The Last Training Session

So this Monday was my last personal training session with Trainer Amy. I did 20 sessions spread out from Jan 18 through March 29th. This was spread out so much due to travel (both of us) and snowpocalypse 2010. So what was the final verdict?

Meh.

I mean at first, I was really excited about the training. But over time, I became underwhelmed. She started throwing more cardio in - which isn't all bad I guess. BUT - when I pay per hr and I spend the first 10, 20 and at one session, 28 minutes doing cardio on machines while she is no where to be seen - well I feel like I'm wasting money. I can do cardio on my own for free...I don't want to waste 1/3 of my session doing just a regular workout on a machine. And she was doing something else. I knew she was having some stuff going on..but you shouldn't be talking to your boyfriend in the gym office while I'm doing cardio during the hour I pay you for. Sorry but you should be standing right next to me. To the last session, she didn't know how fast I walked on the treadmill...because she was rarely around. I think I would have seen much bigger gains if she stuck around, pushed me to a higher level when I needed it, and was better able to assess my abilities.

Some of the other issues - she talked about money too much. About needing more clients, needing to make more money, how upset she was when ppl didn't show up because she lost money, clients that didn't pay, ect. It made me feel weird and I didn't like it. Combined with how I felt I was getting played for my own dollars during the sessions - well it just seemed like a bad deal I was getting. I don't mind paying for a good product...but this one seemed a little like a raw deal over time.

There was a lot of good though - don't let me make it sound all bad. When she was attentive and around, I got my butt kicked GOOD. I sweated it out, burned it off, and felt the pain the next day. I definitely think she knows her stuff - but I think she gets way too distracted, which affects my outcomes.

In general - I'm glad I did it. The benefits were that I have lost body fat, slimmed down, gotten back into a gym routine, and am on my road back to being in shape. I think trainers are excellent for anyone who needs motivation and a regular schedule at the gym, especially beginners. They can help you figure out where to start. Even a 10 session package is awesome. I think I will train again, but probably with a different trainer. Unfortunately, you can't really try ppl out...some of the issues I had with my trainer would never come up in a trial session. But I think that next time, I will ask to speak to some of their clients or try to figure out when they train so I can watch them.

Say Maybe to the Dress

I am FEELING it!!! Seriously. After 2 dates with Trainer Amy and the Painhouse Gym - I am walking a little slower today. She whooped my tail good with an amazing leg workout yesterday. I am really glad I signed up for training - I know it is going to make a huge difference. I am going to train on Monday, but we also discussed the plan for while I'm on travel. It's pretty simple - do cardio, do it hard and do it often. So I'm packing a dvd or two, just in case the hotel gym sucks or is non-existant, along with my gym clothes. I also am going to make sure my iPod is loaded with goodies to keep me entertained while I burn.

So in pain and waddling around today, I did another painful thing - I spent all day today walking around trying on wedding dresses! The good is that I found a definite stand out dress, a dress I compared the other dresses I have tried on too. The bad is that it's literally on the top of my price range (it's $2 cheaper, lol). The worse is that I couldn't really try it on all the way because of the cut and the size being too small. The "worse" is the reason I haven't bought it yet. I have one more day of dress shopping with my mom tomorrow and then it's time to make some serious decisions. Do I go for the standout or the cost effective options? Do I buy a dress that I only was able to half try on but really loved? Argh!

Dress shopping is a total mindfreak. You walk in and they tell you - oh, our dresses are cut European style - you will need a size or two LARGER than your street size. Well, considering my street size is already high...that's a blow. Some dresses just didn't come in my size, end of discussion. And some dresses just weren't flattering on my shape (those are easier to deal with though...it's not your weight that means it's a no). Even on the styles I loved, I know that losing a few pounds will make them look even more stunning and flattering. If anything - it's telling me that I'm doing the right thing by trying hard right now to become a more fit woman - because I want to look graceful coming down the aisle - not like I'm stuffed into a too small or too ugly dress. And trust me - the "women's" sizes that do fit often are too ugly, LOL. I really was focusing on my honeymoon before - wanting to be able to wear a swimsuit on the beach and not feel like a misplaced whale. But now I'm really excited to tone up for the dress as well. I'm actually starting to get that vision thing going on, which is very exciting. I hope my bridesmaids are up for the theme I'm building in my head for their dresses around my favorite dress from today! I think they will be :)

My Torturer

Have you heard of this stepmill thing? No? Because I hadn't. Yeah, I heard of a stair climber, but this is a more evil torture device...I mean exercise machine. It's basically a never ending column of stairs that you climb, and keep climbing, otherwise you fall off the cliff. I know it sounds just like a stairclimber...but there is a difference, trust me!

Torture Device - Code Name "StepMill"

Anyway, my trainer, Trainer Amy, likes this thing...a lot. My cardio Rx includes 3 hot dates a week with the stepmill - and she likes to throw it in our sessions. Trainer Amy says that it burns 2-3 times the calories as the treadmill in half the time, and according to my bodybugg, she's right. Tonight was my second appointment with the equipment from hell and as did intervals between levels 1 and 2. Because that's how out of shape I am hard this machine is. And I was pouring sweat and hurting after just 20 minutes. So I guess that means it's working - which is what I pay her the big bucks for.

Tomorrow is my second appointment with Trainer Amy and I'm excited to see what pain she has in store for me. I'm going to be out of town every single day next week and in two different states - so I'm also going to ask her for a plan for while I'm gone.