3 Things You Might Not Know About the Gym

Ahh… smell that? It’s the smell of two things – 1) Optimism for all the possibilities this year has to offer and 2) Sweat. Yes, literally sweat… from the gym.

As it’s the beginning of a new year, I thought you might be going back to the gym, renewing your membership, or purchasing a membership for the first time and because I was a trainer for so many years, I’ve accumulated a lot of insight about the gym that you might find interesting. Here are three important things you might not know about the gym.

#3 – That treadmill is a liar

When you step on a treadmill, elliptical, or bike at the gym, the machine will often ask you to enter your weight and “program” before you get started. At the end of your workout, the machine will take a calculation of your weight, the program you selected (intensity), and how long you stayed on it (duration), to determine how many calories you burned that session.

It would be great if that number was true, but it’s not. Calories are very complicated and how many you burn during your workout is based on much more than just your weight, intensity, and duration.

Transformation Tip: Since these machines can’t give you an accurate number of calories burned, determine the quality of your workout on something “performance-based” instead, like how long you stayed at a certain intensity for example.

#2 – Exercise common courtesy

There are many, but here are just a few:

• Give enough space between you and the person you’re working out next to
• Wipe your sweat off the machine when you’re done so it’s ready for the next person
• If you’re sharing the same machine as someone else but alternating between sets (AKA “working in with someone”), put their weight back for them after each of your sets (whoever asked to work in should be the one who does this).

Transformation Tip: Be bold. Don’t be afraid to ask someone using a machine you also want to use to “work in” with them, especially if you notice they like to sit on the machine between their sets.

#1 – GREAT trainers are NOT a dime a dozen

What matters in choosing a trainer? A lot.

Here are some things to think about if you’re deciding which trainer is right for you:

• Would you prefer a male or female? Does it matter?
• Would a super-fit trainer, “perfect looking” trainer intimidate you?
• Do you like them as a person? It’s important to get along. You’re going to spend at least 30 minutes a few times a week with this person. Maybe you don’t look forward to the workout they’re going to give you, but do you at least look forward to seeing them?
• What about their “training style”? As you watch them do their thing, do you like the workouts they give their clients? Do they train clients at your fitness level? Sometimes trainers have different specialties. Are you looking for fat loss, sculpting, something else? Ask around for who is the best trainer for your needs.
• Do they like to talk a lot about themselves? Great trainers are more interested in you than themselves during your session. If you have a talkative trainer, don’t feel bad exercising while they’re talking.
• Do they watch their client’s “form” (exercise technique)? It’s a trainer’s responsibility to make sure they keep their client safe from injury. The best trainers don’t just tell you what to do, they show you how to do it and what to pay attention to.
• Inquire about their education and certifications. All trainers should have a certification by a reputable organization. If you want more information on this, reach out to me. I’d be happy to share about the best personal training certification organizations.

Transformation Tip: Most importantly, as you watch different trainers, look how they “treat” their clients. A great trainer gives their client their undivided attention. They don’t look in the mirror at themselves constantly. They don’t leave you to talk to someone else. They don’t eat during your session. I guess this all ties back to exercising common courtesy. It goes for trainers too.

Want more tips like this?

Join my free Facebook group for women in their 50’s where I share a “Transformation Tip” every Tuesday (plus, we do so much more). Join us today here!

Wishing you joyful health in your 50’s,
Kim