Trainer Lauren: why I became a personal trainer
How did I become a personal trainer? Well, it all started when I burpeed out of my mother’s womb…..
Nah. In reality, I didn’t appreciate hoisting heavy things in they air until over two decades later. While it is true that I adore burpees, love workouts that leave me looking like the Swamp Thing, and I definitely feel the rush that comes from pushing myself, none of these are the reason why I got into fitness.
My journey began in elementary school, when I loved lifting ice cream bars far more than dumbbells. This is to say, I was the “fat kid.” Luckily, by middle school, I started watching what I ate, moving more and the weight started to come off. Though my pant size changed, the image of who kids called “a beached whale” stuck with me. Those words scarred. And thus began a battle that waged on in my mind for another 10 years:
OPERATION STAY THIN. Back in the day, we didn’t have Google for weight loss tips, so I went with plan B: make up something totally insane. The rules were:
1. Don’t base your weight loss plan on facts or science
2. Weigh less than 110lb. Why? <shrug> sounds like a good number!
3. Eat as few calories as possible without passing out or transforming into a complete raving lunatic …. but, if you DO turn into a raving lunatic, that’s ok…. because it means you’re avoiding calories! Yay!
4. At some point, try something called the blueberry, egg and broccoli diet.
And that is what I did into my twenties. I obsessed about food and constantly monitored the scale. I felt like I was John Nash from a Beautiful Mind….only instead of math equations, I visualized daily calorie counts and nutrition labels. I ruined a good part of my teens worrying about how much flatter my stomach could be. Not only do I feel bad for wasting so much mental energy on this, but I feel bad for everyone around me who had to deal with Hangry Lauren.
So what eventually changed? Back during the treadmill years, I would run 6-10 miles a day, mindlessly burning what few calories I ate. Until one day, I overdid it. Severe plantar fasciitis. Unable to run, I turned to Jillian Michaels’ “Master Your Metabolism.” Her story resonated with me. She also was heavy as a child and through strength training, found a confidence she had previously lacked. I decided to give it a try. After all, I had to find some way to burn off that one pretzel I ate last Tuesday.
It turns out, push ups were not just a good workout for an injured foot, but they also felt pretty damn awesome. The more I practiced, the better I got. It gave me a sense of reward and accomplishment I did not get from “vigorously walking past that cookie.” And that was when Lauren got hooked on strength training.
I had the opportunity to work with a variety of amazing coaches who exposed me to different styles of coaching and exercise. The more I worked and learned, the more I wanted to work and learn. I started training about 7 years ago and have never looked back.
I am passionate about personal training because I understand what it is like to be uncomfortable in your body. To be unhappy with the image in the mirror. I have made the stupid fad dieting and exercise mistakes that lead to nothing but a worn out and undernourished body. While I have learned what doesn’t work, I am slowly learning what does. Good nutrition habits over calorie counting. Strength training. Consistent workout routines. Finding stress relievers and rewards for your body. I want to help other people avoid the mistakes I made. I want to help them find the things that empower and motivate them to challenge their bodies.
Am I perfect? HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA! By all means, no! I love candy, sometimes I don’t watch what I eat and sometimes I have crappy workouts. But I consistently work on getting better both in the gym and in the kitchen. Everyone always asks “does this get easier?” And I like to think that it doesn’t get easier, you get better. And that is why I love personal training- because I get to help people on this journey to getting better.….and also the burpees.
With Love and Burpees – Trainer Lauren