Im New & Got a Personal Trainer

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e93marie
e93marie Posts: 12 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hello all.

By recommendation of my trainer I wound up here. Only to realize I had joined years ago and never made full use of the site :sweat_smile: I'll save my past for later. I'm here now and am ready to make the most of it. :)

My trainer said this was the best app to log food. Once my training program is complete or I run out of sessions I feel like this will be the fitness app that stays for the long haul. Short-term I use another app that my gym and trainer use to upload a personalized fitness plan and instructions.

I plan on using what I learn to inform others. I'm also just progress logging so I have documentation of this journey. I have always wanted a personal trainer. Now I get to see if it's all it's cracked up to be, and inform you all too.

My main goal is to lose 60-70 lbs. However I want to build lean muscle at the same time. My program is 12 weeks so to reach that goal I need to lose 5lbs a week. Idk if that's completely achievable but I do know I will at least make some kind of progress as long as I stick with it.

I'm looking for friends on here so hit me up. Also hit me up if you have questions you'd like me to ask my trainer.
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Replies

  • JBanx256
    JBanx256 Posts: 1,473 Member
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    A 12-week training program for lifting is one thing, no issues with that.

    But trying to lose 60+ pounds in 12 weeks, unless medically advised (and supervised), is absolutely NOT a good idea.

    Regardless, welcome back and best wishes to you!
  • e93marie
    e93marie Posts: 12 Member
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    BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »
    I’d be thinking long and hard about the competency of any trainer who set you off on a program that promotes a 5lb a week loss....

    You’ve not included your height, age or current weight...

    Please rethink your time scale and do this safely and steadily.

    I do think it's ambitious and I'm not sure if he said it to satisfy my desires, Give me a goal, get me to sign up at all or, if he actually believes in me. I don't know him well enough to analyze his strategy. He seems ok with any level of effort I offer but I know I'm competitive and will be aiming for the impossible.

    I'm 5'5, 28 and 206 lbs. I've been heavier in my life but I'm still not where I desire. I want to be healthy first and gain confidence second. There's some cholesterol and blood pressure stuff that runs in my family I would like to not be high risk for as well.

    Thank you for the warning and the information. I'll use it for sure so I don't injur myself. Next session I can ask for more precision in his plan and seek out his direct answer as to the time frame and how achievable he thinks it actually is.

    All great points thank you 😊
  • e93marie
    e93marie Posts: 12 Member
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    JBanx256 wrote: »
    A 12-week training program for lifting is one thing, no issues with that.

    But trying to lose 60+ pounds in 12 weeks, unless medically advised (and supervised), is absolutely NOT a good idea.

    Regardless, welcome back and best wishes to you!

    A fine point that I will take up with him and seek out opinions on his answer afterwards. What time frame do you think is better?

    I have too many other things on my plate that in importance health/fitness is 4th or 5th. I won't have this extravagant goal hinder me in my other areas so if a longer time frame is needed I don't object.

    Thank you btw 😀
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    But 5lbs a week loss isn't ambitious - it's desperately unrealistic and unhealthy. If your PT knows anything about diet (as opposed to fitness training which is their real area of expertise) they would do everything in their power to dissuade you from even attempting that course of action.
    Don't fall into the common trap of making weight loss far harder than it has to be, far more important that you make your weight loss sustainable rather than fast.

    Please do try to elongate your timescales, losing weight as fast as possible is really only suitable for someone morbidly obese and in imminent danger of death.
    If you were 500lbs with a heart condition rather than 206lbs then maybe that goal might be considered.....

    Nice to hear health is your priority but that has to include healthy weight loss and then transition into healthy and long term maintenance in you goal weight range. Crash dieting while adding in new exercise regime reminds me of a TV show rather than real life.

    There is loads of really good ideas, experience and guidance in the Most Helpful Posts / Must Read threads pinned to the top of each forum - well worth taking some time out to have a read, there are some gems in there.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,325 Member
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    e93marie wrote: »
    BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »
    I’d be thinking long and hard about the competency of any trainer who set you off on a program that promotes a 5lb a week loss....

