Chubby Trainers & Nutrionists
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I'm studying for my PT and nutrition specialist certifications right now. With my weight loss, and working with a trainer, my passion changed. I'm still chubby-0
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Interesting. I'm thinking a lot of people complaining about plus size trainers are new to this fitness game. There are people of all shapes and sizes in the fitness arena, and the overweight trainers usually know how to get a person into shape. They have the ability to motivate people too. Did you know the majority of football coaches around the country are fat slobs? Many of them have winning football teams despite having massive guts. I've seen frumpy personal trainers train people, and turn them into gods and goddesses. My first Group Fitness Instructor was an obese lady who said that she wouldn't dream of becoming a size two. She loved her thickness. On the other hand, I knew a body builder who had a passion for training people too. He had an anomaly with his heart back in 2003, and the doctors didn't give him long to live. He looked like the epitome of fitness, but he died in 2007 with an insatiable passion to encourage all those around him to be fit. When he suggested I go about training this way or that way, I didn't say, "What do you know? You have heart disease!" I knew that a well informed individual was giving me a piece of advice that would help in my training. Fitness is a journey, and I've been walking the path since I was fifteen.0
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Knowledge is knowledge.
You dont pay them to look good, you pay to learn from them.
I agree with this statement. I've had several trainers off and on over the years. In the past they've all been fit and trim and buff. The one I have now has battled his weight since he was younger, and still battles with issues surrounding food, as do I. He is kind of a teddy bear and indulges too much probably in junk food (he's 25). But to be quite honest, he's the best trainer I've ever had as far as working out goes. I'm seeing great results. It may be different if I weren't self-motivated and if I didn't have this site to sort of keep me in check as far as nutrition goes, but I am happy with my workouts and how he pushes me with strength training, etc...0 -
What about chubby doctors (or even above chubby) who tell you if you lose weight you'll feel better, look better and be healthier and live longer? Everytime my doctor said that I wanted to kick him in the teeth. Of course I couldnt have gotten my leg that high back then. I've lost 113 pounds since last October and not once when I come in for my regular bloodwork etc, does he ever acknowledge my weight loss. I see him every 3 months for bloodwork/medication review. Would be nice just once to hear, you're doing great, wtg, or something!
Maybe you need a new doc.....?????0 -
There are many, many classical musicians who no longer play but who are incredible teachers. I don't think you need necessarily be very good at something in order to teach well the principles necessary to excel at it.0
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Chubbiness doesn't mean unhealthiness.
No it does not. Just because a person is a little chubby doesn't mean they're unhealthy. There are a lot of factors involved in a person's health.
I'm chubby and I am not unhealthy.
My doctor just said I swallowed a lot of aggression, along with a lot of pizzas. Ha! Pizzas. Well, I was going to try one of those fitness camps, like EST. But they are like $400. So I thought.... join the Army. It's free. And what do they got, like an 8 week progam, which is PERFECT for me......
The late John Candy said this in that movie 'Stripes."0 -
For me, it depends on their story. If they have already lost 150 pounds, I would value their advice over someone who was always thin and never had to work at it. Well, maybe not value advice more, but relate more, if you know what I mean. But unless you know the history of the person, it's impossible to know that, and very easy to judge. I don't think I would pay someone to help me that was obese and did nothing about it, even if they had a lot of knowledge,0
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I'm their biggest cheerleader... (though I do look a bit odd in a skirt and pigtails).
... was that your halloween costume??
That's HAWT!!! :bigsmile:0 -
knowledge is one thing; willpower, commitment/dedication, and personal history are other things. Show me that you know your stuff, then I don't care if your shoes/car/body/whatever are not perfectly looking0
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ENOUGH OF THE LETS NOT HURT ANYONES FEELING BS
If your a trainer you should be fit, If your a nutritionist you should be of a normal BMI and size.
In either case not CHUBBY!
END OF DISCUSSION.
original poster if you cant tell I could not agree more :-)0 -
I personally think that if you are a trainer or nutritionist then you should practice what you preach. I have been to gyms where "chubby" trainers have tried to push me but they just don't inspire me. Just look at trainers like Jillian Michaels...she looks absolutely amazing, works out hard, pushes hard and is an ispiration to people trying to achieve their weight loss goals. You just think to yourself " i want to be like her" and it makes you work out harder.
As for nutritionists...you don't get fat by eating all the right foods and it's not hereditary.0 -
I get what you're saying; I guess it bothers me slightly but not enough to discount whatever they have to tell me. I once took a step aerobics class where the female instructor appeared to be maybe 25 pounds overweight. But she could complete the whole thing while speaking normally whereas I was gasping for breath halfway through. Besides, the class itself is only one tool for weight loss and while maybe she wasn't taking her own advice all the way around didn't make the class any less butt-kicking.
