Your best advice in 20 minutes

S

saia11

Cathlete
I've been asked to speak to a local chapter of TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) on pretty much any topic regarding fitness/nutrition/wellness that I'd like. Think Weight Watchers support--- minus the larger fees, "points", and diet plans. I have about 20 minutes to speak and have pretty much decided that the group can best utilize some advice on fitness.

So if you only had 20 minutes to offer some "soundbytes", so to speak, what would you focus on? I'll be putting together a handout as well to add to their collection (they put all their info. into a binder with the diet/weight/water/movement/movitivation/etc. information that they've received.

As a professor I'm used to at least and hour so 20 min. feels a little constrictive, but I think that I can get quite a bit across, and what I don't as completely as I'd like to can go in the handout.
Oh, if you have any great resources for the handout as well I'd love to take a look.

Thanks so much knowledgeable crowd! :7 :7

Mattea
 
Mattea - I don't really have any advice. Just wanted to say that I think you're doing a fabulous thing and I wanted to bump this to the top so everyone sees it.

Oh, and we miss you at the Cheetah Check In...
 
This is awesome. Honestly, I think I would spend that time talking about how confusing some of the info is out there and maybe handing out a sample program for beginners (walking, some resistance training) and perhaps asking to come back another night to get into more detail OR provide them with other sources of information. Maybe make a chart with some recs, like if you haven't done anything before start with Leslie Sansone or something?

The people in my life who want to get into fitness but don't often cite confusion over the information that's out there... and fear. Most people don't join gyms because they don't know what to do when they get there.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

Marie
 
I think I would like motivational ideas and strategies. We all need motivation to stick to our clean living ways. I use this whole forum as motivation!
 
Great ideas. I agree that many people are misinformed/confused. Since a lot of folks seem to think cardio is the only road to fat loss, I think I would emphasize the need to weight train and also to fuel the body properly -- being careful not to restrict calories TOO much in the quest to lose pounds, which is a tendency among dieters. (I'm thinking BFFM-type information.) You might also share information about an upcoming 5K run/walk, encourage everyone to commit to signing up, and offer a basic couch-to-5K type of training plan. That'd be a great goal for folks to partner up and work toward.

Good luck & hope to see ya around the cheetah check-in again soon!

Cathy :)
 
I LOVE the idea of trying to cut through the confusion and offering a 5k as a motivator! They can walk or run (or both) the 5k and as we runners know - once you enter a race, you're usually smitten.
 
I think I would emphasize
>the need to weight train and also to fuel the body properly --
>being careful not to restrict calories TOO much in the quest
>to lose pounds, which is a tendency among dieters.
>Cathy :)

Ditto on Cathy's suggestions. So many women have no idea how important strength training is and all the wonderful benefits.

So many women are scared to strength train because they don't want to become "big". I would make sure that they understand that it takes a special routine, special diet, and often some special pills to get "big". With health and fitness as a goal they are only going to look "great". Good luck, I'm sure you'll do fantastic!


Karla
 
Mattea-
This is great you get to share your fitness knowledge with others. I am sure you already have great ideas-----and I love the suggestions here from others.

The only thing I'd add is maybe asking people to think about what their goals are or what they feel is a realistic goal for them today. A lot of times on the forums, I think it's great when someone posts a question and someone else asks for more information about their goals, i.e making a broader question more specific...

That might help the audience member relate to all the good info you are going to present in a way that engages them into thinking: Well what am I going to do with this information this incredibly fit and energetic woman is teaching me about????

Let us know how the talk goes!
-Barb:)
 
I have a friend who is morbidly obese and is slowly taking the pounds off ... she has always resisted exercise and has only dieted in the past ... this time she's also working out ... she confided that one of the reasons she didn't exercise before is that she was too self-conscious about her body size and didn't want other people to see her moving, not even walking down the street ... she wanted to be invisible. She now is embarrassed about all the sweating. I've been doing a some basic education with her to help her along. So depending on the size/weight and previous experience of the participants you might want to include ideas on where to workout, clothing, shoes, getting an exercise buddy from the class, how to warm-up, how to stretch and cool down properly, and what are DOMS and how to get thru them. Good luck! Deb
 
I read this in a book, author was the woman who writes on fitness for NY Times (can't remember her name) but it's stuck with me for years. A big secret is that exercise actually feels good WHILE you're doing it if you do it right. If you find the right activity for you and don't overdo, it's pleasurable and will NOT be dreaded. (Everyone knows that you feel good afterwards.) The media has brainwashed us into thinking that it's painful and unpleasant - it's not when done correctly.
 
Thank you wonderful and knowledgeable ladies:7

Both for the super suggestions and the encouragement. I've asked the group for more information on the demographics (age, sex, fitness levels) of those involved so that I can best tailor my advice to their situations.

