Soul Connection

One of my goals for 2020 is to de-stress.  While I'm not sure about how exactly one measures the stress or lack thereof in their life, I do have a relatively solid plan.  Or at least I think it's solid.

First, let's talk about the soul to cell connection, wherein your mind and body are connected at a cellular level.

It's Science

Believe it or not, there is a science to it this connection (*sources below).  I will try to keep it basic.

Everyone produces a hormone called "Cortisol" which is best known as the stress hormone.  It is crucial to many body systems, including mood, sleep, blood pressure and blood sugar regulation, as well as your body's use of macro-nutrients (protein, fat and carbs).  When your body is on high alert, cortisol may shut down functions that may interfere, such as digestive, reproductive and immune systems.   Have you ever noticed that when you are stressed you are more likely to get sick, gain weight, and even have out of wack periods?

Too much cortisol wrecks havoc on us.   Prolonged stress causes your cortisol levels to be unmanageable, interfering with your body's ability to function.    Scientists have found that too much stress causes damage to our telomeres, the protective casing at the end of DNA strands.  This impairs the body's ability to fight infection and disease.   Further studies have shown that the effect of stress on our DNA can actually be passed onto future generations.  Let me repeat that.  Stress affects our DNA, which can be genetically passed onto our unborn children.  It's passed onto our children...AND even our grandchildren. 

So What To Do About It?

Learning how to handle and deal with stress is probably one of the most daunting things I have had to personally address.  To say that I have it figured out would be a lie.  I am on a journey to addressing it, and I hope to share with you some of the things that have benefited me.

Exercise

If you've been following me, you would be surprised if I didn't say "Exercise helps to reduce stress."  Exercise helps your body to feel better.  It also reduces fatigue, as well as improves mental acuity.  Exercise helps your body to produce endorphins, which improves your ability to sleep and manage stress.  That said, knowing it helps doesn't necessarily mean you will do it.

So, if you don't exercise regularly, start.  Start small and easy.  Start by walking.  Yes, walking.  Don't count the walking you do at your job as your exercise.  That's work.  Take a walk in the neighborhood, or try 30 minutes on a treadmill.  If 30 minutes seems too long, try 10 minutes three times per day.   It's still 30 minutes.  Try yoga.  I swear by yoga.  I really relaxes me and is good for your joints.  (Yoga With Adriene was recommended to me.   She has a variety of yoga options to try.)

It's been a long time since I took a locker room selfie!

 Be careful!  The addage less is more and more is less is true here.  If you overdo cardio, especially at first, you will not see the results you want.  Not only do you run the risk of burning out and not exercising at all, but too much aerobic exercise at one time causes an increase in your production of cortisol (the stress hormone we are trying to reduce).

Meditation

Yep, I said it.  The "M" word.  Meditation is definitely the new buzz word all about town.   Doctors, therapists and personal trainers tell you to do it.  What is it and why all the fuss about it?

In short, meditation is a practice of centering your mind and eliminating the distractions from your  mind.   Typically, meditation focuses on your breath.   We spend our lives running around, focusing on every detail.  Constantly inundated with one thing after another, our brains are forced to make sense of the chaos.  Meditation helps to quiet your mind.

When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Psalm 94:19

When I first started meditation, it was at the encouragement of my doctor because I was not sleeping.  I could fall asleep, but I couldn't stay asleep.  I was waking up at 2:00 a.m., unable to turn the wheels of my brain off.   In addition to cleaning up my sleep habits (e.g.: going to bed at the same time every night, not looking at the clock when I wake up), he recommended a couple of different sleep apps.  

These are the ones I tried:

Meditation Studio is a skill you can enable in Amazon's Alexa.  There are two different sleep meditations that I found helpful to fall asleep at bedtime, but too disruptive to fall back to sleep at 2:000 a.m.

Sleep Sounds is another skill you can enable in Amazon Alexa.  That was useful in both falling asleep and falling back to sleep.  There's no talking with this one, so it was really only the calming sound that lulls you to sleep.

Calm is a meditation app that is available for a free trial.  It provides a unique 10-minute meditation every day, It also has sleep stories you can listen to, in order to lull yourself to sleep.   It's very relaxing, but I wasn't keen on spending money on it after the trial ended.

