Congratulations on taking the first step toward

turning your passion into your career.

We're here to help you succeed!

For any questions, reach out to 805-876-9924,

and a real ISSA trainer will be in touch.
 National Council for Certified Personal Trainers

Certified
Weight Management
Specialist

Jennifer Zerling, MS, CPT

Weight Management
Specialist Course

Jennifer Zerling, MS, CPT

I
Copyright Notification: 3481 Old Conejo Road, Suite 102
Newbury Park, CA 91320
No material within this book may be copied for public or commercial use.
Telephone: 800-778-6060
© Copyright 2015 NCCPT Fax: 805-498-9728

All Rights Reserved. Except for use in a review, the reproduction E-mail: PersonalTrainer@NCCPT.com
or utilization of this work in any form of electronic, mechanical or
other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, Website: NCCPT.com
photocopying and recording and, or any information-retrieval system,
is forbidden without the written permission by John Platero.

v151005

II
Table of Contents.

3 Identifying what it means to be a Weight

Management Specialist
3 Overview:
3 Definition
4 Understanding the Overweight and Obesity Epidemic
5 Weight Management Specialist vs. Other Experts
7 Characteristics of a Successful Weight Management Specialist

11 The Powerful Three:

11 Fitness, Nutrition, and Lifestyle

12 Fitness

13 Modes of Exercise
13 Cardiovascular
17 Strength Training
18 Flexibility
20 Breathing Techniques
21 How about Mary?

29 Nutrition

29 Basic Government Guidelines

37 The Evolution of the Food Guide Pyramid
40 Current Dietary Intake
41 Macronutrients: Carbohydrates-Fats-Proteins
41 Carbohydrates
45 Proteins
46 List of Proteins
48 Fats
52 Getting Enough Fiber
54 Vitamins and Minerals
58 Nutrient Deficiencies
59 Read Those Food Labels
60 What to Drink
61 And Then There’s Alcohol

III
 64 Popular Diets
66 Be the Investigator
69 Diet Centers
70 Multi-Level Marketing
71 Now What?
71 A Sample Day

75 Lifestyle

76 It’s a Lifestyle
78 Cheat Days?
80 Stress
82 Less Stress
83 Sleep

87 Motivation
88 Intrinsic Motivation vs. Extrinsic Motivation
90 Be a Good Communicator
91 Active Listening
92 Are They Ready?
94 The S.M.A.R.T. Model
96 S.M.A.R.T. Goal Questionnaire

99 The Measurements
101 Health History
103 Habits
105 Informed Consent
106 Liability Waiver
107 Taking the Measurements
110 Body Composition
112 Body Fat Recommendations

116 The Weight Management Specialist System

116 Put it All Together
119 Conclusion

IV
 Weight Management
Specialist Course
Jennifer Zerling, MS, CPT

Acknowledgements: I have been a fitness expert for over a decade and I

feel forever grateful for all the other experts and teachers I’ve come across
along the length of my career. I’ve been inspired to grow, learn and evolve
within a very important field that positions me to change many lives.

Thank you mom for reviewing this manuscript before it went to edit. You’re an
amazing master mind partner. I also thank Yvonne Maywether, MD, Colin Jai-
ram, MD and Bal M Rajagopalan, M.D., FRCSC “Dr Raj” for offering your ex-
traordinary angles to age management, functional medicine and orthopedics.
Thank you John Platero for inviting me to write this course for the National Coun-
cil for Certified Personal Trainers. I am beyond thrilled to share my best practices
from JZ FITNESS with your students to prepare them to successfully coach indi-
viduals to break their chains of obesity and overweight. It is possible. This course
will certainly be everyone’s cutting edge tool box for this reversible epidemic.

About the Author

Jennifer Zerling, MS, CPT, known as “JZ” for short, is a fitness and lifestyle
expert based in Los Angeles. She holds her master’s degree in kinesiology,
along with multiple other national certifications. Her vast experience in clin-
ical weight loss and age management medicine drove her to write the book
Breaking the Chains of Obesity, 107 Tools which is available on Amazon.
She has also developed a phone app entitled JZ FITNESS NUTRITION
that embodies an optimal approach to nutrition without the calorie count-
ing, along with a simple way to track exercise minutes. Her goal is to break
the chains of obesity in America. JZ’s mission statement is: Maximize Your
Potential by Optimizing Your Health. Her website is www.JZFitness.com

V
Chapter 1

2
 Chapter 1

Identifying what it
means to be a Weight
Management Specialist

Overview:
Identifying what it means to be a Weight
Management Specialist:
• Define Weight Management Specialist
Definition
A Weight Management Specialist is a non-licensed profes-
sional who has been certified by the National Council for
Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT) to assist clients in
permanent weight loss and a sustainable healthy lifestyle.

