A two-month review of personal training with Ben Palocko
In case you've missed the zillion mentions I've made recently...this summer I spent two months trying out an online personal training program with Ben Palocko.
(He gave me the two months for free in exchange for me reviewing his services, but otherwise, no money has changed hands and I'm free to write whatever I want.)
I came into this experience without any super pressing goals; mostly I am content with how my body looks and functions.
But I am interested in building muscle and endurance, partly because I want to be strong for the taxing job of working at the hospital.
But also, I know as a woman in mid-life, I'm gonna steadily lose muscle mass for the rest of my life unless I do something to fight it. It's possible to add muscle at any age, of course, but the younger you are, the easier it is.
And since I will never be younger than now, well, this is the best time. 😉
How does this work?
You set up an online account, and communicate with Ben through an app. The app is also where you see your assigned workouts, track your body stats, and track your nutrition. It's a one-stop shop, and you can message questions or comments to Ben at any time.
The Diet Part
Ben did not put me on a diet per se, which is good, because as we already know, I hate food rules. NO RULES FOR ME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
But he did suggest that I would benefit from swapping some of my fat calories for some protein calories (my carb intake was already at a pretty ideal level).
Sooo, I ate a little less fat (half and half instead of heavy cream, for instance!) and a lot more protein during the last two months.
Some mainstays for me:
- cottage cheese (so much cottage cheese!!)
- chicken
- tuna
- Rx bars
- eggs
- beans (the legume sort)
- a small amount of Promix protein powder (a very basic, no additive protein powder)
As I wrote in my post about my protein-eating, I did learn a lot about what foods give a lot of bang for the buck (both in terms of protein and also in terms of not being too expensive!)
I do notice that when I eat a solid amount of protein, I stay full for longer (which is extremely useful during 12-hour hospital shifts!) I am most definitely going to keep cottage-cheese-eating as a daily habit. 🙂
And I am doing a great job of avoiding blood sugar crashes due to the protein and fiber I am eating in every meal and snack.
The Workouts
Ben had me do an assessment workout first, to gauge my baseline strength, and he also had me fill out a questionnaire to help him understand my level of experience with working out.
The workouts he gave me through his app were less powerlifting and more circuit training. I did a lot of supersets, which are basically doing a couple of exercises back to back, taking a little break, and repeating the process.
We agreed to do five workouts a week, with a combo of at-home and at-the-gym workouts.
During my first few workouts, I was like OMG THIS IS KILLING ME.
But I hung in there, and I was super consistent with my workouts, even when I was low on motivation. Annnd I still worked out when I went to Jim Thorpe:
I did so many lunges! And ab exercises.
And Ben often had me finish workouts with a 10-15 minute session on the elliptical, the rower, the assault bike, or the stair-climber....so, that was good for me. I tend to avoid those machines like the plague, but they are a helpful addition to resistance workouts.
The Results
Before we started, Ben had me do full body measurements, and he had me weigh in twice a week. I've never tracked my body size (and I rarely have tracked my weight either, except haphazardly), so this was an interesting process.
At first, I gained a few pounds (especially while I was on prednisone for my poison ivy), but over the two months, I did end up going down about four pounds.
However, what is more interesting is that my body composition changed. My waist shrunk by a few inches, while some other parts of my body, like my arms, got bigger.
So, what likely happened is that I swapped some of my body fat for muscle. And that's why the scale didn't change a lot, but my measurements did.
(Muscle is denser than fat, so a particular volume of muscle will weigh more than that same volume of fat.)
I redid the assessment workout at the end of the two months and I made big improvements especially with the abdominal and upper body exercises.
Seeing the results of my hard work in the assessment data is very motivating. My hard work paid off in tangible ways and that makes me want to keep going!
I can see muscle gains all over my body too. I don't look like a bodybuilder, and probably no one else would notice my muscles, but I see a change.
Also: I feel stronger! When I lift things throughout the day, I notice that they feel lighter. I run up the stairs more easily.
And one day recently at work, a nurse could not move a sofa bed in a patient's room, so I offered to do it. It felt like nothing, so, yay for my new muscles.
I stand up straighter without even trying, probably because my back is stronger now.
Oh, and my exercising heart rate also slowed down by the end of the two months. I made my body work more efficiently. 🙂
Now I'm on my own!
After two months with Ben, I have a nice little collection of gym and at-home workouts that I can use. I will rotate between them and I'll up the weights as the exercises get too easy.
For now, I might be able to keep up with five workouts a week, but I know once I start working three days a week as a nurse next year, I'm not gonna do that. Twelve-hour shifts do not leave time (or energy!) for a formal workout.
