Is the trainer Right?

2

Replies

  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    stop wasting money on trainers, use your mfp friends for motivation, set up a plan and go for it..that way, no one can tell you that you "CAN'T".

    I am beginning to rank personal trainers alongside ticket scalpers and lawyers in the league table of humanity.
  • lsapphire
    lsapphire Posts: 297 Member
    She doesn't know how motivated you are. Show her she is wrong! LOL
  • natashamcn
    natashamcn Posts: 145 Member
    I went through this exact situation with my trainer a couple years ago. I was doing lots of heavy lifting and weighed 140lbs at 5'6" (my highest weight ever). I decided I wanted to drop 10 lbs and weigh 130 and was told flat out no. He went on to take out pen and paper and crunched some numbers. After subtracting my lean body mass, essential body fat etc etc I was not left with 10 lbs to lose. I now weigh under my goal of 130 which means it was possible but I've most likely lost some muscle. Maybe your trainer was saying you don't have that much to lose? Then again, maybe not.
  • Jstewartdesigns
    Jstewartdesigns Posts: 51 Member
    My trainer is not so much concerned about weight or calorie input but into nutrients and lean body mass. She doesn't even own a scale and has trained women body builders and has won trophies herself. There is such a thing as a "fat skinny". Maybe you're trainer's goal is to get your lean body mass up and your fat gone rather than a number on the scale.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Did she tell you WHY she thought that? It seems really reasonable to me. You're just a little peanut, 130 isn't unreasonable.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I'm 5'4" and never thought I would see 150 again. I've seen 150, 140, and I am now shooting for 130.
  • gettingthinandfit
    gettingthinandfit Posts: 80
    That would annoy my too. I'm sure you could even get below 130! I mean your 5' 1" right? I mean it might take a lot of time but its messed up to say that you can never get there. Work hard and prove her wrong, I say!
  • bella_babe_86
    bella_babe_86 Posts: 503 Member
    I think you can do it. It's a reasonable, healthy weight for your height so with enough motivation it's definitely achievable :) PROVE HER WRONG!

    This exactly prove her wrong!!! You can do it!
  • DyanCB
    DyanCB Posts: 138 Member
    I am 5 feet tall and was settling for 115 as an attainable goal at age 55. I joined MFP just over a week ago and was inspired immensely by all the women I have connected with who are close to my height AND age and are well below my 115 lb goal. I have changed my expectations to a weight at the lower, healthy range for my height.

    You are too young to settle for 130.

    Don't let this trainer tell you that you can't do this. Throughout this site there are too many folks to prove her wrong. If you decide to keep her as a trainer don't take her advice around the lbs.

    Personally, I would want a trainer who supports my goals.
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
    Your trainer doesn't seem to have much confidence in you, or in herslef for that matter. 5'1" and 130 is totally doable. I would get myself a new trainer and prove the old one wrong!
  • nnylee
    nnylee Posts: 811 Member
    What a quack. I'm 5'1" and I'm 129lbs right now!
  • 2kidzlater
    2kidzlater Posts: 134 Member
    It's not gonna happen over night but I'd like to think that is a reasonable weight. I'm around the same height and weight and that's really my ultimate goal. You can do it. Get a new trainer and prove her wrong.
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
    anything is possible if you believe and are willing to put in the hard work it'll take to get there. I'm 5"3 and 118.9 lbs my lowest as a adult, my smallest as a teen was 96 lbs which I never want to get to again.

    find another trainer, you can do this.
  • erosales0117
    erosales0117 Posts: 21
    She was out of line. My boyfriend is a trainer and I know his coworkers and they would never say that to a client. I would tell her that she was wrong for saying that as a trainer. That she should keep her personal opinions to herself. I then would go and ask for another trainer and explain to them why you are wanting a change of trainer so it's recorded.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    Since bone structure is being talked about, I can share some personal experience :) I am 5'4" with very large bone structure (my doc determined this after making a few measurements) I weight 174lbs, my body fat % is between 22% and 25% and wear a size 8US jean.

    When I started I was 285lbs, I don't remember my body fat % and wore a plus size 24US jean.
    My goal was 150lbs and no one ever told me I couldn't make my goal till I got closer. Once I hit 180 my weight loss slowed down and I started to get frustrated, I was also a size 10 and my doctor couldn't understand why I weighed so much and looked so little. He ended up measuring my wrist, my elbow and body fat% and then determined that I have a very large frame size and a healthy body fat % so I need to stop focusing on loosing weight and start focusing on maintaining my weight and staying healthy.

    Keep in mind while a person is over weight it is very difficult to determine if they do have a large frame or not because of the access weight will make their wrists and elbow seem larger too. Good luck luv :flowerforyou:
  • sweetheart03622
    sweetheart03622 Posts: 928 Member
    Depends. Do you carry a lot of muscle? If you tend to have a good amount of muscle on you it might not be possible. That being said, that doesn't mean you won't be able to get down to a tiny size. Check out this website:

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/

    Use it to calculate your BF% and then, from there, to calculate your ideal bodyw eight. Put in something in the low 20% for goal body fat to get a weight for yourself that you'll look awesome at. For me, I originally thought I could get down to 135, but after some reality checks, I realized that 155 is pretty much my sweet spot.
  • firedragon064
    firedragon064 Posts: 1,082 Member
    I'm 180 lbs 29% body fat 5'1 size 12P.
    If I wan to go down to 20% body fat, I will weight around 160 lbs.
    If I want to lose more weight, I will have to lose muscle mass :( .

