Personal Training?

Hi Nicole

Firstly - have you mentioned your concerns to her? Don't forget you are HER client, effectively you are her BOSS. If she isn't motivating you then tell her. You can be constructive about it. e.g. I wanted to have a chat with you about the diet. I am making changes and Id like to be encouraged with those. This is a new lifestyle for me and its hard and I don't feel you recognise the changes I have made and I find that demotivating. I'm sure she wont be offended, in fact I suspect she will be horrified that she has been putting you off! Most PT's want to encourage their clients, they just don't get that everyone isn't always encouraged in the same way!

I also have a personal trainer and I am in a similar situation to you. I started at 205 and I'm down to 201 after five bloody hard weeks. Not where I wanted to be!
I also looooove soda and I used to drink 2 cans of diet coke a day. I now have this down to 2 a week.

The difference is my personal trainer has said the following to me (I'm paraphrasing but you get the jist)

RE weight loss - "ok so its not a lot BUT its in the right direction and you are healthier and more aware than you were five weeks ago. Secondly a healthy eating regime is about how you feel. If you clothes feel loose and you feel more active - that is the GOAL not some arbitrary number on the scales that can very by as much as 3lbs in a single day depending on water! Lets keep up the work and remember that in terms of a weight loss journey five weeks is VERY early days! If you are still not loosing and feeling good in another 10 weeks we will reassess but for now lets focus on the measurements and also the fact that we cant measure the internal fat around your organs which you are probably also reducing."

RE calories and diet - "ok lets keep an eye on what you are eating and try and make some more subtle changes. Lets get the diet coke to one a week and replace it with something else like jasmine tea or ice tea with lemon if you need some caffeine. lets think about replacing the bread with wholemeal or nutty grain breads instead and also reduce the amount of it. Maybe two sandwiches a week instead of one every day for lunch. Small changes you can keep up are more likely to be sustainable."

My point is - it sounds to me like you are doing all the right things and you should be very pleased with the 1.5% reduction on your BMI as that is GREAT!

Have a chat with your trainer and if she isn't receptive to being more encouraging change to a new one!

You are doing amazingly well - just keep swimming!
and message me any time you like!

The quality of "personal trainers" varies greatly.

You need to find a way to talk with her about your diet, and that you don't have a desire to be a "clean eater." If she can't accept that and you can't handle her going on about it, then you need to find another trainer. Also, don't be under your calories, meet your goal - but make sure you are logging accurately (using a scale for solids, not measuring cups and spoons).

At the gym I go to, there's this one guy who's a "personal trainer" and he told me I shouldn't bench press because it can cause breast cancer in women. I told him to show me the science and then I'll reconsider bench pressing.

At the end of the day, you need to make your own decisions. "Personal trainer" is not something that requires any sort of certification to tell the public that they all have the same base level of knowledge.

Regarding the weight loss...I've started at over 200 after my 2nd and 3rd babies, and started out with a PT (as well as doing other exercise) and my weight loss has been slow to begin with, like 2lbs in a month of eating at a deficit and exercising hard. But I lose inches, lots of them, so make sure your PT is taking measurements. I went on to lose 66lbs after my 2nd baby, and I've lost over 30 after my third, so it does go eventually.

My PT always tells me not to obsess over the scale, and now I rarely weigh myself. I know I've lost weight from how my clothes fit and the fact that I keep getting loads of compliments about it.

Trainers aren't usually qualified nutritionists and just want to push their way of eating onto their clients. I think a lot of us feel our way of eating is the best if it works for us. My old PT (I didn't fire him, he moved away lol) told me off for eating a small chocolate bar once, and for eating sugar free jelly (jello). I just smiled and nodded and still ate what I thought was best, got fitter, and lost weight. Yes soda isn't the best thing to drink, but if it fits into your diet, then fine. Everything in moderation.

I've found I just don't bother asking my PT to check my food diary. Maybe if I weren't happy with my weight loss then I might ask, and then I'd be willing to take advice, but I think my diet is fine. My PT's job is to train me and get me fitter.

My trainer sent me nutrition sheets and when I didn't like some of the foods gave me more ideas. Its about what suits you best. There are so many factors with how quick you can lose weight and get toned at the same time. It is hard to change eating habits and I look upon mine as a change of lifestyle and not a diet anymore. I think those days of scoffing cakes, chocolate and crisps are long gone. From reading above, the advice is to speak to your trainer about the lack of motivation she is giving you. Failing that, ask around and try another one. Good luck.

NicoleLohse wrote: »

Thank you everyone for the advice and encouragement! I talked to her a little bit about it this morning and she's going to lay off a bit. And I just need to be content and understand weight loss takes time!! Thank you all

To be honest, she should lay off totally, not a bit.

She should not being trying to force her preference for eating 'clean' on you, and in fact, she should really not be advising you what you should and should not eat at all. Even if she should be, she is going about it in a pretty bad way in any event.

Regarding your weight fluctuation, when did you start exercising, and if a different time, when did you start doing some resistance training?

Your relationshop with your PT is like any other relationship. It takes a bit to find the right match. When I went back to the gym last year my first trainer was WAYtoo rah-rah for me. He might have been effective but if he tried to high five me one more time I was going to have to hurt him. Next guy was very nice but he completely ignored my #1 requirement. I wanted to do weights. After 3 sessions with no weights it was time to part ways. Third time was absolutely the charm. He kicks my butt 3 times a week. We talk about nutrition but only in regards to my protein and carb intake and only because I was getting light headed during sessions. He asked what I eat and made recomendations but no judgements. We also compromise. I HATE lunges. I have no sense of balance and falling on your butt does not build muscle or burn fat so I told him I would do anything else he came up with but no lunges. It's now his personal mission to come up with crazy substitutes. We work hard, communicate well, and laugh alot. Finding the right match makes all the differmce in the world.

And I also stalled in my weight loss. I stalled at 218 for about 3 weeks. The fact that you know muscle weighs more than fat and the fact that you can lift more weight or do more reps means nothing when that stupid number on that scale won't move. Just keep working. That day will come where you burn more fat than you build muscle and whatever that new number is, it'll mean everything and will kick your motivation to the next level. I had a crazy 9lb drop when I got on the scale today. I might even consent to lunges now.

Bottom line is, if you dread your trainer more than the workout, get a new trainer. Her job is to help you, not pass judgement on you.