Worried about personal trainer philosophy

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  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    Would you rather rush the weight loss and gain it all back?

    He gave you very sound advice for sustainable weight loss. It sounds like your expectations need to be adjusted, not his plan.
  • anybeary
    anybeary Posts: 188 Member
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    As someone at a similar height/weight, I would agree that 2 workouts per week at 1600 calories is not going to do it for you. I have recently switched trainers (my old one moved to Wyoming), and I've come across a trainer now who doesn't believe in calories in/calories out, it seems, and only has us working out 3 x per week and says NO CARDIO between sessions, and he's expecting me to lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks. I think he's friggin out of his mind if he thinks that's going to work! Anyway, everyone's body is different. Eat lean meats and non starchy veggies, as someone else said, do your own math when it comes to your calorie intake goals, and start working up toward moving 5 days a week. Some male trainers just don't get that female bodies don't drop weight/gain muscle like male bodies. I would find a trainer whose philosophy you can get behind, because having a trainer who you TRUST is really key when it comes to your attitude going forward. I don't plan to stick with the guy I've got once this six week session is over. Honestly, even a one pound a week weight loss isn't realistic depending upon your daily activity level. If you've got an office job and sit all day, 2 workouts and 1600 calories isn't going to get you there.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
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    Wow ....... He sound like a great trainer!!!!!!

    He gave you great advise and you should listen to him.

    +1
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    I actually think his plan sounds pretty good!
    In fact, I recently spoke to a trainer who basically told me to do the opposite of what your trainer said. I thought it sounded ridiculous, and I did not hire him.

    I'm sure you could do more workouts on your own time as long as you fuel your body properly, but at 156 pounds, you probably shouldn't aim to lose much more than a pound a week. As someone else mentioned, it sounds like your trainer is trying to work you into a steady and sustainable lifestyle so that you can have long-term success.

    You can ask him for a specific calorie goal, but 1600 calories sounds very reasonable to me. I eat 1700 calories (of whatever I want, as long as I'm fulfilling my nutritional requirements), and it works out fine. If he's a good trainer with lots of successful clients, you should stick to his plan for a few weeks and then re-evaluate how you're feeling.
  • nfgchick79
    nfgchick79 Posts: 89 Member
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    This is the first post I have seen about a trainer that I actually think the trainer knows what s/he is talking about! His plan sounds sustainable and healthy. I expected to come in here and see some sort of unhealthy nonsense.
  • asaffell
    asaffell Posts: 43 Member
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    This is sound advice to keep you successful toward your goals.
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
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    Dump him.
  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
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    At 5'4" 156 you will likely lose weight at 1600 calories with no exercise. It would be slow weight loss, but you would lose.

    I think your PT is on the right track. Ask about adding a couple days of cardio if you want to.
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
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    1 pound a week when you only have 40 pounds to lose is pretty sound advice, as for working out apart from him, I think that is the way most personal trainers do it, I mean the alternative would be meet with him daily and who can afford to do that? The idea is to meet with him twice a week to get feedback and instruction in techniques, and then to implement what you've learned throughout the week.

    1600 calories a day also sounds reasonable.

    Now, as to whether it is worth the cost, only you can decided that. I don't have a personal trainer, I simply can't afford it. However I do study a lot so that I know how to help myself, and I use a lot of DVD workouts. If I did hire a trainer, I would probably not be able to afford to keep him through my entire journey, so I would learn all I could while I had him there.

    His focus is probably on giving you the best chance at being able to lose the weight and keep it off, rather than just on helping you to lose it as quickly as possible.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
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    One hundred and sixteen pounds may be too low for you--please don't focus on a number as your goal, focus more on inches lost.

    Your trainer sounds like a keeper. Trying to lose more than a pound a week is HARD. You'll either have to work yourself to exhaustion, starve yourself to the point you'll end up binging, or both. He has you on a sensible plan that fuels your workouts--your car won't run without gas, and your body can't work out hard without fuel.

    There's nothing that says you can't be active on the days you're not training--get in 30-60 minutes of walking and you'll burn calories just fine.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I agree that his advice sounds great. What kind of workout program does he have you on?
  • ThriceBlessed
    ThriceBlessed Posts: 499 Member
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    Hello everyone,

    all he has me do is the 2 sessions per week I do with him. He has not told me I should do cardio or other workouts outside of what I do with him. This is concerning to me.

    This the way personal trainers usually work. A few sessions a week, you learn from them and get feedback about what to do in between sessions. Why would it concern you that he wants you to do cardio without him? Cardio can be as uncomplicated as a brisk walk, or a bike ride, you don't need to be paying someone to supervise you doing those things.