Relax Melodies was the winner.   You can download this app and use several features for free, with a pay option to add more to your experience.  At first, we used it as an enhancement from the Sleep Sounds from Alexa.  It is available wherever your phone is (meaning even when you travel).  After using the app for a while and actually preferring it over the Sleep Sounds, I discovered there are Meditations, Sleep Stories and "Sleep Moves" included as well.   I tried the meditations included with the free portion of the app and fell in love.  Because my biggest problem with sleep was waking in the middle of the night, I simply moved to the couch, played the meditation and fell back to sleep.  It was magic.  Just about every time.  I started using the meditations when I went to bed and found my sleep was interrupted less frequently.  I was actually sleeping until 4 or 5 a.m. without having to get up.   Once my brain adjusted to the free meditations, I realized I was worth the $5 per month cost of using the full app.  

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  

Matthew 11:28 - 30

My princess and sleep companion (until Brian goes to bed)

Meditation is more than just for sleep

My new job brought high levels of stress.   I learn new things every day.  I am on my feet all day, working longer hours than ever before.   I am mentally fatigued beyond comparison.   I am totally out of my comfort zone.   I am mentally and physically exhausted.   Every day.

I love to workout, but I am finding on my way home from work, my body shuts down.  By the time I drive to the gym, I want to collapse.  I have no energy to function.  I just keep driving.  Home.  Where I crash.

I lost the endorphin rush of working out.  I wasn't benefiting from the one thing I knew helped me cope.   I tried working out early in the morning once - twice per week.  That worked until it got cold out.  It's awfully hard to get out of bed in the morning and get to the gym.  But I do my best to make sure I get in at least 4 workouts per week.

That said, one day I was driving to work and I felt completely overwhelmed.  I realized that the practice I used for helping me to sleep could be used to help me deal with the stress of work.  But obviously, I couldn't close my eyes and focus on my breathing while I was driving.  So I began my own practice of meditation.  This time, I turned it into a time of worship and prayer, with a closing of  quiet meditation.  No prescription, no external voice telling me to breathe, just time with my Lord.

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  

Joshua 1:9

I play these two songs:  Lord I Need You by Matt Maher and Tremble by Mosaic, followed by listening to Psalms read to me on my Bible app.   After listening to a couple of chapters, I simply pray, quietly to the Lord.   Jesus, Jesus, You make the darkness tremble.  Jesus, Jesus, You silence fear.  Be with me today, Lord.  Help me to be more like you.

Bible app by YouVersion

Meditation is a practice.   You never really perfect it.  But it only works if you practice it.  We can't change our circumstances, but we can control our response to it.  By practicing mediation, I have seen first hand the effect it has on helping me address both sleeplessness AND manage stress.   I am, by no means there.  I still need to "figure it out."

As I do, I will share with you what I learn.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  For this year, I am focusing on the whole picture.  Not just diet and exercise, but also trying to address the cell to soul connection.

New book I'm starting:
One Breath at a Time: A Skeptic's Guide to Christian Meditation by J. Dana Trent 

"Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord." 

Psalm 104:34

Lord I Need You by Matt Maher

Lord I need you, oh I need you.

Every hour I need you.

*Sources
How stress can change your DNA
How chronic stress is harming our DNA
Stress Hormone Causes Epigenetic Changes
Excess Stress Changes Marks on DNA
Epigenetics:  Can stress really change your genes?

And if you are really interested in this, check out this TEDx Talk, which explains the effect on our DNA.

Epigenetics and the influence of our genes

TEDx Talk with Courtney Griffin

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)

What strategies do you implement for managing stress? 

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When what you DO isn't working

Over the past nearly five years, I have been focused on my journey towards health and wellness.  It's been a total transformation of body, mind and spirit.

This means, when what you've been doing isn't working anymore, you really have to sit down and say, "What's wrong?"

Back up.  Like thirty steps.

I haven't posted anything in months, so I feel bad jumping in like this without some background.

In June, 2016, I hurt my shoulder.  I continue to struggle with the pain which comes and goes.  That October, I had surgery on my varicose veins, from which I developed several superficial blood clots that kept resurfacing.  To correct that, had more extensive surgery in December.  That was 2016.