• Differentiate between Weight Manage-
ment Specialist and other experts
• Define the characteristics of a success-
ful Weight Management Specialist
The above definition covers a broad scope of possibilities
for you to explore. You can author a book, run master-
mind groups, start weight management courses at church
or temple, get involved in local races, begin health-driven
after-school programs, and even join forces with a health-
care professional as their weight management specialist.
When I wrote my book Breaking the Chains of Obe-
sity, 107 Tools, many doors opened for me, including
becoming an internationally published writer, national
conference presenter, and corporate wellness director.
One great thing may lead to many other great things.
How do you plan on getting your message out there?
Chapter 1

Understanding the Overweight

and Obesity Epidemic
Bite on this:
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States is dramatically higher now
Your mission is to
than it was a few decades ago. This holds true for people of all age groups, including chil-
help people manage
dren, adolescents, and adults. One of the largest changes has been an increase in the number
their weight so that
of Americans who are obese. The prevalence of obesity has doubled and in some cases tripled
they avoid disease.
between the 1970s and 2008. (Flegal, K.M., Carroll MD, Ogden, C.L., & Curtin, LR., 2010)
To determine whether or not someone is considered obese or overweight, look at Table 1.
The high prevalence of overweight and obesity raises concern because people who are over-
weight or obese have an increased risk of many chronic diseases. Type 2 diabetes, heart dis-
ease, and certain types of cancer are among the conditions most often associated with obesity.
Ultimately, obesity can increase the risk of premature death. These increased health risks are
not limited to adults. Weight-associated diseases and conditions that were once diagnosed
primarily in adults are now observed in children and adolescents with excess body fat. For
example, cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as high blood cholesterol and hypertension,
and type 2 diabetes are now increasing in children and adolescents. The adverse effects persist
through the lifespan, as children and adolescents who are overweight and obese are at substan-
tially increased risk of being overweight and obese as adults and developing weight-related
chronic diseases later in life. Primary prevention of obesity, especially in childhood, is an im-
portant strategy for combating and reversing the obesity epidemic. As a Weight Management
Specialist, you will not only impact the individual you work with, but also their family too.

Body weight status can be categorized as underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese.
Body mass index (BMI) is a tool that can estimate an individual’s body weight status. BMI is a
measure of weight in kilograms (kg) relative to height in meters (m) squared. The terms over-
weight and obese describe ranges of weight that are greater than what is considered healthy for a
given height, while underweight describes a weight that is lower than what is considered healthy
for a given height. These categories are a guide, and some people at a healthy weight might be
over-fat, which also leads to health conditions. In chapter four, you will learn about the different
methodologies for testing body composition to help determine if your client is over-fat or at a
healthy weight. The fitness industry is more interested in body composition over BMI, but it is
still important to understand BMI since it is still used as a government standard. We will review
body composition in Chapter four because there are incidenc-
es when your client might have an elevated BMI due to high
muscularity. As long as that individual has low body fat values,
then they will be the exception to BMI. However, you will
learn quickly that there are females who have elevated BMI and
defend their weight on their muscle mass. It is unlikely that a
female is a high BMI with low body fat, unless she is a heavy
weight competing in a body building competition with a regi-
mented eating and exercise routine. I therefore warn you to look
at both measurements, both BMI and body composition, as your
gauge to determining if a client is within a healthy weight range.

4
 Identifying what it means to be a Weight Management Specialist

Table 1.

Category Children and adolescents (BMI Adults (BMI)

for age Percentile range)
Underweight Less than the 5th percentile Less than 18.5 kg/m2

Healthy weight 5th percentile to less than 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2

the 85th percentile

Overweight 85th percentile to less than 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2

the 95th percentile

Obese Equal to or greater than

the 95th percentile 30.0 kg/m2 or greater

Adapted from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/

Now that you understand the BMI categories, let’s

review the scope of a Weight Management Specialist.

Weight Management
Specialist vs. Other Experts
Because the fitness industry deals with helping individuals to
better themselves, clients will more often than not treat their
trainers or coaches as their therapist, doctor, lawyer, sister,
brother, you name it. While you may feel flattered that your
client holds the utmost amount of trust for your intelligence
and your skill set, it is up to you to educate each client on your
scope and then refer them to the appropriate professional.
It is your responsibility to set boundaries with your clients
to differentiate your role as a Weight Management Special-
ist. Below are some examples of when you can assist and
when you need to refer out to the appropriate expert.

