I had an interesting conversation recently with a woman who is a Personal Trainer …
We were chatting about different aspects of our job, what we liked what we didn’t, where we worked etc. A little while into the conversation she went on to comment that she would never have picked me as a Personal Trainer, as I did not look like one…. At first I did not know whether to be offended or not. But then I asked the question, “What does a Personal Trainer look like?” I was curious.
“Oh”, she said, “you know someone who is buff, has muscle definition and looks better than their client”.
WOW! I was so surprised at the answer I got! I did not expect that. Maybe years ago that was the expectation of a Personal Trainer, but I think now a Personal Trainer is someone who motivates and encourages their clients to be a healthier, fitter version of themselves.. not someone who looks a certain way and makes their client feel insecure about their own appearance.
So I went on to say, “I am a Personal Trainer to REAL people, with REAL bodies and REAL lives. I want to motivate them to not want to be or look like anybody else, but to be a better healthier version of themselves.”
“I want my clients to feel comfortable with me and know I am just like them. I have 3 children, life is busy, I have the occasional bad day, I eat the odd treat. Its normal nobody is perfect and I don’t think that Personal Trainers should be boxed in to look a certain way!”
I am almost 170cm tall, wear a size 12, exercise 4-5 days a week. I am healthy and fit and I am comfortable in my skin!
Surprised by my answer the conversation came to a very quick end and off we went our separate ways. Me, to grab another cup of coffee, she, to probably spend another 2 hours in the gym to achieve what she thought a Personal Trainer should look like!
Health Me caters for the majority of the population, Real people with Real lives who don’t have 3 hours a day to spend exercising and follow a diet of food deprivation to achieve the perfect body. (If their is one)
Health Me wants to teach people how to incorporate good eating and exercise into their lifestyle so that they can have good health and a long life.
So I ask the question: ” What do you think a Personal Trainer should look like?”
