As the population world-wide grapples with obesity, being equipped to educate clients in a sound, research-based manner is imperative for the fitness professional. Weight Management, Version 2.0, offers a balanced, three-pronged approach to helping clients manage their weight. The electronic text and online course cover the latest research in weight management, including fitness programming, nutrition education, and behavioral coaching. It provides you with the information you need to interpret body mass index classifications and cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride, and HDL levels. Armed with this information you’ll be able to better educate your clients about the causes of obesity and the health risks associated with being overweight or obese. You’ll also learn which physical activity modes, intensity, duration and frequency are effective for weight loss.

The PDF text delivered within the course is divided into three chapters: Overview of Weight Management, Initial Assessments, and Counseling for Weight Management. Through these chapters, you’ll learn about the factors that affect weight changes, client assessments, and counseling techniques in weight management. In addition, you’ll understand how and when to work with complementary health professionals, such as registered dietitians, to help your clients meet their goals.

The course helps you decipher your role as a fitness professional in offering basic nutritional advice and education to clients who are trying to manage their weight. The course includes downloadable forms, links to nutrition websites, and online assessment tools you can utilize in your practice such as:

• Health history and health screening
  
• Health behavior screening—diet, exercise
  
• Health behavior readiness to change assessment
  
• Barriers to health behavior change
  
• Fitness tests

The unit on behavioral coaching will help you assist clients with overcoming barriers to weight management and with developing an effective weight management program that meets their unique needs. The course also includes case studies that allow you to try out these strategies on virtual clients.

An essential step to administering a successful weight management program is to select and use appropriate tools for assessing a client’s current health status, health risks, health behaviors (diet and exercise), fitness level, goals, readiness to change, and perceived barriers to change. You’ll find practical strategies for assessing clients, establishing goals and developing individualized weight management programs.

This course provides fitness professionals with a solid background in weight management, and guides fitness professionals in working within their scope of practice, referring to outside professionals when necessary, and providing services to clients dealing with weight concerns. As a fitness professional, you may have educational degrees in fitness, health, nutrition, or related areas. Or, you may have limited educational background but are certified as a personal trainer or fitness educator. Whatever background you have, you’ll find this course helpful in approaching and educating clients, and providing effective weight management services.