overweight fitness instructors

MissMollieK

just want your opinion....the more the merrier....what do you feel about having an overweight and possibly out of shape class instructor? This happened to me today and I didn't know why she was even allowed to teach the class- zumba....is that a bad thing for me to think she should participate and not teach?

spazofthedead

I had a very overweight personal trainer once. All doubt vanished when he squatted over 400lbs with perfect form.

kneeki

Everyone in the world is in a constant state of transformation. Even trainers; as they may not have the time due to clients, or are simply burnt out of the gym and all the time they spend there.

I, however, would not listen to any advice they give - whether it's diet or fitness related. Would I still do the class? Sure.

SweetSammie

Maybe they are in the process of losing weight.... judging the exterior as a measure of health/fitness is always tricky. As long as they have the stamina and form to direct the class, power to them!

TheFunBun

Yeah, I've had fatty instructors for a few different classes..

doesn't bother me. I think a lot of them ending up being kind of soft because of the extreme cardio.. The ones that I see with tight bodies are usually a little more restrained with their scheduling. My evaluation, though, no science to back me up.

I hate LAZY instructors, though. Like, the ones that halfheartedly do the stuff, or worse, the ones that aren't really good at what they teach. Like, I took a flexibility class and I was oodles more flexible than the girl. No thanks.

alyssatuininga

If she was fun and did a good job with the class who cares what size she is. The woman who teaches my Zumba class has lost over a 100 lbs doing Zumba, She started teaching about halfway soon. She is a huge inspiration to me.

meshashesha2012

it's not that big deal to me. i guess because i'm a former athlete and i'm used to being coached by people who know their stuff but might not be in the shape physically to do it. it in no way shape or form affects my ability to perform the work.

MissMollieK

thanks everyone- I guess it just appeared that she couldn't do everything to the ability she should have when I compared her to other instructors I've had. I like to be motivated as well and just personally found it difficult in this situation. I am not saying I am perfect in any manner- and I give her tons of credit for getting the certification. I was just confused and didn't know if I was being close minded. Sorry If I offended anyone;(

sleepytexan

I am a fitness instructor (not a fat one). Lots of fitness instructors have been doing lots of fitness classes for a long time and they are very fit, cardiovascularly (is that a word?).

However, lots of instructors are chubby or fat. I think it's because they don't understand nutrition! They are always on diets, eating 1200 calories and teaching a zillion classes. They're starving and they're fat.

BTW -- so are a lot of regular people.

If anyone reading this happens to be one of those people who works out all the time, keeps their calories low, never eats their exercise calories and can't figure out why they're still overweight, search for "brownout" (NOT PLURAL) in the forums or "700 calories and not losing" in the forums.

Or PM me.

Anyway, if she can teach the class and you enjoy it, why not?

That being said, I will not let a hairdresser with bad hair touch my head. So that disqualifies a lot of them. :laugh:

nwhitley

This is what I was going to say. Lot's of athletic coaches are out of shape. They know their stuff, but for whatever reason (health, medical, etc) they may not be in the best physical shape. I had a track coach once who was overweight. He probably couldn't even have run half a mile, but he sure knew how to direct and coach the heck out of me! As long as the instructor seems to be know her stuff, is organized, and you are having fun and getting a decent workout then I wouldn't worry about his/her physical appearance.

it's not that big deal to me. i guess because i'm a former athlete and i'm used to being coached by people who know their stuff but might not be in the shape physically to do it. it in no way shape or form affects my ability to perform the work.

meshashesha2012

That being said, I will not let a hairdresser with bad hair touch my hair. So that disqualifies a lot of them. :laugh:

same here. most of the instructors at my gym for the classes i take are in the chunky category (yoga, cardio kickboxing, 1 spin instructor). as long as they arent spewing stuff at how easy weight loss is or all someone has to do to lose weight is XYZ (and i'd think then if it's that easy why isnt it working for you?) then i'm fine.

i actually most appreciate the chunky yoga instructor, because as someone with a larger body i like seeing how someone who knows what they are doing makes modifications to accommodate a big bootie, tig ole bitties and a gut :laugh:

kneeki

I am a fitness instructor (not a fat one) .... cardiovascularly (is that a word?).

Haha! Sorry, but you made me giggle IRL!

