Failing at weight loss- mistakes aplenty.

apriltrainer

I failed. But through failure I finally succeeded. Many years ago I had just left the army and was re-entering civilian life. I was still in ok shape. Although out of the Army I did join the Army reserves. I wanted to keep my fitness level up ...and I wanted to be sure even though I was in the Reserves...I wanted to ace my pft tests.

I was just not used to working out by myself, so I enlisted the help of a personal trainer at a gym.

Mistake #1- picking a personal trainer based on looks.

I picked the guy who was the most muscular to help me.

He might have been great for someone looking to put on mass. He was not the right fit for someone that just wanted to do a few more pushups and improve her run speed on her physical fitness test.

I was told I was eating too little. At the time I was old school..I was eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Calorie counting? What was that. But even then I probably was eating at least 1800 -2000 cals. . Even with just 3 meals a day. No snacks. Not because I was trying to lose weight ..but becuase I wasn't hungry for them. And in the army..they just fed you 3 times a day. It was a schedule I was used to and my body liked.

But it worked for me. And prior to going to the gym...I NEVER had issues with food. I NEVER had issues with weight.

Until I stepped foot into the gym.

I was immediately told to buy a protein shake. This would help me with my goals!

Mistake #2- having blind faith in others because of certification and education. This personal trainer actually did have his degree in exercise science. I SHOULD believe him...right?

Years later I realize that some people with the best education can have bad ethics. And this guy used his education and bad ethics to make me meet his protein shake quota at the gym.

I was told I needed to have a protein shake upon waking up. Then eat my breakfast. have a shake two hours later. Eat lunch. Have another shake. Eat dinner. Have a bedtime shake so as not to lose precious muscle.

I walked in that gym 125 lbs. I walked out of that gym 155.

ANd it wasn't muscle.

I also did worse on my pt test in the reserves. I passed it. But barely. I was one of the people in the army who would do well. I would usually come in first or 2nd in the run, max my situps and almost always came close to maxing my pushups. my goal was to finally max them out. And I did not reach my goal working with this trainer. In fact, I barely passed the pushup part of the test.

I remember huffing and puffing doing my two mile run, passing with only 2 seconds to spare. I was in tears. For someone who would come in first or second...coming in close to last place was self confidence destroying.

Mistake #3-

I decided to not go to the gym anymore. 155 may not be alot ot some people. But for me who had been in the 120's. Who had been fit, one of the strongest people in my platoon..

it was such a hard place to be to no longer be confident. To feel "ugly" . To want to hide. And now...I couldn't stop thinking of food. I was like pavlov's dog. In the Army I was fine with three meals a day. Out of the army and in my personal trainers hands...I was soon salivating every 2-3 hours for my next meal.

I soon found myself with a severe binging problem. A problem I never had in the army.

I failed...and I kept adding on weight.

But what happened during this fail? I learned things that did work...eventually. I learned things that definately did not. Years later..i finally succeeded to a level I didn't think was possible. But through my failure I did learn plenty that helped me and contine to help me today!

Things I use today to help me succeed-

Shakes do not fill me up!

I learned to not pick a personal trainer based on what he/she looks like!

6 meals a day does not work for me!

Never stop working out!

etc.

So if you fail...that is OK. I did. Heck I still fail now. I just try and use what worked and didn't work to help me reach my goals. And yes..eventually I did succeed(you can probably tell from my pic!)

So maybe you are not one of the success stories now. But one day you will be.

emcemayo

Inspiring thank pal

Jsiemons

You look amazing!

I appreciate that you also understand that the things we are "supposed" to do don't actually work for everyone. I keep getting advice from my husband telling me to do this or that and I keep telling him that the things that work for him do not work for me

What did you find that worked for you?

myofibril

Well done on your success.

Unfortunately lots of trainers who think they have all the answers...could not think critically to achieve their clients goals rather than what they believe is right to save their lives...

GetHotIn2014

Thanks for sharing. This is a good point!

pattycakes1978

Thanks for sharing your story.

Jkc9059

Thank you for the inspiraration!!

I failed. But through failure I finally succeeded. Many years ago I had just left the army and was re-entering civilian life. I was still in ok shape. Although out of the Army I did join the Army reserves. I wanted to keep my fitness level up ...and I wanted to be sure even though I was in the Reserves...I wanted to ace my pft tests.

I was just not used to working out by myself, so I enlisted the help of a personal trainer at a gym.

Mistake #1- picking a personal trainer based on looks.

I picked the guy who was the most muscular to help me.

He might have been great for someone looking to put on mass. He was not the right fit for someone that just wanted to do a few more pushups and improve her run speed on her physical fitness test.

I was told I was eating too little. At the time I was old school..I was eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Calorie counting? What was that. But even then I probably was eating at least 1800 -2000 cals. . Even with just 3 meals a day. No snacks. Not because I was trying to lose weight ..but becuase I wasn't hungry for them. And in the army..they just fed you 3 times a day. It was a schedule I was used to and my body liked.

But it worked for me. And prior to going to the gym...I NEVER had issues with food. I NEVER had issues with weight.

Until I stepped foot into the gym.

I was immediately told to buy a protein shake. This would help me with my goals!

Mistake #2- having blind faith in others because of certification and education. This personal trainer actually did have his degree in exercise science. I SHOULD believe him...right?

Years later I realize that some people with the best education can have bad ethics. And this guy used his education and bad ethics to make me meet his protein shake quota at the gym.