    You should ask your trainer why she said that.
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
    prove her wrong.

    what a dumb thing for her to say. dump her i say.
  • puertoricanlady18
    puertoricanlady18 Posts: 77 Member
    Probably that’s what shes doing … pushing you to prove her wrong :)
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Unless she was referring to within a certain timescale.

    What do people look for in a trainer? In all of the lists I've seen, qualifications has never been one of them.
  • Nigerianebony
    Nigerianebony Posts: 182 Member
    From personal experience (and I am a trainer), at 140 pounds, i was about 15% body fat. I wore a size 6. I actually had to lose muscle to get down to 120 ( because I wanted to be a faster runner). I lost a lot of my muscle around my arms, back, and legs. However, although i lost muscle, I was still able to lift the same amount of weights. In fact, I could say i am strong just a little. Trust I did a lot of research around this before starting the process.

    On another note, i would ask your trainer why she said that, but trainers need to be extremely careful about what they say.
  • Nigerianebony
    Nigerianebony Posts: 182 Member
    Unless she was referring to within a certain timescale.

    What do people look for in a trainer? In all of the lists I've seen, qualifications has never been one of them.


    You are so totally right. No one seems to ask trainers about their qualifications. They need to because I get frustrated at trainers and I am a trainer. For instance, I don't think trainers should give nutritional advice unless they are certified. Also, i know my focus is weight loss and athletic training. I wouldn't train a body builder.
  • apatrick106
    apatrick106 Posts: 68 Member
    Thanks everyone! When she said that it did not click right away, then I got home and was like wait a minute did she say I would not be able to reach my goal??? She did not use any facts or give an explanation to why like, we are going to build muscle or that is too low etc.. nothing. It was just simply it was so long ago that I weighed 130 so I would not reach it now. Then I thought like some have said maybe she said that just to P me off to make motivated me or something. I am going to have ask her about it when I see her next and ask her to explain. It was not my high school weight it was my mid 20's weight and for being 5'1 with a chest and hips 130 is on heavier end of the chart. I will follow up and let you all know what her response is to why she thinks/said that.
  • DeziD
    DeziD Posts: 8
    I went through this exact situation with my trainer a couple years ago. I was doing lots of heavy lifting and weighed 140lbs at 5'6" (my highest weight ever). I decided I wanted to drop 10 lbs and weigh 130 and was told flat out no. He went on to take out pen and paper and crunched some numbers. After subtracting my lean body mass, essential body fat etc etc I was not left with 10 lbs to lose. I now weigh under my goal of 130 which means it was possible but I've most likely lost some muscle. Maybe your trainer was saying you don't have that much to lose? Then again, maybe not.
  • pandasmama3
    pandasmama3 Posts: 114 Member
    WOW can't believe your trainer said that they should encourage you not the other way around....you can do it!!!
  • DeziD
    DeziD Posts: 8
    My trainer is not so much concerned about weight or calorie input but into nutrients and lean body mass. She doesn't even own a scale and has trained women body builders and has won trophies herself. There is such a thing as a "fat skinny". Maybe you're trainer's goal is to get your lean body mass up and your fat gone rather than a number on the scale.
  • apatrick106
    apatrick106 Posts: 68 Member
    Unless she was referring to within a certain timescale.

    What do people look for in a trainer? In all of the lists I've seen, qualifications has never been one of them.

    I researched her and watched her at the gym and talked to her clients before I signed with her, I love her training and have to admit I was disappointed when she said that, but I think I also should ask for an explanation also.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Did you mentioned anything that disabled you from loosing weight? If not WTF?! Seriously....new trainer. What a Beep! When you get to 130 give her a letter and a picture stating please don't tell people they can't do something when they obviously can.

    Everyone told me I couldn't get to my college weight of 120....maybe I can't....It is 1 pound away after all :P

    Just make sure you do it healthy. Don't starve yourself because you're on a mission to prove someone wrong. It usually doesn't work that way :)
  • DeziD
    DeziD Posts: 8
    This is a reasonable thing to think about. However, all of the conjecture in the world from us won't give you the answer to your original question. I'd ask your trainer why she said that. if it's for reasons above, good. If not, she has some 'splainin' to do.
  • DyanCB
    DyanCB Posts: 138 Member
    I'm 180 lbs 29% body fat 5'1 size 12P.
    If I wan to go down to 20% body fat, I will weight around 160 lbs.
    If I want to lose more weight, I will have to lose muscle mass :( .

    You should ask your trainer why she said that.

    firedragon, I have to say I have learned something from you. I am close to you in height at 5 ft even and a bit older at 55. Most of my life I have hovered in the high teens/mid-20's BF%. I never would have considered 160 lbs could be 20% BF%. I am glad to ay I have been proven incredibly wrong - you have an amazingly high lean body mass (LBM) and have shown I have so much more to learn.

    annsmith - I agree, as many have already stated, focus on FB%. I have finally halted my daily weigh-ins and backed away from the scale.

    I still do think you need a trainer who supports you and your goals. My trainer saw greater possibilities for me than I even saw for myself. He has coached me on good form as well as nutrition. I took it for granted, from my positive experiences with him and other trainers at the same facility, that a balance of physio and nutrition is what is offered by most trainers - but I don't say this to mean that PTs are nutritionists.

    good luck in pursuing your goals.

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