If the Personal Trainer Police exist, they’re probably going to come get me for saying this, but whatever: I’m just not that into weight loss. Sure, I know about it and I know how to help clients if that’s their goal, but I just don’t think it’s that important. Hear me out about why.
A number on a scale doesn’t mean anything except what we attach to it. Two bodies with the same scale number can look radically different, and, more importantly, feel radically different. We have bought, as a society, the Kool-Aid that the lower the number the better. This is not true.
Here is what I am excited about instead of weight loss. I am excited when people get stronger. I am excited when they change their body composition and shape by lifting weights and building lean body mass. I am prone to celebrate when I hear that my clients were able to do something they never could before or weren’t able to do for a long time because of the hard work they’ve put in during their workouts. I love it when my clients fall in love with what their bodies are capable of and how they look and feel as powerful humans.
I do care about health, but it turns out that exercise (cardio, weight lifting, and mindbody practices) impacts health even if weight loss doesn’t occur. Another thing that has massive health impact? Stress. So stressing out about weight loss or lack of weight loss is not helpful. I want my clients to find exercise that they enjoy (or at least don’t hate), to love themselves for being miraculous this very moment, and to live full, rich lives.
So, yeah, I can help people lower the number on the scale, but I’d rather amp up the joy in their lives by building strong, confident, and comfortable humans.
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