7 Things Your Fitness Pro Wishes You Knew
How many of these statements did you know were fake news?
I had lunch with an old friend last week. At some point, the conversation turned to diets and the quarantine 15, and he casually said, “You don’t have to worry about things like that - you basically work out all day for a living.” I’ve heard this from others before as well, but this time, it really made me stop and think about the way that muggles (regular people, if you’re not versed in Potter-speak) think about those of us in the fitness profession. So, here are some of the things people say about us that we wish you knew were fake news.
“It’s easy for you to work out, it’s your job.” Trust me, we have the same blocks to working out that everyone does! Some days we’re tired - physically, or emotionally. For those of us who work at a gym, sometimes the last thing we want to do after a day of work is stay in our physical job setting for an extra hour. For those of us who coach clients or classes, sometimes after designing programming for everyone else, we don’t have the mental energy to do it for ourselves. In fact, this is the reason I’ve always loved group fitness, and during quarantine, I jumped on the Peloton bandwagon and have been loving it! Fitness might be a bigger part of our lives than it is for most people, but we’re still human.
“You exercise all day, every day.” Training clients isn’t the same as training ourselves! What many of us really are doing all day is demo-ing - we show a client a few reps of each exercise to make sure they understand the correct form. Then, we spend the rest of the time watching their form and coaching them through their sets. Even your group fitness instructor, who might be riding or dancing along with you for the whole class, isn’t getting the same level of exertion that you are when they are watching and cueing the class. In fact, we have to book in a window to work out just the way you do. If we don’t, it might not happen.
“You don’t know what it’s like to work at a desk.” I fully admit, nothing made me realize faster that I wasn’t cut out for being at a desk all day than the times I was in a position that required me to do so. I am incredibly grateful that my career allows me to be active. HOWEVER, the fitness professionals you know probably spend a lot more time doing a “desk job” than you would think at first. Did you know that whenever we take on a new client, and periodically after that, we sit down and work on program design based on their current status and short, mid, and long-term goals? Then, after each individual session, we document the exercises, sets, reps, weights, and note any additional information that’s relevant. Like those of you sitting in an office, we get the muscle tightness, restlessness, and that feeling when you’re just staring at the screen wishing the words would write themselves (a former boss of mine called it “note Inertia.“) Now that I’m a fitness solo-preneur, I’ve been spending more time at my desk than ever - writing newsletters (have you signed up?), creating content for this blog and my social media, networking, and creating and maintaining a website.
“You’re ordering THAT? You’re supposed to be the healthy one! “ Just because we work in the fitness business, doesn’t mean all we eat is grilled chicken and steamed broccoli! Having grown up in an Italian family, for me meals are a social event, so if we’re out together, I’m going to order something I enjoy, and most likely something I wouldn’t cook for myself. Truth be told, I’ve gotten to a point where I laugh these types of comments off, but they used to make me feel guilty, like I wasn’t good enough if I couldn’t resist the temptation of “unhealthy” food. I was somehow letting down my profession and ruining the image people had of me. I used to be shamed into ordering a salad, or at the very least try to defend myself - “I ate healthy all week! I skipped breakfast and lunch for this dinner LOL! I did an extra hour of cardio!” Now, after years, I finally have a meal strategy that works for me, and I encourage all my clients and friends to find the one that works for them too - one that will be sustainable, allow for indulgences (whatever that might look like for you), and allow for a release of guilt, shame, and anxiety around food. Oh, and one that has nothing to do with the fact that I’m a fitness professional. More on that in an upcoming blog!
“You’ll be good at it, you’re so athletic.” Yes, we may have many of the pillars of athleticism covered - balance, strength, speed, power, agility. But nothing quite makes up for sport-specific skill, so if we haven’t done something before, don’t be surprised or disappointed if we have the same learning curve as everyone else. (And if you’re a fitness pro reading this - stop being so hard on yourself when you’re in this situation!)
“They don’t look like … , so I shouldn’t train with them.” This is one of the biggest myths out there, and while it hasn’t been said to my face, I’m sure it’s been said about me. First of all, I have to say that I uphold strong standards for those of us in health, wellness, and fitness professions. While I don’t believe we have to be perfect (see #4), I do believe we should maintain an overall healthy lifestyle if we are asking our clients to do the same. Leading by example is key. That being said, I do want to take a moment to discuss the ways in which fitness professionals are often judged on their aesthetic. I’ve heard women in the locker room talking about how the group fitness instructor’s stomach isn’t flat, or how they wouldn’t want to work with some of the more muscular trainers because they don’t want to “bulk up.” I’ve heard men speak in similar ways about trainers who are “too lean” or don’t have “enough definition.” Something to keep in mind is that your trainer’s aesthetic doesn’t have to be your aesthetic. Your trainer or coach has their own fitness goals, which may revolve around a certain sport, competition, or life event. That doesn’t mean that they don’t know how to build programming based around your goals. Having an honest conversation with your potential trainer holds a lot of value - it’s important to understand how they think, not how they look.
“You’re going to judge me.” When we invite friends to a fitness-based event, whether it’s a one-hour class or a week-long retreat, we aren’t judging you! We’re excited to bring you into our world and share an experience with you, not comparing your athletic ability to ours. We also aren’t judging you when you order dessert, or a second glass of wine. There is no need to apologize or explain yourself! Along the same lines, we don’t judge our clients either. You should NEVER be ashamed or embarrassed of your size, shape, or lack of experience in the gym. Your fitness professional’s job is to be your coach, guide, and teacher. We will meet you wherever you are, and work together to progress from there.
Now I’d like to hear from you guys! Fitness professionals, is there anything else you’d add to this list? Client and friends, which truth surprised you the most? Will this change the way you view fitness professionals you know?
