First Meeting With a Trainer....

Holy crap, that's discouraging.

Ditch this guy... he's feeding you a load of B.S. and making you feel like crap in the process - he does not deserve his title!

I personally disagreed to some extent with just about everything on that list... And you've lost weight, too... so it's not like you haven't figured out what works and what doesn't. Jeez... some of those things sound ridiculous.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. :flowerforyou: Don't let him get to you. You've done a great job so far!

It does seem that some trainers are full of themselves and think they know everything when they really don't. They don't care about your body and what has worked for you in the past. Only what they think they know.

In my opinion I think you should talk to the management at the gym about this guy. Maybe they don't know what he is telling their clients.

Keep going to your gym and doing what you know has worked for you so far. If you see another trainer that you think you can work with as to work with them. It might take a couple of tries to find the right trainer (someone who will listen to you).

If that is not how you lose weight, I don't know what has happened to 40 lbs. I have been doing it all wrong. Your trainer was probably young and as you said ALMOST certified. He may have been intimidated by you using MFP as a tool when he felt it should be all about him.

You have already lost weight, so you know what you are doing and it obviously works for you.

I have been watching the trainers at my gym and I have one picked out for when I have lost more weight and need to get a more intense workout. There are quite a few whose style will not work for me.

Go for another trainer and forget what that bozo told you

A. While we know this is false. It would be great for our bodies if we ate good all the time. I had 1 cookie yesterday after a very hard workout and still lost a pound.

B This could depend on when you work out and how many carbs you eat

C I disagree so much here. With the goal being losing weight I do cardio first. When I get the weight off and my goal changes to strengh building I will work out first.

D Those full body workouts are great. These machines can serve as a good cardio workout also

E I user the site as a guide. Some days eating my cals other days keeping it low.

F I think every meal should have some protien, GOOD fat and carbs

G not his plan, Look for a new trainer

H see A

I This is BS I feel I have already changed and its only been since Jan

J Look around this site and alot of users are losing weight and getting in better shape

K While he was kinda right but did not say it very well. Plateaus are caused by peoples bodies adjusting to what they have been doing so when this happens you have to change, this may be eating more for a day or two (not going and eating stupid just more) or it may be having a couple of kick *kitten* workouts.


Find a different trainer or do it yourself. When looking for a trainer do more research and find one that will work for you.

Hmm maybe I'm a hard butt...but I kind of agree with the trainer in most of what he said or his opinions on some things....I think he is uneducated in some areas and not experienced enough to dish out nutriional info..however his approach to excercise and the reality of being fit and healthy I tend to agree with...I think perhaps he could have phrased himself differently but again this is your interpretation of what he said...when I read what you perceived ...I see a hard no nonesense trainer leaving little room for excuses .....every trainer has his or her way of doin things if you are into more of a softer approach I would try a different person. I take what a trainer says just like I take this site with a grain of salt ...it may or may not work for me to follow what they say 100% but Im sure you could tweak things to your liking........I would be interested to know how your next session goes with a different trainer if you decide to do it.

Actually, I agree with myastyme completely. I'm sorry you had a bad experience with this guy and his making you feel poorly about yourself is more than ample reason to never work with him. However, what he says isn't completely nuts. I think he would have been better to include explanations and caveats for what he said because there are those, but, on the whole, he's not completely irrational in his approach.

So I'll go through what he said step by step and explain at least one rationale behind what he said. I'd hate for any good information he provided to get completely dismissed because of the way he provided it or simply because it seems radical.

A. I definitely think he over-stated that one bad meal ruins an entire week's worth of exercise. However, if a person is looking at fitness for its health benefits more than just for its weight loss benefits, then it kind of makes sense. Why would a person spend hours taking care of their body and then poor pure crap into it? I look at it this way. Would I wash the car for five hours so that I could intentionally drive through mud for ten seconds? No. So why would I work on my health through exercise for five hours a week and then, in 5 minutes, fill my body with horrible stuff?

B & F. This whole carbs thing really irritates me, I'll be honest. And, again, I think this guy has seriously over-stated the situation. However, there actually is a reason why carbs shouldn't be eaten late in the day, and that is because it prohibits the release of human growth hormone during sleep which, among other things, is very important for losing weight. While I think he puts the cut-off for eating carbs WAY too early, there is a valid reason for his recommendation regarding carbs.

