Question re personal trainers

[Derf]

Okay, a while back I asked for advice about switching trainers. The one I was working with had me jump on upside down bosu and I ended up spraining my ankle. There were other issues in that she was frequently late and unprepared. I ended up switching to a guy who I'd observed train and who seemed really good. He is $20 more a session, but I decided to try it. I've been working with him for about 7 weeks and I find our workouts to be much more intense and productive. But, here's my issue with him: He has me write down everything I eat and drink. I've been doing this, but he is really on my case about my food choices. I try to be good during the week and I am trying to cut out white bread, pasta (except for whole wheat, etc), but am starting to get annoyed because he is SO hardcore. He has me drinking protein smoothies and basically would eliminate any type of sweets or candy. On Halloween I had one tiny box of Nerds and he circled it in my food journal with his red pen. I've had a lot of special occasions the last few weeks, birthdays, etc. and on Monday he asked me in an exasperated tone if my "special occasions" were almost over. Today I had a tuna melt, on sourdough (forgot to ask for wheat), sure I'm sure there will be h*ll to pay when I see him tonight. I guess my question is does this seem extreme or is this what is required to get in shape? By way of background, I am almost 33 years old, about 5'4 and weight 131 lbs. I really want to lose 10 lbs. In the last 16 months, my lowest weight was about 127 and max was 136. Tell me what you think. Thanks. Sorry this is so long.

[velogirl]

You could always lie to him in your food journal!!!

Seriously, you should address this with him. He probably thinks he's doing what you've hired him to do. Open and honest communication is key to developing a successful relationship with a trainer or coach. You need to be able to tell him that although weight loss is one of your goals, you feel he's being too stringent with you and the way he approaches nutrition makes you feel guilty and uncomfortable.

Just curious, but have you lost weight in the seven weeks you've been working with him?

[Derf]

You could always lie to him in your food journal!!!

Seriously, you should address this with him. He probably thinks he's doing what you've hired him to do. Open and honest communication is key to developing a successful relationship with a trainer or coach. You need to be able to tell him that although weight loss is one of your goals, you feel he's being too stringent with you and the way he approaches nutrition makes you feel guilty and uncomfortable.

Just curious, but have you lost weight in the seven weeks you've been working with him?

Thanks. I'm just avoiding the uncomfortable conversation. He has already told me that he lost a client because he was too strict and she told the club management that he was "scolding" her. I've lost 3.3 lbs. I'm also curious about these protein smoothies as my brother in law's girlfriend is a trainer in Northern Calif. and thinks it's too much protein.

[velogirl]

If you can't have an uncomfortable conversation with him, he's probably not the right trainer for you.

Not all trainers are qualified to give nutrition advice to their clients. Is he also an RD? Does he have a nutrition background? Deos he work primarily with weight lifters and body builders (notorious protein imbibers)? Does he work with other endurance athletes like you?

Without knowing you, I'm hesitant to give specific advice. However, not knowing your body composition, your height and weight seem to be in a very healthy range.

[Derf]

If you can't have an uncomfortable conversation with him, he's probably not the right trainer for you.

Not all trainers are qualified to give nutrition advice to their clients. Is he also an RD? Does he have a nutrition background? Deos he work primarily with weight lifters and body builders (notorious protein imbibers)? Does he work with other endurance athletes like you?

Without knowing you, I'm hesitant to give specific advice. However, not knowing your body composition, your height and weight seem to be in a very healthy range.

I've seen him work out with a wide range of people, including women my age and older men. This gym doesn't have very many hardcore body builders. I don't think he has a nutrition background (I will check that out) other than reading books, etc.

[LBTC]

I agree with Velogirl, that you are in a healthy range, and that talking to your trainer is the right approach.

Rather than confront him, try the compliment-first approach:

Maybe go through a little checklist of the things you really like about the training you're doing with him, and then work your way to the dislikes.

Make sure you talk about all of your goals, and emphasize that weight loss is only one of acheiving them.

