Advice needed RE young PT and Nutrition

[AthensMatt]

Hopefully I'm not just emotionally posting this because of a scare at my doctor appointment this morning... Feel free to say I am if it is. Here goes.

I'm 46yo, have one kidney because of a motorcycle accident when I was 12. My physicals have always been good.

BUT, this morning my doctor, who's great btw, expresses concern that my creatinine levels are high. Not so concerning that I need to immediately see a nephrologist and start planning for dialysis or anything but what could be the beginning signs of kidney failure. We'll reevaluate the need to see a nephrologist in 3 months.

The good news (which I'm trying to focus on)
I stopped working out to spend all my time advancing my IT career. Now I'm 35-40lbs over weight and my diet is not great. My Doc said to get back to working out, eat a balanced diet (emphasized no high protein diets), and drink a slightly higher than average amount of water. Then we'll do another blood test and check levels again in 3 months.

SO, I've gotta get my **** together again or life could really suck! heck it might suck anyway but I don't want it to because I did nothing.

I would like to get with a physical trainer who can also assist with laying out a diet for me that I can stick to while keeping it balanced/not high protein. I work at a major university and have gym access and they have PT's available for additional cost but I have reservations about them. Those reservations are: All the PTs are young. All are undergrads. None are nutritionists.
Am I wrong to have these reservations about these young trainers? I just have a hard time with it because, what do they know about being old and the challenges of loosing weight, joint soreness, arthritis, lower testosterone levels?? Meaning, when I was in my youth building muscle and maintaining low body fat was easy...now not so much.

Should I look online for a PT that can help me with both my needs??? Any suggestions/recommendations??? Should I just go see one of these young PTs??

[Garage Rat]

That's totally up to you.
Young trainers IMO do not have hands on experience and only a short amount of time with the experience they do have.
Im sure they are going through the program and relying a lot on books a learned classroom studies.
Getting a PT would require you do research on them personally and what experience they have as well as certifications.
I personally don't search or advertise for clients and only get new ones or workshops from word of mouth from people i work with.
In looking you may need someone who can work with kidney issue and be able to contact your doctor for questions concerning your diet and training.
Someone who doesn't would be doing you a disservice that may not be in your best interest.
Good luck to you.

[weiss1967]

IMO, majority of PTs are not worth the money you spend on them.

IMO (again, this is only my opinion), instead what you need is the passion for the sport and lifestyle. In a long run, you will need to know enough to be able to build or tweak a workout routines and look after your nutritional needs. No nutritionist will ever cook your breakfast or late night meal. Especially, considering your specific needs. You have some learning capacity eh, so this is just another field, take it by its horns. Internet is flooded with great information, youtube all exercizes to see correct form. Film youself doing those exercizes and compare and correct. Things like that. All the technology at the top of your palm. Apps, fat calcs, activity trackers etc. For IT person, this should be a breeze.

[AthensMatt]

IMO, majority of PTs are not worth the money you spend on them.

IMO (again, this is only my opinion), instead what you need is the passion for the sport and lifestyle. In a long run, you will need to know enough to be able to build or tweak a workout routines and look after your nutritional needs. No nutritionist will ever cook your breakfast or late night meal. Especially, considering your specific needs. You have some learning capacity eh, so this is just another field, take it by its horns. Internet is flooded with great information, youtube all exercizes to see correct form. Film youself doing those exercizes and compare and correct. Things like that. All the technology at the top of your palm. Apps, fat calcs, activity trackers etc. For IT person, this should be a breeze.

You're not wrong. I learning this all wouldn't be difficult. My desire to seek assistance is two fold: 1. I have a lot of plates spinning right now and taking on another project to learn may just be too much. Yes I get this is life..yada yada BUT don't forget I'm seeking help so I'm ignoring it, just not wanting to learn something else. 2. Accountability: Getting started I may need some assistance with being accountable until I'm back in the habit of daily workouts. I thought having a PT might bring that into the equation for me to help ensure success.

Thanks for the input Garage Rat and Weiss1967!

[Garage Rat]

Can you get a training partner?
You can be accountable to each other if your goals are like minded.

[RestoringTally]

It almost sounds like you are wanting someone else (the trainer) to take responsibility for your health.

I think the better road to take is to consider a trainer as a way to learn what you need to know and do to get healthy again.

In either case, you need to evaluate your trainer each time you meet. I was told once that 50% of doctors, lawyers, and even trainers are below average. It is up to you to decide if the trainer is in the upper 50% or not.

