Lisa - thanks and congrats again!

Monica - I agree about the elliptical! My trainer would have me use that when I was still going to the gym and I just felt so odd on it....I much prefer the treadmill!

OK, so I talked to a sports medicine doc this morning. She's pretty certain that my issue is petellar tendonitis. And the pictures that she showed me are exactly where my pain is. And when the pressure is put on that location...well...I just about scream. The window of time for icing to do the most good is really gone. NSAIDS and rest are about all I can do at this point until it feels better. She also recommended something called a Chopat strap. Anyone heard of that or use that?

Problem is...my trainer sort of has this mentality of thinking lots of folks use anything as an excuse to get out of a workout. I've never given her any reason to think I'd do that but I have such a complex about it just because I've heard her say that so often. I'm really nervous about telling her I'm going to have to lay off the running for a bit. Saturday is leg day for us. I assume (should have asked the doctor) I can still do all of those weight reps and the lunges. Ugh...it's always something, right?

And I'm getting more and more frustred in general that I'm not losing faster. I'm barely getting 1100 calories each day (but with lots of lean protein like she suggests). I'm working my tail off at the gym. Why on earth am I not dropping the pounds? I know I'm losing inches. My clothes are getting looser and looser. I'm getting firm and can even actually see some muscle definition in my arms and shoulders now. Obviously that's fabulously cool. But I hate that pound number!

Monica

Maybe you aren't getting enough calories!

It makes me sad to hear you are afraid to be honest with your trainer and I have this to say: If your trainer isn't supportive of what you need to be safe and healthy and what your DOCTOR says is best, you need to get a new trainer.

(Maybe your trainer will be supportive though! Let's hope for the best!)

I also think your trainer should be more understanding, tell her what the sports medicine doctor said, afterall you're not making this up... You should definitely be able to talk to your trainer, if she's too hard headed, get another trainer...

As for 1100 cal/day, on that little calories, you will eventually lose weight, just be patient and persistant with your food plan, and eventually the weight loss will come too...

for your success... Keep us posted

I want to chip in here to say good luck - I have nothing really more in terms of advice to add to what you've already got, but I'm proof that you CAN start to run at 250+ and build on that. I wasted a lot of time thinking I had to be thin before I started to run, so good on you for taking that first step. Obviously though, it's important to take it steady and not try to do too much too fast, but once you get going you might find that you can achieve a LOT more than you thought.

Well, I left the gym in tears this morning. My trainer made me feel like a quitter. She really wanted me to push through the pain in spite of what my doctor said. She even gave me this little lecture about how she only took 1 week off after her c-section instead of 6 like her doctor advised and kept saying that she couldn't do this for me.

I don't know what to do. I had a great relationship with her. I'm teaching one of her kids in Vacation Bible School next week even! This is going to be so awkward because I honestly lost a lot of respect for her today. I can't believe she was making me feel so horrible about something I can't help. I tried to explain that I had to think about more than just me right now. I can't push through and do further damage...risking a greater period of having to take it easy when I have 2 year old triplets to care for. It's not an option. Plus that will really set me back in my weight loss journey. I'd rather take a few days now and then come back 100% next week. I did all the weight training but I couldn't do the cardio because it all involved too much that hurt those tendons.

I left before I started crying and cried all the way home. What would you do? I don't want this to just stew until I see her again. I see a different ortho doc on Monday afternoon and will know much more then. I see the trainer again on Tuesday. At this point, though, I'm just afraid I'm going to feel so weird with her. It's never going to be comfortable again. I don't trust her like I did. I went from feeling so good about myself to feeling like a loser.


Monica

I don't have any good advice about what to do regarding the awkward situation of teaching her child, but I definitely think you need a new trainer. In fact, I think that woman should not be a trainer at all. Of COURSE you have to listen to a medical professional, and you have to listen to your body. I know trainers hear lots of excuses, but they have to understand the difference between an excuse and a legitimate problem or they risk having clients injure themselves and give up working out forever. Don't let her set you back like this.

I'm sorry you went through that -- I hate that she made you cry!!

I'm not seeing a great relationship here. I'm seeing someone who made you cry and made you feel horrible.

You're paying her to train you? Time to start paying someone else.

Here's the big rub. I live in a small town. There are 3 gyms. This one is the newest and supposedly the best in terms of what it has to offer. She is the ONLY trainer there (she and hubby co-own it). I have no choices. And yes, I'm paying her $300 for 12 sessions/month. I know she's supposed to push me to do more than I think I can do. I get that. It's what I pay her for. But what pushed me over the edge was when she started telling me about her client who literally ripped a hamstring but kept working out even when the doctor told him to take time off and then told me about her super-human feat of coming back to the gym just 1 week post c-section in spite of her doctor's orders to take 6 weeks off. There's a big difference between pushing a training client through a bout of laziness or lack of motivation and implying that doctors orders are there to ignore if you really want to be fit. That was the message she was sending. And it made me feel like I was being lazy because I wanted to take the safe route. Honestly, I do tend to be the type to push myself. But I'm not in this alone. I don't think she's going to show up at my house to care for my kids when I'm laid up after surgery or on a long period of enforced rest because I've overdone something that started out as a minor injury. I couldn't get her to see that angle.

