Obesity and Weight Management

Alexios Batrakoulis, PhD, CSCS,*D, ACSM-EP, FACSM, has been involved in the health and fitness industry since 1995. He currently works as a personal trainer, exercise physiologist, fitness educator, speaker, author, subject matter expert, and adjunct professor and is based in Greece. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education and sport science, a master’s degree in exercise and health, a doctorate in clinical exercise physiology, and numerous certifications through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). His primary research interest is the study of hybrid-type, multicomponent interval training in obesity. He has authored over 100 international peer-reviewed publications on exercise, including research articles, textbook chapters, and translated books.

He has won multiple awards for his fitness expertise: He received global recognition as a 2017 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year finalist, the 2018 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, the 2019 IDEA China Fitness Innovator, the 2020 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year, a 2020 MedFit Professional of the Year finalist, the 2021 PFP Trainer of the Year, a 2021 ACSM Certified Professional of the Year finalist, and the 2022 ACSM Certified Professional of the Year.

He has been a member of EuropeActive’s Professional Standards Committee, leading the technical experts group that developed educational standards for the occupational role of Weight Management Exercise Specialist. He has served on several committees for ACSM and NSCA, is an ACSM fellow, and is a member of the NSCA board of directors. Lastly, he is the founder of the International Obesity Exercise Training Institute (IOETI), teaching internationally approved continuing education courses in 45 countries across five continents and empowering over 3,000 fitness professionals since 2017.