An ice cream filled week of discovery!
The other day, Scott and I (Ashley) had a talk about the type of personal trainers we want to be and he asked me an interesting question. “What would make me hire a personal trainer”. My immediate response was “I really don’t know”. I left the conversation and I continued to put some serious thought into his question.
The media does a really good job of creating an image of what personal trainer/ health practitioners should look like, and of what our job entails. But I can’t help but think about how unfair it is to judge a person’s health- or their ability to coach health “by the cover”.
Let’s take me for an example. I wake up in the morning and I put my nikes on – my underarmour top, and my lululemons. I come to the gym with my lululemon water bottle in hand, and I’ve probably got quinoa in my bag for lunch. According to society, I look the part.
Last week I had a small procedure completed that required stitches. As a result, I’ve been instructed by my doctor to not do anything active. I’m literally not allowed to sweat for 12 whole days. This process has taught me a few things. The first is that I’m a control freak, and I don’t like having to rely on others to do the things that I usually do for myself on a daily basis. The second is that when I’m forced to remove exercise from my life I seem to respond by purchasing the whole candy aisle at the store (or sending my husband to do it for me).
Am I leading a healthy lifestyle right now? Absolutely not. I’ve watched myself go from being a motivated and energetic person, to struggling to find the energy to get through the day. I guess that’s what happens when the only food group you consume is sugar.
Can I still coach my training clients to be healthy when I have a setback like this in my own life? The short answer is yes. My knowledge base and experience allows me to continue to coach my clients successfully. But is it fair that I suggest adjustments to their eating habits only to go home and eat chocolate covered almonds? I honestly don’t know if I can say that it is.
Instead of being on the gym floor, I’ve spent my extra free time thinking about what it really means to be a successful personal trainer and health coach (albeit over a bowl of ice cream). And although this week is killing me, I can’t help but think situations like this are what make health practitioners better.
I think it’s incredibly important to be able to relate to your clients. Once you’ve removed the bad stuff from your diet for a long period, the cravings go away and it becomes much easier. The same goes for exercising – while it’s awful at the beginning, there comes a point when it becomes very enjoyable. It transitions from a chore to almost like a high – we crave our workouts to give us energy and make us feel better. I think one of the biggest mistakes a health practitioner can make is to forget what every craving, and every tedious workout felt like in the beginning.
I will be very much reminded of this when I return to my regular eating and exercising patterns I’m sure.
So going back to Scott’s question – what would make me hire a personal trainer, or any health practitioner really? I would want my health practitioner to always be willing to learn for me. I’d want them to think outside of the box when I can’t. I’d want them to be able to ignite my passion for health and wellness – to push when I need it, but also to know when pushing me will do more harm. I would want them to truly be invested in my health – I don’t want to be looked at as their pay cheque.
If you’re thinking about getting a personal trainer or hiring any sort of health practitioner, do yourself a favour and take some time to think about what you really want to get from the experience. Remember, your first visit is you interviewing them – not them selling you, and your options are limitless.
