Let me take you down the memory lane and tell you a story of finding the one person in the world who makes me feel good about myself, admires my efforts and always encourages me to be the best version of myself. Don't get me wrong, it is not going to be another love story. It is a story of a girl who steps into a gym to find a special fitness instructor who will help her get rid of some extra pounds and gain self-awareness she much needed. And that girl was me.
The beginnings
Ever since I can remember losing weight has been my top New Year's resolution. I attended group fitness classes, but they weren't doing it for me. I needed different kind of motivation and someone who will be able to see and track my progress. That's why I browsed the web to find personal trainers in my neighbourhood and I got a lot of hits. Some specialised in weight loss yoga, others were committed to crossfit, there were swimming instructors, professional body builders and experienced personal instructors, who were the ones I was looking for.
Nothing special
I called up the first trainer from the list and we scheduled a meeting. We met at a local gym and started by talking about my expectations which I took as a good sign. What followed were regular exercises – I tried out different equipment, did some running on a treadmill and finished it off with some light stretching. Nothing special but it was OK, so I scheduled another meeting. And guess what – same thing happened. I did some exercises on available gym equipment and went home pretty disappointed. I felt like the instructor was not listening to my needs and did not adjust the exercises to my particular expectations, so I decided it was time to move on.
Blood, sweat and tears
My next trainer did not turn out to be the right fit for me either. I was excited about training session with a legend in my local community as I have read hundreds of positive reviews online. The session started normally, but then came the time for the cardio workout, which turned out to be a nightmare. I am aware that cardio exercises are meant to be intense, but after a session with this trainer I was so tired I almost passed out. Constant yelling and shouting, which were supposed to motivate me, left me feeling intimidated to such extent that I gave up exercising for a week.
The wow factor
A bit demotivated and upset, I met with the third trainer. There is a saying that third time's a charm and it really was. She had been in the business for 5 straight years and we hit it off right from the beginning. We talked for a bit, I outlined my expectations and unlike other trainers, Trish noted everything down. First session was great and I left the gym feeling good about myself and my body. The second session, though, really surprised me – Trish showed up with a detailed plan for my weight loss and she even sketched a meal plan for the upcoming week. As for the exercises – I was really amazed by appropriate intensity and diversity of what Trish had to offer. I could say she loved what she was doing and I knew we would be fitness partners for a long time!
As you can see finding my ideal fitness instructor had some ups and downs, but I finally managed to find the person who cares about my progress and well-being. After some time spent with Trish I have lost weight, built up upper body strength, and I finally feel confident and comfortable in my body.