Tuesday morning rants. Bad trainers.

I don't know what bothers me more, bad trainers or the people that are willing to fork over so much money for that bad trainer. It is such a financial commitment to hire a personal trainer why in the world would you pay for a bad experience?! If your trainer texts the whole time during your session, they are NOT a good trainer. If your trainer makes you hurt beyond the point of normal soreness or injury, they are NOT a good trainer. If they stick you on a machine and make you count your own reps, they are NOT a good trainer. If they are juggling several one-on-one clients at the same time, they are NOT a good trainer (this blows my mind people pay full price for this). If you aren't seeing ANY results at all after at least 6 months, you might need to work on your diet, but you probably have a bad trainer as well. 

I very much believe in the benefit of having a coach(call me biased). Motivation, accountability, safety, and results are all great things to invest in. I just don't understand why people invest in a coach that doesn't give any of those things. Would you keep taking your car to the same mechanic if the same thing was always breaking? No, you would probably find a new mechanic. 

There are so many trainers and coaches out there you don't have to stay with the one you are currently with if you aren't satisfied. Trust me, you would be doing the industry a huge favor by supporting a good trainer and letting the bad trainer go. 

Here is a basic checklist to see if you are (have) a good trainer:

1. Trainer is certified and up to date on certifications and education. 

This is so very important. You are not a trainer if you are not educated. Stop calling yourself one. This is so dangerous (and stupid) for you and your client. Don't tell me you know how to workout so that means you are qualified. You're not.

2. Trainer is attentive and corrects form and makes the client feel like they are priority. 

When I see a client clear across the gym away from their trainer while the trainer is talking to someone else through their whole set of work, I scream. Out loud. This is not okay. Why in the hell would anyone pay for this?!?! Why?!?! Clients need to remember training is a 100% commission business. They have all the power when it comes to their trainer. 

3. Trainer has left all of their own problems at the door. 

Clients pay to work out their stress and improve their quality life. This has nothing to do with the trainer's personal life. Clients aren't there as the trainer's psychologist; trainers are there to be the client's psychologist and motivation. Clients don't care about trainer problems. They care that the trainer cares about their issues. And if you are a good trainer, you do genuinely care. 

4. Client's workout is personalized and not a one-size-fits-all. 

This also makes me scream, when a trainer makes up one exercise program for the day and uses it with every client. Every. Single. One. Yes please have your 240, severely deconditioned, new exerciser do the same workout as your young, high school athlete. Please do, tell me how that works. I'd love to know how long your new exerciser lasted. And no, yelling at them to do it or stay fat forever is not the solution. Sure having a core list of exercises to revolve around is great but it has to be personalized for the needs and injuries of every client. In today's world, pretty much every client is going to have an injury or pain of some kind (probably lower back pain). This is where education comes in handy (point number 1). 

This list is a very basic list of core values every trainer should have. I haven't even started into the deep stuff. This is all easy, no-brainer necessities. If your trainer doesn't have these, it is definitely time to find a new one. You'll be glad you did. 

When does accountability turn into dependency?

I'm always very open with my clients. I tell them my ultimate goal is to get them the results they both want and need. With this, though, comes a graduation day. There will hopefully be a day that my clients feel they have learned enough and are strong enough to take on their new found healthy lifestyle head on without my help. 

I had a client a couple of weeks ago ask me about this very thing. What was my plan a year from now? Well I've had this husband/wife as clients almost two years, they have been excellent clients. We've seen amazing results, total life changes, attitude changes. I answered her honestly and said something like 'well I hope a year from now we've hit all of our goals and you guys are ready to graduate.' She looked at me very confused and surprised. So I explained to her having clients dependent on me to keep healthy lifestyles isn't healthy. Just like kids, they don't stay in school forever. They learn all they can to get ready for the world and then they graduate. She said she understood and it made sense. 

The following week when I saw her again (it was just her training that day) she rebuttled my explanation. She said something along the lines of she understood my explanation and it made sense to her but what about accountability? Isn't part of my job just simply being there for them as motivation? Why does that have to have a graduation day? As long as she can afford it she loves having me there because I'm her drive to work the hardest she can and get the most out of her hour. 

My response. "Oh. Uh.... Yeah I see that." 

I didn't have a response more than that. 

So my question still stands from the title of this entry. When does accountability become dependency? Or does it ever? Are they separate or the exact same thing in different forms? What is the healthiest relationship between client and coach?

Sometimes it is just that simple.

Health is just as much mental as it is physical. Start with a change of perspective and it just might make a world of difference. 

The food industry is NOT your friend, no matter how nice they seem.

I will start this post with the exact same line: THE FOOD INDUSTRY IS NOT YOUR FRIEND, NO MATTER HOW NICE THEY SEEM. Every business is in the business of making money. Harsh reality but it is true. As much as I give away sessions and try to work with people so that everyone can get the results they want with the budget they have, if I'm not able to pay the bills at the end of the day I have to make changes. In the business of making food, this is doubly true regardless of their customers' health and/or well-being.

Fact #1: Every single food company pays a team just to research ways to make their food addictive. 

