When people find out I am a personal trainer, I’m always shocked at what comes out of their mouth next, especially when I am out in social situations.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m flattered that people feel that they can open up to me, and I truly do love what I do and could talk fitness and nutrition all day long. But, I’m not a health robot who is programmed to eat perfect all of the time, I don’t workout during every spare moment, and I do eat pizza and drink beer every so often.
Here are 7 suggestions on what NOT to say to a personal trainer when you meet them at a party.
1. “Are you going to eat that brat?”
Yes, would you like to watch?
I swear I feel like a circus performer sometimes. Everyone watch as the Personal Trainer will now eat the Oreo! The crowd gets silent as they all wonder will she really do it…!
One brat at a party isn’t unhealthy, it’s usually the chips, dips, cookies and coke that comes along with the brat at the cookout. Also, one brat won’t derail anyone’s diet, 5 brats will.
If I am at your party don’t be shocked when I eat the burger you cook on the grill and please don’t apologize for having ‘unhealthy’ foods at your party. I am not judging you – I will probably eat a little bit of everything there, so don’t judge me back.
2. “Do you let your husband eat whatever he wants?”
I don’t control my husband. He is a big boy and can eat whatever he wants.
Living with me, he knows what is healthy and he can make his own choices. He knows I’m not going to join him when he has doughnuts for breakfast, pizza for lunch and chinese take out for dinner, but I also won’t stop him.
3. “I’m going to start _____ diet next month.”
My response is always the same. STOP DIETING. Eating healthy and exercise shouldnt be a diet, you need to make it a lifestyle. Dieting is unsustainable and will most likely drive you to be hungrier and eat unhealthier than you would have if you just ‘ate normal’.
Most of the diets people mention are crazy ideas such as taking out all of the carbohydrates in your life, or eating only meat and vegetables for a year. Like I said, almost anything inserted in that blank is crazy and unsustainable. I can very easily get into a long discussion with you on why that ‘diet’ isn’t healthy for your body, but not during my social hour.
My suggestion? Stop eating processed foods. Eat real foods.
4. “I hate exercising.”
That’s fine, there are plenty of things I hate doing too.
But, if you want to build muscle, you have to work them. If you want to get a stronger heart you have to get it pumping. If you hate running, don’t run. If you don’t like to lift weights in the gym, there are plenty of ways you can lose weight, tone and tighten your muscles that don’t involve forms of exercise you hate.
I talk a lot about sustainability and making it a lifestyle. Take the time to find a form of exercise you enjoy such as playing basketball, join a kickball team, group classes, yoga – I don’t care what it is. But making a blanket statement saying you hate all forms of exercise is a waste of my time.
5. “How do I stretch my ….”
This is one of my favorites, and you would be surprised how often someone asks me this. There is always someone at the party that has a tight shoulder, hamstring, hip etc. It’s never an easy muscle to stretch, like your calf, it’s always an obscure muscle that is ailing them and the only way for me to explain how to stretch it is to physically get down on the floor and contort myself into a weird-looking position.
Not doing it at a party.
6. “I’ve tried the exercise and eating healthy thing and it doesn’t work.”
My guess is you’ve tried it for all of 2 weeks. Or maybe you really gave it a go and made it a few months.
Trying the eating and exercising thing takes a lifetime. It never is easy to turn down a milkshake or french fries, but your resilience gets stronger and your taste buds change – so it does get easier.
The exercise and health thing isn’t something that clicks in and works, and then you are good to go for the year. It is a choice you make every day you wake up. Every time you put your tennis shoes on and go to the gym or opt to cook at home vs. order a pizza for delivery.
That’s what’s not working for you, you want it to be easy. If it was easier than everyone would get it.
7. “I weigh ____. What should I weigh?”
We are at a party people. You aren’t my client. I don’t know your body or health history. So, asking me to throw out a random number and determine what your weight should be, is about as accurate as me predicting the weather.
Don’t avoid me at a party – but do leave work at home and let’s enjoy ourselves!