As for doctors (I saw a couple people mention them), I see them for the knowledge they gained in medical school about the human body, NOT for them to set a good example for me to emulate. If my doctor weighed 400 pounds and told me I need to lose another 50, I wouldn't assume that he didn't know what he was talking about. He's talking about me and my situation and what I need to do for MY health, HIS health has nothing to with it. I expect my doctor's advice to hopefully be objective based on the best most up-to-date knowledge about health and the human body. If a doctor smoked and told me I needed to quit, it wouldn't make it any less true.0 -
Knowledge is knowledge.
You dont pay them to look good, you pay to learn from them.0 -
Can I also add the ppl who are not trainers or nutritionists but general know it alls who are chunky monkeys and NOT dieting who tell you how to do it?? Makes me craaaaazzzzyyyyy
If your larger and are working on it and having success please do share, but if your a twinkie eating couch potatoe telling others what's "healthy" puuuuhhhlleeeeaaaseee0 -
I was watching the news this morning, and the commentator did a featured segment on "nutrition." The newscaster interviewed a local nutritionist on the show as she discussed at-length "good, healthy lifestyle choices."
There's no nice way to put this, so I'll just throw it out there... she was chubby. Noticeably chubby. And, I'm not sure exactly why, but this phenomenon bothers me greatly, and has for a while.
Now, before my collective Haters light their own hair on fire and start banging away on their keyboard in retaliation, I'm not "anti-chubby." There are many, many heavyset people at my gym, and anyone who knows me, will affirm that I'm their biggest cheerleader... (though I do look a bit odd in a skirt and pigtails).
I'm also aware that there are many reasons someone may be heavy... So, before you derail the discussion by hopping up on an e-soapbox, championing the rights of the glandularly-challenged, save the effort and try not to exacerbate your ever-developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
That said, image is a part of everything we do. When you see someone for the first time, you don't bask in their inner beauty and depth, until AFTER you get to know them. As mammals, our first impressions of a person fall into three basic categories...
- "Hey, you're attractive. I would like to propagate my genetic code with you and fondle your naughty bits..."
...or
- "You scare and/or intimidate the *kitten* out of me. I need to flee, fight or pee in every corner of the room..."
...or
- "Holy crap, WTF happened to your face? Did you mother breed with a wildebeest?" ...
- Or something in between all of the aforementioned.
Which leads me to my point... Is anyone bothered by "fitness-nutritionist-type-professionals" who clearly do not look the part?
Is it utterly ridiculous to have a "chubby" nutritionist or "flabby" personal trainer?
Or does it fall under the same notion that your heart surgeon doesn't need to have heart disease to be a good cardiologist?
Happy Monday.
Keep being awesome.
Essentially I agree with you. I would never higher an overweight or out of shape personal trainer. Although I did meet Marestella Torres when she was training at my local gym (she the Filipino long Jumper in the London 2012) and I did spot her personal trainer. Huge gut, sat around and watched her work but the guy clearly knows his stuff. Some people are good coaches and don't feel the need to practice what they preach I guess. More power to them. But for me I couldn't train somebody and give them nutritional advice without practising what I preach.0 -
I'll say this, if you know for a fact that the person is not being healthy, that's one thing. But to assume someone isn't healthy just because they don't meet your definition of fit, that's quite a different thing. You don't know what their situation is, if you don't want to find out before making a judgement, that's your issue, not theirs.0
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Then there's the flip side...
There's a young trainer (I would guess 19-20) at my gym who's totally fit and perky. She reminds me of a helium balloon bobbing around on a string. And I think to myself, what the eff do you know? You were born that way. Life will catch up with you. Enjoy bearing children. Oh, and those cute little abs you have, hope you don't have to have a c-section. Can't wait to see what happens when you're old enough to drink; it's amazing what a little alcohol does to the waistline. Have a Ho-Ho and call me in 10 years. LOL.
Just kidding by the way... She's really sweet and smart and talented and I hate her guts...0 -
lol! i would NOT go to an overweight trainer. just my opinion though.....0
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and i do NOT agree that " knowledge is knowledge." knowledge needs experience. i wouldn't go to a heart surgeon who said he "knew" everything but had never performed!! same reason i don't f**k virgins.0
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This is the kind of thing that makes me incredibly self conscious about my body. In just over a month I will be graduating as a nutritionist. Everyone expects me to be skinny and supper healthy but Nutritionists are only human. Yes, they have the knowledge but everyone goes through stressful stages in their life where they may gain weight. There are ladies in my course who are overweight but that doesn't mean that they are not eating well and doing something about it0
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I agree... It's a 'practice what you preach kind of thing' .... For example, if a priest was an atheist or something along those lines :P :P
Edit: I also recognise the post above that you can definitely have an interest in becoming a nutritionist and be on your way to being fit and healthy As long as a nutritionist has an aim to be healthy at some point, that's cool.0 -
At my old gym, the trainers just seemed to really suck in general. We had the one who cracked a smile once a week, who simply stood there with a clipboard, reciting out the exercises to her clients. I saw her workout on her own time, however, and she was very skinny.
