After months of studying to be an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, I wasn’t done with my learning. The main reason for becoming certified was so I could help others that are at risk of a heart attack or stroke. One of the biggest risk factors is obesity, so I decided to complete a 25-hour ACE course to become a Weight Management Specialist.
What is a Weight Management Specialist?
It’s probably not what you think. It’s not a dietician. It’s not a psychologist. It’s not a physical therapist. (although it does include aspects of all 3)
A Weight Management Specialist is, indeed, very specialized. It means that I have taken all I know as a personal trainer and learned how to apply it to the kind of person I used to be. A person that was “obese” on the BMI scale, had tried many times to lose weight, failed at many diets, and intimidated by going to a gym.
A Weight Management Specialist does not learn any magic tricks or “the one exercise you need to burn belly fat.” Instead, they know how to empathize, how to motivate, and how to design programs that are tailored to the emotional and physical challenges of someone that faces obesity.
I’m not done learning but you can rest assured that I’m not going to just take what worked for me and ram it down your throat. I’m not going to stand to one side and tell you what you need to do. Instead, I’m going to stand alongside you, see your goals, motivations, and challenges through your eyes.
A Weight Management Specialist does not use his hand to point out where you’ve gone wrong. They place their hand on your shoulder and walk with you on your road to wellness. One step at a time.