Like many, I started my health and fitness career as a personal trainer at a large commercial gym. And though I certainly appreciate the first-hand experience and opportunities it provided me, I became disenchanted with some of the company’s training philosophies. One of those was an overwhelming pressure to make sure I was conducting weigh-ins and circumference measurements on my clients every week as a means to “track progress,” but it was really more to increase sales by using it as a tool to say “hey, you’re making great progress, so let’s keep working together” or “you haven’t made any significant progress, so we need to keep working together.” And look, I think measurements can be a great tool for clients who are primarily invested in the numbers and feel that it’s the best way for them to gauge their progress. But it’s not for everyone. In fact, I believe that the most meaningful and sustainable progress doesn't come from seeing the numbers on the scale or measuring tape change, but from more practical markers, such as seeing more muscle definition in the mirror, clothes fitting better, having more self-confidence, and feeling more energetic and strong. And I had plenty of clients express those sentiments to me, and that's what felt most gratifying to me as a trainer. Can you see the difference between comparing arbitrary numbers versus tapping into the real-life effects of putting in the effort?

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So why else was this such an ick for me? For one, I felt super uncomfortable with the idea of forcing someone who didn’t want to step on the scale or see if their waist was continually shrinking do so. I myself have had unfavorable experiences on the scale that evoked negative visceral thoughts and emotions, and unfortunately this is a common reality for many women and girls. The last thing I wanted to do was make women relive those moments.

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Secondly, I had several clients who weren’t even interested in weight loss or aesthetic goals! Even then, I had a district manager tell me I should still do measurements in one case. Like seriously? I didn’t, by the way— because she was an elderly client who had made it clear she had no intentions of weight loss. Coming out of left field with the measurements would’ve felt so disingenuous. 

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Meanwhile, already also having a degree in Psychology and a Health coach certification, I became increasingly more eager to provide more well-rounded, individualized coaching techniques, including exploring the mental and spiritual aspects of one’s fitness journey. Unfortunately, I can only practice so much of that at a job where I’m expected to follow certain protocol—and quite frankly, where not every client desires a holistic approach. After all, that was not advertised to them by the gym. But the clients who did embrace my deviance inspired me to focus on cultivating my own coaching business that would grant me the freedom to incorporate a less rigid and one-dimensional approach. Not to mention, I wanted to start practicing as a health coach, not just a personal trainer. My goal from the beginning of seeking out these certifications was to intertwine the both of them so I could provide exercise guidance and specific programming as well as the holistic principles of health and wellness I feel so strongly about. 

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