It's important to look at goals and objectives the right way; goals are the way you want yourself to be, objectives are the methods of getting there, and the tasks are the things you do to accomplish the objectives.

My goals are to feel great, be fit, strong, fast and healthy, and to look great.

My objectives are to lose 10 pounds, drop 10 minutes off a regular road ride, increase my bench press weight by 10% and be able to do a plank for 90 seconds.

My tasks to get there are yoga every morning, walking to work 90% of the time, weight training 3 times per week, 2 rides per week, and eating healthy 80% of the time, and eating what I like (in small enough portions) 20% of the time.

Okay, well, if I did stick to my plan it would look something like this, and I'm really looking forward to getting over a health issue so I can.

My point is that weight and food intake are only part of the equation, and that the numbers are not really as important as how you feel!

You *can* have this conversation with your trainer and you'll be surprised how fruitfull it is!

Be happy in yourself and the world will be as amazed at your self-confidence as you are!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Derf]

Great advice from both of you! Many thanks.

[han-grrl]

Hi Derf

I am a personal trainer, and i do ask clients to keep a food diary. I am only as strict as the client wants me to be with them. Some ask me to really push and others just want gentle motivation.

That being said...you mentioned you wanted to lose 10 pounds. These are the HARDEST 10 to lose. You are already in your healthy BMI range (22.5) and to lose another 10 you would still be there (20.8) BUT these are the ones that take commitment and work. So that means cutting out sugar all together and being quite strict with eating. Not necessarily cutting calories but making sure that nothing "empty" comes in. ie only nutritious foods.

I was 129 pounds for 2 years. healthy BMI (23.6). I needed to lose some weight for mtb racing. I cut out all processed wheat including pasta. If its baked i make it myself (except bread). breads are actually organic spelt. Rice is brown (basmati or regular) and barley and millet. i eat lots of fruit and veggies, i eat breakfast every day and only whole foods...i am currently maintaining 117 pounds. like i said. it took commitment and work.

perhaps its a little frustrating to have a candy circled in red, but remember this is to gently remind you that if you REALLY want to lose those 10 pounds it means NO candy, and sticking to the food plan.

So although i agree on how strict he is being with you, i am much more of a "whole foods" type person. i don't believe in protein supplementation, you get PLENTY of protein from regular food. (plus if you look at the WHO behind the supplement companies you will notice they are usually marketing companies not any kind of HEALTH company, not to mention lots of the whey products are ehmmm waste products of milk processing, they just found something to do with it...)...

anyway this is just my stand on things, and i am sure if you told your PT "well this chick on TE said this and that, he would say he disagreed with me...fitness and nutrition is unfortunately a very gray area and you really have to interpret lots of info.

What is your educational background of your PT?

sorry its a little long...

Smile

Hannah

PS regarding nutrition and PT - my scope of practice is to make recommendations based on the food guide, which i do. if there is something specific that needs attention (for example one of my clients in her 50's can't have dairy, and doesn't do sardines so she needs a source of calcium. i sent her to a dietician for a recommendation on a good supplement and alternatives).

[Derf]

Hi Derf

I am a personal trainer, and i do ask clients to keep a food diary. I am only as strict as the client wants me to be with them. Some ask me to really push and others just want gentle motivation.

That being said...you mentioned you wanted to lose 10 pounds. These are the HARDEST 10 to lose. You are already in your healthy BMI range (22.5) and to lose another 10 you would still be there (20.8) BUT these are the ones that take commitment and work. So that means cutting out sugar all together and being quite strict with eating. Not necessarily cutting calories but making sure that nothing "empty" comes in. ie only nutritious foods.

I was 129 pounds for 2 years. healthy BMI (23.6). I needed to lose some weight for mtb racing. I cut out all processed wheat including pasta. If its baked i make it myself (except bread). breads are actually organic spelt. Rice is brown (basmati or regular) and barley and millet. i eat lots of fruit and veggies, i eat breakfast every day and only whole foods...i am currently maintaining 117 pounds. like i said. it took commitment and work.

perhaps its a little frustrating to have a candy circled in red, but remember this is to gently remind you that if you REALLY want to lose those 10 pounds it means NO candy, and sticking to the food plan.

