What would an ambitious but achievable team of trusted fitness advisors look like to someone wanting to transform their health and fitness?

[saltysplash]

I'm someone who has always struggled with my weight and fitness. I consistently cycle up and down with my weight and now in my early 30s haven't been a happy or healthy weight for 6 to 10 years. I always was on the bigger size growing up but always imagined that I'd eventually get fit, but that never happened.

Losing weight and getting fit has preoccupied so much of my mind over the last 10 years. I've probably lost (and gained back) enough weight and done enough training that I should be able to run a marathon, twice. I'm not happy with not making progress and something needs to change.

On the one hand they key lessons for weight loss, muscle gain and fitness aren't that difficult. But on the other hand I don't seem capable to apply them in a consistent way that gets long term results.

I've occasionally thought that perhaps the solution to get the transformative results I'm looking for I should invest in a team of trusted fitness advisors to guide me. Almost like a Hollywood star might have in preparation for a film.

I know there can be a lot of charlatans in the fitness industry and perhaps even the trustworthy ones wouldn't go far enough for what I'm thinking. I don't just need someone to write me a meal plan, I almost feel like I need them to enforce it and check in on me.

I feel like I want a team along the lines of:

* Nutritionist - develops meal plan based on my preferences, follows up on my consistency, helps me navigate the week ahead (e.g. going out to dinner) and helps me reflect on what words / doesn't work.

* Personal Trainer - devises gym and exercise program, runs in-gym sessions a week with me, follows up via email or text.

* Health concierge - keeps me motivated, checks in weekly to make sure I have set aside time to prepare food and exercise, emails/texts daily to check in.

Has anyone had a group of professionals help them on their fitness journey. If so, what did it look like and how did it work?

 

[borisv]

@saltysplash Therapist. If you're having that much of an issue maintaining a healthy diet and fitness routine for such a long period of time it might be worth considering if there an underlying cause. Stress, anxiety, eating disorders etc.

Otherwise, if I was training like a Hollywood celebrity and money is no object:

Registered Dietician (not nutritionist) + Personal chef + Personal Trainer + *Physical Therapist + regular schedule of dexa scans / blood work

 

[jwilliams190800]

@borisv I second this. I was having my own issues with getting fit and weight. First thing I did was start seeing a therapist (for other reasons) and it really helped shape my choices. I would then add, a personal trainer and a good team of physical therapists. It has done wonders for my mental health, body awareness, and improved fitness.

 

[saltysplash]

@jwilliams190800 Therapist is not an unfounded suggestion. Could you elaborate to some degree on how it helped to shape your choices? Were there any pivotal "ah ha" moments?

 

[jwilliams190800]

@saltysplash Of course. I didn’t go in needing help with eating/health specifically but talking about my past and the choices I made helped to get me to the “why’s”. Why the weight didn’t stay off, why I didn’t make good choices, why I faltered in my fitness journey. Once I understood why I did things and reframing negative mindsets into positive, it really helped me. I started researching (I’m a nerd) and seeking answers which led to the implementation of change.

I was impatient. I had preconceived notions. What I thought was right, wasn’t. It was an ego check. Being open minded is key.

I love therapy and am a huge advocate, but it is not for everyone. I am also lucky I have a therapist that really connects with me and my goals. Some people go through several.

 

[borisv]

@saltysplash Tl:dr -- Therapy made me more resilient. Resilience is really important for consistency.

Therapy helped me handle a really sad situation a few years ago that otherwise could have really derailed me. It also gave me some tools to handle temporary stressful events so they don't throw me off. I think that's why so many people go on diet/exercise cycles. It's really easy to be consistent when things are good. Way harder to do so when shit hits the fan.

 

[nebula1]

@saltysplash Honestly it seems like a meal delivery service would get you 90% of the way there.

What’s the issue? Are you unclear on what a typical meal should look like for you?

 

[elie]

@saltysplash It seems like what you really want is accountability and that you want the results and don't enjoy the process. This is understandable, but if you find a way to enjoy the process the results will flow naturally and the need for accountability will fall. That said, being able to truly change what we want and not just want to have that be what we want is not easy.

 

[saltysplash]

@elie This is a useful way of framing it for me, thank you. I'm often very good at being accountable for three months by blitzing things in an unsustainable way but then not maintaining anything past that timeframe.

 

[tonyangiano]

@saltysplash *A strength or powerlifting coach with a degree in some ancillary field and either competitive experience in PL / BB or someone who coaches those who compete in something. NOT someone with a certificate they paid a few hundred for to take an online test from any of the random alphabet fitness companies.

*Any nutritionist that is a registered dietician or similar clinical title with licensing and a graduate degree / graduate experience / clinical experience. NOT someone with a “nutrition” certificate they paid a few hundred for to take an online test from any of the random alphabet fitness companies.

*A good physical therapist ideally with a background in athletic performance for any pain.

These would be do-able on an occasional basis unless you wanna pay a lot.

 

[londonmum]

@saltysplash I would do this for someone for approximately $1,500 a week. Are you interested?

 

[bmeza]

@saltysplash Its all about food. I was going to say chef but someone above said meal delivery service which would be cheaper and just as good. What you do in the gym is maybe 10% of it all. And as for dexas and bloods, whats the point unless you’re near perfection and toward the very end of the process.

You don’t need regular dexas if you’re 20% fat.

 

[neostarwcc]

@saltysplash Yeah, I don't have that kind of disposable income...

 

[emcee19]

@saltysplash I did this with Fitbod and LoseIt.

 

[fredrick]

@saltysplash Sounds like you’ve been dealing with the same issues many of us face, the yo-yo diet/ workout routine.

I was in a similar boat and the only way I was able to fix it, is to workout everyday. Most day is a 5-6 mile run, but if I’m trying to recover, I’d switch to only to cycling and calisthenics for a week or so to let my legs recover.

Goal should be to engrave training into your daily routine, so it becomes second nature.

 

[mldoherty]

@saltysplash Consistency is the problem. A dream team isn’t going to help you, same way jumping aggressively into training and dieting simultaneously won’t. Make small gradual changes. Incorporate it into your lifestyle.