Feeling Discouraged

miss2skinny

I've had a personal trainer for probably around 6 weeks. The first 4 weeks, I only worked out with him once a week and wasn't too steady about coming on my own. I upped it to three sessions a week two weeks ago and so I've been doing 3 times a week since then. I've also hit calories harder and have been getting around 2500 a day.

I started out at 88 and I am still fluctuating between 90-92 in the morning. I know that is progress but even my trainee said I should've gained more. I asked him last week I'd I should come extra days and he said no. Today he changed his mind and said I should..

I really like him but I don't know how much longer I can afford $300 a month. It's definitely worth it since its my health but it's really stretching me.

Has any ladies on here tried From Bony to Bombshell? I'm considering getting it after I get more familiar and comfortable with the gym. I still feel so inexperienced. Just ranting I guess lol thanks!

psuLemon

Bump your calories to 2750. It seems that you are fairly active and tend to burn a good amount of calories. what do you do on non training days? If you want to minimize fat gains, then 1/2 -1 lb per week would be ideal.

Also, what is your trainer having you do? Are you following a structured program or one they designed? Personally, I would look into a proven program, like StrongCurves or New Rules of Lifting for Women and have your trainer teach you the form. After that, you can drop them.

Buff_Man

In my opinion you can get superb advice on YouTube! Choose a program and stick with it. You will learn along the way, and, of course you have your MFPs

jdscrubs32

Maybe I'm old fashioned @Buff_Man but I think for the moment she should stick with her PT who can make sure she is doing the exercises with proper form. To be honest looking at vidoes on youtube wont be of any help with trying to get your form correct.

@miss2skinny when I first started out with a PT, my weight gain was very slow to start with. Was getting discouraged. Once I started to increase the calories like @psulemon has suggested you do, the increase started to happen. Give it a month. No increase. Increase calories again and repeat until you start to increase.

Kimo159

I second everything psulemon said.

If $300/month is stretching your budget I would stop seeing a PT. I had a PT for two sessions to get comfortable in the gym and then I gathered the rest of my workouts online. I spent a lot of time looking at youtube videos and nailing down form. I regret not following a structured lifting program earlier, so just like psulemon suggested, I would say that's a good way to go. I do get glutes which is a program similar to strongcurves (developed by the same people) and I have nothing but good things to say about it. For someone who's unsure I think it's a good program because it has monthly workouts and videos to walk you through all of the workouts each month. They go over where people tend to go wrong and teach proper form.

HamsterManV2

Not all PT are qualified... I see terrible ones all the time in the gym who have no business teaching others how to train (i.e. bad squat form with knees forward, back&abs not braced, leaning forward, too high a weight, etc.). I wrote this for someone else and I think you will benefit.

Step1: Go on google, type "TDEE Calculator". TDEE = total daily energy expenditure. Based on your age, weight, height, activity level, etc., it will determine how many calories it takes to maintain your current weight.

Step2: In order to gain +1lb a week, you need to eat 500 calories OVER your TDEE. That means you need to be weighing your food on a scale and tracking everything that you put in your mouth. It takes 3500 calories for 1lb of weight gain, so that makes TDEE+500calories daily = +1lb per week.

This might be hard as you are a smaller person (500 calories for a 100lb woman is VERY different from 500 calories for a 200lb man), so I suggest you aim for a surplus of 10% to 20% instead - this is more realistic and you won't feel disgustingly full all the time. Perhaps you can aim for TDEE+250 calories = 0.5lbs of weight gain per week, or +2lbs of gain per month.

Using this system, you can clearly and accurately measure how long you need to do this for get to your weight goal.

Also, keep on lifting! Lifting during a bulk is the best time to build strength and muscle. A structured program with PROGRESSION will get you where you want to go. A trainer wants to keep a paying customer, and will make you do random things that makes you sweat and feel sore - this is exercising. You want to be training where you have a clear goal and you know what to do to get there (follow a program, increase weights per the guidelines of the program, see results).

i.e. a popular strength program like strong lifts recommends the trainee to squat with just the bar, and add +5lbs per session (3x a week). In 1 month, the trainee will have increased their squat by 60lbs. Any good program will have planned progression.

I personally recommend the Strong Curves or New Rules of Lifting for Women program. Weights with a caloric surplus will get you the 'bombshell' body you are looking for. Food is fuel to build muscles and you must trust the program, written by a pro for those who are not capable (and should not) design their own work out. It has excellent reviews on all fitness forums for a reason.

creasey1990

Seems to me you have hit a plateau and your body is what's called "over reaching" I would take 3-5 days off or decrease your volume and intensity for a week then go back at it hard.... Maybe look at your diet too, what has your pt got you eating and macro ratio?

yusaku02

you're not buying a personal trainer, you're buying motivation. Sounds like you only go when you know you're flushing money down the toilet if you don't.
If you can figure out how to motivate yourself then you can forgo the trainer and save 90% of that monthly spending.