In February, 2017 I hurt my back.  In March, I slipped on black ice at work and re-injured my already compromised back.

The pain was so bad, I had to go to the e.r.  I could not walk.

Followed by MONTHS of recovery...
For days, I pretty much just laid flat on my back on the floor.

Fast forward to November, 2017 and I was feeling frustrated by the lack of progress in my training, my now significantly weakened body, and a slow increase in my weight and change in body composition.  My pants weren't fitting anymore.  I was still watching / counting my calories and macros, but I wasn't seeing any results.  In fact, I was going backwards from where I wanted to be.

I was introduced to my trainer, Pat who is AMAZING.  A completely new focus on my training meant injury recovery and strength building, which meant I had to EAT!  And so I ate... pretty much whatever I wanted.  Days went by where I would log my food, but I didn't care if I went over my calories.  On days when I splurged (which became far more frequent), I logged breakfast and lunch, but left dinner and snacks out.  MyFitnessPal kept telling me I'd be super thin in 5 weeks, but the reverse is what I witnessed.

Come spring and the weather finally turned warmer and my bike came out of hiding.  And I struggled.  Pat would say something like this:  "Tracey, you have to eat.  You can't lift heavy, ride your bike for 30+ miles and lose weight without a compromise.  Something has to give."  Uggh.  I don't want to get fat again.  I want my clothes to fit.  I want to ride my bike and I want to lift heavy weights.  I want it all.

Literally, I wanted my cake and eat it too!

When I started this journey, one of my goals was to complete the Ride to Remember.  This year was my 4th year doing the ride.  Each year has been a unique experience.  I trained so hard for it the first year that I actually felt easy.  That said, in the years that followed, my training waned slightly each year, on top of struggling with chronic pain.  This year was going to be different.  I was NOT going to let pain interfere with my ride.  And, I was determined to train hard for the ride without obsessing like I did the first year.  This new mindset and focus paid off.  I will write more in another post about the day, but to sum it up, this year's Ride to Remember was an amazing ride!!!

BUT...Friday night when I was packing my clothes for the ride home on the bus, I was looking for a comfortable t-shirt to wear.  I took out both of my favorite Wonder Woman shirts and neither fit.  Too tight.  I took out another Wonder Woman shirt and IT didn't fit.  WHAT THE HECK!

While I could put them on, they looked tight and I looked ridiculous in them.

Now, I had already been talking to Pat about changing the focus of my training after the Ride to Remember.  And I knew that clearly, while counting (and eating) calories and macros had been helping me to build strength and train for the ride, it wasn't helping me to stay lean.  I asked him what he thought about the Keto diet.  It scared me.  I am carb dependent.  I really am.  I've tried low carb before and it's always been a complete disaster.  I am such a fan of flexible dieting that I really struggle with the mindset of restricting / eliminating food groups.  Flexible dieting allows you to eat cake!  Not all the time, but on occasion.

In all seriousness, I knew that was used to work for me wasn't working anymore.  I'm getting older. At 49, the pre-menopausal hormone fluctuations mess with my body and ability to sleep.  I live with fatigue and have aches and pains where there were none before.  Sleep often daunts me, so I live with fatigue.  I have aches and pains where I didn't used to have them.

I knew change is necessary and I believe it starts at the core.  Nutrition.  This is why keto intrigued me.  I had read how good it is for people who have certain medical conditions, as well as for burning body fat.  And that is key to me.  While the numbers on the scale haven't changed that much over the past year or two, my body composition has changed and I want to lean out.  To see definition in my muscles, even on days when I don't work out!!

This week, I jumped off the cliff, into the deep and and began my KETO journey.  The keto diet is a way to transition your metabolism from using carbohydrates for energy to using fat.  Today is Day 7 with my new food plan.  It has NOT been an easy initial transition.  I am carb-dependent, so the severe cutback really got to me for the first several days.  AND I still want to ride my bike, so I am going to have to figure out how to carb-cycle on days when I ride.  I tried to ride yesterday and it was not a good ride.  Despite the rocky start, I am committed to make this work.  I know seven days is not enough time to fairly say this is or is not working for me.

