I apologize in advance if this is what you do for a job...

Im extremely frustrated. I have a few people that i know that are trainers. They ask how im doing and obviously try and get me to train with them but there to expensive. So i told him that I do 30 minutes of walking a day to get me started. Since im so over weight i have to start somewhere. All he said was u dont know what your doing, your not gonna lose the amount of weight you want . Theres plenty of people here that have lost it just on doing minimal excersize. I just want to scream at him

I've had people tell me that, too, but not trainers. It's SO frustrating, I agree. Just because I don't do things THEIR way doesn't mean I'm not going to lose the weight. You've already lost 12 and I've already lost 7- we're doing fine on our own, forget them.

Trainers frustrate me. Do you know how easy it is to get your professional trainer certificates? And many of them really don't know what they are doing. So many will tell woman not to lift weights (free weights) because it will make them bulky and all those other exercise myths that have been debunked a million times over. Finding a good one is very difficult.

You can do what you find works for you - and obviously you are making progress having lost over 10lbs already.

When you are ready, you can bump that up to 45 mins a day, and/or walking faster. But that also depends on your health and how your body can handle the workouts. (kneed, ankle, back pain, etc)

At some point I'm sure you will want to ramp up your exercise. And sometimes a little bit of tough love will be what it takes to make you motivated. I see alot of trainers going that "Jillian" route and its in order to make you mad enough to work out harder and prove them wrong. You do have to push youself and its too easy when you are trying to do it on your own to give in and not push as hard as you can.

Or, you could pull out the Richard Simmons workouts and get the gentle love that he gives. Different workouts work for different people.

A good trainer is going to motivate you so that you want to do better. It sounds like although he may be a friend, he's not the right personality fit for you to be successful.

It seems to only be the trainers who ask. I think Im doing fine. Yes it may take me a year instead of 6 months with them making me push my body but I cant see paying someone $30+ an hour to force me to do something.

I do think I should lower my calories a little but im waiting to see what works. Each week i trial and error. I did great on 1500 now im trying 1300 mon thr thurs and 1500 on fri sat and sun

I agree with a lot of what others have said. I am living proof it can be done without a trainer. Now, I may be going slower than what some would prefer, but I average a 10 pound loss a month and I started the exercise piece very slowly but as my body and I could handle it I increased the intensity of that workout. On the otherhand, I know that I may get to the point in the future where I may need a trainer to help me get the last 20 - 30 pounds off and I think that is where their expertise comes in best. I will be looking for one that comes highly recommended and that I don't have a personality conflict with. They can be the best trainer in the world, but if they immediately rub you in the wrong way, and you don't click with them, it will be a miserable experience. With sites like 3FC, I have found all the support I need right now and I am so thankful for it.

I think you are doing awesome. Next time turn the conversation around on them and ask something about them. I have found they usually get so re-focused on themselves, they forget the question they originally asked you.

I can understand the financial issue, that's a big one for everyone. Who knows - they could be targeting you specifically because they see someone who is working towards weight loss and they think of you as a potential customer.

You are finding out what works for you and you will find as you lose weight you are constantly adjusting your diet and workouts. It will continue to take alot of hard work.

Having a support group like 3fc is your "trainer". I'm sure you can get lots of lovely advice on diet and exercise as well as the motivation you need.

Thanks guys. I totally agree. Im gonna do this with or without a trainer. I do agree that I may need one towards the end, but by then I may be in a better state of mind and will be able to run without feeling like my ankles will break ahah

Right here at 3FC yup! Pretty much everything I've learned about fitness ... I learned here. Go ahead! Go read in the exercise threads and the weight liftng threads.

Some people find value in personal trainers, some others don't. I have had bad personal trainers and good ones. The good ones were worth their weight in gold and helped me learn about proper weight training form and were encouraging.

I can say someone who tells you can't lose weight without a personal trainer is not a good personal trainer

You know what? The best plan is one that you can stick to FOR LIFE. If walking is your thing, then so be it. If you want to eat a few more calories and lose weight a little slower, then do it. Whatever is sustainable is the right plan for you. You're doing awesome! By the way, I haven't set foot in a gym since I started my journey and my entire exercise program was made up my yours truly. But, to each her own

I learned to run on my own. I learned to lift heavy weights on my own. I lost weight on my own.

Do I think there is value in trainers? Absolutely. But I know, just by watching them training others at the gym, that I don't buy into what many of them are selling. And I definitely know that you don't need one to succeed. You need to believe in yourself and stick to what works for you.

I'm not sure the trainers believe what they are telling you, either. I mean, my dentist used to always comment on my oh-so-crooked teeth until I broke down and got braces. Now, granted, I wanted them. But the fact is that my teeth were always pretty straight. My dentist just wanted the kickback from the orthodontist. Even the dental assistant used to shake her head behind his back when he gave me a hard time about my teeth.

Do NOT listen to that kinda garbage, I don't care who it comes from. I started out at 330 pounds and you know what my exercise was? Walking in place 5-15 minutes a day. And ya know what? I lost weight! I didn't keep it at the walking in place but anything you do to start is a building ground to work on. Keep at it and try not to let people discourage you

Walking is still my main form of exercise because I love it. It's good for your mind, your stamina and you most definitely will lose weight if you do it often enough.

It gets so much easier when you've been doing it a while too

This is the whole reason I do not share my journey with people who have not been there. At my largest I was 330 lbs. Most people have no idea how hard it is to carry that weight.

The doctor told me to walk as long as I could and stop. He said that time would increase and when I could I should walk an hour a day.

Ignore the haters lol, they want a part of your victory.