C. Cardio vs strength....which comes first has LONG been a debate in the fitness world. And people certainly take corners when it comes down to it. It all boils down to the different energy sources the body uses for the varying exercises. Suffice it to say that if you are looking at strength training as a way of increasing muscle, the guy's got it right. In fact, many would argue that you should never do cardio and strength training on the same day if you are trying to actually build muscle. He should have broken that down because it isn't a hard-and-fast rule since people have a variety of reasons for doing strength training, but if you are trying to get actual strength benefits by building muscle out of strength training, then everything I've read says he's right. And, yes, I've been putting cardio before strength for years and will still depending on what I'm trying to do.

D. I'm actually really surprised about what he said about exercise machines. But I can see where he may be coming from because things like step aerobics and kickboxing work the entire body AND involve more variety. I don't think they are necessarily better if a person is using a variety of machines or varying their routine on the machines. But many people don't do that (and that's what he should have said). So if a person is going to walk at 2.5 miles an hour for 45 minutes every.single.day on the treadmill, then, yes, exercise classes are going to be a WHOLE lot better. But, again, he should have specified that instead of making a blanket statement.

E. Controversial subject on this site, but the guy is right about exercise calories. I hate to say it and people here are going to argue against it, but in my ten years on fitness sites and reading as much as I can on diet and nutrition, I can honestly say that MFP is the ONLY place that I've seen that has ever recommended the specific consumption of exercise calories. Now, I don't think that's a bad thing and it obviously works for some people. Why I don't think it is bad is because it provides a very tangible (being able to eat) reward (for lack of a better word) for exercise, giving exercise a very positive image in the minds of those doing it. So I think it positively reinforces exercise, which is good, because exercise is very important for not only losing weight but for being able to keep weight off after the weight is lost. And, the great thing about that, is if a sufficient enough calorie deficit can be created while people are eating exercise calories, it is a win-win situation because people are losing weight. However, everything I've read on the subject indicates that starvation mode isn't nearly as easy to fall into as many believe, and that, except for those who are 20 or so pounds or less overweight, people can safely create more significant calorie deficits, including through the use of exercise. Some (many) may not WANT to because of how they feel (and I think that's one of the reasons so many doctors recommend 1-2 pound weight loss per week....because it is reasonable), but that doesn't mean that is the ONLY way.

G. There is a science to fitness (believe it or not). Again, if a person is looking at fitness as a way of losing weight only, maybe that is irrelevant. But there really is a science behind maximizing fitness benefits (especially when it comes to strength training), so I can't fault the guy--if this is how he is looking at it--for saying that working with a trainer is beneficial.

H. He's right about the healthy eating part. You can workout forever and be 100 pounds, but if you eat crap, you aren't getting the full benefits of either the workout or the health benefits of being at a lower weight. Health isn't just about the cosmetics of weight. It is about what is going on inside the body as well. And while somebody who is obese is more prone to things like heart disease than somebody who is thin, somebody who is thin isn't immune to it by a long shot. What people put into their bodies really does matter, no matter how they look on the outside.

I. I'm in the process of changing my lifestyle, and I estimate it will take me somewhere over a year to get everything into place so I can't argue with what this guy said. This is something, in my opinion, that SHOULD be worked on slowly. I have made a promise to myself that every change I make will be a permanent change. And so I'm taking it slowly and making sure I can live--for the rest of my life--with the changes I've made. That takes time. For those only interested in losing the pounds they have in excess and then going back to a similar lifestyle they enjoyed before, that probably doesn't make sense. But to actually change habits, it takes awhile to find new habits that a person can live with comfortably for a long time. It goes beyond thinking 'Okay, while I lose weight, when we go out to eat I'll order a salad' and goes into 'I'm no longer eating out at all because I can't control what is going into my food or how it is prepared, and that is more important to me than a night out with the family'. And, for some, that takes more time to adjust to.

J. I totally agree with him about tracking healthy eating. If I had a dollar for everytime I've read 'I ate some ice cream last night because it fit into my calorie allowance', I would be wealthier than I was before I joined MFP. It cannot be emphasized enough the importance of healthy eating, and if a person is looking for overall health, then just looking at the bottom line (how many calories I consumed and whether that brownie fits in or not) just isn't the best way of tracking health.