I am focusing on the positives.  I don't feel or look bloated anymore.  I don't look like I'm pregnant anymore!!  I still feel like I'm in a caloric deficit, I'm already past the cravings and the feeling like I have to eat all the time.  The scale is not the sole guideline for success, but I have lost 5 lbs. so far.  And Pat put together a new training plan for me that focuses on both strength building and fat burning.  I start that today, so I'm looking forward to that! 

I'm also taking some risks with my cooking, like these pan-seared scallops and roasted asparagus.  The scallops don't look "seared" because I'm new to this and figuring out how to blacken them without them sticking to the pan is a work in progress, but they were SOOOO good!

I'll be writing more as I endeavor to be successful on this new segment of my journey.  I'm looking forward to sharing with you both the ups and the downs.  The measure of success for will be how I feel mentally and physically, as well as how I look in the mirror / how my clothes fit.  Stay tuned.

I want to look good in a sports bra and short shorts again!

This was taken yesterday.  It's my new before shot!

Stay tuned for more, including all about this year's Ride to Remember! 

Meanwhile, be the champion of today!

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)

How is your nutrition going?  What food plan do you follow?  Have you ever tried keto?  Any tips to share, let me know!!

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Want information about personal training?  

Contact Pat!  He's AWESOME and you will really like working with him!

It's a Process: Three Keys

What does it take to lose weight?  How do you do it?  What's your secret?

I'd like to tell you it's easy, but in all seriousness, it's a process.

If I were to narrow down to just three things to make it work, this is what I would tell you.

The NUMBER ONE most important thing is

Drum roll, please.

Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition!

You really have to learn how to eat right and stick with it over time.  Don't think about going on another diet.  Diet is a four letter word.  Think "nutrition."  Food is fuel, it's what your body needs to function, for muscle growth, for healing and recovery, for energy.  Food.

In a nutshell, you want to cut back on calories, but not much.  You want to DRINK lots of WATER, increase lean proteins and vegetables.  You can pretty much have all the vegetables you want, plus one to two servings of fruit each day. 

The kinds of food you eat really matters.  Severely limit your sugar intake, especially refined sugars.   Limit your intake of saturated fats (cream, butter, bacon, beef), but don't cut fat out.  Avocado, nuts, nut butters, and healthy oils like olive or canola oil in small quantities are good for you.  

Reducing your carbohydrates will help, but remember fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates and you should consume those.  As far as other carbs go - appropriate portions of  whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, legumes or quinoa are good.  Just remember 1/2 cup of brown rice is 124 calories and 26 g of carbs, so if you are eating 1+ cups, the calories and carbs go up.  Only have bread once in a while and make sure to eat 100% whole grain bread.  As far as potatoes go, one or 1/2 of one isn't going to hurt you.  I often have 1/2 of a sweet potato.  My question is who eats a plain white potato?  I need butter and sour cream on mine, which means LOTS of fat. 

NUMBER TWO is 

MOVE your body!

Moving your body, including strength training, will boost your metabolism so you burn the calories you eat better.  Consistent exercise helps you deal with stress and helps to improve your mood.

The best way to start is to walk, then add in some body weight exercises into your routine, such as squats and push ups (or desk push ups).  Check out my post 10 Minutes for ideas on how to make the most of the time you have and ideas to get yourself moving.

Move Your Body by Sia

NUMBER THREE is critical to long term success.

Cognitive / Emotional Shift

Changing the way you think and feel about food is critical.  It takes time and honestly, I can't give you a road map how to do this.  

Here are some suggestions...

Read about nutrition and exercise from reliable sources.  I subscribe to several online newsletters and blogs that talk about nutrition.  I am always wanting new recipes because vegetables are great, but eating salad every day is... BORING.  

Keep a food / exercise journal.  I track ALL of my food in MyFitnessPal, good and "bad."  If I have honey in my tea, a glass of wine, a piece of cake, a chocolate cookie - it's all there.  Bad days show trends.  Did I sleep enough the night before?  Where was I emotionally that day?  Did I work out a LOT the day (days) before?  I log my workouts in the Notebook on my phone.  I do this so I can see progress from week to week.  My goal right now is strength training, so I follow a program every week and want to see an increase in the amount of weight I lift from week to week.  I also write notes like, "Remember to give yourself time for recovery" or  "The last set was super hard."  I insert emojis to show how I feel about that particular exercise or set.  Doing this helps me feel better about my workouts.  I can see progress and that makes me happy.

