7 Things Your Personal Trainer Doesn't Tell You

Personal trainers are professionals in their field — in the field of health and fitness. And like any professional, when you spend enough time in the field, you see themes arise and learn the intricacies that go with being in the trenches day in and day out. Due to the nature of personal training, the relationship between trainer and client can become quite personal. But that doesn’t mean they’re going to tell you everything. Here’s what they won’t tell you.

When I first started, and even to this day to a certain extent, I was very hesitant to tell people anything that might make them feel bad. I wanted them to feel comfortable and good about themselves. Almost out of a personal need, I developed a very supportive coaching style. While this was fundamental in developing a reputation as a “good” coach, it sometimes came at the expense of getting consistent results.

"[Personal trainers] want to help you become a better version of who you are today. And with this comes a hesitancy to tell you everything, especially if it might make you feel bad."

Many personal trainers get into fitness because they like health and fitness. And if they’re a good trainer, they actually want to help people as well. There’s a real sense of service in the health and fitness industry, and as a result, personal trainers often put themselves last. Many work long and irregular hours for a low hourly rate. And because of this service-to-you mentality, they won’t always tell you what needs to be said.

7 Things Your Personal Trainer Doesn’t Tell You

1. It’s going to take longer than you first think
   When you first start out on a journey, you will have a perception of how long it will take until you arrive at your destination. For most people it’s twice as long as they first anticipated. Think about a time when you worked towards something. Did you achieve it in the timeframe you first thought?
2. They don’t know everything
   I think I know a lot but I certainly don’t know everything. If someone thinks they do, beware! There is always new research coming out and better ways of doing things. Even the training styles used 10 years ago are different in some aspects to today. Hearing your personal trainer say that they are going to consult with colleagues on a challenge you’re having should inspire faith, not diminish it.
3. Those dramatic weight loss result “in just 1 month” are unrealistic
   We’ve all seen them. The Biggest Loser is a prime example. People who are morbidly obese, or even just overweight, who lose a drastic amount of weight in next-to-no-time. The recommended average of weight loss per week is 0.5kg to 1kg. You can lose 1.5kg safely and even 2kg once or twice a week across your journey, but anything more and you’re majorly increasing the chances of putting it all back on again. One of the reasons being that the nervous system simply can’t keep up with that speed of change.
4. Network marketing supplements are a scam
   I’ve kept quiet about companies like Isagenix and Herbalife for a long time, but no more. People do lose heaps of weight. That’s because they’re eating much less than they did before, and in many situations, have started exercising. No big revelation there. But if it gets them to where they want to be, great. Or is it? Well, no, not really. Because it’s simply not sustainable. And as the point above uses to, the body has changed but not the mindset. You cannot create sustainable lifestyle change without changing the core components of mindset.
5. They eat unhealthy foods sometimes
   Personal trainers are human like everyone else. We get tempted by all sorts of treats, sweets and fried foods. Yes, there are the odd personal trainers out there who DO NOT eat anything unhealthy. But tell me… do you really want to live like that? Is that what you’re aspiring to? If so, that’s great. But most people aren’t striving for this level of health. We all enjoy unhealthy foods every now and then. But if you get used to eating clean and wholesome food, you won’t want that other crap very often. And if you do, you’ll get a sturdy reminder as to why you don’t eat it not long after.
6. They drink alcohol
   I personally love alcohol.  I love my port, I enjoy a glass of vodka and I think Bailey’s is delicious. But I’m smart about how and when I drink it. I can feel the fat accumulating around my waistline when I drink Bailey’s so I only have it on very special occasions. I drink port a bit more often but still on special occasions. And vodka is my go to drink of an evening or weekend. But I’ll drink it with soda water and a squeeze of fresh lime, or a tiny bit of lemon, lime and bitters poured on top. This keeps the calories down and my sugar intake exceptionally low.
7. Yes, they heard it
   When you start moving and exercising, the body responds. As is the nature of exercise, the body gets into some unique positions. And with these positions comes bending, flexing and compressing. This can lead to pressure in certain parts of the body that cause a release of that pressure. Yes, we all heard it. We’re all just pretending we didn’t. Don’t try and hide it. Just laugh, because it is kind of funny, and enjoy it. We all do it. And chances are, it’ll happen to all of us at one point.

Personal trainers are in a service industry. They want to help you become a better version of who you are today. And with this comes a hesitancy to tell you everything, especially if it might make you feel bad. But there are some things that your personal trainer won’t tell you. Work on having an exceptional rapport with your personal trainer and ask them what it is they haven’t yet told you.

What would you want to know from your personal trainer?

[Image source: SAGE]