Public views of personal trainers and coaches is very glamorous. It must be amazing to work a job that makes people feel better about themselves! But it's not all about pretty people and six-pack abs. And it's certainly not all about the scale.
Most of the people who come in to Goals in Motion want to lose weight or tone. But what I've witnessed over the last few years is that as the pounds drop off and the muscle starts to appear they gain so much more....
Just this week, when I was teaching class, I noticed a couple of people who are suddenly so much more fit and strong~ they stood out amongst a sea of hardworking bodies the other day in class...
C, V and A have broken down the barriers of negativity and self-doubt. They've lost enough weight and toned enough to be able to look in a mirror and feel beautiful again. As a coach, it's easy to see the moment they cross over... they walk in wearing fitted work clothes and they trade in baggy t-shirts for athletic wear. They pick up heavier weights and they have a focused look as they watch themselves execute lifts properly in the mirror. Off the floor, they smile freely and share ideas and encouragement with the other ladies around them.
P, M and W are men who have "caught the bug". They have a determined look as sweat flows freely down their faces and puddles beneath them as they plank. They are men who have not only changed the shape of their bodies but their way of thinking. They are active outside of Goals and as fathers they work hard to set a healthy example for their kiddos every day. Each one of them has a sparkle in their eyes that I don't remember being their on day 1.
But after we help them push back the ghosts of shame and self-loathing, many of my clients are still faced with the demons of age and disease. Many of them have to lose weight for reasons that are so much more critical than a new dress or a smaller belt....
My friends J joined Goals with his wife. I still remember the day they walked in to ask about the program. He quizzed me about supplements and powders. He didn't want to be pushed to buy anything extra. His wife was quiet and let him do the talking. It was apparent to me that he needed to convince himself he could get through the 9 weeks but it was equally apparent that he was ready to change. What I didn't know at our initial meeting was that he was a Type II diabetic. J and his wife joined the 9 week challenge and both work hard. They responded to their coaches and focused on food as much as exercise.
Below is a snippet of a couple of emails he's sent over the last 6 months...
In July.....
"My results on 3/26/12 my average daily glucose was 252 and my A1C score was 9.3. The standard A1C is 4.8-6.0
My results on 7/16/12 my average daily glucose was 114 and my A1C score was 5.6. This is lower than it has ever been."
and just this week....
"Hey Team - Just met with my doctor. My last med is a combo drug with 2 different active ingredients - so we are dropping one of the meds and meeting again in March. Only one left to get rid of and I will be med free."
Or there is D. She joined way back in 2010. I thought it was to just lose some of those young mom pounds (you know the ones, the "I don't have time for anything but my family and my job pounds")!!
The following is a part of an email I received from her at the end of her challenge....
"I also found out some great news at the dr on Tues and had to share it with you. I've been a patient... for about 15 years now -- I had inappropriate tachycardia which meant that my heart often started racing without any real physical exertion or reason. I was diagnosed when I was just out of college and at the time I started medication my resting (RESTING) heart rate was 125. Its a condition that people typically outgrow by 30, but for some reason I never did. I was able to workout throughout those 15 years but always had to do so on the medication. I got better over the years and got my resting heart rate down to 105 but never much lower than that (without meds).
Well, I went for my checkup on Tuesday. She had allowed me to take the challenge without medication and see how it went. If it got to be a problem I would just start taking it again -- no big deal. (Working out on medication that suppresses your heartrate was always difficult for me and often left me light headed- and I hated it) The first week or so was hard, but I made it -- without meds. When I had my EKG on Tues, my resting heartrate was 80 without medication!! She was AMAZED and even shouted in the hallway....."
These people are just a small representation of who I get to work with every day....
Are you jealous??
Lol!! You should be!! There's nothing better in the world than being reminded that what we do everyday makes a difference.
Thanks to everyone who helps me by coaching or instructing or supporting Goals. There's not any part of it I could do myself and I love you all.....
I'm very thankful that I'm able to have the best job in the world!
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