Operation: get healthy!

I met with a personal trainer today.  I have had a few (relatively minor) health issues in the last few months, and combined with my lack of self control for the past 10 months, I knew I needed help.

I reached out on a website called Thumbtack (which is great--you can put out a request for things like personal training, piano lessons, etc. and people providing those services can send you quotes and information about themselves so that you can make an informed decision).

This very nice lady reached out, and what I was most impressed with was not just her reviews, but she also had website built around her services (other people just linked an Instagram profile or had nothing as far as background information about themselves).

When I met with her last week at a coffee shop, I will admit: I was so nervous.  Mostly I was embarrassed that I (an athlete!) felt as out-of-control of both my body and my mind as I did.  (This feeling is magnified by the fact that I am currently on Prednisone.  Who else has experienced the uncontrollable hunger that comes with this?!  I don't think I can say "UGH!" loud or often enough!)

Well, long story short: I loved her positivity and outlook, and decided to continue working with her.

So today was my first training session.  We worked out at the small fitness center in my apartment complex.  And it was so much better than I expected!

Which of course begs the question: what did I expect in the first place? 

Well, I guess I expected to have a drill sergeant of sorts.  Someone who stares at me from the other side of the treadmill and barks orders.  Tells me that I'm not running fast enough or trying hard enough.  Basically, a lot of negativity, highlighting everything WRONG and nothing RIGHT.  To be fair to my trainer, nothing about my expectation was because of any precedent she set.  It was from watching OTHER trainers at gyms, and it is the reason that I did not take this challenge on sooner.

My experience was very much the opposite.  In fact, in our warm up she told me to SLOW DOWN!  She emphasized form and function over speed and ego.  She hopped on the treadmill next to me to show me exactly what to do, and made sure to correct me if she fell out of form. 

When we did push ups and ab exercises, we only did one (yes, literally ONE) of each exercise.  And she told me that tomorrow I will do two of each, the next day three, etc. The thought of trying to finish 10 push ups?!  Daunting.  But two?  I can do that. 

She broke everything down to make it so...so...accessible.  And it is exactly what I needed.

I needed someone to tell me that my starting point is just a starting point--that it gets better from here.  I needed to hear that a session at the gym shouldn't be EXHAUSTING (otherwise why would you come back?!).  That one push up and one abdominal crunch at a time will lead to progress. 

I guess, at the end of today, I needed someone to make me feel like I could do this.

So, I left our session feeling proud of myself for completing my first training session with a good attitude, and excited for next week.

If you are debating hiring a trainer to help coach you or push you, I say DO IT!  Find a few people in your area, and interview them.  If you don't like them, remember that you are in no way obligated to work with them.  This is your life and your health, after all.

I hope that you are able to relate to my struggle, and maybe this gave you the extra little push to go make a change for yourself!

Just remember YOU CAN DO IT!

See you next time,
xoxo