.... ANYTHING but exercise.

Idiot.

Ok, so the head trainer at my gym was great yesterday. I enjoyed the workout (gosh I'm in bad shape) and decided that using a trainer a few times a month wouldn't be a bad idea. I did exercises I wouldn't have thought to do, and the encouragement helps. He made a good argument for starting strength training immediately even though I believe I have a long way to go on cardio first.

So while we're setting up my contract, I get introduced to the VP over operations, and he asked what my motivation for being there was. I told him I had a bunch of health conditions that piled on last year, and ended up deciding to have the sleeve 6 weeks ago, and I don't want to blow it. I want to make the lifestyle changes needed to make this stick.

Cue the standard crap from him:

* His mother had the lap band and then bypass. She gained all the weight back from the lap band and is only being successful with the bypass because she's finally following his directions.

* He's has "lots" of experience dealing with post-WLS patients.

* If I'd come to him earlier, he could have prevented me from needing the surgery. After all, the people who get the surgery say they've "tried everything" but they really haven't.

* All the surgery does is enforce portion control, and that can be done without surgery.

* But since it's already done, we'll work with what we have.

* My surgeon doesn't know what nutrition is needed. *HE* (the VP) will tell me what I should eat. (I will give him this - I am not eating enough Protein, I'll have to really ramp that up.) Sorry, dude. When you tell me that I can't count Beans or Peanut Butter as Proteins because they're not "complete" without discussing my knowledge of nutrition, you fail. I was raised vegetarian and know perfectly well how to combine foods to get a complete protein.

Bite me.

So I finally got rid of him, and got back to the head trainer who wanted to go through food lists (at the prompting of the VP). I had to explain to him (because I wasn't bothering with the VP) that I get *incredibly* ill in ketosis, so his "carbs are the enemy" lecture doesn't wash with me. I am willing to control my carbs so long as I'm above ketosis levels, and concentrate on complex carbs and healthy choices, but I will *not* do a ketogenic diet. Then I get a mini lecture on how tilapia is not a good choice (already knew that, but it's better than some other choices) and how swai fish is a GREAT choice. Looked that up when I got home, and it's a catfish from the far east. Sorry, dude. I don't eat bottom feeders or filter fish.

I get that most people they deal with are not well educated on nutrition. I get that trainers know more than the average bear about the subject. However, both of these guys are competitive body builders. Their nutritional approach is not going to work for everyone, and they need to learn to be flexible about it. I'm just glad we didn't even discuss veggies, because they'd be horrified to find that I just don't eat them (though I'm working on expanding my palate). And telling me to "just eat them" doesn't work, since I basically have PTSD around veggies and can't physically make myself eat something or I'll throw it up.

I wish they'd stick to the exercise piece.

@@Icantbelieveit #PeasAreEvil I agree! They are the green tiny nads of the devil. Which makes asparagus his wiener.

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Lmfao! Agreed.

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@@Icantbelieveit #PeasAreEvil I agree! They are the green tiny nads of the devil. Which makes asparagus his wiener.

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Now you are talking NONSENSE. Asparagus is fabulous. Roasted with garlic? YUM.

I am a certified personal trainer, and I completely agree with you. It upsets me when "professionals" step outside their scope of practice like that. I also have strong feelings toward Planet Fitness that I will spare you, lol.

The problem with personal trainers is that their certifications run the gamut from organizations like AFAA and ACE, which are extensive and comprehensive programs, to weekend certifications that allow anybody with a credit card to become a trainer. But please believe that some of us do understand what you are going through, and that we are not all meathead idiots. I promise.

Well, it's finally happened... I'm offended on this site. Peas and asparagus are AMAZING!!! Stop hurting people's feelings

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I am a certified personal trainer, and I completely agree with you. It upsets me when "professionals" step outside their scope of practice like that. I also have strong feelings toward Planet Fitness that I will spare you, lol.

The problem with personal trainers is that their certifications run the gamut from organizations like AFAA and ACE, which are extensive and comprehensive programs, to weekend certifications that allow anybody with a credit card to become a trainer. But please believe that some of us do understand what you are going through, and that we are not all meathead idiots. I promise.

The guy I actually worked out with was great, and wasn't overbearing or an idiot. It was the VP who was annoying me. I'll meet the trainer I'll actually be working with tomorrow evening. I don't have a problem standing up for myself. I admit I'm not knowledgeable about how to design an exercise program, so will use people with more training and experience than I have. But I'll stand up for myself there too. I overdid it yesterday. Muscles aren't too sore though my abdominal muscles are NOT HAPPY. But with the auto-immune, I have to watch my overall energy/fatigue as well. I have to increase my intensity/length of workouts very slowly or I'll get an auto-immune flare that can really cause a problem with ongoing activity. we'll see if my regular trainer has experience with clients who have similar issues, and if not, he's in for some education.

Same BS with me. And this girl kept telling me the stuff I should eat and how I should eat at least 1800 calories, blah blah - despite the fact that I told her repeatedly that I had a nutritionist that I worked with. She would just say "well ask your nutritionist about this" and then "what did the NUT say". Every time I would tell her that her advice did not apply in my circumstance. She just kept on and on. Once my paid sessions were done, I moved on. Very frustrating....

I'm happy to report the guy who is my trainer is awesome. He's worked with WLS patients before. And while he hasn't had anyone with auto-immune, he understands the need to progress very slowly. I'm glad I didn't cancel tonight, I actually started feeling a little better after getting myself moving and am glad I met up with him.

