Fit by 60! - TomO's Pledge

Hi, Val. Hope you're having a great day!

Coach, I think most PT's are not "evil." Most of them are just young kids trying to make their way. They earn very little. In my gym, for example, the company for which all the PTs work charges something like $40 for a 1/2 hour session. The PT is lucky to see $15 of that. If they don't keep a constant stream of people coming in, they really don't earn much more than $25k per year.

I believe the vast majority of the problems come from ignorance, and the fact that most people are simply unwilling to pay more for highly qualified trainers. Someone like Steve would be worth $400 per hour, but would anyone be willing to pay him that? Maybe in L.A., the Hollywood types would hire him, but anywhere else they would ask why he was so expensive. Since the clients are just as ignorant about what they need as the trainers, it tends to be a viscous circle.

On top of that, they must get a HUGE number of people who say they are "motivated" but are unwilling to count calories, don't want to press themselves too hard in cardio, and think weight lifting will give them "unsightly bulges." I mean, how much of that are you going to argue with for $25? Pretty soon you give up and cave in to what the customers expect you to do.
 
TomO said:
On top of that, they must get a HUGE number of people who say they are "motivated" but are unwilling to count calories, don't want to press themselves too hard in cardio, and think weight lifting will give them "unsightly bulges." I mean, how much of that are you going to argue with for $25? Pretty soon you give up and cave in to what the customers expect you to do.
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Right as usual:) Although in the case of my gym, it's not a franchise, just a small gym run by a former BB'er....so I'd expect the general attitude of the PT's to be a bit different...but I guess I should add that, other than refusing to show me dl's and being overly fond of machines, they really are a very ernest and hard-working bunch of guys (for some reason no females in the current bunch??).
 
my 2 cents: I agree with you all. From my experience, I hold the opinion that the trainers at my gym are good, well-meaning people. They appear to make their clients work hard and from my observations they give them new, interesting routines. However; I also have noticed that some clients whom I've observed over the course of months or years don't appear to be making a HUGE amount of progress--and it's probably the nutrition.

I've never had a personal trainer. But you bet your ass I eavesdrop in the weight room whenever I see one training! I've looked the best when I'm lifting 2 or more times a week, with the heaviest weights possible--in addition to watching what I eat and cardio, of course. But it's still true.

Also, take a look: do I look bulky and gross to you? Heavy weights don't necessarily mean you're going to bulk up, especially if you're a woman. Hmmmm, but when I'm lifting sometimes I think I look too muscular.
 

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I've never had a PT but I would love to! Especially someone like Steve who has so much knowledge! I just can't afford anything like that, so I'm doing it on my own (besides my cardio kickboxing class... that's the only time I'm not on my own, heh.)

Curvie_Girlie - I don't think you look bulky whatsoever. Women aren't prone to getting bulky from weights and as Steve would probably say it's hard enough for men to get bulky let alone women. I think muscular definition looks great one anybody and that's what I want (to be thin and toned looking). I think you should keep up with the weights, you don't look bulky at all.
 
Risty said:
Curvie_Girlie - I don't think you look bulky whatsoever. Women aren't prone to getting bulky from weights and as Steve would probably say it's hard enough for men to get bulky let alone women. I think muscular definition looks great one anybody and that's what I want (to be thin and toned looking). I think you should keep up with the weights, you don't look bulky at all.
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Hey thank you! I will! It was acutally Steve who "cyber-trained" me. He said I should lift weights so heavy I can only manage a set of 4-6 reps--so I did. And I really was/am pleased with the results, so...in a way I guess I HAVE had a trainer. :)
 
Yeah I've seen Steve post things like that to a few people and I agree with him. When I was going to the gym I was doing the multiple lighter weights and then when trying to go to the next level of weights I couldn't do the full thing so I thought I wasn't ready... dumb! So then I started the whole heavier weight, less reps and it worked awesome.

Anyways, I think you look great, keep up the awesome work.
 
Exercise Log - 5/22/2007

Weights "B"
60 minutes
690 calories

View attachment 3540

"B" is one of my toughest workouts, and today was no exception. I went up 5 lbs. on the squat, to 215 lbs., and had no problem. I think in another couple of workouts, I'll be able to get up to 220 lbs.

Incline DB Bench Press, at 2 x 65 lbs., was still very tough. I made all 5 sets, and it was a bit easier than last time, but still not ready to increase.

Increase deadlift to 210 lbs., and did fine. I'll be able to bring that to 215 lbs. in another week or so.

BB Row at 95 lbs. still too tough to increase.

Chinups at Level 14 were easier today. I'll try level 13 next time.

Calf raises at 375 lbs. were a little tough, but I think I can go up to 390 lbs. in another 10 days.

All in all, a great workout.

I agree with cym on squats and deadlifts. There's something very liberating about being able to lift a lot of weight like that!
 