5
Chapter 1

The Client Need Can I help? Who Can Help?

Weight Loss Yes Weight Management Specialist

Help with Meal Planning Yes Weight Management Specialist

Help Monitoring Daily Nutrition Yes Weight Management Specialist

Help Grocery Shopping Yes Weight Management Specialist

Improving Athletic Performance Yes Weight Management Specialist

Program Development for

Yes Weight Management Specialist
All Levels and Ages

Weight Management Special-

Stress Management Skills Perhaps
ist OR Mental Health Therapist

Exercises to Train Pre- Weight Management Specialist with

Perhaps
and Post-Operative Doctor Recommendations

Eating Disorder Nope Dietitian OR Mental Health Therapist

Orthopedic Doctor and/or Chiroprac-

Exercises to Train with Slight Injury Nope
tor and/or Physical Therapist

Eating Issues due to Poor Marriage Nope Mental Health Therapist

Childhood Experiences that

Nope Mental Health Therapist
Cause them to Eat Poorly

Gut Issues and Sensitivities Nope Dietitian OR Doctor

While these scenarios don’t cover everything you’ll encounter, you can rest assured that your new Weight Man-
agement Specialist credential will enable you to make more valuable suggestions for your clients when out-
sourcing their treatment to another expert. Remember: You’re not losing your client. You are actually gain-
ing a network of opportunities by reaching out to other experts which may lead to future cross-referrals.

Bite on this:
Keep a list of all specialists in
your area that you have re-
ferred clients to and that have
referred clients to you. Keep in
touch with them regularly.

6
 Identifying what it means to be a Weight Management Specialist

Characteristics of a Successful
Weight Management Specialist
Having the Weight Management Specialist credential doesn’t mean anything unless you use it
successfully. Studies have shown that all successful people share similar character traits. Take the
time to review the list below and determine how many of these traits you have, and which ones
you need to work on:

FORBES List of 10 Traits Every Successful

Person Has in Common:

1. They do more than what’s asked of them. Go
above and beyond your client’s expectations by
being empathetic to their needs. For example, if
they’re coming to you from work and you know
that they are pressed for time, have a bottle of
water and a healthy snack waiting for them.
They might refuse your offer, but at least they
will see that you’re thinking about them.
2. They know their luck. Successful people are able to
use their strengths to their advantage and position
themselves for success on a daily basis. For example, if
you know that a client is becoming discouraged, the
workout should include exercises the client enjoys.
3. They set realistic goals. Remember SMART
goals? You do them for your clients: Do them
for yourself, too. See Table 3 in Chapter 3
for the SMART model and an example.
6. Shift happens. If things happen around you, then
learn to shift and go with it rather than fight it. When
you shift, you gain a new perspective that allows you
to remain positive and determined. For example, if
a client wants to switch their schedule from evening
to morning, try to be flexible and accommodate
their request as much as your schedule permits.
7. Be an effective communicator. Forget texting.
Pick up the phone so you can actually hear your
client. Text messages aren’t always effective and are
often misinterpreted. A phone call can be useful to
determine your client’s emotional frame of mind.
8. Ask the right questions. Be an active listener
and you will gather valuable information. For
example, every time you train your clients,
ask if their physical condition has changed
in any way since your last session.

4. They are accountable. No pointing fingers.
Being better means humbling yourself
and being open to personal growth. Take
responsibility for everything you do.
5. Be the change you wish to see. If a situation isn’t going
your way, then change it for the better. Successful
people don’t wait around for miracles to happen.
9. Be a lifelong learner. Never stop learning.
Learn something new every day, both
within and outside of your field.
10. Be excited. If you are passionate about what you
do, your passion will extend to the individuals
you coach. You must be present for them,
both mentally and physically always!

Do this with your clients. Setting SMART goals (as outlined in Chapter 3) allows you to
keep motivation high and the journey purposeful for your clients. This methodology gives
the client a tangible framework to use as they move toward their goals with you. It will sig-
nificantly strengthen your relationship with them and increase the value of your services.

7
Chapter 1

Summary

By the completion of this course, you will have the necessary tools to help eradicate obesi-
ty and help many individuals with weight management. The definition of a fitness profes-
sional has changed over the years to now include elements of cognitive behavioral therapy,1
which involves changing the client’s relationship with food, exercise, and lifestyle habits.
Remember, you are not their therapist—however, you do have the ability to influence their
daily lifestyle decisions. You are very important in each and every one of your client’s lives.

