Jan 22, 2004

A New Year means time for a new you
AVAC personal trainer eschews “no pain, no gain” strategy

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

For most of us, bringing in the new year also finds us bringing with it an average of 10-15 extra pounds—brought on as a result of raiding our children’s Halloween candy, as well as indulging in homemade fudge and massive holiday feasts. It is simply unavoidable. Meant to be a time filled with family and celebration, one thing that often gets overlooked during the holiday season is our diet. Perhaps that is why losing weight is the number one New Year’s resolution in the world. But no matter how determined we may be, many of us fail to make it through January before tossing the notion aside.

Staying on track with a specific weight loss and exercise routine is what sends many a well-intentioned goal to an early demise. For some, the only recourse is to hire a personal trainer—someone who will keep them motivated and make sure they don’t quit. But simply the mention of the words “personal trainer” conjures up a host of definitions, based on past experience. Some have been known to act like drill sergeants, working you into oblivion—past the point of pain and into the world of unconsciousness. “No pain, no gain,” they will say, and then you will have to remind them that you no longer have control of your body. Forget about touching your toes. You simply want to walk again.

But according to Lori Robitaille, a personal trainer for Almaden Valley Athletic Club, the bad ones have given all the others a tarnished reputation over the years and only 10% of people who work out use one. “Sometimes trainers get a bad rap and I personally would like to see that change,” she says. “I try to make it fun for people—to find out what their needs are, what they are capable of doing, and then attach a “realistic” goal and timeframe that will get them from point A to point B.”

With current education and certification requirements, personal trainers are coming out of college with degrees in Kineseology and sports therapy, along with a vast knowledge of the body and human performance. “It’s all scientific now,” Robitaille says. “That’s where the training is coming from today.”

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest pitfalls and benefits to hiring a personal trainer lies in the expense. At $55 - $75 per hour, one might think it a high price to pay, but will certainly think twice before skipping a session. “By hiring somebody, you put your money where it hurts,” Robitaille says. “You paid for it. That helps with accountability. Even if people come here for that reason, I try to wean them eventually because if I can’t be here, I need to know they’ll still come in and do that workout. Eventually, they will be accountable on their own.”

One major benefit to having a personal trainer lies in education—even if you can only afford one session every few months to revive your routine. He or she will provide you with a detailed micro-fit analysis of your body, including diet, weight, body fat percentage, body mass index, and most importantly, target heart rate for maximum fat burning and cardio workouts. Additionally, learning how to use the equipment properly is critical. According to Robitaille, for every correct way to use a weight machine, there are hosts of incorrect ways—resulting in wasted time and less than stellar results.

Each individualized routine is based on criteria such as the type of shape you are in, how realistic your goal is and how much time you plan to dedicate to that goal. “You have to chip away at every little goal and it requires work,” she says. “You need to keep your body moving—use it or loose it.”

While she does not recommend working out every day, Robitaille does suggest that you have activity in your life six to seven times a week, including walking or riding a bike—anything that will help keep your aerobic content up and encourage lean muscle tissue, a critical factor in warding off osteoporosis. “Aerobic content is the calorie burner in our bodies and keeps our metabolisms high so that we’re burning calories even when we’re sitting,” she says. “Everybody wants to burn calories.”

With the surge in quick-fix methods for rapid weight loss, Robitaille warns that thermogenic products such as Metabolife or Hydroxycut, even the Ephedra-free varieties are far from the answer and could cause more harm in the long run. She says most reputable trainers will not work with anyone who is taking them. “Hey, it’s a bottle,” she admits. “All of us have tried them. But they’re bad news. People don’t realize that what’s in those products is the same thing that doctors give someone when they’re on the table flat-lining to jump-start their heart. We don’t need that product in your body when we have you on a treadmill trying to get your heart rate up or when you’re lifting weight and you are under a lot of force. We don’t want your heart exploding.”

Physicians and trainers alike continue to stress exercise and healthy eating as the best ways [long term] to have good health. Working out will help create more energy. After the first couple of weeks with a good routine, you will start to sleep better and wake up more refreshed, with longer bouts of energy and fewer dips. “If you have a lot of sugar or mostly carbohydrates in your diet, you’re going to have dips,” Robitaille says. “Try to avoid that.”

Admittedly, the most gratifying feeling is when Robitaille’s clients enjoy their workout, as she knows they will be back for more. “I love to find out what makes them tick and what they enjoy doing so I don’t have to drag them in here to do it,” she says. “I give them a little bit of what they need and a little bit of what they want, all packaged together so that the hour goes by quickly and they leave on a positive note—even though they worked so hard. That to me is a trainer’s reward.”

Reporter’s note: Brady has decided to put Robitaille to the test and will undergo five weeks of personal training at Almaden Valley Athletic Club. She will keep a diary of her successes and setbacks during that time and the results will be published in March. For the sake of accountability, her stats are as follows: Weight: 147, target: 135. Body Fat: 32.7%, target: 22%, Waist/Hip Ratio: .79 (fair), target: .73 (fit). Aerobic Fitness: 28.2 (fair), target: 33.0 fit. Total Fitness: 47 (fair), target: 62 (fit).