No matter the chemical, dye, additive, or preservative, a company will experiment with them all to figure out the combination to make their food taste the absolute best so that you as a consumer will come back and buy the product again. 

Fact #2: America has the most lax laws when it comes to your food.

The FDA is VERY accepting of almost any and all additives being put into food. There are A LOT of things that are put into food in this country that are outlawed in other countries. The list and reasons are shocking. I leave it up to you  to do a little research. I don't want to ruin the surprise. 

Fact #3: Companies will put WHATEVER they can on the label to make you think their product is healthy. 

Let's start with the 'Cholesterol Free' label on a box of crackers. Well let's hope those crackers are cholesterol free because that particular kind of sterol is only found in meat. Sterols are a steroid alcohol that work with fat-soluble vitamins and hormones. Plants have their own kind of sterols as well as fungi.

The next box you see that has the label 'Fat Free' will probably have a little asterisk next to it which will lead your eyes down to the bottom of the box where it clarifies in the tiniest print possibly readable by the human eye that it is considered fat free because it has less than so much fat per serving. Soooooooo there IS fat in that box of whatever? Neat.

The 'Organic' label doesn't mean that everything in that box or bag is organic. In order for the FDA to approve that label the product only has to be majority organic grown, the rest can be whatever they want it to be. What is majority you ask? FDA considers majority to be just 65%. And on this note, is organic really healthier for you? Eh, it just refers to the way it is grown. It's healthier for the earth, certainly. You decide whether the extra nickels are worth it. 

I don't say any of this to try and scare you away from food. Simply put, just slow down at the grocery store and really read what you are putting into your body. You don't have to study it like a textbook just be wary of the label in big bold bright text and pay more attention to the little text at the bottom of the box or the back of the box that has the real information. Look before you eat. 

What isn't working in the industry, and a little of what is.

Okay, so I've been saying this to people for a couple of years now and it is nice to see that FINALLY people are saying the same thing. Let's me know I'm not crazy. Completely. 

I read this fantastic article (of which I will post later either here or on my website, link in the sidebar) about why the fitness industry is failing. It isn't talking so much in a literal sense, exercise will never go away, it's how we stay healthy for a long time. How it is failing is it is only reaching out to a very small portion of the population. That is why we have such a ghastly obesity epidemic happening right here in the U.S. Obviously if it was working, we wouldn't have these issues. The problem isn't a lack of information. God knows there is SO MUCH STUFF out there to read and get confused and reread and change your opinion on exercises to start doing and stop doing and stop stretching before you workout do it after always include core work neutral spine knees behind toes eat a balanced diet make it colorful don't eat fat wait yes fat it is good for you eat good fats what are good fats omega-3s eat lots of protein women start working out like men stop lifting light and long hold on start doing it again it might still be good for you. STOP!!!!!! GASP GASP. You get my point. It's ridiculous how much conflicting information is out there. Will it ever not be that way? Seems hopeless right now but I cross my fingers that we as Fitness Professionals can one day come together and agree on a way to safely and effectively train our clients to get the best results. All we are doing is confusing the majority and scaring them away. 

Unfit people are intimidated walking into a building full of fit people. We take our self image very personally, as we should. That's why I cringe every time I see someone post a picture of themselves online of them flexing in the mirror shirtless while holding up their plate of bland chicken and four pieces of broccoli with a ridiculously dark tan making a kissy face with their shades on. Not only is it super douchey, it is scaring away potential customers to the gym. Yes, you if you are doing that, are helping the downfall of the fitness industry. Get offended, I don't mind. Hitting a nerve means I know that you know I might be on to something. I'm not saying don't be proud of your hard work. But stop showing it off to the general public, please, for the sake of the future of our jobs. 

My solution to these problems? I don't know yet. I'm working very hard at it though. I am always working on new ways to reach the people that REALLY need the change in their body to see a bright and healthy future. Just read very carefully, go with your good judgement. If it feels right, it probably is. We humans have a neat sense of right and wrong if we choose to use it. Hopefully change is coming. We need it desperately. 

Truth, listen well.

There is a difference between innovations and trends, especially in this industry. It is good advice to learn the difference between the two if you expect to be in this field for a long time. Innovations put you at the top of your competition and show you aren't afraid of change and embracing new theories. Trends make you popular for a minute and then you get left behind and forgotten about. Which would you rather be?

Don't fear the bad food, just moderate.

Let's be honest for the next few minutes. When is the last time you ingested something that wasn't 'good for you'? It's probably more recent than you'd like to admit. Guess what? It's okay. You haven't failed your plans for a healthier lifestyle. I feel pretty strongly when I say everyone at some point eats food that isn't considered part of a healthy diet. I love the way healthy food makes me feel and I love exercise and treating my body kindly but on the weekend if I want to have a beer and a burger I will most definitely partake, with much glee, in a beer and a burger. The key is moderation. Earn it, eat it, and don't feel bad for it. Health is just as much physical as it is psychological. Bad feelings towards eating something that you feel you shouldn't have just brings you down. Just keep moving, keep sweating, and don't fret over a slice of pizza (or two). It won't ruin all of your hard work.

If you want another vote of confidence look at the diet of a professional wrestler on his cheat day. Look it up, I dare you. You'll be amazed.