Talk to like-minded people about your journey.  What do I mean?  Join a fitness group, get a buddy who wants to lose weight with you.  Have a friend who is already fit and in shape?  Ask them for suggestions, work out with them, do meal prep with them.  Like-minded people will help you to think differently about dieting in general.  It's not a diet.  It's a life change.  It's nutrition and exercise combined.

Identify your triggers.  What makes you "go off the wagon" so to speak?  Are there certain times of the day?  Stresses?  Sleeplessness?  Spending time with a toxic person can derail you, do you find yourself raiding the refrigerator afterwards?  Again, it takes time to recognize your triggers.

Remember, don't let a bad day or a series of bad days derail you.

I had a super bad day Saturday, which lead to a sleepless night, leaving me completely deplete the next day.  I went to church, but I usually sit with my father and he wasn't there.  I stayed for a few minutes, but all I wanted to do was cry and sleep and I just couldn't keep it together, so I went home.  (That sounds so bad, but it's just what I needed at the time.)  I took a nap and then my niece and I did a great workout at a track near her house.  Talking with her and literally working it out helped restore me.  When I got home, I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  I think that is the one food that cures everything... because carbs and peanut butter.  Took another nap and felt restored.  

I recognized my triggers.  Sleeplessness and stress and being super emotional.

I talked to my niece about what was going on.  She is a like-minded person.  She loves to workout and eats super healthy all the time.  She helped me to process. 

I worked out.  Working out helps to manage your stress.  I don't know the science of it, but somehow it literally takes the weight off your brain and lets you put perspective on your situation.

I ate.  I didn't overdo it.  I ate what I felt my body needed and limited the quantity.

You really can lose weight if you want.  Remember, it's a process.  There are no quick fixes.  It's a journey, not a sprint.

My new mantra:  Be the Champion of Today!

You've got this!

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)
What did you do this weekend?  

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Email:  tracoleman99@gmail.com

10 Minutes

So 2018 is your year! You've decided to lose weight and get moving!  

You've bought plenty of greens and chicken breasts.

You even dusted off your old treadmill.

You're ready! 

One to two weeks in...and then...your motivation starts to wane. 

It's hard.  

You're busy. 

It's one more thing. 

You think,"I didn't have time for this before, why did I think I could do it now? Can't get blood from a stone."

Eventually you throw in the towel. "That's it! I'm done."

STOP!

Right now. Go back to the beginning of this post. 

2018 is your year! You can do it! You can.

I want to talk to you about the value of 10 minutes. On those days when you are super busy, running around and can't fit in that hour trip to the gym, I want you to make the most of ten minutes you may have...  at lunch time, while you're waiting to pick the kids up from one of their activities or in between meetings.  Find, carve out even, 10 minutes in your day and make it count.

How?

Always make sure you have sneakers close by. I bring mine with me in my work bag every day, and I keep my gym bag packed and in the car at all times..

After lunch, put on your sneakers and take a walk during the few minutes you have left before you have to go back to work. Walk as fast if you can. Go up and down the stairs.  

Can't leave the office? Walk around the office. Do high knees for 10 seconds after each lap around. 

Don't worry about what people think. It's your duty free lunch break, make the most of it.

In between meetings, or while you're waiting for the kids, do a series of two minute circuits. Try body weight squats, high knees, jumping jacks, and side squats.  

Invest in some light dumbbells and do shoulder presses, bicep curls, tricep kickbacks and bent over rows.  For core training, add some planks, sit ups, bicycle crunches and Russian twists into the mix.  
Design your own routine, set a time for ten minutes and do it.

When I am snowed in or am traveling, I put together circuits like the ones in this video.  I repeat the circuit for 10 minutes.  Check it out and let me know what you think:

The trick is consistency and intensity. If you want to see results, you want your heart rate to get up there.  Building in some resistance training means your muscles work harder and you will see better results.

Now, I'm not suggesting that 10 minutes a day is all it takes to get in shape. You should aim for 30-45 minutes a day to start, with an hour being your ultimate goal. But if you aren't usually active or your life is really busy, making the most of ten minutes makes a huge difference over not exercising at all.

