personal Weight Loss Coach Knows that a Cookie Can Set a Precedent

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The reason why people need either a personal weight loss coach or a fitness coach is that the converse is also true. If you stop eating that cookie, you will initially lose weight. But as the size of your body decreases, it needs less fuel or calories to function. In addition, weight loss causes changes in hormones which make the body conserve energy. This is why most people gain more weight than they initially lost after they stop exercising or go off their diet.

Can a Fitness Coach Stop the Inevitable Weight Gain of Growing Older?

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So according to Dr. Katan and Dr. Ludwig’s model, why bother with a fitness coach or personal weight loss coach? It seems pointless. The average young adult gains about 1 or 2 pounds every year. By middle age, the damage is done.

A Fitness Coach Also Wants to Know What’s In Your Head

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But there are people who lose weight and even keep it off. How is that possible? One of the most important things that a fitness coach or personal weight loss coach can do is to help people realize that diet and exercise are not enough to ensure long-term weight loss. It’s not just about calories; it’s also about the psycho-social aspects. It’s about people’s beliefs and language patterns around food, and their peer group’s influence.

Calories are Only One Concern of the Personal Weight Loss Coach

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More important than counting calories, measuring food, and measuring how long we exercise; we need to restructure our beliefs about the purpose of food. As a fitness coach or personal weight loss coach, you have a responsibility to take on the larger problem. This means going after the core issues instead of skimming the surface.

Colette Seymann JTS Advisors
Bi-Designated Strategy and Accountability Coach