Here is a tip I use at Subway. This will REALLY apply now that they it is January and they are selling all foot-longs for $5.
I like to get my turkey or ham 6-inch subs with double meat. This is usually an extra dollar. When I can get my sub in foot long for $5, it's less expensive than the 6-inch double meat. So I order it in the footlong, ask for a fork, and only eat half the bread. I either use the fork to move the meat and toppings over to the half of the bread I am going to eat or (easier) eat them right out of the bread with the fork. This isn't all about saving a buck, though- I also get double the veggies this way. And I'm always looking for more veggies!
Additionally, I always have local discount cards sold by our high school Band program that include a free drink with a footlong at Subway. So by the time all is said and done, I have spent $5 plus tax for a double-meat sub and drink.
And, as I have said before, it's not waste to throw the bread away. Would you rather put it directly into the garbage, or eat it and then have to go through the butt-pain of losing it? Seems to me the garbage route saves a step.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Evening Up Your Weak Side
Almost all of us have one side that isn't as strong as the other. Usually this is our dominant (writing) side for the upper body and, interestingly enough, the opposite side for your lower body. This is because we tend to cross-brace with our opposite leg for our working arm.
At any rate, it's not usually much of an issue until you start working out in the gym. Then, the difference can be frustrating, particularly when you look in the mirror as you progress and see more developed muscles on one side. It can also be confusing as far as how to go about dealing with this in terms of weight lifting.
I have employed a method that, while not exactly rocket science, works. And it works safely.
There are two plans of attack, here, and they depend on if you are working both limbs unilaterally (individually) or bilaterally (together).
Let's take unilaterally, or individual, moves first. This is a pretty strait-forward approach: Do whatever the intended move is with the weaker side first, then match it on your stronger side. So, for instance, if you are able to do 15 reps of bicep curls with 10 pounds, you would move that same 10 pound weight to your weaker arm (in my case, this would be the left) and do exactly 15 reps- no more, no less. Even sets where you fall short of your desired number of reps, you keep it the same. For instance, if I were targeting 15 reps in my set but only got 13 reps out with my left arm, I would move that same weight over to my right arm and do the exact same number of reps I did with my left arm. To help me remember how many I did on the first arm, I would count from 13 down to 1. (Yes, my memory can be that bad!) Eventually you will get to where the left arm is about equal with the right. Sometimes, you can even get it stronger.
In the case of bilateral moves, there are two different approaches depending on whether you are lifting two different weights with both arms at the same time (like a dumbbell press), or a single weight with both limbs (like a leg press). In the former case (the dumbbell press), you would apply the same principle you did with the unilateral move and simply work both arms until the weaker arm gets as tired as you are targeting. In the latter case (the leg press), you would do what my former trainer Ruben Sandoval of Fit To Be in Your Kitchen advised: "Pay attention to the weak side and your strong side will take care of itself". So since my right side is weaker than my left on the leg press, I'm going to put ALL of my concentration into pushing with my right leg. The left leg instinctively presses on it's own. If it's a barbell bent row, I'm going to concentrate on pulling up with my weaker left side. The right side doesn't need me to think about it, since it's been my dominant side my whole life.
Simple little strategies that can make a BIG difference in making your body symmetrical. Tell me what you think!
At any rate, it's not usually much of an issue until you start working out in the gym. Then, the difference can be frustrating, particularly when you look in the mirror as you progress and see more developed muscles on one side. It can also be confusing as far as how to go about dealing with this in terms of weight lifting.
I have employed a method that, while not exactly rocket science, works. And it works safely.
There are two plans of attack, here, and they depend on if you are working both limbs unilaterally (individually) or bilaterally (together).
Let's take unilaterally, or individual, moves first. This is a pretty strait-forward approach: Do whatever the intended move is with the weaker side first, then match it on your stronger side. So, for instance, if you are able to do 15 reps of bicep curls with 10 pounds, you would move that same 10 pound weight to your weaker arm (in my case, this would be the left) and do exactly 15 reps- no more, no less. Even sets where you fall short of your desired number of reps, you keep it the same. For instance, if I were targeting 15 reps in my set but only got 13 reps out with my left arm, I would move that same weight over to my right arm and do the exact same number of reps I did with my left arm. To help me remember how many I did on the first arm, I would count from 13 down to 1. (Yes, my memory can be that bad!) Eventually you will get to where the left arm is about equal with the right. Sometimes, you can even get it stronger.
In the case of bilateral moves, there are two different approaches depending on whether you are lifting two different weights with both arms at the same time (like a dumbbell press), or a single weight with both limbs (like a leg press). In the former case (the dumbbell press), you would apply the same principle you did with the unilateral move and simply work both arms until the weaker arm gets as tired as you are targeting. In the latter case (the leg press), you would do what my former trainer Ruben Sandoval of Fit To Be in Your Kitchen advised: "Pay attention to the weak side and your strong side will take care of itself". So since my right side is weaker than my left on the leg press, I'm going to put ALL of my concentration into pushing with my right leg. The left leg instinctively presses on it's own. If it's a barbell bent row, I'm going to concentrate on pulling up with my weaker left side. The right side doesn't need me to think about it, since it's been my dominant side my whole life.
Simple little strategies that can make a BIG difference in making your body symmetrical. Tell me what you think!
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Mental Prep for Weight Loss: Get Rid of Clothes That Don't Fit
With the New Year approaching and all of us beginning to think of our fitness goals for 2014, many are targeting weight loss. I have a simple suggestion to get your mind in the right place to finally get smaller: Get rid of your clothes that are too small you've been keeping around as "motivation".
I know this seems counter-productive. Get rid of a motivator? Ummm.......... How's it worked for you, so far? In my experience, clothes that are too small just add to my guilt. And when I feel guilty, I want to eat. And when I over eat I don't lose weight.
If you can't bring yourself to get rid of them all together, pack them in a box and put them somewhere out of sight. Like a top shelf in your closet or the attic. I did this with a few pieces that I really loved and eight years later when I finally lost the weight (yeah, it took that long!) I got them out of storage and you know what? They were embarrassingly out of style. I was shocked at how tacky what I had idolized as "cute" was in present day. I was able to shorten hemlines to make three garments more current, but everything else went into the donation box.
You might want to keep one thing, tucked away where you can't see it, for comparison to your former small size once you get to goal. But everything else? Buh-bye.
Another, closely related tip: Buy clothes that fit NOW. I mean, truly fit. Not that are just a skoesh tight because this time you are finally lose the weight. But clothes that fit you right and make you feel as good about yourself as possible toDAY. Why? Because you'll be more likely to lose weight if you feel good about yourself, and it's hard to feel good about yourself when you also feel like a sausage.
So now you are thinking "If I buy clothes that fit and lose weight, I won't fit in them very long!" I hope you are right! It's not wasted money if it gets you moving in the right direction, is it? Plus, it's exciting to see the clothes you that used to fit get big. Really.
Likewise, get rid of your clothes that are way too big as you lose weight. I've found that people who keep their fat clothes around "just in case" always, and I mean ALWAYS, gain the weight back. It's like they have given themselves mental permission to regain and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Again, maybe keep one really ugly thing in your biggest size that you would NEVER want to wear again to compare your new, smaller frame to. But the cute stuff? Yep- donation box.
Consider it an investment. Why not give yourself every advantage to get into the best shape possible?
I know this seems counter-productive. Get rid of a motivator? Ummm.......... How's it worked for you, so far? In my experience, clothes that are too small just add to my guilt. And when I feel guilty, I want to eat. And when I over eat I don't lose weight.
If you can't bring yourself to get rid of them all together, pack them in a box and put them somewhere out of sight. Like a top shelf in your closet or the attic. I did this with a few pieces that I really loved and eight years later when I finally lost the weight (yeah, it took that long!) I got them out of storage and you know what? They were embarrassingly out of style. I was shocked at how tacky what I had idolized as "cute" was in present day. I was able to shorten hemlines to make three garments more current, but everything else went into the donation box.