    You’ve not included your height, age or current weight...

    Please rethink your time scale and do this safely and steadily.

    I do think it's ambitious and I'm not sure if he said it to satisfy my desires, Give me a goal, get me to sign up at all or, if he actually believes in me. I don't know him well enough to analyze his strategy. He seems ok with any level of effort I offer but I know I'm competitive and will be aiming for the impossible.

    I'm 5'5, 28 and 206 lbs. I've been heavier in my life but I'm still not where I desire. I want to be healthy first and gain confidence second. There's some cholesterol and blood pressure stuff that runs in my family I would like to not be high risk for as well.

    Thank you for the warning and the information. I'll use it for sure so I don't injur myself. Next session I can ask for more precision in his plan and seek out his direct answer as to the time frame and how achievable he thinks it actually is.

    All great points thank you 😊

    I started weight loss then MFP at about your size. (I'm 5'5", started losing weight at 183, now weigh mid-120s pounds. At 183 pounds, I had high cholesterol and high blood pressure, now I don't . . . in my case, pretty much entirely from the weight loss, not eating style or exercise, because I was already eating healthfully - just too many calories - and already very active at 183.)

    At first, I accidentally lost weight too fast. ("Accidentally" in the sense that MFP underestimated my calorie needs.) I felt fine, energetic, not hungry . . . until suddenly I hit a wall. I corrected as soon as I realized, but still got weak and fatigued, maybe had some hair thinning a few weeks down the road (usually a delayed effect). It took multiple weeks to get back to normal strength and energy. No one needs that.

    How fast was I losing? Around 2 pounds a week.

    As a relatively young person, you may be more resilient than I am . . . but really, 5 pounds a week is way too extreme, counter to your health improvement goal (in a big, big way).

    The comment above about needing a 2500 calorie average daily deficit is correct. I'm a good li'l ol' calorie burner, and my maintenance calories on a high exercise day (at the same height as you, remember) is around 2500 calories. That means I'd have to eat zero to lose 5 pounds a week. I don't need to lose weight, but I think that gives you a graphic idea of how extreme 5 pounds a week would be. Really, really bad health consequences can occur.

    Consider this (and please read it even if you're eating more than 1200):

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10761904/under-1200-for-weight-loss/p1

    If you have muscle gain or exercise performance goals alongside weight loss, you'd be well served by targeting around 0.5% of current weight per week, so maybe a pound a week, tops.

    Prioritize your health. Please. Even if you can be "ambitious" and "competitive" and want to "aim for the impossible", don't aim for 5 pounds a week. You may see that kind of drop the first week (mostly water weight), but 5 pounds a week won't be fat loss on an ongoing basis. You will be losing muscle you want to keep, if you go that fast, and threatening your health in other ways (gall bladder problems, nutritional deficiencies, even heart problems).

    If I'm sounding mean here, that's not what I intend. (Try to think of me as your concerned internet auntie who wants to see you succeed, because that's truly what I'd like to see happen.)

    I appreciate your motivation. We all want to get those pounds off as quickly as possible, I get it. But if your health is important to you, pick a plan aimed at that as well as weight loss. If your trainer encourages 5 pounds a week loss at your size, he's really, truly not a good source of advice, I'm sorry to say.

    Wishing you success and health, sincerely!
  • Tresiel
    Tresiel Posts: 98 Member
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    Good luck for the future. I like your commitment and your writing style. As others have said 5lbs a week is too high I think 1lb a week is a lot safer and realistic, with that said good luck with your journey and keep us updated!
  • e93marie
    e93marie Posts: 12 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    But 5lbs a week loss isn't ambitious - it's desperately unrealistic and unhealthy....

    Don't fall into the common trap of making weight loss far harder than it has to be, far more important that you make your weight loss sustainable rather than fast.

    Please do try to elongate your timescales.