Then, there was the at-least-300lber. Nice woman, and I saw her demonstrate some of the more simple exercises...then I saw her at my grocery store. I couldn't resist covertly peeking into her stuffed cart. Right on top, several kinds of cookies, a huge cake, and soda.
I personally would not pay for the services of a chubby trainer, and i AM chubby.0 -
I think our friend the Gorilla has set up something of a straw man. If it didn't bother him, why is it a question?
Obviously, as others have stated eloquently, it depends. Some chubby fitness and health professionals are obviously lazy and/or have not worked hard enough to have anything meaningful to share. Others will have better insight because of their own situation and struggles.
I once attended a meeting of cosmetic hair-transplant surgeons. They were at a top flight resort in Hawaii, by the way -- that is how much money you make fixing baldness. Anyway, i expected all the doctors there would have rich, thick, flowing locks, like lion's manes or Fabio. Otherwise, why would you go to them? You would walk into the office, take one look at the practitioner's spare and shiny cranium, and leave.
But most of those surgeons looked pretty pathetic up top. I thought they hadn't done what they were trying to sell.
Later, I found out they had had their own transplants, where they could. Some were just too thin to begin with, and the transplants couldn't make enough of a difference. Some were too bald to try it at all.
That didn't mean these guys weren't the best of the best. They were.0 -
I wouldn't hire them or take them seriously. No more than I would expect a bride to hire me to do her makeup if I looked a hot mess with mis matched foundation and running eyeliner.0
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I have to admit that, as shallow as it might be, I look for a trainer who has the type of body that I would like. I look for a tall slender woman with moderate muscle tone. I look for someone who I think can relate to me and is most likely to have tips and ideas for my particular path. Since I don't want to get very muscular, I shy away from the uber- fit as well! I would imagine that for people who struggle with a large amount to lose, it might seem that a chubby trainer could relate to them more, and might be more approachable, would know what their struggles are and could potentially be more compassionate.
The posts in this thread suggest to me that everybody has their own ideas and there is probably room for all kinds of trainers out there.0 -
I'm a LARGE girl and i can kick bum with TurboFire alot more than ALL of my friends, who are half my size....I do, however, feel silly advising someone on working out when i weigh this much....It happens in everything tho! I also have a degree and when i say what level and what in most people are shocked but thats to be expected in a world where appearence counts more than whats going on inside!
Hope i didnt soap box it there ha ha!
On a similar note i think workout dvd's for larger people should be made by fit (as in can do more) larger people...........Dont get me wrong i love a bit of motivation from the super toned fit people on my DVD but i'd love it a little more, seeing someone my size modifying to other abilities...
Much Love Lis x0 -
My nutritionist is more than chubby. She's still in the obese category. However, I like and will keep her for the following:
1. She became a registered dietitian to "figure it out". She has lost over 150 pounds
2. Since she's lost 150 pound, she obviously has "walked the walk". She knows the excuses, and has practical experience in finding ways around them.
3. Empathy...again, as someone who has BTDT, I appreciate the fact that she can see through BS and calls people on it.
4. Despite still being obese, she can do an amazing number of push ups and can hold a plank for over 3 minutes. She lifts heavy as well.
5. She's using her experience to try and help others lose weight.
I see your point, and in general I would agree with it if she was noshing down on chips and junk food at lunch. Instead, she's not only eating healthy but she's going to our fitness center on her breaks.
I really like her, and appreciate what she's been through on her journey. Why she can't lose the remaining weight, I don't know but at this point it doesn't matter to me.0 -
Weight is not an indicator of health.
You can be heavier AND in better shape then people who weigh significantly less than you do.
Thinness and hardness are not an accurate measure of how healthy/active a person is.
I think it is important for nutritionists and personal trainers to be healthy and active, of course. But I've seen amazing fitness instructors who have "chubby" bodies, and I've seen hardbodied and skinny personal trainers who are completely useless at their job.
The problem is one of perception of health, and the way the (American) media portrays health.
/rant
This.0 -
Now, before my collective Haters light their own hair on fire and start banging away on their keyboard in retaliation, I'm not "anti-chubby." There are many, many heavyset people at my gym, and anyone who knows me, will affirm that I'm their biggest cheerleader... (though I do look a bit odd in a skirt and pigtails).
LOL! You have a way with words. Loved your "Gluten is the Devil" post, BTW. Read it to my family, with just a tad bit of editing for the under-age set.Which leads me to my point... Is anyone bothered by "fitness-nutritionist-type-professionals" who clearly do not look the part?
Is it utterly ridiculous to have a "chubby" nutritionist or "flabby" personal trainer?
That does bother me some. Either (a) they aren't practicing what they preach, and I have to wonder why not, or (b) they are following their own advice, and it isn't working; if that's the case, why should I listen to what they tell me?0 -
Personally, I would never trust a skinny chef.0
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