Weight Loss Camp for Adults - How Is It Different Than for Kids?

Adults have different emotional drivers than children. 

Weight Loss Camps for Adults deal with changing old behavioral patterns and replacing them with new ones. The same can be said for the fat camps for kids. However, the motivational techniques used for adults may differ because adults have different emotional drivers than children. In general, teaching kids new habits is a much faster process than for adults. After all, adults have had more time to develop bad habits and have them firmly established. The key is finding the right motivational driver or emotional hot button that a person is geared to strive toward. Let's start by defining the differences in a key factor known to motivate both kids and adults-peer approval.


Crash dieting is not a solution to weight loss.

While people of all ages are hard-wired to seek peer approval, kids are even more susceptible to peer pressure. During the "identity years", kids are unsure of themselves so that getting approval from other peers means personal validation. Immature individuals are prone to making poor decisions or taking unsafe risks in order to find peer favor. An example of an unwise, immature choice would be to go on a crash diet. Crash dieting is not a solution to weight loss. Although a person's scale weight can drop dramatically, this does not mean that it can be maintained. What's worse is that it skews the metabolism making it even harder to lose weight again.

True, kids can be cruel. 

Take a typical scenario to see the similarity in people of all ages. A teenager gets rejection on a date or is teased due to being overweight. Depending on the emotional makeup, some could feel defeated and turn to food as a comforting "friend". Others could be spurred into taking action. Sometimes public humiliation from peers is a catalyst prompting an individual to make changes. True, kids can be cruel. Kids tend to mock others due to lack of maturity. Adults generally make private jokes among peers, but would not want to do so publicly least they are judged.

"Look Better Naked." 

One of the largest health club chains used a marketing slogan to generate membership sales, "Look Better Naked." This pretty much sums up the difference in motivation drivers for children versus adults. We live in a sexual society and the value of sex appeal can be a pretty strong influence for the sexually mature.

The difference in a mature adult and an immature adolescent is the ability to delay gratification. 

So there you have it. Weight loss camps for adults can make it really complex or just keep it simple. Understanding human nature is the key to being able to persuade, influence, motivate, and coach others. The difference in the mature person and the immature is simply the ability to hold out for delayed gratification versus immediate gratification... and sex appeal. The doctor can warn you and so can the Surgeon General, but it comes right down to how comfortable you are "in your own skin"... with very little on.

Debra Stefan is the founder and director of "Live-In-Fitness" residential services in the Las Vegas area of Henderson, Nevada for weight-loss guests offering weekend fitness getaways to 30-90 day programs enabling behavioral change for a fit lifestyle. She is the first to offer a residential weight loss boot camp Biggest Loser retreat program outside of the institutional format. Debra is a fitness speaker/educator, certified in Personal Fitness Training, Youth Fitness, Senior Fitness, and Golf Fitness. Today she has 37 years of professional involvement in the fitness industry and continues education to stay current with the ever-evolving industry. She is a true veteran fitness professional. Visit Debra's website for a free ebook download on the 4 Keys to Stick To It, by clicking on the link below.

Debra Stefan, CFT
Founder and Director of Live-In-Fitness
http://www.Live-In-Fitness.com
Weight Loss Camp for Adults