And yeah, I googled it. Looks like it is: http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/Cardiovascularly :drinker:

luvmydog2

bump

Lisabel

I personally would like to have an instructor who is in shape, it would motivate me more. I want to look at them and think I could maybe look like that and have muscles like that if I keep it up. I always wonder how an instructor who teaches sometimes 2 to 3 classes a day could still be overweight.

docktorfokse

Mark Rippetoe looks the way he does, but he knows what he's talking about.

garnet1483

One of my favorite belly dance instructors is overweight. Can she do absolutely everything the more fit instructors can do, in the same way? No. But she's still a damned impressive dancer, and knows what she's talking about when she's teaching. Between this, and as someone else mentioned, the innumerable coaches that are in this world who are brilliant and knowledgeable, and have a beer gut...I listen and learn, and simply take diet or time management advice with a grain of salt.

milzu

No problem with overweight instructors - one of my favourite spin instructors carries a few extra pounds, but oh boy she's a machine! Don't like unfit instructors though, I find I end up going their pace, rather than pushing myself to keep up with them.

sleepytexan

I personally would like to have an instructor who is in shape, it would motivate me more. I want to look at them and think I could maybe look like that and have muscles like that if I keep it up. I always wonder how an instructor who teaches sometimes 2 to 3 classes a day could still be overweight.

because they are starving themselves . . .

this is getting off topic, but I'll post it anyway.

#1 source of confusion on MFP: "Why not eat less than my BMR? Won't that make me lose faster?"

No. Did you know that eating less than your BMR will help keep you from ever reaching and maintaining your goal (that's rhetorical, I know you didn't know that or you wouldn't be eating less than your BMR). ha.

Anyway, here's why fat people stay fat, and why people with the "last 10 lbs to lose" can't ever get there by restricting calories too low:

From one of my old posts from a similar topic:

OK. I'm gonna give this a shot. I am an avid lifelong athlete. I have never been overweight, however, I used to eat too few calories (without knowing it), and a couple years ago, I actually GAINED weight bc of having slowed my metabolism to the point that every little extra treat I ate caused a weight gain, even though overall my calories were too low. THIS DOES HAPPEN.

It is also the reason so many fat people stay fat. They restrict their calories so low, slow their metabolisms, binge (even a little), gain weight, restrict more . . . . and so on and so on. But they are still fat.

It is also the reason most people can't lose that last 10-20 lbs. For real.

1. MFP has a deficit built in. Let's say you're trying to lose 1 lb/ week. That is a 500/day deficit from your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs to complete basic functions.

2. You exercise and burn 500 calories. Now you are at a 1000 deficit. If you eat back those 500 exercise calories, you refuel your body and you still have a 500 deficit for that 1 lb loss. If you DON'T eat back those calories, you have too little fuel. This is bad. This is too much of a deficit for basic functions. If you do this for a long time, you will STOP LOSING WEIGHT. Why? bc your metabolism will slow down -- it's like a brownout--not quite enough electricity to make the whole city (your body) run, so it has to slow down some things. You will probably start being tired a lot, your skin and hair might start to look worse, and you might even gain weight. But you might NOT be hungry -- your body is getting used to fewer calories. That's bad.


That's when you start to gain weight. Let's say you're running along, eating 1200 calories a day, and exercising 400 calories a day, so net is 800. You're losing, you think this is great. You keep doing it, but after a while you stop losing. hmmmmm. One weekend you go out to a special event and have a slice of pizza and a beer. 1 slice of pizza and 1 beer. So you ate maybe 2000 calories that day and exercised off 400, so net 1600. BOOM! You gain 3 lbs! What?!

Next, you freak out and restrict yourself down to 1000 calories a day and work out extra hard, burning 500 calories. Great, netting 500 now. You don't lose any weight, but you sure feel tired. Better get some red bull.

Are you getting the picture?

EDIT: When you work out, you need fuel. Food is fuel. If you don't eat back those exercise calories, you will not only have a big calorie deficit, you will have an ENERGY deficit. Remember, the calorie deficit for weight loss is built in when you use MFP. Exercising basically earns you more calories because you must refuel.
--

There are many people who will tell you not to eat exercise calories. Before you take their advice, you might want to see whether they are at goal, have EVER been at goal, or have ever been able to maintain at goal. If anyone says to you 'THE LAST TIME I LOST WEIGHT", just stop listening right there.

Ask some athletes whether or not they replenish their bodies with food equal to the calories they burn. Ask people who are fit and have achieved and maintained a healthy weight for some years. Don't ask people who count walking across a parking lot as exercise.

