Originally published in the Decmeber Member Newsletter. Not a subscriber yet? Click here to subscribe to the ObesityHelp Member Newsletter.

Far too many unqualified individuals offer “professional advice” and “professional guidance” in the field of exercise and fitness. You can pose a single exercise question to the local “gym rat”, personal trainer, yoga instructor or ten other self-proclaimed fitness gurus, and you will receive a number of different and often misinformed answers. These individuals are supposed to be the professionals; they should know what they are talking about. Whether you are trying to find an answer to a simple fitness question or looking for a personal trainer to guide you through an exercise program, how do you wade through the ocean of misinformation and find someone who is truly an exercise professional?

It’s a Big Industry Out There
Fitness is an industry. Ok, so that is a bit of a no-brainer but it never ceases to amaze me how these TV fitness evangelists are able to convince the public that they have somehow come up with the latest and greatest breakthrough in exercise and fitness. I honestly can’t remember the last time I heard a good piece of fitness advice offered by someone who was simultaneously trying to sell some exercise gadget. Find someone who treats exercise and fitness as a field of study instead of an industry focused on helping you to lighten your wallet. Of course, in order to find a true exercise professional, you need to know what you are looking for.

Paper, Paper On The Wall…
Perhaps the most important aspect of finding a true exercise professional is education. Much like nutrition or medicine, exercise is a science and a formal education in this field helps to ensure that the exercise professional has at least a basic working knowledge of exercise physiology. It is very difficult to receive the training, experience and education in exercise program design, exercise testing, contraindications to exercise, and many other aspects of exercise physiology without a formal education in this area.

This is especially true when considering special populations. If you are obese, have arthritis, cardiovascular diseases or countless other conditions, it is highly probable the average “gym rat” trainer is not going to know what needs to be done, or not done, to meet your needs. If an exercise professional does not know and understand your needs, how can they help you reach your goals?

In the case of obesity and bariatric surgery more specifically, there are particular concerns and guidelines to follow when designing an exercise program. There are many comorbidities, health complications and physical limitations that may result from obesity. Bariatric surgery can further complicate the issue of exercise since significant caloric restriction will impact exercise performance and adaptions/progress made with exercise. These issues must be addressed, and the exercise professional, perhaps a personal trainer, must be educated in a field related to exercise physiology in order to tackle these issues properly and safely.

There are several areas of study to look for in an exercise professional including exercise physiology or exercise science, kinesiology and biomechanics. Associates, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees can be obtained in all of these areas of study. It is safe to assume you will not find a PhD at your local gym doing personal training but personals trainers with at least a four-year degree in one of the above mentioned fields, should be able to address most needs and questions you may have. Some of you may be fortunate enough to have access to a wellness center or medical weight loss center that employs an exercise professional with a graduate or post graduate education such as an exercise physiologist, kinesiologist, biomechanist or physical therapist. Choosing an exercise professional with an education through an accredited university will make certain the professional has been schooled in areas of health, exercise and program design that are vital to meet your needs. Do not hesitate to ask the exercise professional to provide proof of degree completion.

Certifications
There are numerous organizations, some legitimate but many not, which claim to certify “fitness professionals.” Take personal trainers for instance. Personal trainers can sit in the comfort of their own homes and order a certification online or by mail order; no education needed. There are no laws, rules or regulations controlling the education required to call oneself a personal trainer. In fact, by law no education or certification is required at all. At the end of the day there are only a couple of organizations in the United States who demonstrate rigorous quality controls and commitment to excellence for exercise professionals.

While these organizations certify more than just personal trainers, the following two organizations have long-standing commitments to health, exercise science and sport science and are the “gold standard” of certifying organizations in the United States.
· American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
· National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

These organizations produce certified exercise and strength and conditioning professionals that are well rounded in many aspects of exercise training and are responsible for developing and researching many of the exercise guidelines used in the full spectrum of clinical and non-clinical populations. Each of these organizations requires a valid CPR license for all certifications and a number of their certifications actually require someone to have a formal education in one of the areas of study mentioned previously. The following tables illustrate the certifications and educational requirements for both the ACSM and NSCA.

For more information about the American College of Sports Medicine, visit http://www.acsm.org/. If you are interested in locating an ACSM certified personal trainer or other professional, you can access the ACSM Professional Finder at http://forms.acsm.org/_frm/crt/online_locator.asp.

For more information about the National Strength and Conditioning Association, visit http://www.nsca-lift.org. If you are in locating an NSCA certified personal trainer or other professional, you can access the NSCA Professional Finder at http://www.nsca-lift.org/trainers/traineragree.asp.

Don’t Settle
If you are looking for information regarding exercise or fitness, do not settle for the advice you get from the salesman at the gym, some magazine on the news rack or one of the thousands of infomercials that play on late night TV. If you are looking for a personal trainer, do not settle for someone without proper certification. When you seek clinical advice about your pre or post weight loss surgery care, there are specific clinicians to meet various needs. Participating in regular physical activity is one of the best predictors of long-term success after weight loss surgery. Unfortunately, many bariatric surgical practices to date do not employ properly qualified exercise professionals. If you need exercise questions answered or if you need hands on guidance, use the information presented above to find a well-qualified professional that can meet your needs safely and assist you in achieving long-term success.