Personal Trainer Freak-Out

akimbro16

So, I've been on a weight loss journey for some years now (roughly 3 going 4), with no success.

I did Weight Watchers late 2012 and lost about 20 lbs. But I ended up stopping and gaining all that weight back, plus some.

For the next few years, I kept trying to start my weight watchers back up - but with no success. I also was adding exercise in here and there
On Jan 2, 2016, I started counting calories. By mid Jan, I was working out 3-4 days a week. But still my body continues to yo-yo with my weight.

The idea of getting a personal trainer came to me the other day since it's the only thing I haven't tried. But the thought of getting one terrifies me!
I don't do well to "tough love". Maybe it's a stereotype, but every PT I've seen on tv doesn't seem to be the nicest. The yelling and sarcasm doesn't pull a positive reaction from me.
Also, I don't like for someone to see me at my worst. So, I fear I'll be given a task that I physically won't be able to do.

Do you think I'm over thinking things? Or should I not try the PT route?

Zipbsky

Trainers can be expensive, but if you can afford it- go for it. I have never seen a trainer yell at a client in any gym I've ever been to. Maybe they encourage you to push harder, but usually that is done with encouragement. Do a little research and find someone whose approach lines up with your goals. Good luck. Full disclosure : I've never had a trainer, but it seems impossible that people would pay to be belittled.

Erik8484

You're overthinking it. A pt who yells at people and makes them feel bad will lose clients, won't make any money, and will have to find a different job. A pt on tv gets paid (by the production company) to be an *kitten*.

That said, losing weight is achieved in the kitchen, and i wouldn't take a pt's advice on what to eat because they're not trainer to give nutritional advice. Still, if you think you'll enjoy lifting weights then you should go for it

amusedmonkey

Yelling trainers make for good TV drama. You could simply scout a few trainers and specifically ask them about their approach, then when you find someone you like just explain to them your goals, what motivates you, what you expect, your level of fitness..etc.

Arathels

Have you seen a doctor? If you are eating healthy, counting calories and still your weight goes up and down I think you should see a doctor and see if there's something going on that's not helping?

Ws2016

You mentioned you are counting calories. Have you entered your weight goal, activity level etc. into MFP and are you weighing your food and logging everything you eat? If you do that and are in a calorie deficit, and you stick to it, I don't see uow you could be going up and down so much.

Exercise can burn off calories, but it's bonus in terms if losing weight. The real work comes in what you eat and keeping track of it.

That said, exercising for better strength and fitness is a great idea.

Giod luck!

NadiaMayl

A personal trainer is great to give you some advice on nutrition and to work you out good... But ultimately the work is on you! He/she will give you the same advice you find here and will setup your caloric needs like you can do through here.
I had a trainer last year, I wanted to see if he could help me lose the las 15/20 lbs I had... He taught me a lot about working out, but I was the one responsible for cooking my own meals, and following the advice on CICO (calories in calories out)... I didn't achieve much in 3 months... I did get stronger but I lost maybe 4 lbs and it was pricy. Plus, he was giving me more info that my brain was ready to retain at the time and made that journey soooo exhausting. I quit. This year, I've decided to go back to basics: eat normal at a caloric deficit, make sure I put in about 10,000 steps minimum, and workout 3-4 times per week (spinning, treadmill and weights)... I've lost 8lbs this way, and it's the first time I can honestly say, I am learning to live with weight fluctuations that are normal, I'm learning to eat healthy but allow myself p,entry of goodies, and I'm not overwhelmed with all the extra details (protein at this time, low glycemic at this time, cardio before weights, protein powders for this, 4 eggs for that.... No more, nice and simple has helped me)!!
My suggestion is, get your caloric deficit needs setup through here, and make one change at a time in your lifestyle. And follow the MFP rules as close as you can.... Unless you are sick, if you are weighing and measuring everything and doing some physical activity, you should lose some weight. But be honest about logging (weigh as much as you can) all your food, don't guesstimate (that only usually sneaks 200-400calories of uncounted calories ro your days), and read a lot of the articles in these forums to slowly educate yourself and see that it's a gradual process to learn, accept and enjoy it.
Good luck.

cgvet37

A trainer is just like a sport coach. They can give you the tools to succeed, but you have to put forth the effort. I have a trainer, and I have had great success, but I put in the work. If you are truly eating healthy, and can't seem to loose weight, you need to see the Dr.