You might want to keep one thing, tucked away where you can't see it, for comparison to your former small size once you get to goal. But everything else? Buh-bye.
Another, closely related tip: Buy clothes that fit NOW. I mean, truly fit. Not that are just a skoesh tight because this time you are finally lose the weight. But clothes that fit you right and make you feel as good about yourself as possible toDAY. Why? Because you'll be more likely to lose weight if you feel good about yourself, and it's hard to feel good about yourself when you also feel like a sausage.
So now you are thinking "If I buy clothes that fit and lose weight, I won't fit in them very long!" I hope you are right! It's not wasted money if it gets you moving in the right direction, is it? Plus, it's exciting to see the clothes you that used to fit get big. Really.
Likewise, get rid of your clothes that are way too big as you lose weight. I've found that people who keep their fat clothes around "just in case" always, and I mean ALWAYS, gain the weight back. It's like they have given themselves mental permission to regain and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Again, maybe keep one really ugly thing in your biggest size that you would NEVER want to wear again to compare your new, smaller frame to. But the cute stuff? Yep- donation box.
Consider it an investment. Why not give yourself every advantage to get into the best shape possible?
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Non-Meat Eaters and Muscle Gain
This blog is simply about my personal experience and opinion. I realize there are people who aren't going to agree with me, and that's Okay.
I have been lifting weights for 28 years now and a personal trainer for 9. I've helped a LOT of people get fit. And from what I have witnessed with my own two eyes right in front of me, non-meat eaters don't gain muscle or get shapely as well or as quickly as meat eaters.
I've read the scientific explanation for this and, quite frankly, I don't remember it specifically. It has something to do with animal proteins versus non-animal proteins and the way the body utilizes them. The only thing that matters to me is the nitty gritty, and that is that my meat-eating clients see more progress, in both muscle growth and weight loss, than my non-meat eating ones.
Meat eaters see physical improvements fastest, Vegetarians who still eat animal products but not animal flesh are behind them, and Vegans come in at a distant third. Sad, but true, because from what I've seen a Vegan lifestyle is very self-disciplined.
So why do I post a blog about this? Well, it helps me to mentally accept where I am if I know why I am there. So if you are a Vegan or Vegetarian and not seeing the progress you'd like to, now you at least might have a potential reason why.
I am not trying convince anyone to eat meat. I assume that would be as intrusive and downright rude to a Vegan as it is it is to me when someone tries to convince me to STOP eating animal products. How you choose to eat and your reasons for it are your business. But on the other hand, don't expect me or any other trainer to be able to design a program that will have you making the same changes as your meat-eating peers. We can't change the way your body processes nutrients.
I have been lifting weights for 28 years now and a personal trainer for 9. I've helped a LOT of people get fit. And from what I have witnessed with my own two eyes right in front of me, non-meat eaters don't gain muscle or get shapely as well or as quickly as meat eaters.
I've read the scientific explanation for this and, quite frankly, I don't remember it specifically. It has something to do with animal proteins versus non-animal proteins and the way the body utilizes them. The only thing that matters to me is the nitty gritty, and that is that my meat-eating clients see more progress, in both muscle growth and weight loss, than my non-meat eating ones.
Meat eaters see physical improvements fastest, Vegetarians who still eat animal products but not animal flesh are behind them, and Vegans come in at a distant third. Sad, but true, because from what I've seen a Vegan lifestyle is very self-disciplined.
So why do I post a blog about this? Well, it helps me to mentally accept where I am if I know why I am there. So if you are a Vegan or Vegetarian and not seeing the progress you'd like to, now you at least might have a potential reason why.
