So a few weeks ago....

[nutterbutter2010]

DH got me a membership at the local gym I was (and still am) so excited, I've always wanted to be a gym rat!!! Along with the membership, you get to meet with one of the trainers so they can "evaluate you". So we meet, we sit and chat, and then she has me do some exercises to see where I am physically. From her reactions, she seemed impressed with me. Then we go back into the room, and chat some more, and then comes the sales pitch. If you buy something like 30, 1 hour sessions, its $60 a session, for a total of $1,800. Its a lot of money, especially around this time of year, but I'm concidering it. Over the past 2 years I've lost a huge amount of weight, and now I really just need to tone up, which is something I don't know how to do on my own. The meeting went well, we set up another appt to do an actual training session, when it hit. I don't know what she was thinking, maybe it was the bully tactic or something, maybe she was trying to drive her sale home, but we stood up, she looks me up and down, and says "I really think you should take advantage of having a personal trainer, because (looks me up and down) you really do have a lot of body fat that you need to lose."

I just smiled, thanked her for meeting me, and left. Never did make it to that next training session.......

 

[EthansMom]

Although, I fell off that wagon, I used to work out at the gym pretty regularly.

You really don't need 30 sessions with the personal trainer. One session to evaluate you and one to go over using the different machines and some basic stretching excercises, and then one check-up session every so often (say, every three or 6 months) will cover you pretty well.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

That wasn't very smart of her. That tactic may work occasionally, but it would definitely turn me off. I did some personal training sessions about five years ago and I was in the best shape ever. I think 2x/week for 4 weeks will get you on a good path. I am considering that right now although it's not really in the budget.

 

[OceanAnnie]

DH got me a membership at the local gym I was (and still am) so excited, I've always wanted to be a gym rat!!! Along with the membership, you get to meet with one of the trainers so they can "evaluate you". So we meet, we sit and chat, and then she has me do some exercises to see where I am physically. From her reactions, she seemed impressed with me. Then we go back into the room, and chat some more, and then comes the sales pitch. If you buy something like 30, 1 hour sessions, its $60 a session, for a total of $1,800. Its a lot of money, especially around this time of year, but I'm concidering it. Over the past 2 years I've lost a huge amount of weight, and now I really just need to tone up, which is something I don't know how to do on my own. The meeting went well, we set up another appt to do an actual training session, when it hit. I don't know what she was thinking, maybe it was the bully tactic or something, maybe she was trying to drive her sale home, but we stood up, she looks me up and down, and says "I really think you should take advantage of having a personal trainer, because (looks me up and down) you really do have a lot of body fat that you need to lose."

I just smiled, thanked her for meeting me, and left. Never did make it to that next training session.......

That would have hit me all kinds of wrong. I'm pretty sure I'd say something like, "Looks like we both have something to work on.", smirk, and leave. Those comments would have me all fired up to get in shape on my own.

 

[redlight]

Ugh! What a nasty thing to say. I'm curious, was she skinny?

 

[nutterbutter2010]

Ugh! What a nasty thing to say. I'm curious, was she skinny?

Yeah, she was skinny, but she was one of thoes woman who has no "female" body shape at all. If you saw her with a bag over her head, you would have a hard time knowing if she was a woman, or a young boy.

 

[pigletgirl]

Oh thats terrible!

Hasn't she heard the quote, " Real women have thighs"?????

She was just trying to sell that to you. I wouldn't go to her if she said that to me.

 

[minniecarousel]

yikes!

That trainer would never see me again!

I know that trainers (good trainers) have their pluses, but why spend that much $$$? You should be able to just get the basics on how to use the equipment.

 

[redlight]

Yeah, she was skinny, but she was one of thoes woman who has no "female" body shape at all. If you saw her with a bag over her head, you would have a hard time knowing if she was a woman, or a young boy.

I know it sounds like a stereotype, but I'm not surprised.

 

[DVCLiz]

Eh, I wouldn't have been so offended - you were there for a personal evaluation of your body fat, after all. It was her job to sell you personal training - what was she supposed to say? "You don't really need it because you are so thin but just for fun why don't you come by every day for a year and give me money?"

