My PT won't let me cancel!

[Fatnangry]

I've had a PT online for 8wks. I've done absolutely everything asked of me and have lost 2lbs. I'm absolutely knackered and stressed and overwhelmed with tracking, steps, calorie counting and so little progress.

I want to stop. Ive made an initial payment for first 3mths but apparently I signed a contract for 24wks so need to pay him for Jan, Feb and March.

He said I've signed contract so I HAVE to pay regardless of if I do the programme or not.

He said my progress is so slow because it just is and it will come off eventually!?

I'm not sure there's anything I can do is there? I'm so mad and upset. Feel like I'm getting robbed!

Oh no, is this one of those things on Facebook? They sound bullying before they start.

What does the contract say ?

but also continue
dont stop x it will happen and don’t quit just because you don’t like what the scales say

hi OP,
I know you not looking for weight loss advice.

Just check if you have insulin resistance as that can really slow everything, hence you only lost 2lb in 2months

I ended up cancelling my PT and just paying for the sessions anyway (though it wasn't three month's worth). I felt he was just doing one size fits all and nothing actually tailored to me. It was just too much and made me feel knackered at work and unwell. Plus I found out I really hate someone telling me what to do and standing over me when exercising and am knowledgeable enough to do my own thing at my own pace.

If weight loss is your main aim you'd be better signing up for an app like Nutracheck and sticking to gentle exercise like brisk walking to start with, gradually building it up. I find some PTs go at it like you're competing on The Biggest Loser or something and there is just no need to do that to lose weight, as it's diet which is the main factor. Too much exercise when you aren't ready will actually set you back as it will make you knackered and hungry and mess up your cortisol levels. Plus it's just not sustainable if you aren't enjoying it and finding it too much.

Personally if I had been doing all of that and only lost 2 lbs id be heading to the Dr, I'm 14 stone, down from 19 Stone and I lose 2-4 lbs a week at the moment, I do eat 1200 calories though but minimal exercise, like one 20 minute workout at home a day.

@Fatnangry

glad you got it sorted…. Id be really disappointed with 2lbs too. I knew you’d get comments about 1600 calories being too high. It certainly isn’t. At 15 stone I lost weight at 1800 calories A day and I wasn’t as active as you are. I’m now broadly speaking on 1500 a day but am over 2 stone lighter than I was. I sacked my PT but found a way through on my own. You can find a pathway that feels good to you too. Good luck.

Glad you are sorted Op.
I’d try and frame it positively - well done for giving it a good go but not for you.
It might be worth seeing Gp for blood tests to see if anything medically going on as I would have expected you to lose more than 2lb.
I’ve done a couple of online pt things. I’m on 1600 cals a day 120g protein, 10,000 steps, 3 gym sessions a week and 2 litres of water and losing. It’s a pretty standard online pt set up from what I can see.

Thanks all. Turns out they worded their contract wrong and said its 3mths not 6mths but that's their problem.

Yay, glad you got out of it

i may be wrong as no one else has mentioned it, so don’t rely on me, but I think there’s a little known legal provision that you can cancel any contract and you are entitled to a reasonable / proportionate refund, subject to paying a reasonable admin fee. Not to allow this would be the firm enforcing on an unfair term.

Most firms don’t publicise it and it’s hard to find on Amazon for example but it’s there. There is CMA guidance on this - attached.

Sounds like you won’t need this though OP.

Good luck with the diet.

I'm just over 12 stone and want to get to 11 stone and average 1700 calories a day. Am losing a pound a week.

People are giving you advice as obviously what you have started is not working.
your mindset needs to change that it's not weight loss etc but acuatully a complete lifestyle change and a permanent way of living in future. you need to keep doing these things for about a month to 2 months to become a habit and then things start to change. it doesn't happen overnight

Glad you got out. I think accepting yourself for who you are regardless of weight sounds like a very good step for your mental health. Perhaps once that's in place you can think some things that will be generally good for your physical health in a way that won't suck you into focusing on appearance..

Could you have thyroid issues? If you are genuinely sticking to 1600 cals per day with say 80-90 grams of protein, training 3x weekly AND hitting 10k steps the weight should be falling off you at 15 stone.

I’m on 1750 cals per day with 95 grams of protein and am training 3x weekly and doing about 8k steps per day and have lost 5lbs in 2 weeks (I started at 10 stone 2lbs).

Your PT isn’t doing anything wrong he’s spot on with the numbers (although I’d maybe up your cals to 1800ish)

Did you not read the OP's post?

8 weeks is nothing. Expect to see some difference in 16 weeks. If you see it through to the end of the contract you could see a massive improvement.

I’m glad you’ve left them. So cheeky to try to trap you beyond what you paid for. Were they planning to take you to court??

I disagree that 1600 is too high. I’m 61kg, 5ft9 and my resting calories is 1700, on workout days I burn 2400. I doubt you’re burning less than me and I’d be miserable too if I ate less than I do.

Really sorry the PT didn’t work for you, it sounds like you gave it your all and tried bloody hard!!

Don't let all that fitness go to waste though

I was going to ask exactly what the contract says. I see you've left anyway.

Without wanting to be sexist you might find a female PT more helpful. I am not sure male PTs understand female physiology - we are different!

You could also look at outdoor fitness classes - they are cheaper and often you just pay monthly with no long term commitment.

Also - 6-8 weeks should absolutely be enough to see some sort of improvement!

PS if you want an online plan you could look at Girls Run The World. I tried it but online doesn't work for me, I need to go out to a class to actually do something.

Have a good look at the contract and see exactly what you signed up for. Is it such large amount of money that it would be worth his while to sue you for payment? Probably not.

I would have thought you could have done a weight loss/fitness programme without paying a trainer to coach you online. There is plenty of free stuff on youtube.

If you really want to stop, just stop, block him and see what happens.

Worst case scenario is he takes you to small claims court and you are forced to pay him (plus costs probably)

If you're willing to take that chance then tell him his plan is not working, pay him one month and wait and see if he does anything.

If you signed a contract committing to a certain number of sessions then you have to pay it. At the end of the day it doesn't matter whether or not the plan is working or what you are or aren't doing. It matters what's in the contract that you signed.

Yeah. He’s probably right. You’ll have signed a contract etc.

I’m smaller than yoh and I just cut out sugar and carbs. Took me a good 8 months to see a difference. It’s not overnight

I am not sure male PTs understand female physiology - we are different!

I had a PT for a while. He was brilliant in helping me get fitter but he was male and only recently out of school. When he asked me to skip with a rope, he couldn’t understand my reluctance and wouldn’t take no for an answer. ‘You’re definitely fit enough now- give it a go!’ To the point where I had to eventually and reluctantly explain the common issue of weakened pelvic floor in middle aged women who have had babies. He got it then and never again asked me to skip 😂

Focus on enjoying your life. Good luck.