Role of Exercise Professionals in Getting People Moving [Podcast Series]

  • [:55] Dr. Bantham introduces her guest, Dr. Cedric Bryant

    • Dr. Cedric Bryant, the President and Chief Science Officer at the American Council on Exercise.  With a doctorate in physiology and a master’s in exercise science, Dr. Bryant leads the development of ACE’s evidence-based programming, studies and publications on exercise science and behavior change.

  • [1:20] The mission to get people moving

    • “The evidence is pretty overwhelming and clear that if we can get individuals adopting more physically active lifestyles that it can have a profound impact on many of the chronic conditions that really beset our nation...hypertension, diabetes, obesity...all have been shown to be profoundly and positively impacted if we can get individuals moving on a regular basis.”

  • [5:08] Physical activity as a “best buy”

    • “It is my belief that we find the time to do those things that we value and enjoy.  We have got to shift the thinking on the part of individuals to help them to understand the real value of being physically active, but more importantly to help them to find those things that really work for them.”

  • [9:22] Framing physical activity versus exercise

    • “We know that if people are having a somewhat pleasant experience associated with a given activity, the likelihood of them doing it on a sustained basis goes up exponentially….you’ve got to think of activity like loose change in your pocket.  Every little bit counts.”

  • [12:05] Engineering physical activity back into our lifestyles

    • “It is going to take a systems approach to address this epidemic of physical inactivity that we face.” 

  • [14:48] Removing barriers to active lifestyles

    • “I think inactivity is almost a learned behavior in a lot of respects and I think it is unfortunate that most of us forget how to play with each passing year...if we could harken back to just the days when it was natural to move, discover, and explore...let’s turn the clock back and have a more childlike approach to how we approach the day.”

  • [17:20] The role of exercise professionals in getting people moving

    • “I think we need to have a shift in our thinking and really view healthcare as the ultimate team sport...where exercise professionals can have an impact, I think, is really helping address that physical inactivity related component of overall public/population health.”

  • [21:37] Exercise professionals and empathy in bringing about behavior change

    • “As we have started to try to bridge the gap between physical activity, fitness and healthcare, we have gained a greater understanding of the importance of helping our professionals to develop that understanding of the need to be empathetic and the need to be effective communicators...if we are going to have a chance at being trusted and accepted by the healthcare/medical community, it is really being able to display not only the competence from a scientific perspective and knowledge-based perspective, but also being able to display that real competence as it relates to communication and interpersonal skills as well.”

  • [24:44] The dual pandemics of COVID and physical inactivity/sedentary behavior

    • “I think there can be a strong and cogent argument made that physical activity should be a highly promoted weapon in the arsenal when fighting these types of pandemics and contagions.”

  • [27:43] Optimistic outlook for getting people moving

    • “I have not met more passionate people than individuals in the physical activity, exercise space…[they] derive a tremendous amount of joy seeing other people move and helping other people move safely, enjoyably and effectively.”

 

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Screening for Physical Activity as a Vital Sign and Social Determinants of Health [Podcast Series]

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Physical Activity As Essential [Podcast Series]