I hate that I left feeling so defeated. I've worked REALLY hard to get this far. And I hate that I now dread going back to the gym. I had finally started looking forward to it. This has gotten into my head in such a negative way. I wish I could actually tell her all that without blubbering like a baby. She always seemed like a truly compassionate person before this. We clicked right away. We've even talked about me teaching her daughter piano lessons and she got my kids on a hard-to-get-on waiting list for a local preschool for next fall. This is just such a turn-a-bout for her.

My membership with that gym is over at the end of July. My paid-for sessions with her are done after next week. Maybe I should just cut my losses and go with another of the gyms here so I can move on before the negative thoughts push me back too far.

Thank you for your encouragement. This really stinks. I'm so mad and hurt.

Monica

Have you considered going it alone with no trainer? Especially since your options are limited, and also because of this:
So push yourself without her. Do some research, plan your workouts (you can certainly get help with that from the lovely ladies on these boards, especially the ones who've been at it for a while), and go it alone. We're here for you. You could take that money you're giving her to make you feel bad and do something great with it, like buy yourself some lovely new clothes when you drop some pounds!! You owe it to yourself to feel GOOD about the great things you're doing to become healthier. You're a mommy to three little ones (which is an admirable thing on its own, certainly), you're taking steps to improve your health for yourself and your babies, and you should never have to deal with someone bringing you down the way she does. If you're strong enough to be a mother to triplets, you're strong enough to do this on your own. My two cents.

If you listen carefully people tell you who they are and what they're about.

You've already identified what this

tell you. So why is it not a foregone decision to ditch her? She's not going to change, and clearly what you're looking for isn't what she's selling.

You are paying her a lot of money every month, she is giving you advice that directly contradicts the medical advice you received, and she's making you feel horrible about yourself. Add me to the "ditch her, fast!" chorus!

I started out doing 2 minutes at at time on the elliptical, and it was just as you described - killed my quads and I was wimping out super fast. It was worse that the stair climber and even on 0 resistance, it was very tough. One day, one of the trainers saw me on that one and asked about it, and I shared my concerns. I wanted to go longer than 3-5 minutes, and I am also the type to push myself, but my quads hurt so much that my legs were shaking a lot and my knees would buckle. She suggested trying another elliptical that has a variable stride length, and you would not believe the difference it made. The same day I could only do 3 minutes on one elliptical, I did 15 minutes on the other, took a break for strength training and then did 15 more minutes! I have worked up to 35 minutes straight now and I love it as much as I hated the other one. Since then, the trainers and some thin gym members have mentioned in front of me that the other one is unusually difficult and that it is even tough for them. I thought it was just because I am so fat!

Sorry that's so long - I just wanted to mention you may like a different elliptical better, if a different one is available for you to try.

And again - ditch that trainer! It sounds like she is trying to prove something, but there seems to be a very real risk of injury and like you said, your babies can't have a mama who can't stand up or walk around.

I'm crying again. But this time the tears are here because I'm so overwhelmed by the support I've received in this thread. I've decided to just go through the motions with my last 3 sessions (provided, of course, that my ortho says it's OK...I see him tomorrow at 2:30) with the trainer. My membership with that gym is up at the end of July. I'm going to check out the other 2 in town (one is Curves...any reviews?) and decide if I want to just join one of those instead. Since she's a co-owner of my current gym, it's not like I can avoid her. And I don't want going to the gym to be anything but positive for me. I battle enough negative stuff on my own. I need no help there.

I can't thank you enough for being here for me this weekend. The encouragement I've gotten from you all has pushed me through and has made me know I can do this without her. And see? I'm not having to pay you a dime!!! Look at the money I could save myself?

My sweet little Sam kissed my knee tonight while I was lying on the couch. Then he said, "Mommy booboo better?" Who needs a jerk trainer? My precious children, for whom I prayed and fought for years, deserve a mommy without booboos.

You are all the best! Thank goodness I found 3FC!
Monica

A couple of you talked about the elliptical killing your quads. I had the same problem and asked a trainer about it. His suggestion - 'do 5 minutes regular and 3 minutes going backwards - keep on with this sequence until your time is done.'
I was amazed at how much better I felt, as well, both front and back are getting a workout.

Monica - I think you made a good desision on staying with her through the last 3 sessions. Especially because you're going to be seeing her in other places. Good luck!

Glad to read that you are leaving that trainer. Who cares how soon she came back after her C-section. A trainer is suppose to set up a program that is right for you. She sounds like she has a problem. If she let a client work through the pain on a torn hamstring, I would question her training and credentials. Leave on good terms and get out of there. I have been running for about 10 years. Besides good shoes, I also recommend a GREAT bra to reduce bounce. I actually wear two sport bras. The first one is the right size and the second one (over the first is slightly smaller). I have found those babies stay put with two bras.