The Personal Trainer Show: Dec. 1/08

Your friendly personal trainer.

personal trainer diary

As a personal trainer, I get countless questions about my own habits.  “How long do you spend in the gym?”  or “How many days per week do you work out?” are two popular questions.  Even more common are the exclamations phrased as questions: “You really eat that?”  or “You really do that?” are variations on the theme.  People are very interested to know whether their mentor really follows her own advice.

Well, I do, most of the time.  Here is your inside look at the life of a personal trainer.

I got to sleep in this morning until 6:00 a.m.  Blissful, blissful sleep…  Many mornings start between 5:00 and 5:30, so this morning felt like a Saturday to me.  My daughter awoke around 6:30 and we had a quick cuddle.  I plunked her into her high chair and gave her some raisin bran with milk.  She loves bran cereal.  Very strange.  But, then again, she’s never met a fruit loop.

I pack my peanut butter sandwich (on delicious omega-3 walnut bread; I heartily endorse Stonemill Breads) and my coffee – which I take with milk and a dash of cinnamon for some extra antioxidants – and head out in the rain to the car.  Clients await.  I relish this commute.  As a new mom, rarely do I get a half-hour uninterrupted to listen to the radio and drink a fresh cup of coffee.  And – don’t tell anyone – I love my coffee.  Caf, decaf, I don’t care – if it tastes like coffee, I’ll drink it.

After clients, it’s my turn to hit the gym.  My personal rule: Never miss a Monday workout.  It’s just a bad idea.  Monday sets the tone for the rest of your week.  I try never to miss a workout Monday through Wednesday.  I sit in the parking garage for a few moments to pull out my notebook and plan out this week’s workouts.  The truth is, I’m so busy planning clients’ programs that I sometimes have to wing it with my own workouts.  Some days I’ll be in the change room, planning my workout in my head.

That’s the essence of Fit Family: accept that life and exercise must co-exist.  Adapt accordingly but sacrifice neither.

Today I manage to find a couple of minutes to plan the week, so I head in for cardio and a combination of legs and shoulders.  I warm up for five minutes on the treadmill, then break into a 6-mph jog for 20 minutes, followed by 5 minutes brisk walking to bring my heart rate down a bit before I hit the weights.  Legs, shoulders, stretch… no shower.  That’s right. No shower.  I don’t have time.  Well, not until the afternoon when the baby is napping, at least.  Rest assured, dear friends, family and clients, I do squeeze in the odd shower here and there.

Shower.  Check.  I get paperwork done and feed myself a spinach salad with chick peas, some milk and a banana.  When the baby gets up, it’s time to play and cuddle.  Then I start on dinner.  I’m making homemade curried chicken with brown rice.  I am not a great cook, but I do have a great memory.  If I read a recipe once or twice, I remember it and adapt it over time.  My husband thinks he really lucked out.  I think it’s funny that he can’t tell there’s no beef in his chili.

That curry probably needs to be checked on…  I can’t remember how long it’s supposed to cook…