I am not trying convince anyone to eat meat. I assume that would be as intrusive and downright rude to a Vegan as it is it is to me when someone tries to convince me to STOP eating animal products. How you choose to eat and your reasons for it are your business. But on the other hand, don't expect me or any other trainer to be able to design a program that will have you making the same changes as your meat-eating peers. We can't change the way your body processes nutrients.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
A More Practial Approach to Batch Cooking
It seems that everyone who is in really good shape recommends batch
cooking, which means cooking up a whole lot of healthy stuff at once for
meals in the upcoming week. This usually happens on Sunday.
This simply isn't practical for my life. While I do have hours available, I don't want to spend them in the kitchen. Sunday is my down day and I like to keep it that way if I can. So instead, I have an alternative method that isn't brilliant, but works for me: I cook a lot at once when I DO cook. (This is a method also known as "Leftovers"). An advantage to this method is that since I am adding new foods to my precooked supply throughout the week I have a continual, rotating supply of quick healthy food to turn into a simple and healthy meal.
I'm a cooker, anyhow. I make several dinners, at least, at home each week. And breakfast on Saturdays. And lunches for myself most days. I never have a lot of time for lunch, so having stuff to toss together in a hurry is crucial to me getting a nutritious lunch. Otherwise, I am likely to reach for something crummy to eat.
So here is what I do: If one night we have grilled or baked chicken for dinner, I grill or bake more than we need. Often three times as much. This means we can have it for leftovers another night (either as-is or in a stir-fry or some other method), and I have plenty to chop for salads or slice for sandwiches or whatever I'm fancying that day.
If I make a green salad for one meal, I make extra and put it in the fridge, ready to add some of the above chicken and cheese to for a meal, or as a side for lunch.
Same for steamed vegetables.
Steel-Cut oats take much longer to cook than regular oats. But three servings of steel-cut oats take as long to cook as one and I can put the other two in the fridge so that breakfast is ready for the next two mornings. I make mine in my rice cooker, which is quicker than the stove top method, but the cooker is kinda a pain to clean so cooking them all at once cuts down on my dish-washing.
Same goes for brown rice, but with it I make it to the capacity of my rice cooker. Brown rice keeps longer in the fridge than oats and can literally be used for all three meals (hot with cinnamon and coconut oil is delicious for breakfast!), so we go through it a lot faster.
When I brown beef for a meal, I brown more than I need. Gives me anther option for my meats for future meals on the fly.
On Saturday morning it takes as long to cook a pound of turkey bacon as it does 3 slices. I put the rest in a gallon-sized storage bag with paper towels and stick it in the fridge. Takes 5 seconds to heat 3 slices up in the microwave to go with my breakfasts and is a very nice treat during the week.
So there are some ideas. Again, this isn't rocket science- It's just making use of my resources and time to the best of my abilities.
The easier and more convenient you make it for yourself to eat healthy, the more likely you are to do so.
I would love to hear any ideas YOU might have about making eating healthy more convenient!
This simply isn't practical for my life. While I do have hours available, I don't want to spend them in the kitchen. Sunday is my down day and I like to keep it that way if I can. So instead, I have an alternative method that isn't brilliant, but works for me: I cook a lot at once when I DO cook. (This is a method also known as "Leftovers"). An advantage to this method is that since I am adding new foods to my precooked supply throughout the week I have a continual, rotating supply of quick healthy food to turn into a simple and healthy meal.
I'm a cooker, anyhow. I make several dinners, at least, at home each week. And breakfast on Saturdays. And lunches for myself most days. I never have a lot of time for lunch, so having stuff to toss together in a hurry is crucial to me getting a nutritious lunch. Otherwise, I am likely to reach for something crummy to eat.
So here is what I do: If one night we have grilled or baked chicken for dinner, I grill or bake more than we need. Often three times as much. This means we can have it for leftovers another night (either as-is or in a stir-fry or some other method), and I have plenty to chop for salads or slice for sandwiches or whatever I'm fancying that day.
If I make a green salad for one meal, I make extra and put it in the fridge, ready to add some of the above chicken and cheese to for a meal, or as a side for lunch.