Shawshankcan

A good trainer will adapt their method for their client, while always staying honest with them.

nordlead2005

Are you weighing your food? How often do you cheat (eat food without logging it). Odds are you are just doing a poor job tracking calories and lying to yourself. I know plenty of people personally who do just that and then wonder why they can't lose weight. A trainer may call you out for not accurately tracking intake, but trainers aren't particularly known for really understanding weight loss and are likely to give you bad advise.

Getting checked by a doctor isn't a horrible idea (thyroid issues can make losing weight tough), but odds are you are perfectly fine and the problem isn't medical, but consistency/compliance.

ninerbuff

As a trainer by profession, I can tell you that "yelling" trainers are rare. They are usually bootcamp type trainers dealing with big groups. One on one trainers usually don't need to yell. Encourage yes (c'mon one more rep or you can get this!), but yelling isn't needed to convey it.
Myself, I focus on the ability of the person, their form and give them lots of different exercises (no workout is the same) so they can figure out which ones they like and I can test their intensity and conditioning and build on that.
I email each client the last workout we did each time too.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Lesley2603

Ive been working with a PT for seven months. He has never yelled at me, (I may have called him a name or two though). He has always been encouraging and pushed me to do more than I thought I could. I can hear him in my sleep now, go lower, pin back your shoulders etc but the look on his face when I have achieved something I have been struggling with made my day. Not to mention I have lost nearly 3 stone. He has seen me at my worse and has got inside my head to the extent that if he asks me to do something I believe I can do it. No training session has ever been the same so no boredom. I hope you can find a trainer as good as mine.

lorrpb

A calm, thoughtful, measured trainer--like the one I have--does not make for good TV. Forget those stereotypes and do this for yourself. Like you, I could not do it any other way. You might have to try a few to find the best fit for you.

tulips_and_tea

Lesely2603 wrote: »

Ive been working with a PT for seven months. He has never yelled at me, (I may have called him a name or two though). He has always been encouraging and pushed me to do more than I thought I could. I can hear him in my sleep now, go lower, pin back your shoulders etc but the look on his face when I have achieved something I have been struggling with made my day. Not to mention I have lost nearly 3 stone. He has seen me at my worse and has got inside my head to the extent that if he asks me to do something I believe I can do it. No training session has ever been the same so no boredom. I hope you can find a trainer as good as mine.

Haha! So true. I had to learn to refrain from giving my trainer dirty looks every time he'd increase the weight on me in between sets. I also learned that that's how I was making progress.

The trainer issue has already been addressed by everyone else so I'd say OP you really need to focus on your diet. Do you accurately weigh, measure, and log your food? Struggling to lose weight for this long denotes some sort of calorie intake or calculation problem.

lisagiammanco

Get a PT.
I started my fitness journey by getting a PT. He's the one who suggested my fitness pal actually. It was a three month mandatory program which was expensive (they didn't let you commit to anything less because they wanted you to give it time to see results before you quit) which was a perfect time frame. My personal training taught me everything I'm practicing now - I wouldn't have known how to do it without him; plus three months is enough time to get you into a routine. It's been a year and a half and we still keep in touch. Helpful encouragement NOT criticizism or judgment. Just enough accountability and motivation to get you into a routine with training and exercises to last you after the contract is up. Can't recommend it enough. Lost 15 lbs and KEPT IT OFF. Being healthy is my lifestyle now not an obligation like it used to be. Do it. Best of luck to you!

belinda_73

I never regretted the money I spent on a personal trainer. I was getting nowhere motivating myself to eat right, or exercise regularly. I bot 2 sessions a week, even tho they try to get you to commit to 3. the best thing I ever done. he had me do a lot of body weight exercises. I pushed harder than I ever had. after a couple of months, I started watching my calories on MFP. I knew how to eat right, since you have been to ww, you know what it takes, it's just sticking to it. then I added the cardio he recommended, did the couch to 5k 3 times a week. this was 8 years ago. I still run regularly. I still lift. I still MFP. whenever I lose motivation, I hire a PT again.