1 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A type of psychotherapy in which negative patterns of

thought about the self and the world are challenged in order to alter unwanted behavioral patterns
or treat mood disorders such as depression.
8
 Identifying what it means to be a Weight Management Specialist

References
Flegal, K.M., Carroll MD, Ogden, C.L., & Curtin, LR. (2010). Prevalence and trends
in obesity among U.S. adults, 1999–2008. JAMA. 303(3):235-241.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2013, Feb. 21). Cognitive behavioral therapy: Defini-
tion. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cog-
nitive-behavioral-therapy/basics/definition/prc-20013594

Schawbel, D. (2013). 14 things every successful person has in common.

Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschaw-
bel/2013/12/17/14-things-every-successful-person-has-in-common/

USDA (2015). BMI chart. Retrieved from http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/

9
10
 Chapter 2

The Powerful Three:

Fitness, Nutrition,
and Lifestyle

Overview:

When all three systems are in order,

the individual is at their best!

A. Fitness

• Can be classified according to the mode of exercise

• The importance of heart rate monitoring

during cardiovascular exercise.

• For more in-depth information, please refer to

additional fitness courses within the NCCPT
Chapter 2

Fitness
Fitness plays a tremendous part in your client’s journey. If you aren’t a certified personal trainer
yourself, consider becoming one so you can help guide your client through their entire journey.
The NCCPT offers a certified personal trainer certification course. Otherwise, find great person-
al trainers in your area and work closely with them so your client gets the best results.

The first thing to do is establish a plan. What can the client do? Ask the cli-
ent these very important questions for developing their program:

These questions are important because they help position your program-
ming for each individual. Does it make sense to train a middle-aged woman
1) Does it hurt to walk? (let’s call her Mary) with heavy resistance on her first session if she hates
exercise, has virtually no experience working out, and complains about her
2) Do you become breath- body hurting all the time? Let’s explore all the components of fitness be-
less doing simple tasks? fore solidifying a plan for her. We will get back to Mary in a little bit…

3) Have you ever exercised prior

to meeting with me?

4) How much time can you

realistically commit to?

5) Do you enjoy how you

feel after exercise?

6) Do you understand the

benefits of exercise?

12
 The Powerful Three

Modes of Exercise
Cardiovascular
Of or relating to the heart and blood vessels. Exercise temporarily increases the heart rate.

• Non-interval training: moderate aerobic training that doesn’t

vary heart rate throughout a single bout of exercise.

• Interval training: moderate to high intensity training where heart

rate varies throughout a single bout of exercise.

All modalities of cardiovascular exercise can be turned into either non-

interval or interval style training. See Table #1.

While it has been shown over and over again that high intensity interval training (HIIT) yields bet-
ter cardiovascular benefits than non-interval training, it is important to always meet the needs of the
individual you are working with. Some other significant results that are brought about with interval
training include improved stroke volume and hormone levels including catecholamines, cortisol, and
growth hormones (Boutcher, 2011). Stroke volume is the amount of blood ejected from the left ven-
tricle in a single beat. Higher stroke volume is a huge indication of excellent heart function during
both physical activity and at rest (Roitman, Herridge, Kelsey, LaFontaine, et al., 2001). What does that
mean? A healthy heart. An improvement in hormone release, such as of catecholamines, cortisol, and
growth hormones, can mean the prevention of glycogen depletion in the muscles and the regulation
of insulin and glucose levels. HIIT will increase a person’s fat-burning enzyme, lipase, thereby allow-
ing the body to use more fat for energy (Talanian, Galloway, Heigenhauser, Bonen, & Spriet, 2006).
Another study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that HIIT had a better ap-
petite-suppressing effect than did moderate-intensity steady-state exercise. (Sim, Wallman, & Guelfi,
2014).That is great news since HIIT can help a client resist overeating, which is the key to weight loss.
In addition, HIIT also facilitates what’s called the EPOC response:
Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption, also referred to as afterburn. Because of EPOC the body
is forced to use more oxygen than usual for repair, thereby increasing one’s metabolism and calorie burn
post-workout. This only occurs when engaging in high intensity interval training, and increases the indi-
vidual’s caloric expense for up to 36 hours after the bout of activity. Maintaining a heart rate of 85% for
at least a quarter of every workout will promote EPOC. The longer the individual spends at 85% of max
heart rate, the longer the individual will spend in EPOC after the workout. For example, if the individual
exercises for 60 minutes,
then they should be at Table 1
85% of max heart rate
for 15 minutes in total Type Non-Interval Training Interval Training
throughout their training Run Steady pace up a hill or flat road Sprint for an allocated time frame,
(Børsheim & Bahr, 2003). followed by either an active
recovery or walk
Cycling Steady pace climb or flat road Sprints followed by recoveries.
Rowing Row for distance over a period of Row a set distance in less than two
time greater than two minutes minutes or in one minute intervals
Dance Dancing any style for a duration A high-intensity dance contest for two
longer than a few minutes that minutes with huge movements: flips, high
does not involve heart rate spikes. kicks, etc. Can be interval-style dance
NCCPT Medicine ball training, trail running Agility training
Courses

13
Chapter 2

How does one determine their 85% max heart rate?

