My personal observation about losing for an event/vacation

ninerbuff

As a trainer, I get to meet and train a variety of people who's main intention is to lose weight. A good portion of my overall clientele through the years hired me to get them ready for an event/vacation. They'd pick me up from 2 months to a year out to ready themselves and usually after the event/vacation has passed, maybe only 10%-15% I'd ever see again in the gym. The usual reason for the training is to of course look good for the event/vacation and take pictures.

So here's the observation: The majority of people that I (or other peers) have trained and worked hard for an event, don't look that way a few months after. Once the event/vacation is over, a few months/years down the road, significant weight gain is obvious especially when comparing pictures from that event/vacation to now. I'm sure that after looking at them, lots have told themselves "that's when I used to be in shape". But now it's not as much of a concern due to "everyday" life. Some get depressed by it while some may get inspired to get back into shape. I don't find many doing the latter.

Then I have people who looked that their pictures from an event/vacation (who didn't train or prepare for it physically) and were horrified about how they looked. These people tell me of how unaware of how much they've really gained or how they didn't realize how they looked to others till they saw the pictures. And from that point I pick them up and train them because they don't want to look like that anymore.

The results I've observed: the people who lost weight/got in shape because of pictures after an event/vacation usually have been much more consistent with keeping their weight in check vs the ones who did it for the event/vacation. Now that's NOT to say that someone looking at their old wedding/high school photos won't be inspired to try to achieve that physique again, but my experience is with people who objectively look at themselves sans an event/vacation prep tend to have better overall success in the long run because it was a NOW moment.

I encourage those that are losing for an event/vacation to continue on and not stop after it's over. Because believe it or not, you'll one day look at pics from that time and may get disappointed. You may be inspired to change or resign to the fact that it's a part of life and I'm betting that most concede it to being a part of life based on how our population overweight/obesity is ever increasing.

Take care of yourself like you're always prepping for an event/vacation on a daily basis and I can pretty much promise you that you'll be happy with the results the rest of your life.

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

seltzermint555

yep

diannethegeek

Good post. Needs more bumps.

Lizzy622

Yep. Great pics in 2008 by 2010 I was at my highest weight ever.

tibby531

well said! :drinker:

and go niners!! those cowboys aren't gonna know what hit 'em! woooooooooo, football!

ninerbuff

So in other words, it's better to have a fat bride than a fat wife. (or husband if you're into that sort of thing)

That's exactly what I was trying to say.:noway: :laugh:

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

lildynarider

Ugh I shutter at last years pics...you nailed the truth with this one.

Mamoonie

Why not have both sides?
I started on MFP to prepare for a vacation. I was "gifted" a personal trainer 4 months into MFP ( it was a Christmas gift including trainer sessions).
After 1 year into MFP and 7 months into trainer work out I felt so great and so changed that I just continued after my vacation what I had done before the vacation: MFP and trainer!
I found new events to prepare for ( another vacation, a race, and yet another vacation, and a few more races.... right now it's a half-marathon...)
Of course this only works well if you connect with your personal trainer!

accelerashawn

I lost 20lbs for the annual beach trip in August 13. I thought I was looking okay until the pictures came back and ouch...that hurt. I was without muscle, no pecs...just moobs, my belly looked like a skin colored watermelon...sad. So that catapulted me into lifting and I think i've made a complete turn around since then. I look forward to seeing pictures this year and being proud of my progress but the year after this year is what I'm really excited about.

I've made it a habit/lifestyle now so its just gonna get better and better.

ninerbuff

Why not have both sides?
I started on MFP to prepare for a vacation. I was "gifted" a personal trainer 4 months into MFP ( it was a Christmas gift including trainer sessions).
After 1 year into MFP and 7 months into trainer work out I felt so great and so changed that I just continued after my vacation what I had done before the vacation: MFP and trainer!
I found new events to prepare for ( another vacation, a race, and yet another vacation, and a few more races.... right now it's a half-marathon...)
Of course this only works well if you connect with your personal trainer!

I don't disagree. I have clients currently who work out with me because it's what they like to do and has kept them accountable.
Unfortunately, many only hire a trainer for an upcoming event with no intentions of trying to sustain after. The plan is only to "get there".

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

missdibs1

love this

Gawanne

Truly, words of wisdom.

xiamjackie

I think it's funny that people get in shape for vacations when purely it's only because they want to take pictures and show others when they get back how good they looked in a bathing suit. Especially nowadays with social media, the main part of going to the beach is taking a picture in your bikini and uploading it to Facebook, proving that you worked hard up until that date to get into that swim suit. Theres more to life than pictures. I consider myself fit and I still don't like getting pictures taken of myself in a swim suit. I'd rather take pictures of the scenery or my family while I'm on vaca.

Shalaurise

Prepping for an event or not, personal trainers are scary. *nods*

brookielaw

Yep. I've lost weight before for various occasions to varying degrees of success, but never kept it off.

This time is different. The event is called "life" and I'm having a wonderful time with it.

Jg04811

I was more than half way to my goal when I got married. Thought I looked AMAZING, then the pictures came. I was so much bigger than I thought. It has kept me going since and helped me to drop another 50 pounds.

ninerbuff

I think it's funny that people get in shape for vacations when purely it's only because they want to take pictures and show others when they get back how good they looked in a bathing suit. Especially nowadays with social media, the main part of going to the beach is taking a picture in your bikini and uploading it to Facebook, proving that you worked hard up until that date to get into that swim suit. Theres more to life than pictures. I consider myself fit and I still don't like getting pictures taken of myself in a swim suit. I'd rather take pictures of the scenery or my family while I'm on vaca.

It's odd sometimes how people will prep for vacation, weddings, cruises, etc., then when the day comes "all bets are off" and many gorge or eat like they never have before. Of course weight gain follows and then they feel deterred about working so hard to get there only to have a lot of it return in a couple of weeks of over consumption.

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