Promise yourself that on the days you don't get to the gym, you're at least going to climb the stairs for ten minutes and stick to it. You should see my dogs when I do that. They just don't understand, "What is Momma doing?"

You might not believe me.  Just do a google search, "10 minute workout" an see what comes up. Don't buy anything though! You can check out some of the workouts posted for suggestions, but there is no need to invest in a book or video series telling you how to make the most of 10 minutes.  Remember, you're short on time. Which is exactly why the 10-minute workout may be beneficial for you.

A couple cautions.... don't settle for the 10 minutes. This is a good way to make sure you are moving your body every day. It's a strategy to stay true to your goals, but is not substitute for regular strength training and cardio exercise. 


Make sure you have deodorant with you at work. If you start climbing the stairs at work during lunch, you don't want to stink up the office all afternoon. Keep it fresh in there so your colleagues want to join you, not stay away. 


And finally, don't be afraid to do more than one ten minute workout a day. Steal 15 minutes in the morning  to stretch, 10 minutes at lunch and another 10-15 minutes later in the day.

Try it!



Tune for your play list:  This song makes you move.

Hey Mama by David Guetta ft Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)
Would you classify yourself as glued to your desk or more of a couch potato?  Or do you make a point to get up and move?  

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Email:  tracoleman99@gmail.com

Why have a trainer?

When you're stuck or feel like you need an extra push, sometimes it helps to have a personal trainer.   Here I will share the successes and failures in working with a personal trainer.  It's worth the investment, I promise.

Having a personal trainer is a huge part of my story.  It is the key factor that helped me to change the way I think about nutrition, exercise and sticking with it.  I have worked with four different trainers.  The first trainer and I were not a good match.  However, I can't say enough about the others.  You can read about Mike and Dmitriy here:  Mike Made Me Do It and Dmitriy Made It Happen.  I'm working with Pat now.  I'll tell you a little about him and why I decided to go back to training with someone again in this post.

So, why have a trainer?  

It's different for each person.  For me, originally it was to lose weight.  For others, to build strength, to get in shape, to help recover from an injury after physical therapy is complete, to train for an event or something else.  

When I first decided to work with trainer, I had been obese for so long and tried everything under the sun with no success.  A couple of my friends had personal trainers and were finding success with that, so I decided to follow suit.  The person I was originally matched with was not a good fit for me.  She was super nice and listened to me and all my woes, but I didn't need that.  (I broke my thumb while I was training with her, had a bad knee, started going to grad school for my CAGS, and was miserable at my job.)  I needed someone to be like, "Yeah, so what.  Do you want this or not?  Enough with your excuses."  I realized that when I started training with Mike, so I made the decision to NOT share with him my woes and stopped all the excuses.  

I started training with Pat last month because I was stuck.  After my back injury last year, I could not overcome the fear hurting myself again.  I was not pushing myself.  My brain said, "Ok, that's enough," and I listened.  With the head aches I've had, I was all over the place with my training. I had no real direction and was not seeing any progress on my own.  I felt like what I was doing wasn't enough, but I didn't know what to do because I didn't want to hurt my back.  I was referred to Pat by someone I know from the gym and couldn't be happier.

What's the investment?

Different trainers / gyms charge different rates, depending on the type of training you want, as well as the amount of time you train (e.g.:  30 minutes or 60 minutes) and the frequency you train with someone (e.g. once, twice or three times per week).  Most providers don't tell you the bottom line up front.  They want to meet with you, discuss your goals and let you know which type of program they think is best for you based on your needs.  It depends on your own motivation and what you can afford. The rates vary from gym to gym.  If you hire someone privately, their rates will vary as well.  

Typically, you are looking at anywhere from $40 to $100 (on the high end) per session, depending on the gym and your level of need.  You should know, when training with someone who works for a gym, you are paying the gym, not the trainer.  If you think you are paying $45 for a session with your trainer, that trainer is probably only getting $12 - $20 for that session.  The gym keeps the rest.  The sad fact is, trainers are not paid well by their gyms and if you don't show up for your session, they don't get paid.