1) Karvonen Formula: This is a mathematical formula that uses maximum and rest-
ing heart rate with the desired training intensity to get a target heart rate.

(220 – Age − Resting HR) × Intensity + Resting HR = Active HR

Example of a training heart rate zone:

• (220 − (40 years) – 65) × (65%) + 65 = 140 Beats Per Minute (BPM)

• (220 − (40 years) – 65) × (85%) + 65 = 163 BPM

• Heart rate training zone = 140 BPM − 163 BPM for the individual’s intervals, where 140 BPM
is their aerobic zone and 163 BPM is their max anaerobic heart rate for their workout.

2) VO2 Max Assessment. This assessment measures the maximum rate of oxygen consumption during incremental exer-
cise and will also indicate what type of fuel (carbs, fatty acids, or proteins) the individual has consumed throughout the
assessment. This assessment is done using either an upright bike or treadmill. Maximal oxygen consumption reflects the
aerobic fitness level as well as the anaerobic fitness level of an individual, which will provide you with the individual’s
heart rate training zones when designing their program. Once the individual gets this assessment, look for their respira-
tory exchange ratio (RER) on the readout, which is the ratio between the amount of CO2 produced and O2 consumed in
one breath. In one breath, humans normally inhale more molecules of O2 than they exhale molecules of CO2. An RER
of 0.70 indicates that fatty acids are the predominant fuel source, an RER of 0.85 suggests a mix of fatty acids, proteins,
and carbohydrates, and a value of 1.00 or above is indicative of carbohydrates being the predominant fuel source.

When you view the VO2 Max report, you will see that the heart rate that corre-
sponds to their 0.85% should be their lower heart rate and the heart rate that cor-
responds to the point at which they hit 1.0 should be their upper heart rate value
when determining their heart rate training zone. Their lower heart rate equates
to their 0.85%, and their upper heart rate equates to their heart rate at 1.0+

A VO2 Max assessment can be run at a strength and conditioning facility or

a local university through the exercise physiology department. If your cli-
ent is over the age of 50 years, then it is recommended that they undergo a
stress test with their cardiologist prior to undergoing a VO2 Max assessment.
If the client doesn’t want to pay for a VO2 Max assessment, then use the Kar-
vonen formula. If the client opts for the VO2 Max assessment, then you will
be able to see the heart rates that correspond to various RER measurements
when your client gives you a copy of their printout as described above.
When you develop an interval program for them, you will notice that
their overall fitness levels improve. Their max heart rate will generally in-
crease or the client will take a longer time to reach it, and they will expe-
rience quicker drops in their active recovery heart rate. It is best to retest
the VO2 Max score once a year to see improvement in their VO2 score.
Here is a chart of VO2 scores to see how your client com-
pares to other individuals of the same age and gender:
VO2 Max Assessment.

14
 The Powerful Three

How do I compare with the general population?

Female (ml/kg/min)

Very
Age Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior
Poor
13-19 <25.0 25.0 – 30.9 31.0 – 34.9 35.0 – 38.9 39.0 – 41.9 >41.9

20-29 <23.6 23.6 – 28.9 29.0 – 32.9 33.0 – 36.9 37.0 – 41.0 >41.0

30-39 <22.8 22.8 – 26.9 27.0 – 31.4 31.5 – 35.6 35.7 – 40.0 >40.0

40-49 <21.0 21.0 – 24.4 24.5 – 28.9 29.0 – 32.8 32.9 – 36.9 >36.9

50-59 <20.2 20.2 – 22.7 22.8 – 26.9 27.0 – 31.4 31.5 – 35.7 >35.7

60+ <17.5 17.5 – 20.1 20.2 – 24.4 24.5 – 30.2 30.3 – 31.4 >31.4

Male (ml/kg/min)

Age Very Poor Fair Good Excellent Superior

Poor
13-19 <35.0 35.0 – 38.3 38.4 – 45.1 45.2 – 50.9 51.0 – 55.9 >55.9

20-29 <33.0 33.0 – 36.4 36.5 – 42.4 42.5 – 46.4 46.5 – 52.4 >52.4

30-39 <31.5 31.5 – 35.4 35.5 – 40.9 41.0 – 44.9 45.0 – 49.4 >49.4

40-49 <30.2 30.2 – 33.5 33.6 – 38.9 39.0 – 43.7 43.8 – 48.0 >48.0

50-59 <26.1 26.1 – 30.9 31.0 – 35.7 35.8 – 40.9 41.0 – 45.3 >45.3

60+ <20.5 20.5 – 26.0 26.1 – 32.2 32.3 – 36.4 36.5 – 44.2 >44.2

Reproduced from http://www.runningforfitness.org/faq/vo2-max

15
Chapter 2

How does one measure their

heart rate during exercise?