Same for steamed vegetables.
Steel-Cut oats take much longer to cook than regular oats. But three servings of steel-cut oats take as long to cook as one and I can put the other two in the fridge so that breakfast is ready for the next two mornings. I make mine in my rice cooker, which is quicker than the stove top method, but the cooker is kinda a pain to clean so cooking them all at once cuts down on my dish-washing.
Same goes for brown rice, but with it I make it to the capacity of my rice cooker. Brown rice keeps longer in the fridge than oats and can literally be used for all three meals (hot with cinnamon and coconut oil is delicious for breakfast!), so we go through it a lot faster.
When I brown beef for a meal, I brown more than I need. Gives me anther option for my meats for future meals on the fly.
On Saturday morning it takes as long to cook a pound of turkey bacon as it does 3 slices. I put the rest in a gallon-sized storage bag with paper towels and stick it in the fridge. Takes 5 seconds to heat 3 slices up in the microwave to go with my breakfasts and is a very nice treat during the week.
So there are some ideas. Again, this isn't rocket science- It's just making use of my resources and time to the best of my abilities.
The easier and more convenient you make it for yourself to eat healthy, the more likely you are to do so.
I would love to hear any ideas YOU might have about making eating healthy more convenient!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Don't Let The Holidays Rule You!
So, here we are.... A week before Thanksgiving. Do you feel your healthy eating and weight loss plans slipping from between your fingers? Are you thinking "What's the use?", ready to throw in the towel already, because you've been here before and you know that it ends with a 5-pound (or more) gain on the scale once the season is over, even though you swore you wouldn't let it happen again?
Well, guess what? You are not alone! It's a tough time of year for most of us to muddle through. No wonder that the gyms are full in January!
But there is good news- You do NOT have to exit this holiday season in worse shape than you started it in. Why? You are going to make a PLAN. I don't mean "I'm not going to eat junk until January", vague, way-too-general promise. These are rarely successful. No, I mean you are going to have a specific PLAN with realistic goals and tools for keeping your health under control.
Ready? Let's go!
Word of warning: I would suggest you NOT have some grandiose vision of losing weight or gaining mass amounts of strength in the gym during the holidays. If it happens, Okay. But, unless you have a figure or bodybuilding show coming up at the beginning of the year, going through the holidays with the idea that you are going to reach significant health goals is more than likely setting yourself up for failure. Just plan to hold steady where you are.
On the other end of the spectrum. lose the idea that it's a free-for-all food fest. PLAN to stay on track most days through the holidays. Log your food. Log your exercise. Even if you mess up, log it. That accountability will have you thinking twice before you cram five of Aunt Bee's jumbo sized iced cookies in your mouth and wash them down with a stein of spiked eggnog.
Now that you are in a more realistic mindset, figure out a calorie level that is do-able and would allow you to show a slight loss. Then write it down. For me, this will be about 1650 calories a day. At that level, I can have whatever I want for our holiday meals and still average out to the same or a little less calories than it takes for me to maintain my weight.
Next, sit down and be honest with yourself about how many days a week you need to exercise to maintain your fitness level, as well as how many days you realistically CAN exercise, given your wacky holiday schedule. Write all this down on the same sheet of paper your wrote your calories on. If it's just two days of cardio, that's Okay- But once you commit, work out those two days, no excuses. Again, you don't want to set yourself up for failure by being too zealous in your estimation. If you are able to exercise more than you planned, great! But if not, you made your goal and you can pat yourself on the back.
For me, this is a minimum of doing cardio to burn at least 900 calories a week (by the machine's estimation) and lifting weights at least 3 days a week, hitting each body part once. Many weeks I will get more than that, but if I can get at least that much done I will be satisfied.