Here's an interesting case study about how to stay fat while consuming only 700 calories a day. Take a moment, you'll be glad you did:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

aproc

I would probably stick with the class if I felt I got something out of it, but usually I can't take them seriously. I know there are plenty of overweight instructors who are great at instructing their group and putting them through a good workout. I wouldn't take any advice from them though. My main thing is with personal trainers. I wouldn't hire a trainer if he/she did not look similar to how I would want to look.

sleepytexan

I am a fitness instructor (not a fat one) .... cardiovascularly (is that a word?).

Haha! Sorry, but you made me giggle IRL!

And yeah, I googled it. Looks like it is: http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/Cardiovascularly :drinker:

wow. you don't even look like the giggling type

MissMollieK

yes, instructing aka coaching a person to do a skill is one thing, actually getting up in front of the class and doing the moves for what the class is doing is different in my eyes. I have had overweight coaches in my past and was fine and respected them. But this person was panting and dripping after each song. She appeared to struggle doing some moves and I wanted to move at a faster pace as well, but couldn't seem to do this - like I said- I had different people teach this class and everyone is different only they weren't all struggling to finish the songs/dance. hope this clears up my issue.

nutandbutter

Mark Rippetoe looks the way he does, but he knows what he's talking about.

^ This was exactly who I thought of when I read the OP. :bigsmile:

Hernandeak11

I was a cheerleader in High School, and we had a tumbling coach that was quite overweight, and certainly couldn't perform the things she was asking of us. She knew her stuff though.

To be fair, I wasn't the greatest tumbler in the world (I'm quite klutzy), but I knew enough about form/technique to help others.

AZKristi

I think there is a difference between being overweight and out of shape. I am still overweight, but from the standpoint of cardiovascular fitness, I am doing just as well as when I was a high school athlete. If the instructor is able to do the workout, give the cues and motivate the class, it shouldn't matter what she looks like. There is a Zumba instructor at my gym and I would not presume to call her overweight because she looks solid, but she is definitely bigger than most group exercise instructors. But, she can teach the class well and the people that take it, love it. I had a 60 year old instructor (and grandmother) put me to shame in a kickboxing class.

nwhitley

Okay. Now if she was struggling that is a whole other thing. I couldn't take a class from someone struggling. Was this an intermediate or beginner class? Because she might be better off in a beginner class where she wouldn't have to work as hard. I wouldn't take another class with her b/c you know what to expect. You need someone who is at least a couple levels above you to motivate you and push you to do more than you want or think you can.

yes, instructing aka coaching a person to do a skill is one thing, actually getting up in front of the class and doing the moves for what the class is doing is different in my eyes. I have had overweight coaches in my past and was fine and respected them. But this person was panting and dripping after each song. She appeared to struggle doing some moves and I wanted to move at a faster pace as well, but couldn't seem to do this - like I said- I had different people teach this class and everyone is different only they weren't all struggling to finish the songs/dance. hope this clears up my issue.

Diary_Queen

We have an overweight zumba instructor. She started out (about 18 months ago) as a regular person in class and lost so much weight (80 lbs. and still going) that she changed her whole outlook on life and started learning to teach zumba. She works hard to make her class accessible for people of any weight and any fitness level. Granted, some days, her class is the 'Easy A' sort of class... but some days, she really turns it out and we all work together. That's my theory of working out... or the theory of the workout studio that I attend. We are all working together to be healthy. Sure, this woman is still about 40 lbs. into the overweight category. Will she lose that while being an instructor.... maybe. Does she need to be stuck in the class and not following her dream... nah. I wanna teach a class one day. When I do, I might not look like I'm in the best shape at the time. I wouldn't want to be discouraged even if I couldn't finish a song or had to do the 'level 1' movements after demonstrating the other levels. Everyone has to learn sometime and if I can help our instructor to be better and to lose more weight, I'm proud to.

lmelangley

I have a friend who is overweight and teaches a spin class. As long as a person knows what they're doing, I wouldn't have a problem with it. Many of us don't always practice what we preach.

DFWTT

I'm entirely ok with it unless they open their mouth and crap rolls out.

MissMollieK

I'm entirely ok with it unless they open their mouth and crap rolls out.

ick! lol

Nopedotjpeg

It depends more on the physical ability than their weight. Take a look at Super Heavyweight Oly lifters and Powerlifters. They are by all measures, obese. But they're strong as hell, and advanced in their respective sports. If they're effective communicators, they may just be incredible coaches.

Lost_Mermaid

That being said, I will not let a hairdresser with bad hair touch my head. So that disqualifies a lot of them. :laugh:

lol I'm with you on that one!