A heart rate monitor or pulse reader can determine heart rate. There are dif-
ferences between a heart rate monitor and a pulse reader. A heart rate monitor
comes with a chest strap that reads heart rate and wirelessly transfers the infor-
mation to a watch on the wrist. A pulse reader is a band or watch on the indi-
vidual’s wrist that does not include a strap around the chest; it picks up an active
pulse at the radial artery in the wrist, which is considered a distal measurement.
A pulse reader isn’t as accurate as a heart rate monitor. A heart rate monitor is a
proximal (close to the heart) monitor that helps the client to determine the ap-
propriate training zone throughout the workout (Andre & Wolf, 2007). There
are different brands out there, so the best thing to do is determine which is eas-
iest to help your client successfully use. Some monitors come with an app that
allows the client to track their workouts. Familiarize yourself with the brand
and model your client has chosen so you can assist them with its operation.

As a Weight Management Specialist, you can require your clients to wear a

heart rate monitor during training. Once they’ve been educated on how to use
it, they will have the ability to do so on their own. It will help them to bet-
ter gauge their results and will give meaning to their training. For example, if
they’re on a treadmill, it will give them a precise measure of their power output,
taking the guesswork out of assessing their heart rate or training intensity.

Bite on this:
With the appropriate business
license in place, you can form
a relationship with a heart rate
monitor company and sell your
clients heart rate monitors to
make a few extra dollars. This
will also place you in a position
to have the monitors on hand,
which will provide a conve-
nience to your clients.

16
 Th P
The Powerful
owerrful
ow ful Three
fu Thrree
Th

Strength Training
According to Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon Dr. Raj, strength training helps to slow
the progression of osteoporosis and is extremely important for reducing the risk of fall-
ing, which causes fractures. Falls are one of the leading causes of death in people over the
age of 65. With the appropriate exercise program in place, a person can improve strength,
balance, flexibility, and power, which will ultimately decrease their risk of falling.

There are different modalities of strength training:

A variety of routines can be done with any of the strength training

modalities (pictured right). Whether it’s you or another fitness
expert who trains your client, it will be apparent that someone who’s
looking to lose weight may not be able to move well through certain
mainstream exercises. If that is the case, that expert must be pre-
pared to offer alternative exercise options. For example, I was teach-
ing a group exercise class when I noticed an overweight lady was
struggling with the seated bent-over rows. Her stomach got in the
way of keeping her spine in neutral, which caused her to round her
shoulders, losing her ability to breathe well, and therefore put her
Weights Bands
at risk for injury. I had her stand up and asked her to do a one-arm
dumbbell row on the bench as an alternative. I could have also had
her do an iso-squat dumbbell row; however, her leg strength was
limited. Providing a client with an alternative gives them a feeling of
success rather than failure. Keep in mind that exercises such as iso-
squat dumbbell rows require proper execution on a multi-joint level.
Therefore, throwing this exercise at a beginner isn’t the best option.
Body Weight Barbell

17
Chapter 2

Summary

When developing a strength-training program, it is very important that the trainer watches the
client’s form throughout every move, for the entire session. If you don’t end up training your
client, be sure to choose a trainer who can provide your client with programming that helps your
client succeed. Part of your specialty is to watch each client’s journey with a vigilant eye and
be aware of virtually every aspect of their programming. If you do train them, then be mind-
ful of the exercises you select to the tempo you choose and the weights you ask them to lift.

Flexibility
A flexibility component comes with every exercise program. Remind your client that
stretching should be done not only during their training, but also during their work-
day and every day. It is very important to warn them that they should avoid seated
positions for more than 20 minutes. According to Dr. Raj, “Sitting for long periods of
time can cause sacroiliac joint issues, which can ultimately debilitate your client from
exercising. In addition, sitting for long periods of time can cause overuse injury to the
trochanter and to the ischial bursa, which can cause severe inflammation and pain.”

So, while teaching your client that flexibility is important, the more im-
portant factor is to teach your client that daily stretching is need-
ed to avoid overuse injuries (Isaac & Devine, 2008).