I swear 95% of trainers have never had issues with food. Its like me telling a smoker, just stop smoking. I have no idea how it is to smoke and be addicted. I never understood how people would tell me they forgot to eat the entire day until 10pm. Whaa?

Right! I never trusted those 20 something skinny chicks telling me to eat "6 times a day" or whatever. I want a NUT to is or was overweight...THOSE people know what they are talking about!

When I was in Middle School I would hear people say they "didn't eat breakfast", I HONESTLY thought they were lying to sound coy or something..I *had* low blood sugar and in the morning it was a debate between bread *now* to help or bathroom.

@@theantichick,

I am sorry you are having to struggle with your trainers about your diet. Since you are just getting started with training and you are going to be paying a lot of money for it, I would make sure you can have a trainer you can work with.

I mean, beyond the disagreements you may have over food, do you get the sense that you can work with them? From your description of them and what they each said regarding WLS and your diet, it sounds like they rubbed you the wrong way. Now, it is one thing to disagree on some points, and that can be a great learning experience for both of you as you discuss the points. However, it is quite another thing if you are simply at the receiving end of advice and instructions that you disagree with or do not make sense to you.

This can get in the way of your training for a few reasons. One is that exercise and diet do go together, and you should feel comfortable talking about food with your trainer. Another reason is that you want to feel comfortable with your trainer, and not tip-toeing around trying to avoid a subject (food) which is very important in your life. And another reason is that you need to be able to trust your trainer regarding exercise, which may be difficult if you know they are wrong about diet. As it stands, do you feel you can trust your trainer’s expertise in training, even though you do not trust his expertise in diet? Do you worry that you will be given a standard “bodybuilding” exercise regimen the same way you were advised to follow a “bodybuilding” diet?

So, it is great that you are starting training! As you said, you can learn new exercises and push yourself a little harder than without a trainer. Just remember that you are in control, and make sure you get a trainer whom you love. There are great ones out there.

If the VP says something again about how if you had come to him you wouldn't have had to have surgery you can always tell him he would become a millionaire if he would package and market his wonderful system. Make sure you say it in your sweetest voice so that he isn't sure if you are sarcastic or serious.

Or you could go with subtle put down of "Well Bless your heart". Which in some circles is the Southern equivalent of F- You.

If the VP says something again about how if you had come to him you wouldn't have had to have surgery you can always tell him he would become a millionaire if he would package and market his wonderful system. Make sure you say it in your sweetest voice so that he isn't sure if you are sarcastic or serious.

Or you could go with subtle put down of "Well Bless your heart". Which in some circles is the Southern equivalent of F- You.

I won't be interacting with the VP again most likely, I think he just happened to be there when I was doing my introductory meeting with the head trainer, so they wanted to glad-hand a bit. I was born and (mostly) raised in the South so I'm very familiar with "bless your heart", LOL. I'll definitely be ready for him if I have to talk to him again.

Luckily the guy who is my actual trainer is great. He has worked with WLS patients before (success stories) and while he doesn't know much about auto-immune is working with me to try and keep from causing a flare due to progressing too fast. He also understands that the restriction and other factors affect my diet and that part is under control with my doc, so let's focus on exercise. He asks questions and listens to the answers, and doesn't seem to be "my way is the only way" so I'm quite happy with him.

Can I just ask, " What in the world is wrong with Tilapia?" I love Tilapia. And since when doesn't Peanut Butter count?

Can I just ask, " What in the world is wrong with Tilapia?" I love Tilapia. And since when doesn't Peanut Butter count?

Tilapia is not the most healthy fish. You want high levels of Omega 3 without much Omega 6 or 9. Tilapia doesn't have particularly high levels of Omega 3 and higher than desirable levels of Omega 6 due to most tilapia being farm raised. There's also questions of potential contaminants in farm raised fish. But I still think it's better than red meat.

And yeah, can't count PB.

Like I said, the VP guy can bite me.

Thank you! And yes. Your VP guy sounds like a real piece of work. Bummed about my PB I was thinking that was now going to be a good snack. Protein, very soft and filling. Dang.

A good trainer will help you immeasurably and push you just enough, a bad one will just discourage you and make you want to quit. Not all of them know where the line is with each client, it's a skill they have to develop. In terms of nutrition, the good ones know that it isn't "one size fits all." Particularly for bariatric patients! To insinuate that all we needed to do was control our portions and we didn't need surgery for that...this is usually coming from guys who have never been more than 20 pounds overweight in their lives, and don't understand the metabolic adaptations that obese people have developed that fight against weight loss, screw up our hunger and fullness signals, etc...etc... Nor do they, a lot of times, have any awareness that certain things we are simply too heavy to even DO, without risking injury.

It sounds like ultimately, you found a good one. So that's awesome, because it'll help keep you on the right track. The nutrition part, your nutritionist has handled and you aren't going to need to do a lot to it until you start to creep up on your goal. That's when you'll have to start tweaking macros and see what works to get that last stubborn fat off. Bodybuilders are actually pretty good at that, they're very familiar with the bulking/cutting cycle and how to tweak your intake so you are cutting as much fat as possible, while sacrificing as little muscle as possible. I'm also a big advocate of weight training, because the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you'll burn all day, whether exercising or at rest. But nobody should be recommending weight training at six weeks post-surgery, it's too early. Three months maybe, and not aggressively. Just to try to maintain the muscle mass you do have, to keep that burn going every day. Because with extreme calorie deficits, you will lose muscle as well as fat, and that hurts your calorie burning over time.

So there's some truth in what the meatheads were saying, but they just don't have the whole picture. If someone's never been obese, I don't want to hear them tell me "All you need to do is..." Because they've never been there.