I was told I needed to have a protein shake upon waking up. Then eat my breakfast. have a shake two hours later. Eat lunch. Have another shake. Eat dinner. Have a bedtime shake so as not to lose precious muscle.

I walked in that gym 125 lbs. I walked out of that gym 155.

ANd it wasn't muscle.

I also did worse on my pt test in the reserves. I passed it. But barely. I was one of the people in the army who would do well. I would usually come in first or 2nd in the run, max my situps and almost always came close to maxing my pushups. my goal was to finally max them out. And I did not reach my goal working with this trainer. In fact, I barely passed the pushup part of the test.

I remember huffing and puffing doing my two mile run, passing with only 2 seconds to spare. I was in tears. For someone who would come in first or second...coming in close to last place was self confidence destroying.

Mistake #3-

I decided to not go to the gym anymore. 155 may not be alot ot some people. But for me who had been in the 120's. Who had been fit, one of the strongest people in my platoon..

it was such a hard place to be to no longer be confident. To feel "ugly" . To want to hide. And now...I couldn't stop thinking of food. I was like pavlov's dog. In the Army I was fine with three meals a day. Out of the army and in my personal trainers hands...I was soon salivating every 2-3 hours for my next meal.

I soon found myself with a severe binging problem. A problem I never had in the army.

I failed...and I kept adding on weight.

But what happened during this fail? I learned things that did work...eventually. I learned things that definately did not. Years later..i finally succeeded to a level I didn't think was possible. But through my failure I did learn plenty that helped me and contine to help me today!

Things I use today to help me succeed-

Shakes do not fill me up!

I learned to not pick a personal trainer based on what he/she looks like!

6 meals a day does not work for me!

Never stop working out!

etc.

So if you fail...that is OK. I did. Heck I still fail now. I just try and use what worked and didn't work to help me reach my goals. And yes..eventually I did succeed(you can probably tell from my pic!)

So maybe you are not one of the success stories now. But one day you will be.

Aviva92

great post. thanks for another perspective! yeah, I would freak out too if a trainers advice got me to 155 pounds.

briana0522

Great post!

jaqsz21

Best post i've read yet!! :-D And exactly wat i needed to read to help me push forward!! THANK U!!

Happyme2009

Thank you for posting this! It is quite incredible, informative and encouraging. Can I add you as a friend? you look like a wonderful example for success...

ldrosophila

I like this thank you

Kellyeee2013

I love that you reinforced the idea that everyone is different and it's important to discover what works for you.
Also, that we should never give up.
Thanks!

g0ldenb0y55

You look fantastic on your profile pic and congrats on your success!

On the trainer thing:
Why did it take 30lbs of added fat to your body to make you realize that the shake plan wasn't working? And what excercises were you doing to make this trainer have you take so much protien? The guys was obviously an idiot for not realizing you weren't adding muscle to your frame the whole time. These are some things that make me say "come on man!".

apriltrainer

You look fantastic on your profile pic and congrats on your success!

On the trainer thing:
Why did it take 30lbs of added fat to your body to make you realize that the shake plan wasn't working? And what excercises were you doing to make this trainer have you take so much protien? The guys was obviously an idiot for not realizing you weren't adding muscle to your frame the whole time. These are some things that make me say "come on man!".

Because I was young, naive and stupid! I bought the whole 6 meal a day thing. Maybe ok for some...not for me.

And because I felt like an idiot at the gym. And this personal trainer knew how to turn that into me thinking he knew the answers to everything and I knew nothing.

It was my fault I was gaining weight. My fault for not doing enough.

What exercises did the trainer have me doing to make me take so much protein.

Personally I don't think it mattered to him. He had a quota to meet and I was stupid enough to allow him to meet it and gullible.

Heck, look at all the people on MFP who have questions alot of us think are common sense. I have to remember at one time I was just as in the dark.

It's been a good 10 years since I was that naive though. I've learned ALOT.

mzjessicaxo

Thank you I love this!!

sheyennelilly

Thanks so much for sharing your story. It's nice to hear about people having setbacks but eventually overcoming those. And you obviously did. You look (and I'm sure you feel) wonderful and strong.

Timshel_

Well done. Great post.

Thanks.

g0ldenb0y55

You look fantastic on your profile pic and congrats on your success!

On the trainer thing:
Why did it take 30lbs of added fat to your body to make you realize that the shake plan wasn't working? And what excercises were you doing to make this trainer have you take so much protien? The guys was obviously an idiot for not realizing you weren't adding muscle to your frame the whole time. These are some things that make me say "come on man!".

Because I was young, naive and stupid! I bought the whole 6 meal a day thing. Maybe ok for some...not for me.

And because I felt like an idiot at the gym. And this personal trainer knew how to turn that into me thinking he knew the answers to everything and I knew nothing.

It was my fault I was gaining weight. My fault for not doing enough.

What exercises did the trainer have me doing to make me take so much protein.

Personally I don't think it mattered to him. He had a quota to meet and I was stupid enough to allow him to meet it and gullible.

Heck, look at all the people on MFP who have questions alot of us think are common sense. I have to remember at one time I was just as in the dark.

It's been a good 10 years since I was that naive though. I've learned ALOT.

Thanks for the honesty! You are absolutely correct that people fall in line like zombies without thinking twice.

GG113

Enjoyed your story. Thanks for sharing!