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 The Powerful Three

Teach them:

• Static stretching: should only be done after exercise and during the course of
a workday. It entails holding a stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds in order to
gain more extensibility in the muscle fascia and connective tissue. It is recom-
mended to stretch every 30 minutes every day, especially for those who are bound
by a desk job. Every time you think of static stretching, think of non-movement.

• Self myofascial release (SMR): The use of a foam roller or tennis ball can
help break down adhesions and offer a mini massage, adding more pli-
ability to the muscle for better movement and improved circulation. Ev-
ery SMR stretch should be followed by a static or dynamic stretch.

• Yoga: Many yoga classes concentrate on proper breathing techniques during

yoga postures, which improve range of motion and joint stability. There are
restorative classes that allow the client to hold stretches for 3-5 minutes.

• Dynamic Stretching (as a warm-up for training): This type of stretch is usually
done just prior to exercise. These stretches mimic the activity the client is about
to perform. For example, a walking lunge can be considered a dynamic stretch
for a baseball player who’s about to play. Every time you think of dynamic
flexibility, think of movement, where as static stretching is non-movement.

Your client should understand the differences between these stretching modalities
and should stretch regularly on their own. You might run into opposition, because
most clients will want someone to be there with them when they stretch. If you aren’t
qualified to stretch with them, speak with their trainer and reiterate the importance
of their flexibility program. The trainer should also remind them about stretching
throughout the day to improve muscle extensibility and prevent overuse injuries.

Summary
Be sure that your clients understand all modalities of flexibility so that they can
stretch on their own. Remember, dynamic stretching is best just prior to exer-
cise and involves movement, while static stretching is beneficial after exercise, as
it involves non-movement of the joints allowing the person to deepen their range
of motion over a thirty second or more time frame. All other modalities help
with improved extensibility; however, at the end of the day, its best to encour-
age your clients to stretch all day, every day to avoid tight muscles altogether.

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Chapter 2

Breathing Techniques
Breathing is an automated system that we just do, without even thinking about it. That is what
automated means: automatic. However, due to larger volumes of stress these days, the average
person experiences shallow breathing, which adversely impacts the body. The body is not built to
be deprived of O2 to the brain and other cells in the body. Your client will complain about daily
fatigue, poor sleep, constant cravings, anxiety, uptight energy, and frequent tension headaches.
Once you point this out to your client, you can get them to understand the physio-
logical responsibility that breathing has for the physical body. Tell them that prop-
er breathing will help them lower stress, improve their mood, improve their over-
all energy, and ignite their strength while exercising. Be very mindful of their
breathing throughout their session and encourage them to breathe as needed.

Meditation Helps with Breathing.

There are five- and ten-minute guided medita-
tion lessons available on YouTube. Simply type
in “5-minute guided meditation or10-minute guided
meditation” on YouTube and many options will
appear. There are also guided meditation phone apps
available, such as Simply Being which is available
on both iOS and Android. In addition, lead your
client through a one-minute breathing exercise.
This will allow them to slow down their breathing
and experience what deep breathing feels like.

ACTIVITY
Choose calming background music or create a silent environment for your client. Instruct the
client to get into a comfortable position, whether that be sitting upright in a chair or lying on
their back. Make sure that their body is relaxed. Help guide them into this comfortable po-
sition. Have them close their eyes. Have them inhale through their nose for a count of four.
Have them hold their breath at the top for two counts. Then have them release their breath
from the back of their throat, as if to fog the pane of a window, for a total count of eight.
In the lifestyle section, you will learn about some lifestyle modifications that
must occur for your clients to truly experience a humble and healthy life.

Summary
Proper breathing will enable your clients to translate breathing into their day-to-day ac-
tivities beyond exercise. In addition, the techniques you teach them will help reduce phys-
ical stress and gain control over their minds. Encourage every client to practice deep
pelvic breathing, not only when they train, but all throughout their day, every day.

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 The Powerful Three

How about Mary?

Let’s revisit our middle-aged woman from earlier in this chapter, Mary, who has chronic body pain and little ex-
perience exercising. Recall that she is middle-aged, has virtually no experience with exercise, hates it, and com-
plains about her body hurting all the time. What should you do for the first session with her? Jot it down here:

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Chapter 2

Here’s a suggested answer for Mary:

Create an environment that makes her feel comfortable. If you work in a facility, then intro-
duce her to other members and people on your team. Allow other members to brag about
their experience with you. If you are not in a facility when you meet for the first time, ask her
ice breaker questions. For example, how was her day? Allow her to talk about herself because
that will enable her to loosen up in your session. For non-trainers, hone in on the nutrition
consultation by teaching her all about the macronutrients and their role in the body. You can
also discuss her fitness goals and gather information for whomever will be training her.
If you are a trainer, you can bring her to an open space and sit her down. Lay her down on
her back, her knees bent, feet on the ground, and her hand on her stomach. Teach her how to
identify the rise and fall of her diaphragm as she breathes. Next, have her continue breath-
ing steadily and consciously and incorporate anterior and posterior pelvic tilts to teach her
lumbar/pelvic mobility. From there, teach her neutral spine and “core” engagement.