    Other options are swimming, jogging, jumping rope, taking a Zumba class, doing a workout DVD, hiking, etc.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    This is the problem trainers have. Provide a reasonable diet, exercise routine, and objectives and people aren't satisfied. Give massive DOMs and a stupid plan nobody can stick to, and well, people drop out but they blame themselves.
  • alt1268
    alt1268 Posts: 159 Member
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    First- do your own tdee calculation.
    second- get another opinion. Yes you should be restricting certain foods and adding water.
    third- slow and steady wins the race!!!!! Eat healthy, exercise and drink plenty of water!
  • LishieFruit89
    LishieFruit89 Posts: 1,956 Member
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    First- do your own tdee calculation.
    second- get another opinion. Yes you should be restricting certain foods and adding water.
    third- slow and steady wins the race!!!!! Eat healthy, exercise and drink plenty of water!

    FALSE
    You do not need to restrict any foods unless you are allergic to them
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    As someone at a similar height/weight, I would agree that 2 workouts per week at 1600 calories is not going to do it for you. I have recently switched trainers (my old one moved to Wyoming), and I've come across a trainer now who doesn't believe in calories in/calories out, it seems, and only has us working out 3 x per week and says NO CARDIO between sessions, and he's expecting me to lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks. I think he's friggin out of his mind if he thinks that's going to work! Anyway, everyone's body is different. Eat lean meats and non starchy veggies, as someone else said, do your own math when it comes to your calorie intake goals, and start working up toward moving 5 days a week. Some male trainers just don't get that female bodies don't drop weight/gain muscle like male bodies. I would find a trainer whose philosophy you can get behind, because having a trainer who you TRUST is really key when it comes to your attitude going forward. I don't plan to stick with the guy I've got once this six week session is over. Honestly, even a one pound a week weight loss isn't realistic depending upon your daily activity level. If you've got an office job and sit all day, 2 workouts and 1600 calories isn't going to get you there.

    Um.....

    1600 calories is ~TDEE -10% for the OP.
  • thepinkleprechaun
    thepinkleprechaun Posts: 23
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    Losing 40 lbs by May does not honestly sound like the best idea to me. I'm assuming you have some kind of event in May that you want to look good for...and I totally understand that! But what do you want to do more, work on losing the weight for good, or lose it in an unhealthy way but gain it right back?
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    The pace he has you training at isn't really a concern. Sounds like he is also trying to get some accountability and discipline instilled in you by only doing 2 sessions per week, but asking you to do the rest on your own.

    The part that concerns me is the diet (or lack of) guidance. I have been working with a GREAT trainer for a year now, and the VERY first thing he told me is that nutrition is 70% of the battle. If I didn't take care of that on my own, I wouldn't see any results from working with him. 2 pounds per week shouldn't be difficult, but it is going to happen because of your diet (not just calories, but the quality of those calories), not just because of your exercise regimen.

    I was frustrated with my trainer for the first few weeks because what I envisioned was lifting a bunch of weights (I'm a guy) straight off. As it turned out, we did 4 solid weeks of core and balance. Not what I was expecting. When I complained about it, he took me over the the Smith machine, set it up for standing military press and told me to go for it. The very first thing that happened when I went to lift the weight was my core completely engaged. Historically, I would have been all arched back and awful posture. The core / balance work was critical for doing anything else.

    I'd challenge him on the diet stuff, and anything else you feel isn't working out. It's his job to explain what's going on (education), hold you to the program (accountability), and keep you on track (encouragement). If you are just blindly lifting weights with no guidance or education, it doesn't sound like you have a very good trainer.

    Hope this helps,
    Tim

    2lbs a week IS difficult as a female at her weight. Quality of calories can help with satisfaction and adherence but have nothing to do with promoting magical extra weightloss.

    Why on earth would your trainer push core strength and then put you in a Smith machine that stabilizes everything for you?!? That makes absolutely no sense.

    ^^^ This is the sort of thing that I thought that they OP was going to complain about. Instead, it sounds like she was given great advice. Talk to him about cardio on other days since I doubt he meant that you weren't allowed to do anything at all. I would at least walk, but also not kill yourself and not do anything that you can't sustain. It can take a couple of weeks for water weight from a new routine to start going away. Take pictures and measurements along with the number on the scale. Why May?
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    First- do your own tdee calculation.
    second- get another opinion. Yes you should be restricting certain foods and adding water.
    third- slow and steady wins the race!!!!! Eat healthy, exercise and drink plenty of water!

    FALSE
    You do not need to restrict any foods unless you are allergic to them

    I agree with doing your own TDEE calc to check his suggestion though it sounds solid. Here is a link that can walk you through doing that: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    It is also completely unnecessary to restrict anything. Reduce, yes, but not restrict. I had wine nearly every day, pizza once a week or so, bacon, candy, ice cream etc in small amounts often. Remember that you need to sustain this without giving up and gaining everything back.
  • BamaBreezeNSaltAire
    BamaBreezeNSaltAire Posts: 966 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexy+pants

    Take the time to read this. It comes with some great advice and the person who wrote it, well he's proof.

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