WNiF Magazine - Spring 2015 Edition | Page 10

HOW TO ACHIEVE WEIGHT LOSS By Gavin Aquilina IN YOUR CLIENTS/MEMBERS G avin Aquilina breaks client weight loss down into realistic steps for PTs that are proven to be successful. How hard is it to lose 5kg fat? The Biggest Loser and TV shows like this would have us believe it is really easy. Too often I hear people in the health and weight loss industry say ‘Yes you can lose 5kg. If you do 1 PT and 2 other gym sessions a week and you are good to go.’ calculated generic metabolic rate (if you can’t test metabolic rate using gas analysis or similar) Therefore, the required nutrition deficit is -3,250 divided by 7days = -464Kcals per day. 2. Calculate weight and body fat percentage (with a Dexa if possible) 3. Then look at a generic energy in versus energy out. The issue is, this is just the starting point. We haven’t considered hormonal dysfunction, metabolic adaptive thermogenesis, an individual’s gut health or psychology. And all of these elements will have an impact on the above calculations, and your client’s ability to achieve success. To lose 1kg you have to create a deficit in this equation of -7,700Kcal. So if you want to lose 5kg you have to create a deficit in this equation of -38,500Kcal. If you want to lose 5kg in 10 weeks divide -38,500Kcal by 10 weeks. Therefore -3,850Kcals per week is the required weekly deficit. If you can get blood tests done prior to starting it is a great idea, but the above provides you with a starting point. To then put a timeframe on it such as, ‘losing 5kg in 10 weeks’ is near impossible for the average individual AND I am a positive person! The average person burns approximately 10Kcals/minute with exercise. My first question to these PTs is, ‘Show me how you worked out this person can lose this much weight in this time period?’ Quite often the conversation stops at this point. So let’s say we get 40 minutes of good work from them each session 10Kcals x 40mins x 1.5 sessions = 600Kcals Personalise the above and monitor your clients’ weight and body fat weekly (use body fat scales for week-to-week measurements). If there is no change over two weeks start to tweak things. If you go six weeks, two tweaks and no changes, then make sure they go to the appropriate health care professional to get tested for the factors that my be limiting their success. This means, the required weekly deficit -3,850Kcal less 600Kcals (exercise) = -3,250Kcals that still have to be lost per week. As much as this is all physiology, remember to talk to your clients as psychology is also a critical component for successful weight loss. So where should we start? Here’s where: 1. We have to start at an individual’s The average person exercises less than 1.5 sessions/week. WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION ON YOUR DOORSTEP Join fitness industry leaders and innovators for one amazing weekend of energising education in your home city! FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT NETWORKLIVE.COM.AU OR CALL 1300 493 832 PERTH 11 – 13 SEP 2015 PERTH CONVENTION CENTRE 10 WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - SPRING 2015 POWERED BY Learn practical skills across a diverse range of topics, from PT and business to physio, nutrition and more – all delivered by leading Australian experts. WHAT’S NEW IN FITNESS - SPRING 2015 SYDNEY 17–18 OCT 2015 NOVOTEL SYDNEY OLYMPIC PARK BRISBANE 24 – 25 OCT 2015 BRISBANE CONVENTION CENTRE 11