And lastly, pick out which events you really want to have your splurge meals at. Too few, and you will get frustrated and cave to temptation. Too many, and you will undermine your goals not to backslide. Write these down, too. If there is an event that really doesn't matter much to you but you have to be there for appearance sake, have a healthy meal before you go and plan to drink sparkling water and enjoy the company of others while there. And don't worry: If you don't mention it, people probably won't even notice that you aren't eating. And if they do, a simple "Oh, I already ate" with a smile is as much explanation as anyone usually will want.
Remember: You can't ruin someone else's good time by not eating.
Those events where something is served that is really special and you only get it this one time of year should definitely go on your "splurge meals" list. Have enough to satisfy you, but not enough to make you feel over full. You want to come out of this feeling treated, not guilty. Besides, Aunt Bee's jumbo sized iced cookies won't have nearly as good a memory if you are burping them up four hours after you finished the last one.
Now, take a look at everything you wrote down, tweak it to your satisfaction, and type or write neatly all over again on another piece of paper. Put this somewhere that you will see it frequently. For me, this is in my food tracker. It will help you to keep your mind on your goals.
Like the old saying goes, if you plan to fail, you fail to plan. This year, be in charge of the holiday season instead of at it's mercy.
Well, guess what? You are not alone! It's a tough time of year for most of us to muddle through. No wonder that the gyms are full in January!
But there is good news- You do NOT have to exit this holiday season in worse shape than you started it in. Why? You are going to make a PLAN. I don't mean "I'm not going to eat junk until January", vague, way-too-general promise. These are rarely successful. No, I mean you are going to have a specific PLAN with realistic goals and tools for keeping your health under control.
Ready? Let's go!
Word of warning: I would suggest you NOT have some grandiose vision of losing weight or gaining mass amounts of strength in the gym during the holidays. If it happens, Okay. But, unless you have a figure or bodybuilding show coming up at the beginning of the year, going through the holidays with the idea that you are going to reach significant health goals is more than likely setting yourself up for failure. Just plan to hold steady where you are.
On the other end of the spectrum. lose the idea that it's a free-for-all food fest. PLAN to stay on track most days through the holidays. Log your food. Log your exercise. Even if you mess up, log it. That accountability will have you thinking twice before you cram five of Aunt Bee's jumbo sized iced cookies in your mouth and wash them down with a stein of spiked eggnog.
Now that you are in a more realistic mindset, figure out a calorie level that is do-able and would allow you to show a slight loss. Then write it down. For me, this will be about 1650 calories a day. At that level, I can have whatever I want for our holiday meals and still average out to the same or a little less calories than it takes for me to maintain my weight.
Next, sit down and be honest with yourself about how many days a week you need to exercise to maintain your fitness level, as well as how many days you realistically CAN exercise, given your wacky holiday schedule. Write all this down on the same sheet of paper your wrote your calories on. If it's just two days of cardio, that's Okay- But once you commit, work out those two days, no excuses. Again, you don't want to set yourself up for failure by being too zealous in your estimation. If you are able to exercise more than you planned, great! But if not, you made your goal and you can pat yourself on the back.
For me, this is a minimum of doing cardio to burn at least 900 calories a week (by the machine's estimation) and lifting weights at least 3 days a week, hitting each body part once. Many weeks I will get more than that, but if I can get at least that much done I will be satisfied.
And lastly, pick out which events you really want to have your splurge meals at. Too few, and you will get frustrated and cave to temptation. Too many, and you will undermine your goals not to backslide. Write these down, too. If there is an event that really doesn't matter much to you but you have to be there for appearance sake, have a healthy meal before you go and plan to drink sparkling water and enjoy the company of others while there. And don't worry: If you don't mention it, people probably won't even notice that you aren't eating. And if they do, a simple "Oh, I already ate" with a smile is as much explanation as anyone usually will want.
Remember: You can't ruin someone else's good time by not eating.
Those events where something is served that is really special and you only get it this one time of year should definitely go on your "splurge meals" list. Have enough to satisfy you, but not enough to make you feel over full. You want to come out of this feeling treated, not guilty. Besides, Aunt Bee's jumbo sized iced cookies won't have nearly as good a memory if you are burping them up four hours after you finished the last one.