    Nice to hear health is your priority but that has to include healthy weight loss and then transition into healthy and long term maintenance...

    There is loads of really good ideas, experience and guidance in the Most Helpful Posts / Must Read threads pinned to the top of each forum - well worth taking some time out to have a read, there are some gems in there...

    Thank you for your sincerity. I'll do more personal research as I find time for it but I appreciate these fast explanations.

    It is good to have a reality check from time to time to align priorities. I will still be confronting him about this but despite what he may or may not indicate it's my body and health so I'll take it upon myself to do what is best and not blindly follow.

    However that's also what places like this are for so I'm glad I made this post. Do you have any specific posts to suggest that are your favorites?
  • e93marie
    e93marie Posts: 12 Member
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    Tresiel wrote: »
    Good luck for the future. I like your commitment and your writing style. As others have said 5lbs a week is too high I think 1lb a week is a lot safer and realistic, with that said good luck with your journey and keep us updated!

    Thanks for adding me, for the advice, and encouragement. 😀
  • Dianedoessmiles1
    Dianedoessmiles1 Posts: 12,198 Member
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    Glad you are reasoning on the 5 lbs a week, I started at 288, I was not active, I was mostly wheelchair bound (97%). I got help for my back medically, and lost weight. That took me TEN YEARS all in all. I am currently at 175. WOOHOO, now at first I went from once I caught on from 256 to 174 in a YEAR!! BUT!! Here's the clencher,, I DID NOT LEARN ANY coping skills. Huh? Why I had turned to food? That was addressed as in "Why" but not in the "WHY EMOTIONALLY did I STILL Turn to food?" Once that piece was addressed, I've been good to go!! When I had hit that 174, and it had not been addressed, I QUICKLY found myself back up at 212 lbs. This is exactly why "DIE" ts fail. The word is a joke in itself "DIE"t. They know that we are dying inside as the stuff we LOVE have turned to, we will be deprived of. We live in a society of "I WANT IT NOW NOW NOW!!" When in fact,,, a good wine to mature needs time to change from grapes to a premium wine. We too need time, skills.

    I belong to the Spring 5% Challenge, and on this challenge along with exercise we also work on HEALTHY HABITS. Here's the description: I think you'll LOVE IT!! ALL OTHERS you are also welcomed!
    2022 Spring 5% Challenge Community
    Join this supportive team and let's have fun as we lose 5% of our starting weight, make new friends and improve our health! Race to Fascinating Places for 8 Weeks. JOIN us to write your own success story! Make 2022 a healthy year. Open enrolment, join any time.

    5u4nawh4iilt.png
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/142698-2022-spring-5-challenge-community

    We are friendly, supportive and here for anyone on MFP no matter your fitness level,,,, so come and check us out!! IT's HOW I am DOING SO AMAMZING!! IF I can DO IT SO CAN YOU ALL.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    e93marie wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    But 5lbs a week loss isn't ambitious - it's desperately unrealistic and unhealthy....

    Don't fall into the common trap of making weight loss far harder than it has to be, far more important that you make your weight loss sustainable rather than fast.

    Please do try to elongate your timescales.

    Nice to hear health is your priority but that has to include healthy weight loss and then transition into healthy and long term maintenance...

    There is loads of really good ideas, experience and guidance in the Most Helpful Posts / Must Read threads pinned to the top of each forum - well worth taking some time out to have a read, there are some gems in there...

    Thank you for your sincerity. I'll do more personal research as I find time for it but I appreciate these fast explanations.

    It is good to have a reality check from time to time to align priorities. I will still be confronting him about this but despite what he may or may not indicate it's my body and health so I'll take it upon myself to do what is best and not blindly follow.

    However that's also what places like this are for so I'm glad I made this post. Do you have any specific posts to suggest that are your favorites?

    I think this is a great post to read, think about and read again.
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1

    It will give you a huge headstart on understanding both the MyFitnessPal way of managing a deficit and also the more common TDEE method of working out your daily needs.

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