K. I do think there are plateaus, but I don't think they are as common as many believe. I think those most prone to plateaus are those with fewer pounds to lose who may not be exercising the right way or eating the right way to lose the last pounds. The body wants those pounds, and it is difficult to convince the body to get rid of them. I also think there are plateaus caused by hormone issues (like thyroid), and I don't dismiss those at all. But I would argue that good portion of plateaus are actually as he has described. I listen to Jillian Michael's radio show every now and again, and this is one of those issues that comes up alot. And she is good about going through everything that people who are experiencing plateaus are doing--work outs, nutrition, etc. And 9 times out of 10, when it gets to nutrition, she gets the 'Well, I'm good most of the time...' answer, which, when she digs deeper, ends up being that people aren't really being militant about their diet anymore. It could boil down to WHAT they are eating instead of how much they are eating (more crap, less nutritious stuff), but it usually boils down to something with exercise or nutrition.

I know this is an incredibly long response, and, again, I think this guy should have provided more information than what he did and at least his rationale for what he said. But he isn't that far off the mark.

Being thin in our society is difficult. But being HEALTHY in our society is even more difficult. And it sounds to me like this guy is really in to being healthy more than into being thin. I can't fault him for that. It may not be the best approach for everybody (and if it isn't, they need to find another trainer), but that doesn't make it a ridiculous approach.

Again, I'm sorry you had a bad experience with him. I definitely hope he learns to better express himself with people because, no doubt, he over-stated things and only illustrated one side of his argument. But that doesn't mean his one side is totally without merit.

I said my piece on the "almost certified" trainer. :noway:

I just wanted to comment on one part of another response:

Stiring Wendel said: "It goes beyond thinking 'Okay, while I lose weight, when we go out to eat I'll order a salad' and goes into 'I'm no longer eating out at all because I can't control what is going into my food or how it is prepared, and that is more important to me than a night out with the family'.

Really? No restaurants ever again?:huh:

I would prefer to stay fat and unhealthy if it means I have to forego every night out with my family forever. I can and do count my calories, while enjoying occasional outings to restaurants. Sometimes I am estimating, because the restaurants don't give up their calorie info. But in the end, I'm not gonna give up my social time with my family completely in favor of rigid calorie control. That price is too high. And it is not (IMHO) a balanced or realistic way to look at lifestyle change. (again, as always, IMHO)

This is an interesting thread.
While I do agree that there are definite good points to what the trainer said, it is the 'my way or the highway' attitude that doesn't sit right with me. You are trying to adopt a new lifestyle, and it needs to be one that is realistic and that you feel comfortable adopting forever and not just the next XX months.
Instead of explaining to you why they have learned that certain aspects of weight loss and exercise get better results than others, they have just laid down the law. Changing your entire life involves some flexibility and you obviously won't be getting it from them.
I was really put off by the implication that you can never again eat out or enjoy yourself or maybe have a glass of wine now and then or you're going to be a complete failure. I also got the impression that they are trying to up-sell you to continue working with them indefinitely because that is the only way you can ever succeed. If you look at all the success stories on this website, many of which were achieved without having to pay a personal trainer, you will see that people can do it without investing hundreds of dollars on a trainer. I think your mention of a site like this might put them on the defensive because it cuts down on their business.
If I were made to feel the way you were, I would definitely find another trainer to work with. How you feel about who you work with will play a huge role in how motivated you are to follow their instructions.
I would really hate to be this persons partner.

This is an interesting thread.
While I do agree that there are definite good points to what the trainer said, it is the 'my way or the highway' attitude that doesn't sit right with me. You are trying to adopt a new lifestyle, and it needs to be one that is realistic and that you feel comfortable adopting forever and not just the next XX months.
Instead of explaining to you why they have learned that certain aspects of weight loss and exercise get better results than others, they have just laid down the law. Changing your entire life involves some flexibility and you obviously won't be getting it from them.
I was really put off by the implication that you can never again eat out or enjoy yourself or maybe have a glass of wine now and then or you're going to be a complete failure. I also got the impression that they are trying to up-sell you to continue working with them indefinitely because that is the only way you can ever succeed. If you look at all the success stories on this website, many of which were achieved without having to pay a personal trainer, you will see that people can do it without investing hundreds of dollars on a trainer. I think your mention of a site like this might put them on the defensive because it cuts down on their business.
If I were made to feel the way you were, I would definitely find another trainer to work with. How you feel about who you work with will play a huge role in how motivated you are to follow their instructions.
I would really hate to be this persons partner.

Yeah, my first thought was someone ought to tell Tamtastic she needs to make some changes!.......:laugh: :laugh: (135 lbs in little over a year!!)

i Molson Girl's post. SO exactly how I feel.

DITTO!