In our field we often hear about physical activity challenges/competitions as a tool to get people's attention and to help provide some initial (external) motivation.
For example, I hear of workplaces hosting their own Biggest Loser, or running a pedometer step challenge. Here in Edmonton there is the Edmonton Journal and YMCA At Home Health Club Challenge. Nationally there is the CBC Live Right Now.
Often communities, workplaces, recreation facilities may offer similar challenges. The goal, is often to offer a competitive environment in hopes of inspiring people to take action, whether it is to eat healthier, be more active… or lose weight. We must remember that these challenges offer external motivation (read my earlier blog on motivation).
Challenges have their place for sure. However, many use the focus of weight loss as the main goal. This has many concerns for me, which I thought might be good to discuss.
Physical activity promoted as the major tool for weight loss. In some challenges physical activity is promoted as the main method for successful weight loss.
We must remember nutrition, eating habits and overall lifestyle changes (such sedentary behaviours) play a VERY large role.
As professionals in the field, we must remember losing weight is a complex issue and involves many different behaviour and lifestyle changes.
- So why are picking something so difficult for our participants?
- Will participants see long term success once the challenge is over?
- Are we supporting the typical yo-yo dieting and weight loss cycling that we know is so unhealthy?
How Physical Activity is Portrayed. Often in these challenges (especially the ones on TV) we see physical activity being portrayed as gruelling and the awful component of the weight loss story. I am not convinced that this is the correct or an effective message we want to send.
I have a few questions about how this messaging may affect people.
- If people are so focused on the weight loss do they miss seeing the other benefits they get from being active?
- Are we installing the fear that physical activity has to be hard and brutal in order to benefit from it?
- Are we encouraging the notion that it is only worthwhile to be active if you are on the ground sweating and moaning afterwords?
Some people may find this type of activity fun. But I suspect most don’t. Most people will likely not work that hard when on their own. So, once the challenge is over, what happens to the physical activity participation? It will likely decline.
Bottom line, physical activity should be fun, appropriate and sustainable for the person even after they complete the challenge.
Focus too much on the numbers. Often the success of weight loss challenges is based on the numbers on the scale or the inches lost with the tape measure.
I wonder if we are not setting people up for failure or disappointment. Yes, there will be the people who see success with changes on the scale. What about those who do not see changes in their numbers, or those who only see change at the beginning? Does that mean their hard work and effort to change their lifestyle should go unrewarded?
Those who promote physical activity know (or at least we should) that the behaviour change needs to happen before we can see significant physiological changes (especially weight loss).
So why not start using the behaviour as a marker for success? Such as:
- Did you increase how often you were active this week? Yes! Success!
- Did you reach Canada’s Physical Activity guidelines this week? Yes! Success!
- Were you able to be consistent doing the same amount of physical activity each week for the last month? Yes! Success!
This can allow people to focus on the doing, rather than the outcome.
Using numbers of course is a form of external motivation, and can help get people started… but should the focus be only on weight loss?
Why not focus on some of the other benefits of being active:
- Are you sleeping better (more hours, better quality)?
- How is your energy during the day?
- Can you walk longer? Faster?
- Are you getting stronger?
- Is your blood pressure lower?
So what about you? What are your thoughts on these kinds of challenges? Have you seen some great challenges? How about some ‘not-so great’ challenges?
I would love to hear your stories.