I also love the idea of setting them up with some basic advice, asking them to examine their own goals, finding the pleasure in movement, and then giving them a target group goal such as a 5K. I'll have to check out which one are local and in an achievable time frame.

Great suggestion on the book with the fitness myths and realities/clearing up confusion on all the info. that's out there. I know that they had an RD come in and talk about the various diet myths (comparing fad plans and why they (don't) work), so this would be a great bookend to that---which the group loved.

I might also see about taking them on a tour of the local gym if most of them aren't already members---to show them what's available, and even better, what the atmosphere is like. It's a very low-key, user friendly, high-tech establishment.

Thanks again ladies and keep it coming! I'll let you know how it goes.

And a special hello to all my cheetahs! Barb! Christine! Cathy! I haven't been running as much as I would like, but DH and I are finally getting our treadmill delivered this Friday, so the outdoor conditions will no longer be an issue. :+

Mattea
 
A good topic might be that a little prevention is the best medicine. Keeping yourself in shape now will benefit you 10 fold when you get older. I am 37...certainly not old....but I have started to look at working out differently. It is not just about looking good in my clothes but also about prevention as I get older. I complain all the time about how I HAVE to workout. But, now I think I am going to benefit when I get older because I will be a healthy older adult.

Another topic may be how working out helps you mentally and emotionally. 3 hours of excercise a week is equal to a mild anti-depressant. Another reason I work out is for my sanity. I feel soooooo much better after a good run. I truly would be a very unhappy person emotionally if I did not work out.
 
I am a Weight Watcher, and I think what is hard for people at meetings like this especially if they have a large amount of weight to lose is getting started. Remember, people that are overweight, have usually been that way for awhile. They have not gained 100 pounds overnight. So it actually hurts to move. They need ideas on how to get started and stay motivated through the slow process of bringing down their weight.

I would talk about incorporating more activities through out there day. I notice the people at work who use our incredibily slow elevator are the real obese people. We only have two floors, but they do not use the stairs. Part of it is you can tell it hurts them to walk, much less do a flight of stairs. Parking farther away then they usually do. Walking to errands that are walkable, instead of taking the car. Just trying to get more activity, and gradually adding.

Remember, a lot of these people cannot even imagine walking around the block, much less walking a 5K.
 
I hear what you're saying, Dorothy - those are good points to consider for those in the audience who may be severely obese. Getting started truly is the hardest part - probably for anybody. I do think, though, that since the fitness level/age/amount to lose probably varies quite a bit among the group, there will be many for whom a sensible couch-to-5K (walk or run) program is a viable (and fun) goal.
 
Thanks for the added input. I definitely hear what you are saying about focusing on fitness for living---wellness---as opposed to just looking good in clothes.

And you're right, often, getting started is the biggest hurdle, but I'm lucky in that everyone in this group has at least already "started", although some spend much more time exercising each week than others. As a group (16 of them), they've already lost over 380 pounds!

I'll let everyone know how it goes:)

Mattea
 
Dealing with a group that's already well into making progress, I think I would definatly talk about how muscle takes more calories to maintain and therefore when you have more muscle you can actually eat more calories and not gain more fat. So, muscle works for you all day long, even when your not working out. That's a great thing to stress.

Also, I would encourage people to think about these changes as life long changes and not to say you can never eat another truffle just never going to gourge on truffles. So don't get into the deprivation way of thinking, because believe me that can backfire big time. I would strategize when are your times you are more likely to binge, and what are you going to do during those times instead of binge? Go for a walk, have a cup of tea, have three ideas for those "that time of the month" cravings of healthier chocolate substitutes. Maybe, you decide never to have anything on hand that you might over-indulge in. So, drive all the way to the grocery store and purchase one serving of weight watchers candy (or some other low fat treat thing), when you get the craving. Never be prepared in advance with junk food for the next binge, because than you're just guaranteeing there will be one.
Heather
 
I had one more thought, tell them about aerobic vs. anaerobic and the whole anaerobic threshold thing. To burn fat you need to be aerobic, to increase aerobic ability you need to design some workouts to push you to your anaerobic threshold. I think this is something that is often misunderstood.
Heather
 
Thanks for the suggestions Heather! I'd already planned to give them some insight into your last suggestion (anaero/aero) by suggesting that they add an interval workout once a week---stress the benefits and give them and easy plan to start with and then advance with.
I'm definitely also going to spend time on resistance training---myths, benefits, and plans.

I especially like what you suggest about giving them concrete "back-up" options for cravings. What do you do instead and how to handle them.

All of these suggestions have been so kind and helpful---you ladies are the best:D

Mattea
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top