Weight loss by phone: dial-up personal trainers for people on the go

Better Nutrition, Feb, 2004 by Jennifer LeClaire

From food to fashion, busy people can order just about anything over the phone these days. Now, a new breed of personal trainer is peddling fitness--yes, fitness--by phone.

These telephone tutors tackle the toughest clients: road warriors that hunger for a healthful lifestyle but battle jam-packed schedules that often hinder them from forming wholesome habits.

Telephone trainers are springing up across the country, announcing a coaching alternative that saves clients time and money. Sounds good, right? But does this dial-up model of physical fitness pay dividends? Or is it just another nutrition novelty?

Promising Results

"Research on telephone-assisted counseling for physical activity has established a convincing body of evidence supporting its effectiveness in promoting long-term physical activity change in adult populations," wrote Abby King, PhD, and Cynthia Castro, PhD, in a recent Stanford University review article called "Telephone-Assisted Counseling for Physical Activity."

The duo's research indicates that phone-based exercise counseling is 75-90 percent effective. The researchers also note that the phone method is convenient, gives participants greater counselor access, saves time and promotes physical activity among those who may not be receptive to face-to-face training.

The Association of Fitness by Phone Coaches is spreading the word, and member companies, such as People Fit USA and Flexible Fitness, are getting calls by the droves from women aged 35-55 who are too busy, too unmotivated or too frustrated to exercise. One 20-minute call per week, coupled with accountability, is leading to results for those who follow the formula.

Goal-Oriented

Keeping an exercise diary is one of the keys to the program's success, and a typical weekly call begins with a review of the past week's diary to measure achievement toward fitness goals, discuss successes and obstacles, and design a new plan for the following week, according to Gillian Hood-Gabrielson, owner of Flexible Fitness in Chico, California.

"Each week, clients are given very specific goals as to how frequently, how intensely and how long to exercise," she says. "We also set goals on how many calories to burn and what their heart rates should be during the exercises."

While the exercise diary and phone calls bring weekly accountability, calorie-counting devices and heart-rate monitors provide concrete evidence of success. Clients are also encouraged to call the coach for in-between-sessions pep talks as needed.

"We are setting goals on a weekly basis, and the goals are daily, measurable and achievable," says Heather Moreno, owner of People Fit USA in Huntington Beach, California. "When people can see that they are burning more calories and getting better with heart rates, they know the weight loss will come. Focusing on the scale alone tends to be a de-motivator."

Most telephone coaches offer 12- and 24-week programs that are about half the cost of an in-person trainer. Phone coaches stress that they are educating individuals on how to become their own coaches so that they can maintain the program long-term without the ongoing expense of a personal trainer.

Success Stories

Barbara Flaherty of Huntington Beach, California, says she had never stuck with a fitness program for more than a few weeks before she experimented with phone counseling. About 4 years ago, she completed Moreno's 24-week program and is still exercising faithfully today using the principles she learned.

"This program gave me the flexibility to exercise around my busy schedule and still be able to reach my goals each week," says Flaherty "I'm motivated because I've set these goals for myself, and I'm accountable to reach them each week. I've dropped a couple of dress sizes, and I have more energy and endurance, am more fit and toned and look better than I have in years."

Of course, physical fitness always requires effort. While phone counseling may be more convenient and less costly than in-person trainers, it still requires a consistent commitment, says Joshua Fink, MD, medical director for Prescriptions for Fitness, Inc. in Ridgefield, Connecticut. "We have seen, almost uniformly, our 'one-time caller' tends to go nowhere," he says. "Callers who reach their goals commit to weekly consultations for at least 3 months."

Jim Labadie, owner of Achieve Total Fitness in Tampa, Florida, likes the results he's seen with his telephone clients, but does admit a couple of potential caveats. "The disadvantages are that you can't correct exercise form," he says. "And since you aren't there, you can't push people to work harder than they would on their own."

But for Joy Carroll of Pasadena, California, the results speak for themselves. She says she couldn't find a way to exercise consistently with her busy schedule.

"My coach created different workouts for when I get to the gym, when I'm at home and when I'm on the road," says Carroll. "Eight months and two dress sizes later (the right way this time), I feel great and I work out regularly."