Now, take a look at everything you wrote down, tweak it to your satisfaction, and type or write neatly all over again on another piece of paper. Put this somewhere that you will see it frequently. For me, this is in my food tracker. It will help you to keep your mind on your goals.
Like the old saying goes, if you plan to fail, you fail to plan. This year, be in charge of the holiday season instead of at it's mercy.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Ever Wonder Why Personal Trainers Charge So Much?
Been a while since I've blogged, eh? Like everyone else, life has been throwing me curves and loops lately. But I thought I'd take a few minutes and address something I have heard folks question: Why do personal trainers charge so danged much?
In a nutshell, it's because our expenses are very high. Before you roll your eyes, bear with me:
First of all, if we are working for a gym, they often get 50% of our client income. It can vary a bit, but in most gyms I've talked with about half of the trainers fee is the gym's take. Yeah, it seems like highway robbery (and honestly, it feels like it, too), but the fact is that we are paying for the convenience of using their equipment. That stuff is expensive!
If the trainer happens to own the gym, their expenses are even higher. Think the expense of a house, only filled with uber-expensive gym equipment, repairs to said equipment, water and electric bills for multiple people, cleaning services, and insurance that's out-the-roof expensive. I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of it because I have never owned a gym.
Then there is the matter of what it takes to get and stay certified. If the trainer is with a reputable certifying agency, the initial certification was somewhere in the neighborhood of $500-$600. We have to re-certify every two years, and the cost to re-certify is just under $200. In the meantime, we are scrambling to take our CEC's (continuing education credits) in time for the re-certification. Depending on what you decide to study for these, they average somewhere in the neighborhood of about a hundred bucks a year. And then there is trainer insurance, which is about $180 a year. I'm sure there's something else I'm not thinking of- This is just off the top of my head.
Then there's the little expenses, like buying ankle cuffs because the gym doesn't have them, and calipers to measure body fat (which we seem to be continually losing, or another trainer loses for us because they lost theirs and borrowed ours), and measuring tapes for the exact same reason as calipers, and a host of other small expenses that add up fast.
And socks. We go through a lot of socks.
Then there is the time we spend on being a trainer that we are NOT with clients. For instance, I don't know about other trainers, but I don't "cookie cutter" anything. I start from scratch with each clients program. This can take more than an hour to assemble for just one client. I generally create a new program for each client once a month. BUT, after the client walks out the door I almost always have to take time to make little tweaks to better suit them, as well as annotating what they did that session so that I can know where to start them the next time. Personally, I always try to put my clients an hour and 15 minutes apart, despite the fact that I spend about an hour with each client. While it helps me with my sanity, it reduces the amount of clients I can squeeze into my available training hours.
Additionally, there is the time we spend reading up on everything we can to stay abreast of current trends, throw out what we think won't work for us and our clients, and file what we think will. I don't do much "leisure" reading that isn't fitness related. Which doesn't really make it "leisure", I guess, but it helps to equip me to help others to the best of my ability.
Unless we happen to live next door to the gym, a lot of time (and gas money) is spent going back and forth between the gym and wherever else we go between client sessions. (Because rarely do we really get all of our session scheduled back to back. The client doesn't work around us- we work around the client.)
And, of course, the time we spend studying for and obtaining our CEC credits. If we don't pass, it's wasted money, so we are very motivated to apply ourselves.
So you are really paying us for much more than the 45 minutes or hour that we spend with you directly.
Can most of this be written off on our taxes? Yes. But we don't get it all back- Mostly it just reduces the amount we pay. And even if we do get some of it back, trust me: It's not cool to get paid once a year.
The fact is that if we don't have a full roster of clients, whether by choice or because of some other circumstance (this could be a whole 'nother blog), many trainers are making next to nothing for the hours they put in, despite the fact that you think you are paying them a small fortune. So why do we keep doing it? Because we really, truly want to help you.
