In my stint as a personal trainer, one of my favorite things is consultation calls. It’s a chance for not only me to learn more about you the potential client, but also a chance for you to get to know me and make sure that what I have to offer feels comfortable to you. During these calls we dive into a little bit of your exercise history, any information about previous/current injuries or limitations, what you’ve tried in the past, and ultimately What is Your Goal? The best part of any conversation is hearing what it is that you are on the phone with me to solve. What problem you feel you have and how can I help solve it.
Though everyone says their goal in their own words, they tend to fall under 3 categories –
Toning up
Losing weight
Quick transformations
I decided to take some of the top goals I’ve heard and breakdown what they mean vs what it takes to actually achieve them. Let’s take a look at some harsh truths about your fitness goals, shall we?
Toning Up
“I don’t want to get bulky, I just want to get toned.”
“I want to get rid of this!” [points to arm/belly/leg]
What this person is looking for is the visible definition of their muscles being showcased in instances of wearing t-shirts/tank tops, shorts, crop tops, etc. They want to tighten up their body that might feel “flabby” in certain areas. There may be some excess fat in those areas that we would address through proper nutrition and they just want to feel strong and confident in their bodies.
The best way to achieve this goal is through progressive weight/resistance training. These people are often a little shy of the idea of lifting weights based on lack of knowledge. When someone tells me they want to get toned, my first thought is, “let’s lift weights”. That tone that you’re looking for is the visible definition of a muscle. In order to showcase the muscle you have, you need to make it bigger. By making it bigger, and cutting fat (when necessary), you are able to display the muscle underneath. A workout plan that is well rounded to hit all of the major muscle groups coupled with individual isolation exercises to focus on specific areas can help you reach this goal. Workouts should include anywhere from 6-8 exercises performed for 3-4 sets and between 8-15 reps per set. One big secret to helping you achieve this goal is to SLOOOOOW down your movement. It should take you about 2-3 seconds to lift the weight and 2-3 seconds to lower it with control and through a full range of motion on each rep/set. Slowing down the movement causes the muscles to work longer, thus helping them grow quicker.
YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY BY LIFTING WEIGHTS UNLESS YOU WANT TO!
The people you see that you don’t want to look like are special cases. They train 4-7 days per week for 60-90+mins at a time with a lot of additional coaching, specific training focus, 100% dialed in nutrition, etc. It is their job to look like that. Your job is to look like the best version of you. Lift the dang weights.
…Also, most are probably on some sort of drugs.
Losing Weight
“I want to boost my metabolism to lose weight.”
“I want to start eating keto because that’s how I’ll lose weight!”
This person has read a good number of magazines, blogs, or news articles and is in the camp that there are specific reasons and ways in which you gain/lose weight that require special, specific, and drastic changes to see results.
Boosting your metabolism is literally done through the act of moving! If you’re not moving, your body isn’t burning calories and will naturally slow down, causing the energy you’re not burning off to be converted to fat stores. Moving your body and remaining active can keep your metabolism humming even when you’re not active to boost your calorie burn.
Keto is fine, for a while, but I don’t know anyone who’s done keto who didn’t eventually put the weight back on as soon as they stopped. Specialized diets work for the short term, but if you don’t address nutrition habits and lifestyle changes, chances are when you finish or quit the diet, you may end up putting the weight back on and then some.
Ultimately there is no perfect solution to nutrition and weight loss, but addressing food behaviors, choices, and making adjustments while eating in a caloric deficit. As little as 500 calories less per day over the course of time can lead to weight loss. 1 lb = 3,500 calories. Consistently eat 500 less calories per day over 7 days, there’s your 1st pound gone!
It’s not easy. It’s not super fun.
But it IS 100% worth it.
Quick Transformations
“I NEED to lose 50lbs. in the next 2 months.”
“I’m going on vacation in 2 months and need to be beach ready!”
This person is looking for the quick fix and drastic change in a short amount of time. This is possible but drastic change in a short time frame requires hard core dedication. Strict diet + heavy training routine and little to no days off can help you work toward your goals, but this is the area where we need to discuss realistic expectations. In regards to fat loss, a healthy drop is ~1-2 lbs. per week. Beyond that we are getting into extreme calorie restriction which isn’t healthy or sustainable. Too often this person will either not be able to maintain or as soon as they’re done, go right back to where they were or worse at the beginning. The stress from a hardcore regimen like this can damage the body physically and mentally. There are good transformations, but it requires dedication and commitment.
Real change that lasts can take time if you’re not careful and don’t plan on how to maintain or continue once the transformation is complete. Take heed and make a plan and you should be good to go.
Honorable Mention:
“I want to look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club!”
…Me too dude… me too. 😊
There are a ton of different variations and types of goals that ignite people to pursue a personal trainer, fitness program, gym membership, etc. but these tend to be the most common themes I hear. If these sound like you and you have additional questions, do not hesitate to drop a comment or head to the Contact page and drop me a line. I’d love to speak with you further and help you pursue your fitness and health goal today!