I also plan to try to maintain the dietary changes I made: I will keep focusing on getting my protein in, and I will also still eat lots of fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
I don't know if I will stick with tracking all of my food; I know that I tend to have no trouble keeping my fats and carbs at a good level, so as long as I focus on getting my protein grams in, I should be good.
So, I might just track protein and see how that goes.
Benefits of working with Ben
- I did way more workouts than I would have otherwise
- I incorporated a lot of new exercises
- I seriously expanded my use of the machines/weights/balls my gym has
- I learned how to eat more protein
- I did more cardio than I would have on my own
- I tracked my food and my weight/measurements
- I made progress on my goal of getting stronger!
Downsides of online training
If you are a person who needs someone's physical presence in order to stay motivated, then the online training wouldn't help you a whole lot. I mean, you could just lie on the app and say you did the workout when you actually just sat on your couch!
I could see online training being a little tough if you have zero workout experience. I've been doing workouts in some form or another for a while, and it was still a bit of a learning curve for me.
Also, if you need someone to keep a good eye on your form, online assignments obviously wouldn't check that box.
Upsides of online training
Since in-person personal training tends to average about $65-$75 a session, I'd have had to pay $1500 a month for five supervised workouts a week. So, online is definitely cheaper than that, plus I got some nutrition help as well.
Ben does charge on the higher end for online trainers, but that makes sense to me because he doesn't just have a personal training certificate. He is a Certified Exercise Physiologist, has a B.S. in Physiology of Exercise and a M.Ed. in Exercise Science. You get what you pay for.
Also, it's not like you have to stay with Ben for a year. I spent two months with him and that was enough to get me launched (and I have managed to stay launched in the last two months since I stopped officially working with him!)
So, if you can invest in the service for a few months and then keep going on your own, the price feels much more affordable.
Also, he can customize your workouts to use the equipment you already own, or just bodyweight (if you don't want to join a gym or buy equipment).
Of course, there are cheaper ways to get into shape! If you are someone who can just find some online workouts and follow them faithfully, you won't need to pay for personal training.
But if you are having trouble getting going and you need a customized jumpstart with a medium level of accountability, a few months with Ben could be precisely what you need.
How to get started with Ben
He offers a free 15-minute consultation call to help you figure out if his services are good fit for you; you can click here to schedule one.
Annnnnnnd that's the end of my personal training review. 🙂
Good for you Kristen. I love the results you achieved. I think protein is increasingly important as you get older.
I have been in PT for a shoulder issue that my PT says is more of a posture issue. She has me working on building my lower traps to improve my posture so your results are in line with that.
Another great post.
Yup! Once you get the muscles stronger, the posture improves automatically. It's not even like I have to walk around thinking, "Hold your shoulders back!" It just happens. 🙂
@Kristen, the same for me, but with yoga. I've been doing yoga for years now and people often remark on how great my posture is. I'm not actively trying to stand up straighter!
Yes! In a way, it's easier than trying to correct posture just by remembering to stand up straight.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Your previous posts about strength training motivated me to return to it. I am feeling my way through with YouTube videos and watching others at the Y, but I def like the idea of getting launched!
Good job, Kristen! I wish I could follow a program like that but in this phase of life (small child, full time job), I just don't know how to do that. But one life gets a liiiittle less frantic, I would want to do that, not because I like working out but because I love the idea of being strong like you!
Girl, I don't like the process either! lol I am just here for the results.
It's kinda like how I feel about cooking; I don't like the process, but I do like the results. 😉
When all of my kids were little and I was homeschooling and teaching piano lessons and blogging, I didn't do strength training either. Some phases of life only lend themselves to things like taking walks or doing quick little HIIT workouts.
Bravo Kristen! I think your main strength is you being consistent - no matter what you are trying to achieve. You, Kristen, just never seem to have a problem with being consistent in just about any field. I wish I had that kind of super power!
I am a steady plodder for sure. And steady plodding does get you places over time!
@Kristen, Melanie's The rollerskate song (I've got a brand new pair of roller skates, you've got a brand new key song). Don't go too fast I don't but I go pretty far.
I've been trying to get into strength training but feel a little intimidated by it! I'm unsure how many reps I should do at a time and how long it should take, and a lot of the information seems confusing. I need to work on starting a habit but it's hard because right now I work fulltime. My main exercise is going running and doing yoga, but I would like to add strength training as well.