Kimberly_Harper

akimbro16 wrote: »

The idea of getting a personal trainer came to me the other day since it's the only thing I haven't tried. But the thought of getting one terrifies me!
I don't do well to "tough love". Maybe it's a stereotype, but every PT I've seen on tv doesn't seem to be the nicest. The yelling and sarcasm doesn't pull a positive reaction from me.
Also, I don't like for someone to see me at my worst. So, I fear I'll be given a task that I physically won't be able to do.

Do you think I'm over thinking things? Or should I not try the PT route?

There is a "right" personal trainer out there for everyone. They are as different and individual as we all are. Mine does not yell at me (unless I yell first lol), he's hilarious and makes being at the gym fun, and he encourages his clients, instead of using negative motivation techniques. He doesn't push me too far outside of my comfort zone, but just far enough and sometimes if I am really embarrassed to do something (because I get super self-conscious when it comes to certain exercises) he'll do it along with me. It might take a few tries and failures with different trainers, but if you are serious about trying it, you CAN find one that is right for you.

doreenolver

I had the same problems as you. Nothing seemed to work. I was eating well (turns out I sooo was not, but thought I was) and going to the gym (but not actually working very hard) Spent 20 years very overweight and unhealthy. Feb 2015 a wake up call came in the form of my moms emergency quad-bypass. I started googling all sorts of weight loss things..... finally something caught my eye and I've never been happier! Google it and see what you think. It might just be the thing for you too (or maybe not....but figured I'd help a fellow human out!) fighter diet Feel free to pm me questions [and no I don't get any kickbacks for ppl that sign up...I wish, I'd be a friggin millionaire for all my friends that have asked me "how I am doing it"

Equus5374

Your other option could be to see a registered dietitian, to ensure that you are actually understanding and consuming the best foods for a wholesome, balanced diet. If you're not eating to fuel your workouts properly, you won't be able to train as hard or have the stamina to do it for very long. Get a nutrition check-up (NOT from a doctor, definitely go to an RD).

Moxie42

A good PT won't yell at you BUT he/she will absolutely push you, probably past a point you might normally give up at. This is part of their job, to say "yes you can!" when you think "no I can't!" Of course, a good trainer will also listen to you and make sure you aren't doing something that you physically can't do (as in- it would result in injury), but you can't be too concerned with the person seeing you "at your worst." You are paying this person to help you reach your best, and to strive to be your best is admirable no matter where your starting point is. Staying in your comfort zone will not result in the changes you want. But trust me, if you force yourself to break out of that comfort zone and start focusing on yourself and your goals, it'll get easier to continue to do so. I went swimming for the first time in years yesterday. I was the only large person in the pool, and there was a swim team practicing in the lanes next to me. The old me would have been too embarrassed to even go through with swimming, but yesterday I decided- I don't care about them and I doubt they care about me...so I had my swim- a slow 30 minutes of laps, taking a breather often. It was nothing compared to what everyone else in the pool was doing, but for me it was a lot and I left feeling great!

Whether you get a personal trainer or not, you need to be honest with yourself and be willing to get sweaty and gross. Things that helped me do those things are finding MFP friends who accomplished the goals I am aiming for (to learn from them), browsing the Success forum (to remind myself it IS possible), and just forcing myself to be honest because NOT being honest with myself is what got me here in the first place. Too much tough love can be detrimental- it can hurt your confidence and make the whole process miserable. BUT being pushed, and being honest with yourself is the type of tough love that maybe everyone needs a little bit of. PTs, WW, Curves, MFP- none of these things are THE solution- they are simply tools and guidelines to help you along the way but they will not help if you aren't willing to push out of that comfort zone.

