Most people need some sort of a motivation to start exercising and also to maintain the fitness regime. Not every one can afford a personal trainer and fitness books and videos may never see the light and obese people also shy away from seeking help from fitness experts.
Phone counseling may be the answer for such people to keep them motivated. Study says that health and fitness advise given over the phone can be equally effective, in fact it has turned out to be a great success.
Australian researchers studied whether counselors could help men and women change and improve their eating and health habits. The phone calls were designed to give the participants “real-time” advices, helping them get over hurdles to making lifestyle changes or to set new goals for themselves.
It was found that seventy seven percent of the people who received phone counseling made improvements in their eating and exercise habits. However it was not known whether the participants maintained the same lifestyle long after the counseling had stopped. The researchers also say that phone counseling was most effective when it was combined with face-to-face counseling and education through classes or written materials.
Phone counseling could be a success because of the convenience and flexibility factor where people don’t have to miss out on their schedules, and also the privacy it offers.
Though there are plenty of help lines to help people quit alcohol and smoking, government should consider this proposal of having dedicated phone lines to people looking for motivation to lose weight. This could also be one of the ways to tackle the concerns of growing obese world.
Image
Source