@Sophie in Denmark,
I go to a gym connected to and supervised by PT's. The weight and reps for exercises they recommend differ, based on the specific injury you are recovering from or if you just want to improve your general health. Generally speaking though, when you are assigned a certain weight, you start with 3 x 8 reps with a short break in between, then move up to 3x10, x 12 and x15. Once you can do 15 reps easily it is time to increase weight and go back to 3x8 again etc.
Hope this is of help for any exercises at home -
@JNL, it's very helpful! Thank you!
I have worked with a personal trainer in the past, most of it successful. I "fired" one guy in two sessions as he was too "drill sergeant" for me.
I would never use online training as i am the type of person who needs to be in the actual gym with another human being, but if those conditions are met, it works very well for me because, like you, there are just some things I would never do on my own...ever.
Haha, yes, if a personal trainer has a poor "bedside manner", it's not gonna go well!
That sounds like a really great program and you have some awesome arms now. You actually put in the work, and that's the key to getting stronger. I have had a lot of physical therapy and the people who do best are the ones who are diligent about working the exercises at home.
Yes! You maximize your PT time by having good follow-through at home.
Do you track other nutritional components of your food intake? Calcium, D3, B vitamins, etc.
Glad you enjoyed your personal trainer & got everything you can use to continue going forward on your own.
I have never been one for doing workouts, let alone go to (get) a gym (membership). I have always been a walker & physical activity is yard work.
I have noticed in the last few years (with lots of change) that my strength has changed & I definately don't want to loose much of it. But until I can get a few medical issues taken care of I will have to wait on strength training, but can get back into walking more.
I'm going to be honest & say dieting is not for me, never has been. Can I make improvements? Absolutely, but I have to be the one to want to otherwise it's a waste of time & money. But, like Kristen, I really didn't have a problem with my body, though currently I could loose some pounds that have accumulated since health changes this last few years.
@Regina, diet is a four-letter word. Here are 2 thoughts I've stolen from other people:
Anne Lamott: "Food: try to do a little better. I think you know what I mean."
A book title by Eugene Peterson (not about food, but it applies to almost anything one wants to achieve in life): "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction"
First comes strength, then muscle growth. Takes awhile so don’t give up if you’re not seeing improvement right away. Just learned this recently.
Love this post Kristen! I have been on a health journey for two years and although I have lost 70 lbs I am constantly amazed at the overall weight of my body vs the size of clothing I wear due to building muscle. This is so contradictory to the low fat, low food volume diets that were all the rage when I was younger. Plus the mindset of cardio cardio cardio has basically been debunked. Yes you do need cardio but a small amount in addition to weight training is what I have found best for me, a woman in her mid forties.
Feeling healthy & strong, lifting that couch, running stairs, the energy to clean the whole house and go shopping and batch cook in the same day, ease of movement, lower heart rates, and the ability to do more exercises - more walking, more lifting, more situps.
I could go on and on. Life changing folks.
@Angie, you are a CHAMPION!!
@Angie, I would love to know more about what you've done to lose the weight. I am also in my forties and I need to lose about 70 pounds. I've never had an issue with weight until recently and it's beyond daunting. I'm inspired by your story and would love to hear more. Thank you!
Nice work! I'm around the same age as you and have switched my focus to strength training. My teenager is a certified personal trainer (thanks to our awesome career center) and I'm his first client. I have access to an amazing gym and a health coach/RD through my workplace. I'm curious if you are taking creatine? I started a couple weeks ago, it has many benefits, especially for peri/menopausal aged women.
I go to the gym for body pump classes, usually twice a week. I enjoy this because the classes take care of every muscle group in the body, and on my own I would never push myself as hard (as my weights at home can report). For cardio I go running or biking as well, so I usually exercise 4-5 times a week.
I have considered getting an (online) personal trainer to make it a bit more goal-oriented and to ensure I eat enough protein as a vegetarian.
I was one of those people who hated the thought of going to the gym or group classes, but when my twins were little and I had no support network, it was a life saver to be able to have them in the gym kid care for a little break. Soon, I got hooked on the energy and strength I gained from the classes.
Over the years, I've been amazed at the improvement one can make even at a more mature age.
I think that is great how you did that, knowing I never had the willpower to push myself that hard. I took aerobics classes for several years (free, offered by a church) and one college course of aerobics when I was younger. My life got busier as the kids grew older, rather than less busy, and then I started getting hit with the autoimmune diseases, so my workout routine is laughably small right now. I hope to increase it, since I'm approaching retirement. I try to work in my yard every weekend at least, but that depends on weather - when there are days in the upper 90's, I refuse to get out and pull weeds.