You CAN do this! Seriously, check out the Success forums and talk to people who have lost a significant amount of weight. You'd be surprised how many started off feeling the same way, and how changing the way they think was the key to success

dbanks80

First of all when you said you tried everything else there is no everything else CICO always work and eating at maintenance to keep the weight off works. If you want a PT to help you to transform your body physically that is fine but don't think the PT has the next magic cure to lose weight. You still have to eat at a deficit.

dancinon2

I hardly ever post but I wanted to let you know that I was EXACTLY where you were 18 months ago. I did get a PT and it was one of the best decisions I ever made….definitely get one! Try several out before committing to an extended agreement with any particular one. If your gym offers classes, sign up for a few to try out the different trainers' styles. You will need to find one that you click with. There will be so many days when you doubt yourself and want to give up. If you can find a trainer who truly believes in you so much that you actually believe in you too, it will really help you keep your motivation during those rough days and weeks of plateaus - we all have them.

As far as being asked to do exercises you aren’t comfortable doing – yes they will ask you to do some pretty awkward feeling moves. You can pretty much modify just about any exercise to do in a way that you feel comfortable with to start out and progress from there. We all have our limitations physical and mental and a good trainer won’t judge you and will help you challenge yourself safely and consistently. There is nothing like a PT for accountability. I had a lot of success when I had a personal trainer -I hope you choose to do it and find it beneficial too!

Ready2Rock206

Is there a tv crew following you around? If not, your trainer probably isn't going to yell at you. A good trainer knows his/her client and acts accordingly. My trainer is a very encouraging sweetie who kicks my *kitten* but in a very motivating way. Now in his sessions with just my son I hear there's a lot of different kind of talk going on - words he's definitely not saying to me. And that works great for him.

cerise_noir

Ws2016 wrote: »

You mentioned you are counting calories. Have you entered your weight goal, activity level etc. into MFP and are you weighing your food and logging everything you eat? If you do that and are in a calorie deficit, and you stick to it, I don't see uow you could be going up and down so much.

Exercise can burn off calories, but it's bonus in terms if losing weight. The real work comes in what you eat and keeping track of it.

That said, exercising for better strength and fitness is a great idea.

Giod luck!

I came in to say just this. Try weighing all the foods (solids and semi solids) that you eat and only use measuring spoons for actual liquids...oh, and choose food database entries that reflect the information on the packaging of your food, too.. Weight loss is all about calories.

Shells918

I've had several personal trainers at various gyms and never gotten yelled at. They may have asked me to do things I disliked but that's why I was there. It made me go to the gym and it made me work harder when I had a trainer. I complained a LOT mostly just to get a laugh, but I learned how to work out correctly and saw a lot of improvement while I was with each of them. They are there to help. Your success is their success. Go for it.

DavPul

Maybe don't form you're opinions about other people based on what you see on TV

FitPhillygirl

You shouldn't fear the thought of trying a PT at least. They have seen many people at their worst and have helped most of them make it to their best. Do some research of PT in your area and try to find one that you'll be most comfortable with.

tinywonder25

I don't think you have to worry about a drill Sargent type pt. However for weight loss you're going to need to have the calorie piece in place otherwise it's kind of a waste of money IMO. maybe aim for being consistent , no "cheat days", and logging everthing for 30-90 days and once that habit is in place it may make sense to take the next step and work with a trainer.

rhtexasgal

I got a personal trainer about 6 months into my weight loss journey. I was slowly losing weight but felt I could make my efforts more efficient. I knew that weight lifting would add another dimension to my weight loss but was hesitant to do it on my own, particularly because I was just 2 years past recovering from breaking my kneecap in several pieces.

Flash forward 2 years to today and I am still with the trainer. Like another person said, a trainer will push you a little farther than you likely would on your own. Plus, they will make sure your form is correct. I have not had a single injury in the 2 years I have worked with my trainer. My trainer, after about 2 months, got a good idea of "who" I was, "why" I was doing this AND took into account my knee and other health issues and adapted things that would best fit me.

kimdawnhayden

Only Jillian from Biggest Loser really yells at her clients. I've had several and none of them have ever yelled at me. I'm sure they wanted to continue getting a pay check. They win if you win, remember?