Well, I guess I can say lesson learned. If there is something that I want to do the right way, I can rely only on myself for my own results.

I made the mistake of joining this big chain of gyms Wednesday of last week. I really wanted to have a secret weapon in my toolbox to get me over my plateaus.
Joining a gym has always had a stigma in my eyes. I used to think of them as meat markets where guys go to show off and meet chicks. Chicks go to show off how hot they are. Well I got past all that and came to terms with I am going to get my mind and body to work together with me on this thing called life. So I caved and joined. I got sucked into joining at the "Gold" level. I can bring a guest, tan, workout as much as I want, and take free classes (like Zumba, BodyPump, Body Attack, Spin, Yoga, etc.) Yadda, yadda, yadda.
They of course tell me that I get a free personal training session also. I asked them if they would show me how to use all of the equipment and was told yes. They did not do this.
So I set up my appointment when I joined to meet with the "trainer" today.

This guy was late getting to my appointment(not a very professional start[in my eyes], but I gave the benefit of the doubt in his favor.

So I fill out the waiver and health and fitness questionnaire. He then wants to talk to me about my motivation for joining. It almost seemed like every time he asked a question, he wanted me to give him the shortest possible answer. I felt extremely rushed. Definitely didn't feel like he truly wanted to hear my real answers. At one point, I was telling him about my motivation and he rolled his eyes! I almost got up and left right then...BUT I AM NO QUITTER! I channelled my frustration to use during my workout.

We talked about what I've been doing currently for Strength training and cardio, and what I eat. I told him how much I lost and he immediately asked how long it took me and then made me feel as if that was minuscule and insignificant and that he feels I have a long way to go.

He asked me what I wanted to accomplish. I told him I want to have the knowledge of what to change and how often to change it to avoid plateaus.
I want to tighten the skin that is left behind from massive weight loss.
I want to work on my upper arms (skin hanging).
I want to work on my inner upper thighs.
I want to work on my stomach(to tighten loose skin)
I want my abs back.
I want a sexy neck and shoulders.
I want a healthy body fat %


I told him that I wanted to learn how to change my workouts the proper way to encourage my body to not plateau. I wanted to learn safe workouts that used proper techniques to not hurt my knees, as they hurt sometime when I work out.

So what does he have me doing?
This is not a complete list, but here's just a few of the things. Mind you I love a good, hard, sweaty workout, but I would like to not have a knee replacement at the end of the day.
I did 10 minutes of 4 mph at 30% incline on treadmill to warm up.
Then he had me come back and do HIIT (high intensity interval training).
He had the middle size plyometrics box. I had to step up on the box jack-knife the other leg and place it back down on the ground. 10 times each leg, then move through other assorted kettle lunges, a bazillion squats, leg curls, leg lifts, medicine ball slams, rope slaps, resistance training, more and more lunges and squats, virtual stairs, then as if my knees weren't hurting bad enough...he had me do mountain climbers 60 of them to be exact, then with both legs in and out at the same time.

I am certain that he heard the part about me wanting a good calorie burn, but apparently he didn't hear the part about me not wanting to jack up my knees. JEESH!

I guess it's all in the name of them selling the "GOLD" Personal training packages that costs more than most cars do. Plus, he wouldn't let me bring home a list of the costs and benefits, because he said that there are so many options in between and the price had leeway.
What that translates out to is this:
ME a fat lady, obviously will pay whatever they want to get to look like a supermodel. When in actuality, I will not. The only person I want to look like is me. Just a healthier, leaner version of me.

Listen, I do want to meet my goal, put I DO NOT NEED TO PAY ANYONE to get me there. Especially not someone who really doesn't want to hear what I have to say. I am broken down in tears over this. This guy thinks that I should lose way below my target weight. He told me how large I was, and that I have a long way to go, and had the audacity to tell me that motivation and support were key. DUH!! Way to break me down jack-leg! I am going to articulate a very eloquent letter and cancel my membership. I would rather train with arch enemies, than to be made to feel like this by a complete stranger (along with his trainee).

I had planned running 3 miles on the treadmill after my training session, but I was resorted to a big pile of low self esteem when I left. I will say that I did NOT quit. I did his freaking workout, and I gave it EVERYTHING that I had.


I do intend on sharing this experience at my Weight Watcher's meeting Thursday.
NOBODY deserves to be made to feel inadequate. I can't imagine how he would have treated me, had I gone in there at the beginning of my journey?

In closing,
I know that I am worthy of respect.
I know that I have busted my tail-feathers to lose every ounce and pound that I have so far! I deserve to be PROUD of all that I have accomplished. I should not allow ANYONE the power to strip me of that honor. NO ONE!
I am doing the right things to get me to goal. I am trying to find the right way to learn all of the things that I don't know. I have to be patient with myself and know that all of the answers aren't always so easy to find. I just have to be persistent and take the time to change my strategy, and re-evaluate often.
I do have a ton of support. SparkPeople just strengthens it to an unwavering endless network.
I am motivated. I will get to goal, even if a gym membership is not for me.

I love me. As I was, as I am now, and as I will become.

Thank you so much for listening. I needed to get all of this off my chest before I exploded.



Tiffany