So although i agree on how strict he is being with you, i am much more of a "whole foods" type person. i don't believe in protein supplementation, you get PLENTY of protein from regular food. (plus if you look at the WHO behind the supplement companies you will notice they are usually marketing companies not any kind of HEALTH company, not to mention lots of the whey products are ehmmm waste products of milk processing, they just found something to do with it...)...

anyway this is just my stand on things, and i am sure if you told your PT "well this chick on TE said this and that, he would say he disagreed with me...fitness and nutrition is unfortunately a very gray area and you really have to interpret lots of info.

What is your educational background of your PT?

sorry its a little long...

Smile

Hannah

PS regarding nutrition and PT - my scope of practice is to make recommendations based on the food guide, which i do. if there is something specific that needs attention (for example one of my clients in her 50's can't have dairy, and doesn't do sardines so she needs a source of calcium. i sent her to a dietician for a recommendation on a good supplement and alternatives).

He's getting a degree in geography and has some AA degree in something (but I don't think it's health/fitness related). Regarding these smoothies, he had me buy something called Super Food and I use that plus something else called Greens Plus.

[han-grrl]

So i hate to sound ehmmm, well like this...but what fitness related education DOES he have?

He's getting a degree in geography and has some AA degree in something (but I don't think it's health/fitness related). Regarding these smoothies, he had me buy something called Super Food and I use that plus something else called Greens Plus.

[Derf]

So i hate to sound ehmmm, well like this...but what fitness related education DOES he have?

The various trainers at this particular club all have different certifications. Whether they are the A level (higher price) or B level depends on these certs. He is A level, but I cannot for the life of me remember his certifications. I will look tonight when I'm at gym and jot them down (they have an area where everyone's pics and certs are posted).

[han-grrl]

about the supplements, and why he chose those...

many gyms get kickbacks for selling certain product lines...

[Derf]

about the supplements, and why he chose those...

many gyms get kickbacks for selling certain product lines...

Oh, I didn't buy through him. I got at Whole Foods. When he first recommended, he said the Greens Plus was cause he doesn't think I eat enough vegetables and he said the Super Food was because I needed extra protein for strength training. I also add a little flax seed oil to the smoothies.
Thanks for all the great advice btw!

[Offthegrid]

You've perhaps seen my post about my personal trainer, and I LOVE working with him. He's the perfect person to train me, and I really look forward to meeting with him. So I'm sorry that you don't have the same relationship with your trainer.

If you dread meeting with him, then that almost defeats the purpose ... but keep in mind that he's trying to help you the best he knows how.

Although my trainer does not require me to keep a food diary, I do. But I only report to him my calorie intake for the day, exercise, net calories, and percentage fat, carbs and protein along with the averages for the week.

He doesn't ask me to do this; I just do it because I know it's what I need to lose weight and stay accountable. (He said he wishes all his clients would do that.) This week he gently told me I can't have a 900 net calorie day and expect to perform well. And in the past, I'd go for a 2-hour bike ride and then eat 3,000 calories so I wouldn't lost weight.

He recommends I keep percentages of 60% carbs, 20% fat, 20% protein when the season starts. For now he says I can keep the carbs a bit lower -- 50 to 55% -- to spur the weight loss.

Unless you were consistently low on protein, I don't see the need for the protein shakes. IMHO, they are just an expensive waste of money when you could get the same thing by eating real food like turkey, tuna, salmon, chicken, etc.

[han-grrl]

Derf -

The supplement industry is not regulated, meaning they can pretty much put whatever they like on the label.

If you aren't eating enough veggies, the solution should be, eat more veggies, not replace them with powder.

extra protein is not necessary for muscle building. in fact for every extra pound of muscle, you really only need like a table spoon extra of protein. yep.

Anyway, i hope you are able to discuss matters with your trainer without him getting offended in any way.

Cheers

hannah