I’m Not losing weight with my Trainer

When I first became a personal trainer there was a saying going around our training community that if your clients didn’t get the results they were looking for, it was the trainers fault.

While part of that made sense to me, part of that really bothered me. Like, really, really bothered me.

A lot of people come to me (and other trainers) to help them lose weight. Whether it’s the first thing they say or it is mentioned later while talking about goals (often phrased as “getting rid of my belly”), many of my clients want to lose some weight.

And I get it, I totally do. Looking to workouts was one of the things I “did” when I first started my weight loss turned health journey. Well, that and Slim Fast shakes. What can I say, I didn’t know any better.

Before I go any further, I’m not saying that a personal trainer can’t help you lose weight. (Though I’ll argue that any good trainer worth their salt thinks more in terms of body fat loss vs. weight loss.) What I will argue is that unless they have specific certifications and/or training in nutrition it’s not their main job.

In fact, if you look up the definition or career description of a personal trainer you’ll see something along the lines of “a person who works with a client to plan or implement a fitness regimen.” Nowhere in there does it say anything about losing weight, and yet here we are, putting trainers in the front lines of the weight loss business.

I might make some people mad by saying this, but it’s not your trainer’s main job to help you lose weight.

Unless you specifically seek out a trainer that has nutrition certification you can’t expect them to do anything other than help you design, implement, and follow-through on a fitness program. And by following that program there is a very good chance that you will lose some body fat as you gain muscle, but if you have significant weight loss (body fat loss) goals, exercise alone isn’t going to cut it.

That being said, many trainers DO want to help their clients lose weight (body fat). These are the trainers who seek out additional classes and knowledge in not more advanced fitness programing, but nutrition (in case you’re wondering, yes, I have Nutrition Specialist Certification).

The problem then becomes- what is the client willing to do on her own and how much time (and, let’s be honest, money), does she want to spend each week working with her trainer? Because if you expect your trainer to put together a fitness regimen for you, guide you through that program (at least twice a week), and have time to go over a nutritional plan; you and your trainer are going to be spending some extra time together.

Of course, the amount of time will absolutely be dictated by your goals and your needs. But as much as we’d love to be able to work magic in only 2 hours a week, that means you’ve got 166 hours each week you are on your own.

So while it’s not what I was told when I first became a trainer, your progress and your success depends on you as the client.

Now, I’m not going to let your trainer off the hook here, either. If you hire a trainer, communication is key in understanding expectations.

If your trainer promises weight loss, you should get weight loss.

And, to be quite frank, it’s easy to tell your client she will lose weight with your fitness program. Depending on the initial conversation if you indicate a high willingness to follow a fitness plan and nutrition guidelines, there is a good chance you will lose a few pounds to begin with.

On the other hand, depending on where you are starting you could gain a few pounds as well.

I know, probably not what you want to hear. But remember, weight (pounds) and body fat are two different things. It’s 100% possible to gain weight but lose body fat. And in the grand scheme of health, the lower body fat percentage is healthier. True, your BMI (body mass index) may look “worse,” but luckily more and more doctors are dropping the “BMI is king” mentality and realizing that your health is more than your BMI.

Not only that, but when most people say they want to lose weight, it’s more of a physique thing rather than a number on the scale thing. After all, we don’t walk around with our weight posted over our heads. It’s the body we are living in that people see. You can absolutely have a fitter, stronger physique and weigh more than you would if you were wearing larger clothes. I know, because I’ve been there.

So what’s the point?

What it comes down to is that unless you are hiring your trainer for weight loss specifically (and either spend extra time together to focus on workouts as well or you do the workouts on your own), you can’t expect to lose a lot of weight. And if the agreement is focusing on weight loss, you are going to have to focus primarily on… nutrition.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be moving your body or working out as well. In fact, the combination of both fitness and nutrition is has been proven to be the most effective way to improve your body fat percentage and overall health versus just one of them alone. However, if your primary goal is to lose weight (body fat), you’ve got to focus on nutrition. You’ve just got to.

That’s one of the reasons that this year I’ve started offering additional nutritional coaching add-on packages to my personal training both online and in-person. Because I do get it. A lot of us come to fitness looking to improve our body composition. Which we can absolutely 100% do.

But the amazing thing about fitness is that it’s so much more than losing weight. Your physical fitness impacts your quality of life. Everything from being able to get the big bag of dog food at the store to being able to easily get down on the ground to play with your grandchildren. From improving your sleep to improving your stamina. From improving your overall energy level to, yes, fitting in a different size.

I’m not telling you that personal trainers aren’t important. That would be kind of ridiculous considering that’s my job.

What I am saying is that it is important to understand what your trainer will and won’t, can and can’t do for you.

Your trainer should be able to put together a fitness plan that works for your time, lifestyle, and goals. They should be able to teach you and guide you in a way that you are able to adhere to the program safely, without injuring yourself. Your trainer should help you gain strength, throughout your body and every area of your life. However, don’t be surprised if they require extra time and work from you for nutritional counseling and/or refer you to a dietitian or nutritionist if your main goal is to lose weight.

Over the next several months I’m going to address a handful of topics regarding nutrition as well as the fitness and other healthy lifestyle topics you’ve come to expect. However, if you want more individualized help or are looking to go deeper you can find out more about how you can work with me by sending an email or setting up an inquiry call.

As always, I hope you feel empowered knowing that you have the ability to make a difference in your life, your health, and ultimately those you care for.

I believe in you. You’ve got this.

Extra Resources

Weight Loss vs. Body Fat Loss
P.S. You’re on the wrong Diet
Drink Water, Lose Weight, Look Younger
Is the Elliptical Making You Fat?
Get Results without Killing Yourself in the Gym
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