What is neutral spine?

A neutral spine refers to the “three natural curves” that are present in
Cervical a healthy spine. From a side view, the cervical spine (neck, C1-C7)
bends inward, the thoracic spine (upper back, T1-T12) bends out-
ward, and the lumbar spine (lower back, L1-L5) bends inward. The
sacrum (tailbone area, S1-S5 fused) and coccyx (four fused on aver-
age) rest between the pelvic bones. (Vogel, 2001). It is critical that
you locate these reference points with your client and teach them how
to attain a neutral spine before they lift. Your client should especial-
ly understand how to maintain a neutral spine during training to en-
sure proper protection of the spine when adding external loads to it.

Thoracic

Lumbar

Sacrum

Coccyx

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 The Powerful Three

Trainers, here are some sample exercises for Mary’s first session: Client Retention
a) Dead bug Factors contributing to high-
er client retention rates:
b) Bridge pose
• A good Ɠrst impression
c) Unilateral bridge pose with one leg lifted up to knee height
• A positive experience
d) Reverse straight leg crunches
• A feeling of belonging
e) Forearm plank for 10 seconds at a time × 5 rounds
• A feeling of success
f ) Have Mary pick her favorite cardio machine. First, establish a steady pace
for her cadence. Once she understands the challenge of a steady pace, • An emotional connec-
then she should understand that a sprint will be much more uncomfort- tion to the experience
able. Comfort her with the information that the sprints you give her will
only last for 5-10 seconds to start. Since this is your first session with • They like your energy
her, instead of using a heart rate monitor, teach her rate of perceived ex-
ertion, which is how she feels. Here is your rating system for her:

On a scale of 1-10, 1 being very easy and 10 being I can barely breathe, where
are you? The goal is to get her to a 6-7 the first day. She shouldn’t be able
to speak more than five words to you at the higher end of the sprint.

Summary
Your number one goal is to retain Mary as your client. If she arranges a second
session, that’s a sign that you made a positive and meaningful first impression.
Empower her to own her journey. Making the session meaningful for her will allow
her to commit to it and recognize the purpose behind your programming for her.

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Chapter 2

Think about a client with whom you’ve been working with for
more than a year. Write down five reasons why they are loyal to
you. Next, write down how you make their experience positive:

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 The Powerful Three

Session Conclusion:
How to wrap up a session to ensure client satisfaction: • “Today we went over abdominal bracing and
core activation. We later introduced you to your
• Highlight the positive parts of the ses- cardiovascular routine.” Ask them how it felt.
sion and what the client did well.
• Project what will happen in the next ses-
• Examples: “You are a very quick learner and sion so that they know what to expect.
I feel confident that you will be successful in
applying these nutrition fundamentals.” • Examples: “Next time we speak, we will re-
view your week to see how you put all
• “You were able to show real good core en- of this information into practice.”
gagement during the floor exercises today.”
• “Next time you come in, we will review the ab-
• Summarize what you did. dominal bracing and incorporate light weights. I
will show you some great movements to help tone
• Examples:“Today we reviewed the macronutrients your arms, which you mentioned was your goal.”
and how insulin is impacted by high glycemic car-
bohydrates. Are you clear on the differences between
high glycemic carbs and low glycemic carbs?”

Coaches: You know there is no

such thing as spot reduction;
however, you should concentrate
on tying your program into the
client’s goals so that they can
make that connection more easily.

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Chapter 2

Summary
Choose the right fitness program for each of your clients. If you are not their trainer, it is
important to work closely with whomever does. Your clients will need to incorporate all mo-
dalities, including cardio, strength, flexibility, and proper breathing techniques. Fitness tools
such as heart rate training zones can be used to help provide a purposeful program for each
client. Ensure an appropriate environment for better retention rates. Summarize the successes
from the session and project what will happen in the next session. Be sure to schedule the next
session and gain commitment from the client. As a Weight Management Specialist, always
evaluate yourself so that you can see if you are effectively meeting the needs of each client.

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 The Powerful Three

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