Chubby Trainers & Nutrionists

The trainer I used to get a good kick start looks like a short version of Michael Clarke Duncan. Weight and strength trainer at a D1 NCAA school by day. By far the most fit trainer at my Y. Also a gentle giant.
I don't think any of the trainers are obese.
A few years ago I took a spinning class lead by a women who was a little thick in the middle. But she was in incredible shape. She drove rode the class hard.
There are many different natural body types. I have a nephew (wife's side) who naturally has way above average muscle mass. If he spent 30 minutes a day in the gym people would swear he is doing at least 3 hours and using steroids. His father has biceps almost as thick as my neck and I have to use a wrench to remove a nut that he tightens with his bare fingers.
But if I spent 3 hours a day in the gym I wouldn't come close to their muscle mass.
Sure, initial impressions are what they are.
As for obese healthcare workers? It seems like every day there is a news article about another hospital chain that is setting a maximum BMI for new hires and instituting mandatory fitness and nutrition counseling for current employees that are obese.
Japan already has to put up with this at every employer. Submit to waistline measurement every year. Fines for the company if too many employees measure over 85cm for men and 90 cm for women. My waist hasn't been 85cm since I was way under weight and puking 5 times a day.

Well I think I can top that one...how about seeing a "chubby" traininer and smoking outside the gym doors...yep! puffing away on a cancer stick..."do as I say not as I do" ??? Really!!! what kind of message is he sending to his clients...

When people meet me, they have no idea I'm a lawyer - I don't fit the mold...

Hmm. I wouldn't understand this.. at all. Weird.

LOL - and after this weekend, will continue not to tell them. A LOT of requests for free advice for some reason. None of them my practice area, of course... :grumble:

I get that, too. When someone tells me, I don't seem like a lawyer, I usually take that as a compliment.

You got it! But I think we're getting off topic... Let's try to reroute it - would you rather have a thin lawyer or a "chubby" lawyer - using Gorilla's term, not mine.

Actually, I have thought about that. Besides longevity and health, I suspect that my expanding waistline was starting to hurt my business. It isn't that being a little pudgy is disqualifying for a lawyer. If it were, 90% of lawyers would be out of business. But I did notice that I was starting to become one of "those" guys. Fat, disheveled. Shirt tail coming out of my pants. And buttons popping in the front. Mismatched pants and jacket because the pants that came with the suit no longer fit. And, unable to button the suit coat. (but nonetheless, stubbornly refusing to buy new fat suits at a big and tall shop because I didn't want to be the shortest guy at the big and tall shop) Fortunately, I have come back from that bad place and my big suits are starting to fit. Now I need to get down to where my smaller suits will fit again.

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Actually, I have thought about that. Besides longevity and health, I suspect that my expanding waistline was starting to hurt my business. It isn't that being a little pudgy is disqualifying for a lawyer. If it were, 90% of lawyers would be out of business. But I did notice that I was starting to become one of "those" guys. Fat, disheveled. Shirt tail coming out of my pants. And buttons popping in the front. Mismatched pants and jacket because the pants that came with the suit no longer fit. And, unable to button the suit coat. (but nonetheless, stubbornly refusing to buy new fat suits at a big and tall shop because I didn't want to be the shortest guy at the big and tall shop) Fortunately, I have come back from that bad place and my big suits are starting to fit. Now I need to get down to where my smaller suits will fit again.
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I would agree that disheveled doesn't help a practice. There are a couple of disheveled folk I run into on a regular basis - different shapes and sizes, and I wonder what their clients think. (Makes me remember to comb my hair...) Sounds like you are making great progress!!

I agree completely... Its like going to a dentist who has nasty teeth.

Admittedly, looks would matter to me if I was selecting a trainer on sight. And for me that applies multiple ways. I wouldn't want a bodybuilder / "get big" kind of trainer, either. I already have trouble fitting into the Humvees the goverment makes me cram myself into along with body armor, weapons, and equipment. Therefore, a trainer who is good for people looking to "get big" isn't useful for me.

As others have said, I would want to know their story. Maybe they have a medical issue. Maybe they are in progress of losing weight. Maybe they're brilliant and suck at time management so they can't apply their knowledge to their own lives.

But here's another thing I'd want to see: Their OTHER customers. No matter how good a trainer looks, if their customers consistenly aren't showing progress, then why would I expect them to make progress with me? There's a lot to be said for a teacher (of any sort) who is able or unable to reach their student where their student is and work with that person. So even if they look great and are brilliant, if they can't teach or guide their student, they're not worth your money.

I would be skeptical at first too, but then I agree that I don't know their back story. Perhaps she just got done being pregnant with Triplets. Maybe she is on the downward slope of losing hundreds of pounds. I am always one to give someone the benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions though.

Great response Sarah!

Thanks, at least I think you are talking to meeeee LOL.

Not gonna lie, i didn't read all the posts so sorry if this has been covered.

I personally am more inspired by the people at the gym teaching classes that look more fit. BUT, I did have a teacher for kickboxing once that was on the obese side. But after hearing her story of recently dropping 70+ lbs, I decided that I liked taking a class from someone who had been through the struggles I was currently going through.
So I suppose the lesson here is, you can't always judge a book by it's cover <insert grown for obvious cliche>

I don't know their journey.

I don't know if they have lost 100lbs to this point.

No, it doesn't bother me.

This^^^ No one knows you're story. Doctors, nurses, nutritionists & trainers are all humans first, therefore, prone to making bad decisions and have life affect them the same way it does people that are not in those fields.

Their bodies are their business....they are poor advertising for themselves. They lose credibility with me.

I lol'd - very rare for me. Thanx. You are a very funny guy.
Lyle

Yes. Same as a financial planner whose finances are a train wreck or a dog trainer whose dog behaves like a beast instead of a well trained dog. Portray in your life what you are trying to be an expert at. IMHO anyway