Why Exercise Is required in Chronic Disease Prevention — And What you Can Do About It as a coach

Feb 3

As a physician who’s worked in operating rooms for over a decade, I’ve seen countless preventable cases tied to chronic disease. And while medications, procedures, and diagnostics get all the attention—there’s one tool that consistently gets overlooked:

Exercise as medicine.

We know it’s beneficial. We know it works. So why isn’t it utilized by all? Great question. And it’s a multifactorial answer ranging from poorly optimized environments, unhealthy routines, and unrealistic goals.

When it comes to prevention and management of chronic disease, regular physical activity is arguably one of the most effective, underused interventions we have. We live in a time when rates of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health disorders are soaring. And despite decades of data showing the benefits of movement, physical activity continues to take a backseat to medications and procedures.

This post explores why that is—and what we, as health coaches and wellness professionals, can do to shift that trajectory. Yet, so many coaches and professionals don’t get deep, evidence-based training in how to apply it strategically.

The Stats Tell the Story

Physical inactivity is the 4th leading risk factor for global mortality (as cited by the WHO)
Only about 24.2% of U.S. adults met both aerobic and muscle‑strengthening activity guidelines.
Regular moderate activity (≈150 min/week) is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some cancers, and mortality overall

As a coach or trainer on the front lines, you have the power to change this. Telling someone to exercise or providing them with a program is a good start, but the real change comes when we are able to explain the health benefits of exercise and regular movement. When we equip ourselves with knowledge of why we exercise and relay this to our clients, the act of exercising becomes much easier.

The next step is to learn how to incorporate this lifestyle change into our clients’ routines.

What Most CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSES Don’t Teach

We have to remember—a health journey is a marathon, not a sprint. And we need to start treating clients in that manner even if they want their new physiques and health-makeovers yesterday. It’s our job as coaches to coach them properly so that they sustain their healthy routines. Most certification programs focus on programming basics—but don’t dive into:

How exercise directly impacts disease risk at the cellular and metabolic level
How to utilize and interpret clinically-proven guidelines for our clients
How to use exercise to improve healthspan and longevity (not just aesthetics or performance)

That’s where continuing education can make a real difference. Sometimes we get lost in the mix and forget why we are doing what we are doing. The Exercise Effect is the second Building Block in our 5-course, comprehensive Lifestyle Building Blocks program and dives into all of this information. (Note: it is an approved continuing education course for NBHWC, NASM, AFAA, and ACE professionals alike)

When You’re Ready to Deepen Your Knowledge

As both a Lifestyle Medicine Physician and a Certified Personal Trainer, I am bridging the gap between medicine and fitness with this course. If you want to enhance how you coach movement—and understand the physiological and psychological impacts of exercise on disease prevention—this course is going to be an excellent fit for you:

The Exercise Effect: Evidence-Based Strategies for Longevity & Disease Prevention

NBHWC—approved Continuing Education: View the Curriculum Here
NASM and AFAA-approved CEUs: View the Curriculum Here
ACE-approved CECs: View the Curriculum Here (Note: select this if you are ACSM or ISSA-certified)

All of our courses are grounded in Lifestyle Medicine and built for real-world coaching to improve your expertise.

Want a broader toolkit? This is just one part of the 5-course Lifestyle Building Blocks Series—an accredited CEU/CEC bundle that includes modules on Behavior Change, Nutrition, Mental Wellness, and Restorative Sleep.

👉 Explore the full course lineup here: