Unsolicited Advice

tracielinn
tracielinn Posts: 113 Member
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
Yesterday was my leg day. I typically switch up my workouts so that my body doesn't get used to the same thing on that given day. Yesterday I was working on my superset of lunges and deadlifts when a member of the gym approached me:

Him: Can I ask you a question?
Me: (annoyed because he caught me in the middle of my lunges) Sure
Him: It seems that you are doing alot of extra stuff here. Are you in training for something? I know you are working with Janice. (my PT)
Me: Well, right now I'm working on reaching my inital goal weight. I have 25 more pounds to go and I'm trying to get down to 18% body fat.
Him: Are you going to be able to maintain that?
Me: I'm not sure, I've never been at that percentage before.
Him: I know that you are training with Janice, but my advice is that you want to be between 20 and 25% body fat. It's very hard to maintain anything below that. I tried maintaining at 15% but my body fat kept jumping up. It's very hard.
Me: Well, thanks for the advice, but this is what my goal is right now. I'll see what happens when I get there!

*proceeded to continue with my lunges*

Does anyone else get unsolicited advice at the gym? I found it very annoying that someone who KNOWS I'm working with a trainer/nutritionist and getting wonderful results (20 lbs lost and down almost 10% bf) would come over and try to change what I am doing.
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Replies

  • joybell32
    joybell32 Posts: 252 Member
    wow!!!
  • whatluckycat
    whatluckycat Posts: 52 Member
    Is it possible he just wanted to chat with you? Maybe he's been checking you out for a while.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    If he couldn't maintain 15% bodyfat, I wouldn't listen to him anyway.

    It's easy to get off track by listen to other people's advice, trying to copy other people, etc. Just stay focused and keep grinding.
  • jacquelynkay
    jacquelynkay Posts: 149 Member
    WOW...

    I don't go to the GYM but I would chaulk it up that he thought you were attractive and used that to talk with you :)
  • Mom_4_More_Muscles
    Mom_4_More_Muscles Posts: 46

    Me: Well, thanks for the advice, but this is what my goal is right now. I'll see what happens when I get there!

    *proceeded to continue with my lunges*
    :noway:

    I commend you for handling yourself with the utmost grace & dignity. :flowerforyou: I don't know that I couldn't been quite that graceful about it. I DO find that if I have my earbuds in, I tend to be left to my routine by myself. And your progress is FANTASTIC!! :bigsmile: Keep at it!!

    Have a TERRIFIC TUESDAY!!
  • ATLMel
    ATLMel Posts: 392 Member
    Worst. Come-on. Ever.

    my favorite unsolicited advice comes from my (often very overweight) Co-workers...You eat too many veggies! You should have some (nasty grocery store) cake for janice from accounting's nephew's birthday! Don't run, you'll ruin your knees! You better be careful with that weight lifting. Guys don't like bulky girls!....

    Sometimes you gotta laugh.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    I don't think they were trying to be mean or uppity or anything, I am sure they felt that was good advice, based on their own experience. Clearly you have the right idea, stick with the plan and see how it works for YOU. Just because they had a hard time maintaining doesn't mean much to anyone but them.
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
    If he couldn't maintain 15% bodyfat, I wouldn't listen to him anyway.

    That.

    It's so weird. I wanna be 10%ish or lower, and maintain at that.

    At 14 or 15 I'm fat.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    what the hell, that's weird.

