Dr. Lynn Herrmann earned her PhD in community health – health behavior with a focus on kinesiology. She also has an MPH with a health promotion concentration. As a professor at Northern Illinois University, she conducts research on physical activity promotion and teaches health promotion courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Dr. Herrmann is an American Council on Exercise Certified Group Fitness Instructor, Health Coach, Personal Trainer, and Exercise Medicine Specialist, as well as a Behavior Change Specialist. He also teaches an ACE continuing education course entitled Practical Public Health for Exercise Professionals and Health Coaches.
Tell us a little about the work you do as a public health researcher and professor.
I teach public health courses, specifically health promotion courses, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels at Northern Illinois University, just west of Chicago. My research relates to the promotion of physical activity through different perspectives such as social media influences, psychosocial variables and movement as a means of being creative. Obviously I’m into fitness, but my passion is teaching group exercise classes. There is such a sense of community and we always have fun! I am also involved in my community as a board member of a local organization that promotes food security and local produce.
How would you define “public health” and how does that definition overlap with the work that health coaches and exercise professionals do every day?
Public health promotes and protects health through education, communication, and disease prevention so that everyone can live life to their fullest potential. This definition coincides 100% with the work of health coaches and exercise professionals. The only difference is the approach to how we get there. Public health focuses on working with groups of people, communities, states, and even the entire nation and world. Health coaches and exercise professionals tend to focus on individuals or small groups. There are pros and cons to the different approaches, but it’s important to remember that we’re all working toward the same goal of improving everyone’s health.
You describe yourself as having one foot in public health and one foot in the fitness industry. How do you think your dual role as teacher/researcher and health coach/exercise professional benefits the work you do? How does each role inform the other?
The roles in public health and as an exercise professional and health coach definitely overlap! Being an exercise professional and health coach gives me the opportunity to see the unique everyday experiences of individuals, but my work in public health constantly reminds me that change doesn’t just happen at the individual level. For example, we need neighborhoods that are not only walkable, but where people feel safe walking. We need grocery stores that are accessible and also provide produce and other healthy food options. These are changes that need to happen at higher levels than the individual, such as city council meetings. However, exercise professionals and health coaches can guide individuals to learn and understand their own behaviors, which is also critical for behavior change. I really see exercise professionals and health coaches as public health professionals, even if they don’t know it.
What do you think the health and fitness industry could do better in terms of supporting public health initiatives — and vice versa? How can we all do a better job connecting and supporting each other’s work?
A glance Healthy People 2030, the nation’s health goals set every 10 years, and it’s clear that public health and the health and fitness industry need each other. Many of these goals require the expertise of exercise professionals and health coaches. We are the ones who interact directly with the public and that is where some of the health impact needs to happen.
How can ACE professionals learn about public health initiatives in their area? How can they get more involved?
In the United States, each state has a state health department. This is a good place to find out what’s going on in general where you live, such as some health initiatives. You can also check your county health department, which is more tailored to your county’s health concerns. There are also many nonprofit organizations at the local, state, and national levels that do public health work. Even local hospitals are involved in public health, through community outreach and education, as well as prevention efforts.
I strongly encourage all exercise professionals and health coaches to get involved in making changes in their communities and the communities where they work. Another way to do this is to get involved in supporting health policies at the local, state and federal levels of government. Systemic change is where we will see the biggest improvements in health, but this systemic change requires the work of many people. Remember that you are an expert in the field and know firsthand the challenges that customers and participants face. Your input is essential!
What is the key takeaway you wish health coaches and exercise professionals understood about public health? Is there a knowledge gap that you feel needs to be bridged?
Public health is all around us. We are so used to having access to clean water, laws that prevent us from being exposed to secondhand smoke indoors, and food that is kept at certain temperatures so we don’t get foodborne illness. We forget to value public health every day. Public health is like the refrigerator in your home. It runs day in and day out, but we don’t realize how much we appreciate it until it breaks down. All this to say, we need basic public health in our lives not only to survive, but to be able to thrive.
If you are interested in learning more from Dr. Lynn Herrmann, consider the Continuing Education course: Practical Public Health for Exercise Professionals and Health Coaches (0.2 ACE CEC value). This course will help you understand the relationship between the work of exercise professionals and health coaches and the role of public health, and enable you to apply public health concepts to the work you do every day.
