When I set out to start Adaptive Exercise, I made a long list of reasons to create an autism exercise service. The list ranged from skill building to mental and physical health benefits, but I knew before ever taking my first client that a lot of families would be interested in exercise for weight loss. The rates of overweightness and obesity are astounding, and within the autism population these statistics are magnified, so there is clearly a problem that needs to be address. Exercise is far more than just a means to lose weight, this statement has really resonated with me as I have personally experienced many other benefits from my exercise. But, exercise can be a big factor which may contribute to weight loss. This is the first statement I make to all new families who inquire about our services. Other factors such as genetics, medications and nutrition also play large roles in an individual’s weight. Adaptive Exercise is not a weight loss service, but our trainers are happy to work with families to implement an exercise program that can contribute to a client’s overall weight loss. We recommend that families talk to a physician before tackling any weight loss specific goals. Families should also consult a registered dietician to address nutrition, as this is one of the biggest obstacles in weight loss.
We have established that weight loss is based on a number of different factors, but this does not mean that exercise cannot be used as a form of intervention. Creating an exercise program that addresses weight loss starts the same as any other autism exercise program from Adaptive Exercise, with the assessment phase. This phase is for the trainer to build rapport with their client, determine their current physical abilities and learn the best ways to support their athlete. Whether we are exercising to build strength, speed, coordination or weight loss, the trainer must know where the client currently stands in terms of their physical abilities and what exercises the client can perform safely. Safety is of the utmost importance so we need to be sure our clients can perform the exercises with good form.
Once baselines have been established and the trainer has an inventory of exercises that the client can perform safely, it is time to begin creating the exercise program. At Adaptive Exercise we do this by using specific language, measurable and time bound goals. These goals paint a clear picture of what we are working towards, how we will measure progress, and the time frame we are targeting to reach that goal. An example of this would be “Steven will lose 2lbs by the time of the next evaluation on 1/30/21”. This example specifically states the objective goal we are working towards and the time frame. While creating goals like this are great for families and clients to see their weight loss progress (or potentially lack of progress), we must use other goals targeting the process when working towards weight loss. Process goals, will address specifics within the training program that the client can work toward, that ultimately will contribute to the client losing weight.
When creating a process goal, we are going to follow the same structure as we did in the creation of the product, weight loss goal. We must use specific language to create a measurable and time bound goal. But, now we must focus on the actual process of exercise. An example of this would be “Steven will increase his duration of sustained bodyweight squats to 2 minutes (from 1 minute and 20 seconds established in the baseline), with proper form by the time of the next evaluation on 1/30/21”. This example clearly states the targeted goal, the objective measure, the client’s current performance, and when this goal should be reached by.
Goals are a big component of effective weight loss programming. Both product and process goals can help a client achieve weight loss in an autism exercise program. Goals are just the framework however, the trainer must know what types of exercise are going to attribute to weight loss. While all exercise and physical activity may attribute to weight loss, if we are specifically working out for this reason we should focus on a structure that promotes this. Cardiovascular or aerobic exercise, is one of the most effective and popular strategies to target weight loss. Activities like, running, speed walking, biking, or using cardio exercise equipment are great for burning off large amounts of calories. Because not all of our clients have cardio equipment, we may attack cardio through bodyweight or low weight aerobic movements. Some common aerobic movements are high knees, butt kicks, and bodyweight squats, but in general we can turn most full body bodyweight exercises into aerobics by increasing repetition ranges to 15 or more. The trainer may choose to do this by increasing the duration of an exercise as well.
The trainer must also establish if the client is ready to engage in this type of exercise or if they will have to work up to it. Not all autism exercise clients are ready to start with aerobic exercise. In my years working in adaptive personal training I have more often had to work to get to this level than not, and there is nothing wrong with that. In such instances we can work on mastering form with different multi-joint exercises. Once the client has shown they are able to perform several of these exercises with good form, safely, the trainer can begin to target weight loss.
While weight loss is one of the most popular reasons for families reaching out about adaptive personal training, it is of the utmost importance to remember that there are many factors that attribute to an individual’s weight. Genetics, nutrition, and medication all play roles in this complex equation. While Adaptive Exercise is happy to help our client’s meet their goals, we are not a weight loss service and other professionals should be consulted throughout this process.