Does the trainer seem like they know their stuff or do they seem to be guessing? Is the trainer willing to get back to you with good answers or do they just tell you stuff? Hopefully, you are aware enough and knowledgeable enough to determine if your trainer is doing a good job. If not, then you need to do more homework, unless you are willing to hand over life responsibility to another person.

[AthensMatt]

It almost sounds like you are wanting someone else (the trainer) to take responsibility for your health.

Wow. I'm not sure where you got that thought. Was it my seeking input on young vs older PT's, my desire for the PT to understand nutrition, or just because I wanted to create accountability? If its the accountability comment let me explain.

I know how to build my body, I've done it in my 20's and in my 30's. I'm now 46 and I'm not recovering as fast and some injuries in my shoulders and lower back are giving me a lot of trouble. With the added complication that my diet cannot be similar to what I've used in the past to help me recover and build, I thought getting some outside assistance would be helpful. I see this as knowing when to seek help, nothing more than that.

Look, my work is not going to change and its a constantly evolving line of work where people in it have to continually learn new technology and expand their own knowledge. I love it! I have a busy family and manage my own investments. I have a lot going on and my time is spread thin. Not saying others don't or aren't. But my belief is this, when success really matters don't learn as you go...seek help and wise counsel to ensure a positive outcome. Maybe you have a different belief system that works for you and that's great! This is mine. So no, I'm not wanting someone else to take up responsibility for my health.

[RestoringTally]

You're not wrong. I learning this all wouldn't be difficult. My desire to seek assistance is two fold: 1. I have a lot of plates spinning right now and taking on another project to learn may just be too much. Yes I get this is life..yada yada BUT don't forget I'm seeking help so I'm ignoring it, just not wanting to learn something else. 2. Accountability: Getting started I may need some assistance with being accountable until I'm back in the habit of daily workouts. I thought having a PT might bring that into the equation for me to help ensure success.

My comment was based on the above highlighted desire of yours. You said you have no desire to learn. That sure does sound like you are passing on the responsibility to someone else.

Wow. I'm not sure where you got that thought. Was it my seeking input on young vs older PT's, my desire for the PT to understand nutrition, or just because I wanted to create accountability? If its the accountability comment let me explain.

I know how to build my body, I've done it in my 20's and in my 30's. I'm now 46 and I'm not recovering as fast and some injuries in my shoulders and lower back are giving me a lot of trouble. With the added complication that my diet cannot be similar to what I've used in the past to help me recover and build, I thought getting some outside assistance would be helpful. I see this as knowing when to seek help, nothing more than that.

Look, my work is not going to change and its a constantly evolving line of work where people in it have to continually learn new technology and expand their own knowledge. I love it! I have a busy family and manage my own investments. I have a lot going on and my time is spread thin. Not saying others don't or aren't. But my belief is this, when success really matters don't learn as you go...seek help and wise counsel to ensure a positive outcome. Maybe you have a different belief system that works for you and that's great! This is mine. So no, I'm not wanting someone else to take up responsibility for my health.

I get it. You are busy, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

Life is about choices. If your choice is to hand off responsibility for your health to someone else, great. Own it if that is the case. Otherwise, realize that it takes time and effort to be healthy. I make time in my busy life to learn and do. I have been working out since my teen years, off and on. I have taken the time to learn how to avoid and minimize injuries. I am still learning, even though I am also very busy and have little free time. I have made the choice that my health is one of my top priorities.

[AthensMatt]

My comment was based on the above highlighted desire of yours. You said you have no desire to learn. That sure does sound like you are passing on the responsibility to someone else.



I get it. You are busy, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

Life is about choices. If your choice is to hand off responsibility for your health to someone else, great. Own it if that is the case. Otherwise, realize that it takes time and effort to be healthy. I make time in my busy life to learn and do. I have been working out since my teen years, off and on. I have taken the time to learn how to avoid and minimize injuries. I am still learning, even though I am also very busy and have little free time. I have made the choice that my health is one of my top priorities.

LOL Okay, you're right about everything. Hopefully that's pet your ego enough you'll stop replying. Have a great weekend!

[wj72wc]

If you're going the PT route obviously you want someone who's talented, experienced, etc., etc., etc., and so on.
But, if you're not comfortable with them you're wasting your time, not to mention money. May take a little more time to find a PT who's more "mature", but if the comfort level is there, it'll be worth the wait.