I think you took it personally the way you would if someone walked up to you at a party and said, "Wow, you still have a lot of body fat!" I'm not saying hearing it wouldn't have stung a little, but you were in a gym with a trainer, so I would expect an honest assessment.

I think you overreacted.

 

[nutterbutter2010]

Eh, I wouldn't have been so offended - you were there for a personal evaluation of your body fat, after all. It was her job to sell you personal training - what was she supposed to say? "You don't really need it because you are so thin but just for fun why don't you come by every day for a year and give me money?"

I think you took it personally the way you would if someone walked up to you at a party and said, "Wow, you still have a lot of body fat!" I'm not saying hearing it wouldn't have stung a little, but you were in a gym with a trainer, so I would expect an honest assessment.

I think you overreacted.

I smiled, thanked her for her time, and left. Where was the over-reaction??

 

[glitterkittyy]

I smiled, thanked her for her time, and left. Where was the over-reaction??

Well it's better than shoving some of my ham fist down her throat. lol

 

[DeluxePrincess]

She would never see me again! The woman needs some tact.

 

[MinnieMe87]

Well it's better than shoving some of my ham fist down her throat. lol

 

[dakcp2001]

I would not buy anything just yet! Give youself a few weeks, try some of the classes the gym has to offer and wait on it.
Try some of the toning classes, they are prob included instead of wasting so much money. There is a reason they make you buy them all up front, cuz no one really needs 30 sessions. Thats a lot! And I would have also been offended by her snarky comment. There are probably a ton of trainers at your gym, she is clearly not a good fit for you.


They are bound to offer a New Years "deal" and that is way too many sessions. I would wait and then see if you can get a smaller package.

Keep up the good work!

 

[minniecarousel]

Eh, I wouldn't have been so offended - you were there for a personal evaluation of your body fat, after all. It was her job to sell you personal training - what was she supposed to say? "You don't really need it because you are so thin but just for fun why don't you come by every day for a year and give me money?"

I think you took it personally the way you would if someone walked up to you at a party and said, "Wow, you still have a lot of body fat!" I'm not saying hearing it wouldn't have stung a little, but you were in a gym with a trainer, so I would expect an honest assessment.

I think you overreacted.

See, I'm reacting the opposite that you would have. It's the "look up and down" that would have gotten me! I got that from snotty girls in HS, don't need it from an adult woman who is supposed to be professional.

 

[DVCLiz]

I smiled, thanked her for her time, and left. Where was the over-reaction??

I thought you set up another appointment that you then blew off. I think that's an overreaction to her honest talk about your fitness needs.

See, I'm reacting the opposite that you would have. It's the "look up and down" that would have gotten me! I got that from snotty girls in HS, don't need it from an adult woman who is supposed to be professional.

But the snotty girls in high school were doing it to be mean and because they knew it was hurtful. A personal trainer isn't telling a client she has body fat to lose in order to be mean or snotty - she's saying it in her professional opinion as a person whose job it is to make people aware of their fitness goals. I'm sorry the OP felt that being looked at up and down was the equivalent of rude treatment. I think there's a big difference.

 

[redlight]

I thought you set up another appointment that you then blew off. I think that's an overreaction to her honest talk about your fitness needs.



But the snotty girls in high school were doing it to be mean and because they knew it was hurtful. A personal trainer isn't telling a client she has body fat to lose in order to be mean or snotty - she's saying it in her professional opinion as a person whose job it is to make people aware of their fitness goals. I'm sorry the OP felt that being looked at up and down was the equivalent of rude treatment. I think there's a big difference.

Regardless of her intentions, that trainer's behavior was snotty and rude.

 

[Briarmom]

Did she measure your body fat during the consult?

 

[DVCLiz]

Regardless of her intentions, that trainer's behavior was snotty and rude.

I just don't agree. The way the OP described it didn't sound snotty or rude to me, in the context of a personal trainer giving advice. Again, what is she supposed to say? She's PAID to do an honest assessment of your body and tell you what you need to do and how she can help you do it. Looking you up and down and pointing out that you have a lot of body fat to lose is what personal trainers DO.

Again, under other circumstances I would agree that looking someone up and down and telling them they are fat is rude, but not a personal trainer at a gym. It's probably the ONLY time I would think it WOULDN'T be snotty and rude.