So the investment is two fold.  You are investing your money and your time to train with an expert.  They are investing in you as well, they take pride from your success.  Don't forget, this is their livelihood, so be respectful of that. Make sure to show up for every session.  If there is a conflict, then let him/her know well in advance so you can reschedule your session.  You shouldn't cancel unless there is a dire emergency.  

A personal trainer is different from having a fitness coach

Fitness coaches typically work independently and provide online or over the phone fitness coaching. They may provide you with nutritional information, with a detailed diet plan and workout plan you follow on your own.  They often have groups on Facebook for you to share successes/ failures/ and support with their other clients.  Typically they schedule email or telephone check ins with you to see how you are doing and what you may need.  

Many competitive body builders work with coaches or may be coaches themselves.  Their rates vary, depending on how often they check in with you and what type of support you may need.  I have seen rates go from $100 per month to $1200 for six months.  I don't like this kind of "training" because I like the one on one interaction with a trainer.  I want to work with my trainer in person, have a face to face conversation with him.  But this kind of training/coaching works for many people.

So, you're thinking about working with a trainer, now what?

You should ALWAYS start with a meeting to talk about your goals. WHY do you want a trainer?  What are you hoping to get out of personal training?  What are your unique goals?  

When I started training with Dmitriy, I had very specific goals:

• Do push ups without assistance
• Lose weight
• Do the Ride to Remember (a 100 mile bike ride)

When I started training with Pat, my goals are simple:

• Regain/ Improve strength
• Improve my endurance

It is important to know what your goals are so you can be successful in your training.

How do you know if your trainer is right for you?

This is probably the hardest thing to figure out and is definitely where things went wrong with my first trainer.  So be smart about this.  

If you can, check out their online presence before your first meeting.  

Follow them on Instagram, which is a very popular place for body builders and fitness experts to promote their work.  Do they promote a healthy lifestyle?  What are they about?  

At your first meeting with your trainer, this is your opportunity to check him/her out.  

Ask LOTs of questions.

• What is their experience?
• How long have they been doing this?  
• Tell him/her your needs, your story.  
• Ask them if they can help you and how.  
• Do they like their job?  If there is any indication that they don't like their job, if it's too stressful or they don't like management, find a different trainer.  This is NOT someone you want to train with.
• If you can't tell, find out if they workout themselves.  If they don't, find a different trainer.
• Will they provide you with support about nutrition?
• Will they provide you with personalized workout plans?
• How do you stay in contact with them? Do they want you to check in with them?  How often?
• How long is the commitment?  Is there a contract?  For how long?

Ask yourself a few questions...  

Do you like this person?  Can you talk to him/her?  Do they seem to have a good sense of humor?  Can they help you with your unique needs?  Are they serious about their work?  

Don't forget to ask 

What is their availability?  Does it match yours?  

MAKE SURE you get their cell phone number and they get yours!  

Benefits of having a trainer 

Besides the most obvious reason to have a trainer (working with an expert to help you obtain your goals), there are a lot of benefits.

A trainer pushes you past what you believe you can do on your own.

I hurt my back last February and have recovered from that injury, but was holding myself back.  When I started training with Pat, he basically made me start all over.  My favorite exercise is deadlifts.  A year ago, my personal record was 210 lbs.  A month ago I was able to do a single rep maximum of 175 lbs.  I was excited because I was approaching my PR.  But Pat said, "No.  Don't do that, do this instead."  He has me lifting lighter weights with 10 repetitions for each set.  Sounds easy, right?  Well the first time I did it, I thought I would die.  This week, I worked my way up to do four sets of 10 reps at 145 lbs.  On Thursday when I trained with him, he's like, "Ok, so you did 145 lbs. on Monday, let's do 155 lbs. today."  And I was like , "What?"  Then he brought the weight down to 135 lbs. and had me do 15 repetitions.  15 reps.  I thought I was going to die.  I didn't, but I thought it was the end.  That's what a trainer does.  They push you.

You have a cheerleader

Seriously, your trainer should be your biggest cheerleader.  

Pat posts his clients achievements on his live Instagram story all the time.  I am so impressed with that.  It's one of the reasons I knew I could work with him.  It's not about posting about you in social media, it's about saying, "Look at that!"  Look what you can do.  When I did 15 reps of deadlifts at 135 lbs. with him the other day, he was like, "Wow!  That's really impressive."  Of course, I wanted to die and was cursing at him for making me do it, but that pat on the back carried a long way for me.

