The Tribune

Health coach Ethan Quant, of Elite Wellness Solutions, has succeeded in his weight loss journey and now wants to share his methods with the Bahamas in an effort to foster a culture of wellness and conquer the obesity epidemic.

I would like to deviate from this month’s series on health behaviour interventions. As I sit here and write this article I do so with slight hesitation simply because I wish not to add to what is already a very stressful time for all of us as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With that being said, I do feel that as a wellness expert, gifted with this platform, I have a responsibility to my friends, family and fellow Bahamians to address it from my area of expertise. I am not a medical doctor but the facts are available, and for the purpose of this article I am referencing two sources, the World Health Organisation and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

I will not go into what COVID-19 is because there is a lot of information on that. I would actually like to talk about those among us who are at higher risk for suffering severe effects of the virus, namely the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer or diabetes.

We know that the Bahamas has one of the highest rates of overweight and obese people in the world. We also know that the Bahamas has the highest rate of diabetes in the Americas and one of the worst hypertension rates. This is largely due to our unhealthy lifestyles, and now this virus has put us face-to-face with this fact.

I do believe that we will get through this very scary time because we are a resilient people. However, I do want to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to start to pay closer attention to their health, wellness and fitness. We know that maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle can reduce the risk of developing non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes, and now we also know that it can reduce the risk of you suffering severe effects from COVID-19.

Some things I would like you to consider as we go forward are:

Start now – I know how hard it is to start your health, wellness and fitness journey, but the best time to start is now. I am not saying that the change will be easy and instant, but it can and will happen. I also know that the sooner you start the better off you will be.

Start small – When I work with companies or individuals my message is always the same, you can never set the bar too low. Lifestyle change is difficult but not impossible. I always suggest that you start small, look at little things that you can adjust in your daily routine that can take you in the healthier direction.

Set goals – I am a firm believer in goal-setting, because as the saying goes, you can’t hit a target if you don’t have one. Also here you would want to set SMART goals. SMART being an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound; I have covered this tip in numerous articles.

Get help – This is important because most of us need help. I strongly advise in building a proper support system to help you stay on track with your health, wellness and fitness goals. This can be family, friends, professionals like a wellness coach or a personal trainer. You can look at online resources and communities too; there are many options if you take the time to look.

Enjoy the process – I know that may sound cliché, but it’s true. I encourage you to find joy in and be proud of the fact that you are taking the steps to improve your health, thus reducing your risk of non-communicable diseases, COVID-19 or whatever else may come.

Remember, if you want help with this or any other aspect of your health and wellness journey, please feel free to contact me directly, and remember, tough times don’t last, tough people do! Stay safe everyone.

• Health coach Ethan Quant, of Elite Wellness Solutions, has succeeded in his weight loss journey and now wants to share his methods with the Bahamas in an effort to foster a culture of wellness and conquer the obesity epidemic.