I'm not writing this blog to complain. Obviously, we choose this profession because we love it and want to do it. We are here to help you, and most of us do it for the joy of seeing you feel better about yourself, not the money. So cut your trainers a little slack when it comes to fees. And please...... Stop asking for free services. Yes, people really do that. And no, we really can't afford it.
In a nutshell, it's because our expenses are very high. Before you roll your eyes, bear with me:
First of all, if we are working for a gym, they often get 50% of our client income. It can vary a bit, but in most gyms I've talked with about half of the trainers fee is the gym's take. Yeah, it seems like highway robbery (and honestly, it feels like it, too), but the fact is that we are paying for the convenience of using their equipment. That stuff is expensive!
If the trainer happens to own the gym, their expenses are even higher. Think the expense of a house, only filled with uber-expensive gym equipment, repairs to said equipment, water and electric bills for multiple people, cleaning services, and insurance that's out-the-roof expensive. I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of it because I have never owned a gym.
Then there is the matter of what it takes to get and stay certified. If the trainer is with a reputable certifying agency, the initial certification was somewhere in the neighborhood of $500-$600. We have to re-certify every two years, and the cost to re-certify is just under $200. In the meantime, we are scrambling to take our CEC's (continuing education credits) in time for the re-certification. Depending on what you decide to study for these, they average somewhere in the neighborhood of about a hundred bucks a year. And then there is trainer insurance, which is about $180 a year. I'm sure there's something else I'm not thinking of- This is just off the top of my head.
Then there's the little expenses, like buying ankle cuffs because the gym doesn't have them, and calipers to measure body fat (which we seem to be continually losing, or another trainer loses for us because they lost theirs and borrowed ours), and measuring tapes for the exact same reason as calipers, and a host of other small expenses that add up fast.
And socks. We go through a lot of socks.
Then there is the time we spend on being a trainer that we are NOT with clients. For instance, I don't know about other trainers, but I don't "cookie cutter" anything. I start from scratch with each clients program. This can take more than an hour to assemble for just one client. I generally create a new program for each client once a month. BUT, after the client walks out the door I almost always have to take time to make little tweaks to better suit them, as well as annotating what they did that session so that I can know where to start them the next time. Personally, I always try to put my clients an hour and 15 minutes apart, despite the fact that I spend about an hour with each client. While it helps me with my sanity, it reduces the amount of clients I can squeeze into my available training hours.
Additionally, there is the time we spend reading up on everything we can to stay abreast of current trends, throw out what we think won't work for us and our clients, and file what we think will. I don't do much "leisure" reading that isn't fitness related. Which doesn't really make it "leisure", I guess, but it helps to equip me to help others to the best of my ability.
Unless we happen to live next door to the gym, a lot of time (and gas money) is spent going back and forth between the gym and wherever else we go between client sessions. (Because rarely do we really get all of our session scheduled back to back. The client doesn't work around us- we work around the client.)
And, of course, the time we spend studying for and obtaining our CEC credits. If we don't pass, it's wasted money, so we are very motivated to apply ourselves.
So you are really paying us for much more than the 45 minutes or hour that we spend with you directly.
Can most of this be written off on our taxes? Yes. But we don't get it all back- Mostly it just reduces the amount we pay. And even if we do get some of it back, trust me: It's not cool to get paid once a year.
The fact is that if we don't have a full roster of clients, whether by choice or because of some other circumstance (this could be a whole 'nother blog), many trainers are making next to nothing for the hours they put in, despite the fact that you think you are paying them a small fortune. So why do we keep doing it? Because we really, truly want to help you.
I'm not writing this blog to complain. Obviously, we choose this profession because we love it and want to do it. We are here to help you, and most of us do it for the joy of seeing you feel better about yourself, not the money. So cut your trainers a little slack when it comes to fees. And please...... Stop asking for free services. Yes, people really do that. And no, we really can't afford it.
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