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Curvie Girlie said:
Also, take a look: do I look bulky and gross to you? Heavy weights don't necessarily mean you're going to bulk up, especially if you're a woman. Hmmmm, but when I'm lifting sometimes I think I look too muscular.
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No, you look buff and healthy to me. I like a woman with a little bit of muscle!

Risty, Steve is better than any trainer I've ever had, anyway!
 
Lookin good on your workout!
Hey I've started this habit of lookin at your log before I go to the gym lol.
It's tremendous motivation! (even tho i dun do those heavy stuff u do):)
 
Thanks, Pinky. You don't have to do the same weights, but the exercises are great for women, too. I think Valerie (Curvie) does a lot of these as well.
 
I haven't looked for a PT here, but if I ever do, I'd hope to find someone like Steve... hehe... that's probably far fetched, but ya never know.
 
Risty said:
I haven't looked for a PT here, but if I ever do, I'd hope to find someone like Steve... hehe... that's probably far fetched, but ya never know.
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I think you could look several years and not find someone like him. I have tried 8 different trainers, and none of them could hold a candle to him.
 
Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Weight 234.0 - Round 4, Day 13

Food yesterday: 2,365 calories
Fat: 70 gm, 26%; 13 gm saturated, 5%
Carbs: 301 gm, 47%; 46 gm fiber
Protein: 127 gm, 21%
Alcohol: 10 gm, 3%

My NARM was 2,339 calories, and I had 690 calories from my Weights "B" workout, so I ended the day with a deficit of 664 calories, and an accumulated deficit for the month of 10,224 calories. My accumulated deficit for Round 4 is 5,671 - about half of what I need to win.

I would have given myself a 5 out of 5 on quality of food yesterday, were it not for the shortage of protein. I have to admit, I'm having a hard time getting in that 1 gram per pound of lean mass. By those standards, I should be consuming at least 173 grams a day. To keep within my calorie limits, though, it seems like I'd have to give up a lot of fruit to do that. I've never been a big fan of cottage chees -- maybe I'll have to try that, though.

I find myself getting utterly exhausted after my Weights "B" workout. I had a protein shake before and after the workout, but by 10 at night I was wasted. I think to myself, it's only an hour, with lots of breaks in between sets -- why would I get so tired? I guess that shows the hidden effects of weight training. That exhaustion must be partly from my muscles trying to restore themselves.
 
I agree with pinkdolly it is motivating to see what you're doing, despite not duplicating it!

I think it's only reasonable that you're tired at the end of a day with some heavy physical labour in it. If you had added in some alternative heavy labouring (hand mixing cement, digging post holes...) rather than weights, you would feel tired afterwards too I expect.

Congratulations on the way you sustain your massive efforts.
 
tom, if you are finding yourself still so exhausted from working out, I am betting that you do not have any sugars in your post-workout shake. the exhaustion is most likely from the fact that you are working hard and depleting your glycogen stores. toss some sugars into your post workout shakes, and i think you would probably recover quicker and not feel so exhausted. also, as a side note, a bit of a blood sugar spike right after your workout will raise insulin levels, and if you didnt already know, insulin is incredibly anabolic (some believe more so than steroids). which means you keep your strength and muscle much easier while cutting. and as long as you dont severely overdo it, you dont have to worry about the bad effects of a blood sugar increase and insulin boost because the body will use those sugars right quickly to restore the glycogen in your liver and muscles. most recommendations i have seen say to use a 2:1 ratio of sugar to protein in your post-workout shake. and it is pretty important for it to be a shake (quick digestion, the time frame is short after all) and you want to avoid anything other than your sugar and quick digesting protein (most likely whey if you are using a powder, which is good).

if you already knew all of this, sorry for the long winded post, lol, but maybe it will help someone else who didnt know.
 
I was going to say something along those lines, coach.

My PWO shake contains whey, dextrose, and malto. However, of course they are accounted for in my total caloric intake.

Side note: Weight training is not all that glycogen-draining, as many people seem to think.
 
Thanks, guys.

Here's what I put into my shake:

1.5 scoops of whey protein
1 cup nonfat milk
1 cup ice
1 cup frozen fruit
1 cup fresh fruit
juice from 1 lemon

All this comes to 320 calories for about 16 ozs.

I would think there's a substantial amount of sugar in there from the 2 cups of fruit, isn't there?
 
Good morning! Just a comment on your exhaustion after a workout. I am sure there may be other factors too, i.e., is your sleep quality/quantity different, stress levels higher....for me when I am more stressed, I am a lot more tired.

Hope you are having a great day!
 
bethann1156 said:
Good morning! Just a comment on your exhaustion after a workout. I am sure there may be other factors too, i.e., is your sleep quality/quantity different, stress levels higher....for me when I am more stressed, I am a lot more tired.

Hope you are having a great day!
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Thanks, Beth. I sleep very well -- about 7 hours a night. As for stress, I am one of the least stressed-out people I know. I think maybe it was just a hard workout. After all, just the squats and deadlifts I do involve lifting over 4 tons of steel in 2 exercises.
 
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