PeachyDoodle Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 ... would you take advantage of it? DH has lost nearly 100 lbs. and is starting to think of ways he might be able to "give back" to our local Y by starting a weight loss/healthy living support group/mentoring program. His philosophy is that most people know the right choices to make when it comes to diet and exercise. It's not an education problem, but an execution problem. In our weight loss journey, consistency and perseverance have been key. His goal would be to provide support to people as they work towards consistently making better choices. He's trying to flesh out his ideas before pitching the concept to the director. If you would take advantage of such a program were it available to you, would you help him by answering any or all of the following questions? What would you want to get out of such a program? Would you prefer a small group or one-on-one setting? Would you be comfortable with a mentor/coach of the opposite sex? In a small group setting, would you be comfortable with members of both sexes, or would you prefer a single-sex group? How would you feel about a coach who is not a personal trainer/dietician, but just a regular person who made significant lifestyle changes? Would this be a drawback to you? A benefit? (The coach would be able to refer to other professionals as needed.) Would you welcome friendly and encouraging accountability? (ex., regular emails/phone calls to check on progress) How involved in your journey would you want your mentor to be? Would your spouse/significant other be supportive of you being in such a program? Would s/he attend at least an occasional meeting to learn about how best to support you? What other ideas or concerns would you have? Thank you for your help! :bigear: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I would definitely make use of that resource, but one caveat--I would feel more comfortable with a same-sex mentor if it were one-on-one. Maybe I'm just super self concious or old fashioned, but I would feel more comfortable if my mentor was same-sex or else the program was run by a male-female team and I had access to the female mentor in the small group setting. If it were a group setting and there were a lot of women in the class then I might feel more lenient about the male mentor. I just don't wanna be the only (fat) girl. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 I would definitely make use of that resource, but one caveat--I would feel more comfortable with a same-sex mentor if it were one-on-one. Maybe I'm just super self concious or old fashioned, but I would feel more comfortable if my mentor was same-sex or else the program was run by a male-female team and I had access to the female mentor in the small group setting. If it were a group setting and there were a lot of women in the class then I might feel more lenient about the male mentor. I just don't wanna be the only (fat) girl. I totally get that. In fact, it was the first feedback I offered dh when he brought his idea to me! I think this is probably a bigger concern for women than it is for men. I may possibly join him as a co-mentor (I've lost 75 lbs and we do see the process as involving the entire family). I am not as committed to the idea at the moment as he is, though. Thank you for responding! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2bee Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 ... would you take advantage of it? DH has lost nearly 100 lbs. and is starting to think of ways he might be able to "give back" to our local Y by starting a weight loss/healthy living support group/mentoring program. His philosophy is that most people know the right choices to make when it comes to diet and exercise. It's not an education problem, but an execution problem. In our weight loss journey, consistency and perseverance have been key. His goal would be to provide support to people as they work towards consistently making better choices. He's trying to flesh out his ideas before pitching the concept to the director. If you would take advantage of such a program were it available to you, would you help him by answering any or all of the following questions? What would you want to get out of such a program? Camraderie, understanding, support and a pat-on-the-back Would you prefer a small group or one-on-one setting? Depends but small group is better I think. I like to give and get pats-on-the-back Would you be comfortable with a mentor/coach of the opposite sex? No, in a small group of women maybe, but I prefer a same-sex mentor. In a small group setting, would you be comfortable with members of both sexes, or would you prefer a single-sex group? single sex is preferable, but so long as its not 10 men and 2 woman or vice versa small group would be cool. How would you feel about a coach who is not a personal trainer/dietician, but just a regular person who made significant lifestyle changes? Would this be a drawback to you? A benefit? (The coach would be able to refer to other professionals as needed.) Wouldn't bother me in the least. "Paperwork Professionals" are over rated. Would you welcome friendly and encouraging accountability? (ex., regular emails/phone calls to check on progress) How involved in your journey would you want your mentor to be? I would. My older brother was once my "trainer" for a while and it was a success. He'd check on me, tell me good job, ask me what I'd eaten and buy or recommend me any product he thought would help. He also told me when to quit being a baby and go work out. :) Would your spouse/significant other be supportive of you being in such a program? Would s/he attend at least an occasional meeting to learn about how best to support you? If they wouldn't support me taking part in the program then I'd have a bigger problem then my weight. What other ideas or concerns would you have? It sounds like a great idea. I hope your husband is able to get it off the ground. And congrats to your husband for his weight loss journey, that is amazing! and congrats to you for your weight loss mile stones too! Thats no small feat! Thank you for your help! :bigear: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 What would you want to get out of such a program?tips and support (think cheering section) Would you prefer a small group or one-on-one setting?either would be ok Would you be comfortable with a mentor/coach of the opposite sex?no In a small group setting, would you be comfortable with members of both sexes, or would you prefer a single-sex group?I would prefer a single sex group How would you feel about a coach who is not a personal trainer/dietician, but just a regular person who made significant lifestyle changes? Would this be a drawback to you? A benefit? (The coach would be able to refer to other professionals as needed.)That would be particularly attractive to me Would you welcome friendly and encouraging accountability? (ex., regular emails/phone calls to check on progress) How involved in your journey would you want your mentor to be?yes, maybe at least once per week Would your spouse/significant other be supportive of you being in such a program? Would s/he attend at least an occasional meeting to learn about how best to support you?yes and yes What other ideas or concerns would you have?My biggest concern is philosophy. Saying stuff like "everyone knows what they need to do" is kind of broad. Some people insist on stuff that I just don't buy into. ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 What would you want to get out of such a program? Encouragement, suggestions, accountability Would you prefer a small group or one-on-one setting? Small group- dh and I would do it together Would you be comfortable with a mentor/coach of the opposite sex? Yes, if it was a group In a small group setting, would you be comfortable with members of both sexes, or would you prefer a single-sex group? Mixed group would be fine with us How would you feel about a coach who is not a personal trainer/dietician, but just a regular person who made significant lifestyle changes? Would this be a drawback to you? A benefit? (The coach would be able to refer to other professionals as needed.) I would be ok with that but hope the mentor would keep up on current literature and such Would you welcome friendly and encouraging accountability? (ex., regular emails/phone calls to check on progress) How involved in your journey would you want your mentor to be? Definitely would welcome that- I would welcome accountability but also prefer the mentor back off when requested if we want to take a break for a while. Dh and I sometimes need to take a break for a couple of weeks due to company, travel, etc. Would your spouse/significant other be supportive of you being in such a program? Would s/he attend at least an occasional meeting to learn about how best to support you? Dh would prefer we do it together, but we would support each other if one of us dropped the program What other ideas or concerns would you have? It really annoys me to have a trainer or mentor who has ONE way to do things and only suggests that. For instance, low fat, low calories is not a lifestyle dh and I enjoy and we've found better long term success with lower carb. Also, exercise for us needs to take into account our limitations. Dh has some bones missing in one foot and a muscle missing from his lower leg. Running is NOT going to be something he can do. I would be SO happy to have a mentor who isn't trying to sell me a program like Hcg, Weight Watchers, Advocare, etc. I think if you two teamed up it would be awesome!! There are a handful of couples at our gym and we encourage each other, but it would be even better if we had mentors who were also a couple. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 Re: philosophy -- it is rather broad at this point. I think Annie hit it on the head talking about people who think there's only ONE way to do things. In general, most adults know what things are good for you and what things are not so good. Lists and rules (anything that smacks of a "diet") don't really help -- at least, they didn't help us. We don't get into fads. We certainly wouldn't be out to push or sell any kind of program. We believe everyone has to find what works best for them. It might be LCHF, or counting calories, or whatever. It has to be something you can live with. For us, it was honestly a combination of common sense decisions: planning out balanced meals (organization was key), eating more fresh foods and fewer processed things, portion control, eating at home much more and eating out much less, trying new forms of exercise. The goal would be to help participants explore options, try new things, maybe get people out of their comfort zones a little bit, and help them put together a lifestyle that works for them and their families. And then to help them persevere on that path instead of getting frustrated and giving up. Does that clarify the philosophy? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caribbean Queen Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 ... would you take advantage of it? DH has lost nearly 100 lbs. and is starting to think of ways he might be able to "give back" to our local Y by starting a weight loss/healthy living support group/mentoring program. His philosophy is that most people know the right choices to make when it comes to diet and exercise. It's not an education problem, but an execution problem. In our weight loss journey, consistency and perseverance have been key. His goal would be to provide support to people as they work towards consistently making better choices. He's trying to flesh out his ideas before pitching the concept to the director. If you would take advantage of such a program were it available to you, would you help him by answering any or all of the following questions? What would you want to get out of such a program? Would you prefer a small group or one-on-one setting? Would you be comfortable with a mentor/coach of the opposite sex? In a small group setting, would you be comfortable with members of both sexes, or would you prefer a single-sex group? How would you feel about a coach who is not a personal trainer/dietician, but just a regular person who made significant lifestyle changes? Would this be a drawback to you? A benefit? (The coach would be able to refer to other professionals as needed.) Would you welcome friendly and encouraging accountability? (ex., regular emails/phone calls to check on progress) How involved in your journey would you want your mentor to be? Would your spouse/significant other be supportive of you being in such a program? Would s/he attend at least an occasional meeting to learn about how best to support you? What other ideas or concerns would you have? Thank you for your help! :bigear: I'd want to lose weight Small group A man leader is okay I'd prefer a ladies only group, but could deal with a co-ed I like that the coach lost weight I'd think calls from the leader would be weird. Too much. Spouse would never come to a meeting. I don't like that idea, anyway. I don't really like the phrase 'Free Healthy Living Support Coach.' The group needs a cute name, similar to Weight Watchers. Your husband could be called leader. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Oh, I want to add that I would be open to emails but not phone calls. I'd probably like either a closed Facebook group or group emails so all of us could support each other rather than just private emails from the mentor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I agree completely with your DH; I do know what to do I just don't do it. And congrats to you and your DH on the successful weight loss! To answer your questions: I would prefer one-on-one coaching; it has been more successful for me in the past, rather than group gigs. I don't have a preference as to gender/sex of the coach. If the choice was a small group setting, I would be comfortable in a mixed sex group as I would be in the single-sex group. How I would feel about the coach being just a regular Joe rather than a certified trainer would depend on what I was seeking from the coach. If I was seeking personal exercise training I would want them certified, but if it was just seeking out support and guidance and advice on how to get over tough times, I would be perfectly fine some who's not certified or a regular Joe who had been there, done that. Accountability has worked for me in the past, and so, yes, I would want some accountability. As far as how involved I would want a coach to be, I don't want them to be up in my business every day..maybe a once a week accountability, and I would want the accountability to be on my terms, meeting face-to-face support but just not every day. My spouse would be supportive, but would probably not attend any meetings. ... would you take advantage of it? DH has lost nearly 100 lbs. and is starting to think of ways he might be able to "give back" to our local Y by starting a weight loss/healthy living support group/mentoring program. His philosophy is that most people know the right choices to make when it comes to diet and exercise. It's not an education problem, but an execution problem. In our weight loss journey, consistency and perseverance have been key. His goal would be to provide support to people as they work towards consistently making better choices. He's trying to flesh out his ideas before pitching the concept to the director. If you would take advantage of such a program were it available to you, would you help him by answering any or all of the following questions? What would you want to get out of such a program? Would you prefer a small group or one-on-one setting? Would you be comfortable with a mentor/coach of the opposite sex? In a small group setting, would you be comfortable with members of both sexes, or would you prefer a single-sex group? How would you feel about a coach who is not a personal trainer/dietician, but just a regular person who made significant lifestyle changes? Would this be a drawback to you? A benefit? (The coach would be able to refer to other professionals as needed.) Would you welcome friendly and encouraging accountability? (ex., regular emails/phone calls to check on progress) How involved in your journey would you want your mentor to be? Would your spouse/significant other be supportive of you being in such a program? Would s/he attend at least an occasional meeting to learn about how best to support you? What other ideas or concerns would you have? Thank you for your help! :bigear: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Congrats to your DH. I will just say that having people pay a fee is often more for the payer than the organization. For whatever reason, even paying a small fee or having to fill out a scholarship form, makes a huge difference in commitment. I urge your DH to consider either an application process or fee to demonstrate commitment. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 DP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeachyDoodle Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 First, dh says a big THANK YOU to all of you for your suggestions! This is very helpful. I don't really like the phrase 'Free Healthy Living Support Coach.' The group needs a cute name, similar to Weight Watchers. Your husband could be called leader. LOL, that's my sad attempt to describe the role dh is envisioning he (or we?) play. You're right; there's nothing catchy about it! It probably would be up to the Y what to actually name it, since it would be run as part of their programming. Congrats to your DH.I will just say that having people pay a fee is often more for the payer than the organization. For whatever reason, even paying a small fee or having to fill out a scholarship form, makes a huge difference in commitment. I urge your DH to consider either an application process or fee to demonstrate commitment. This is true. Ultimately, the cost would be up to the Y, so there may be a fee, but dh wants to present the program to them as something he is willing to head up as a volunteer. I do think some kind of application process would be beneficial. If nothing else, we would probably need to limit the number of participants, at least in the beginning. Good points, thanks. Also wanted to add that there's a good chance we will know a lot of the people who would initially form the group (or pool of mentorees, if it becomes more of a one-on-one thing). We have been involved with the fitness program the Y already does for over a year now, and have sort of a reputation since we have lost so much weight. That program mostly focuses on exercise, though, so we see this as a supplement to address overall lifestyle changes and provide encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I would prefer a small group. Coach and 2-3 others. I would love the check-in, every other day or so via email or text, but not keeping a minute by minute food log. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Re: philosophy -- it is rather broad at this point. I think Annie hit it on the head talking about people who think there's only ONE way to do things. In general, most adults know what things are good for you and what things are not so good. Lists and rules (anything that smacks of a "diet") don't really help -- at least, they didn't help us. We don't get into fads. We certainly wouldn't be out to push or sell any kind of program. We believe everyone has to find what works best for them. It might be LCHF, or counting calories, or whatever. It has to be something you can live with. For us, it was honestly a combination of common sense decisions: planning out balanced meals (organization was key), eating more fresh foods and fewer processed things, portion control, eating at home much more and eating out much less, trying new forms of exercise. The goal would be to help participants explore options, try new things, maybe get people out of their comfort zones a little bit, and help them put together a lifestyle that works for them and their families. And then to help them persevere on that path instead of getting frustrated and giving up. Does that clarify the philosophy? Sort of. At least it doesn't sound pushy. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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