3 EASY STEPS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND ADD MUSCLE

Are there really only three easy steps?
There are three steps, but they are not easy for everyone.  
As health care professionals we talk to people each and every day who are striving to to "lose weight and build muscle".
We all know the "steps" that it takes to achieve these goals,. We understand that it takes time and dedication, a healthy and balanced diet, and a consistent and efficient workout program.  The difficult process is convincing our patients and clients that all three of these steps are necessary to achieve their goals.

Utilize these three steps to help your clients achieve their goals.

1. Preparation

The first time you meet your client, take the time to get to know them, and understand why they are seeking your services. By getting to know your client prior to creating their plan of care, you will be able to create an effective program for them.  Listen to your client and help them set realistic and obtainable goals. Create both short term (attainable in 2-4 weeks) and long term (attainable in 3-6 months) goals. To keep your clients focused, meet once every 30 days and re-evaluate their progress. Don't be afraid to set new goals if short term ones were met, or if old ones seem unreachable.  Your client's success will make you successful. 


2. Diet

We all need to convince our patients and clients that there are no magic diets. You do not need to STOP eating, you do not need to stop enjoying what you eat.  Educate your clients on simple ways they can change their diet to achieve their stated goals.
Strategies include:
  • eliminating fast food, fried food, sugary snacks, and soda
  • eating smaller and more frequent meals
  • cooking at home rather than going out
  • eating more fruits, vegetables, and lean meats
  • avoiding late night sugary snacks before bedtime 
These are just a few suggestions to improve your diet. To find out more information on healthy ways to change your diet, visit WebMD Healthy Eating & Diet


3. Exercise 

As you prepare to create your exercise plan of care for your clients, make sure to focus on each individual client's personal goals. Remember what you learned about your client the first time you discussed those goals.  How much time do they have in their day for exercise (housewife or retiree vs busy mom or business person)? Are they self-motivated or do they need a lot of motivation? Do they need to be pushed or guided? Are they working with you once per week or three times per week? You want to make your exercise plan fun, interesting, challenging, efficient, and most importantly, focused.  To ensure your clients success in attaining their stated goals, you MUST make sure that they are not only being compliant with you, but also when they are on their own at home.  Provide them with instruction for exercises that they can complete on their own or at home (go to Fizio.com to learn how you can create a customized video home exercise program that your clients can view at home, or download to their iPod to take with them to the gym).