When I did the Rugged Maniac for the first time in 2014, I texted Mike and thanked him for his support.  He was like, "That's incredible Tracey!  Way to go!"  He asked me to post a picture and tag him in it too.  I had no idea what Instagram was at the time, but I did do that on Facebook.

You have someone to answer your questions

As I am working out during the week, I always have questions I want to ask Pat.  While I started training with him because I wanted to regain the strength I lost after my back injury, I've found my back isn't really the issue.  My shoulder is.  So I always have questions for him.  While he doesn't necessarily have all the answers, he is super about helping me figure things out.  "Try this," he'll say.  or  "You're doubling up on these exercises and that may be what's aggravating it."  He is my personal expert and I trust him.  So I ask him lots of questions.  (I so hope he's not overly annoyed with me for asking so many.)

Working with a trainer is personal.

It is very personal and can break your heart.  

Mike was incredible.  Training with him made me take my workouts seriously.  At one of our sessions, I remember him telling me, "You did a great job today, Tracey.  I'm proud of you."  That single statement has stayed with me.  After that, it became so important to me to make gains so I could do better next time.  He motivated me.  I cared about him, so when he died, I was devastated.  

Dmitriy and I were very close.  I considered him my friend.  While at times he listened to my complaining, he didn't put up with any of it.  I trusted him and learned how to move past my obstacles.  He helped me accomplish every one of my goals and pushed me past them to achieve things I didn't even realize were possible.  I miss him.

Having a trainer means you have a personal relationship with this person.  You make it what you want it to be.  

What to look out for 

They are not psychologists.  Remember, your trainer's background is in fitness. While you definitely have a personal relationship with them, try not to dump all your personal problems on them.  Keep your relationship about fitness.  Don't mistake them for your personal therapist or you won't see the gains you want to make.  This happened with me and my first trainer.  I had every reason for not being successful.  She listened to me and this is how we seemed to spend our sessions.  Don't do that.  If you have personal problems, seek professional help from a licensed therapist.  Your time with your trainer should be focused on your physical training.

Your trainer should like his/her job.  Don't waste your sessions with your trainer listening to them gripe about management, how little they are being paid, or about how their other clients missed sessions.  This is a major danger sign.  I get it, you become friends with your trainer and want to support them as much as they support you.  But if they don't like their job, they should seek other employment.  Redirect them if you can, keep the focus on you and your training sessions.

Are they on time for your sessions?  If you are on time, so should your trainer.  If you are paying $50 for a 1/2 hour session, that works out to $1.67 per minute.  If you are waiting five minutes for your trainer, that's $8 you are paying to stand and wait.  Your trainer should be mindful of the time, ending sessions with other clients on time so you can make the most of your session.

Keep track of your sessions.  Know how many sessions you have paid for each month.  Keep track of them and make sure you use them.  If you miss a session because you have to reschedule, due to inclement weather or because of an unexpected cancellation, keep track of that.  When I started training with Dmitriy, I had over 10 unused sessions I had never used because of sessions missed when Mike died and a collection of unused cancellations with my first trainer.  (She was in the National Guard and was gone a lot.)  You paid for them, use them. 

Is it worth it? 

YES!  Having a trainer literally changed my life.  If you can work it into your budget, do it. 

Meanwhile, if you are or are not in the area, check out out Pat's website:  PatriotBody.com.

Pat does one on one training in the Connecticut / Western Massachusetts area, as well as online coaching.  He has over 10 years of experience in the field.  He is unbelievably knowledgeable about fitness and nutrition.  He offers very reasonable rates for the different programs.  I really like Pat and can't say enough about him.

New entry coming soon:  

10 Minutes.  For those who want to make a change, but are still stuck in first gear.  Making a 10 minute workout count.  This has been ready to post, but I'm having trouble uploading my video to YouTube.  Watch for it soon!

Tune for your play list:  This song has a mellow beat, which is for strength training sessions.  

Starboy by The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)
Do you work out with someone?  (A friend?  A partner?  A trainer?)  Do they push you or do you push them?    

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