I was always a little too slim, which my doctors and I now know was at least in part due to one undiagnosed autoimmune disease, but now that it's being treated and I have also developed hypothyroid (Hashimoto's), I find I am always fighting a few extra pounds. I am balancing a diet appropriate to my diseases with losing weight, and I'm going to admit, it's hard. I find I need more protein in my diet now, like Kristen.
Kristen, thank you for this post. What a great way to learn about maintaining your health (and without any money exchanging hands!) As usual, lots of thoughts and questions.
THOUGHTS:
Gyms, ick.
Exercise machines, ick.
Measurements, ick.
Weighing, ick.
Writing down all food eaten, ick.
Maybe you will be able to either postpone or completely avoid the dreaded Kimono Arm that comes with age!
Good timing to do this while you weren't in school.
QUESTIONS:
Did you continue your regular walks in addition to all the workouts?
What are those colored balls for?
Did you buy new (to you) gym equipment?
What are you doing in that second photo??
Oh, that's just me in the hospital break room, eating my lunch!
And I'll throw the others into a miscellaneous post tomorrow. 🙂
Well....this is all just incredible! You really inspire me. I am much older than you Kristen but I still keep trying to do all I can for my own health and fitness.
Way to go!
Aww, thank you for the encouragement!
Yeah I would lie/cheat my way through "online" training. I even cheat on the exercises when I go to in-person classes haha. What I need is my own personal drill Sargeant to scream at me. Unfortunately I don't think the military accepts middle-aged new recruits
Hehe this made me giggle. You know yourself!
Great discussion as usual and timely information for me. I’m in PT at the moment, benefitting from the gained muscle mass of the program. Your post is inspirational for me to follow through at home—often a problem for me ha.
I’ve been eating a few spoonfuls of cottage cheese with meals to up my protein for having low blood sugar and low blood pressure, assigned by my doctor. As an older person the protein also helps with aging issues.
One great suggestion my doctor had has helped me to sleep better. I have a couple spoonfuls of cottage cheese about an hour before bedtime. As another reader mentioned, you feel fuller with protein so I’ve noticed better sleep, which is always a plus! She said a cup of milk can also help with longer sleep, for the cottage cheese shy.
For those over 50, there are free online classes through AARP. They are live, over Zoom, and come from the studio of certified trainers or, in our case, yoga instructors. The choices include every kind of workout or program possible.
My DH and I do the every Thursday yoga hour and it is the greatest stretch of every muscle. Floor and chair yoga for each pose are always demonstrated so beginners can benefit right away.
I'm sorry, I'm so confused. Is this Wednesday??
Haha, I was all discombobulated last week!
I wouldn't worry about not "working out" when you're working. You will be working out but in a different manner. I was a computer operator for a few years - on my feet and lifting boxes of various forms for the printer. The heaviest box weight almost 70 lbs (I weighed maybe 40 lbs more than the box) and were stored in an area where even vertically challenged me could not stand up straight. Also carried "real" magnetic tape reels (no virtual tape in those days). I could load about 20 tapes on my arm (filing).
These days the work is more chair driven but I make sure to get up numerous times a day. And get some weight bearing exercise (cat litter, flats of cat food, bags of cat food, 40-50 lbs bags of wildlife feed). I read the other days there is an actual name for what I've always called "chair butt".
I am a carnivore - I will eat legumes but meat is my thing. And yes, it does make you stay fuller longer. Truth be told, I don't eat enough protein - especially red meat- I can definitely tell. Genetics play a big role in ones food needs IMHO.
I know you mention Ben is more expensive than other online trainers but I don't have a frame of reference and can't find his pricing on his website. Would you be able to share that information?
I used to be a personal trainer, 20 years ago.
I'm happy you are mentioning his schooling VS certification because - at least here in Canada - anyone can call themselves "personal trainer" without any certification or with a quick certification like CanFit Pro (which is the one I did way back then. It was good, but nowhere near going to school for it).
Unfortunately, you often DON'T get what you pay for, in the fitness and wellness industry, so you really have to do your research's and ask questions before hiring someone.
Good for you for keeping it up and using weights. As a now middle-aged woman myself (yikes!), I know how important it is, especially for us, to "lift heavy things" (for muscle mass, bone density/calcium retention, etc).
I work out 3 times/week, a mix of weight training and cardio. I used to enjoy gym atmospheres, but I find now it's easier to work out at home. Not as efficient because there is a limit to the equipment I can own, but good enough. I'm well equipped anyways (threadmill, elliptical, spin bike, dumbbells, elastics, etc).