    And I agree wiht the others - 15% for a guy is not PARTICULARLY low, so he doesn't know what the hell he is talking about.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    Noone has ever come up and said anything to me in the gym. I definitely don't throw myself out there looking for any conversation. Head phones are in and I don't usually make eye contact with anyone. Better be a good reason why I need to take my headphones off though :)
  • wisebadger53
    wisebadger53 Posts: 382 Member
    Is it possible he just wanted to chat with you? Maybe he's been checking you out for a while.
    ^Perhaps this...although not the smoothest approach I've ever seen. :laugh:
  • MelissaSosa2
    MelissaSosa2 Posts: 10 Member
    That's so annoying. I don't know why people feel as though they can just share their opinion without being asked for it. That is a huge pet peeve of mine. I would have been upset for sure, and probably not as nice. :-(
  • beckylawrence70
    beckylawrence70 Posts: 752 Member
    So glad I workout at home......:)
  • MarieAnneN
    MarieAnneN Posts: 205
    arghhh hate these situations but mostly hate the people that look themselves in the mirror and keep the machines busy for not working out. They are the same breed I think.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,162 Member
    really? and you heard what he said? i think his strategy failed lol
    I've thought of giving advice to people, but then i rather keep it to myself. And mostly for girls would be because i think they're hot or cute or both.
  • wahmx3
    wahmx3 Posts: 633 Member
    I always look at the positive side of things.... so a few possibilities, he likes you and wanted to chat although poor way to start, maybe he honestly thought he was helpful. I say, cut the guy some slack and see what happens in the coming days.
  • cgsr
    cgsr Posts: 113
    He can't manage 15% body fat and he's a personal trainer - um, I would warn his clients!
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 396 Member
    Wow, you handled that very well. I agree though, he made it obvious that he knows you're working with someone and you've been successful... I don't get why he would feel his negative contribution would be appreciated or listened to at all.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Ugh, that's really lame...he just wanted someone to relate to his misery of not being able to maintain!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Some clown gave me the advice that I'd lift better if I didn't scream profanities at the bottom of every bicep curl rep and 'get some' at the very top.
    people should mind their own business.
  • MelissaW1978
    MelissaW1978 Posts: 37 Member
    Yep, I think he was just looking for an excuse to talk to you. I would just try to take it as a compliment.
  • amyy902
    amyy902 Posts: 290 Member
    i dont. i dont do it either and im a PT. i mean i watch people and i see them working out wrong, and the PT in me wants to say your wasting your time because youre doing it wrong. but at the end of the day LEAVE PEOPLE ALONE TO WORK OUT.
  • Skeemer118
    Skeemer118 Posts: 397 Member
    It's like when a little boy likes you & he punches your arm on the playground to tell you so. :huh: He probably wanted to swarm you & impress you with his plethora of body fat knowledge.
  • gleechick609
    gleechick609 Posts: 544 Member
    Guuuuurrlllllllllll..... he was jelly and was probably trying to steer you away from your goals!! GET IT GIRL! Keep going!
  • reztib
    reztib Posts: 151 Member
    Never bought a gym membership but I wouldn't put too much stock in what he says. If it is working, great. He sounds like a pinhead.
  • galegetsthin
    galegetsthin Posts: 1,340 Member
    The way you handled it was superb! I imagine he was really trying to be helpful, and I get this from time to time and tell them that I will make sure to keep it in mind. ie: "I will definitely keep that in mind once I reach it if I find I cannot maintain, thanks for the advice!"...... Then they think they may have been helpful and you do what you want to do with the information.
  • aj_gettingfit
    aj_gettingfit Posts: 257
    I'd say that's pretty annoying. I'm not wondering if he was trying to talk to you and that is the only thing he could come up with. Weird.


    Sometimes - and even more so now that I switched gyms I want to ask people questions or ask if my form is right on a machine I've never used before but then I don't want to bother anyone while they are in their workout zone. I'm thankful that my friend is going to start working out with me so I can get comfortable with this gym since she's been there for a few years now.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    My old gym let a personal training buisness move in so they harass people working out trying to sell them super expensive personal training. The gym membership is $10 a month, but the personal trainers charge around $100+ a week. Idiots. I canceled my membership there. I was not going there for harassment.
  • JackieLM
    JackieLM Posts: 127 Member
    He can't manage 15% body fat and he's a personal trainer - um, I would warn his clients!

    he wasn't the PT... he was a random dude... she was saying she works with a PT. The guy that asked her the question wasn't the PT.

    Also, I think he was trying to find a way to talk to you. Obviously doesn't have skills in the "player" department. hahaha! Either that or he is one of those people that think that they know everything and just because he couldn't do it means that it makes it impossible for everyone else too.
  • Devonanne
    Devonanne Posts: 102 Member
    I was doing lat pulldowns at the gym and a guy came over and had the nerve to walk behind me, GRAB my hands and REPOSITION them on the bar, then tell me that if I do it this way I will get a better workout. I was so shocked and incredulous all I could do was stare at him, unbelieving. I hope he scraped his hand on my engagement ring...
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