Go Figure..

Was training a client at the gym one day when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around I saw one of the gym maintenance guys beckoning me over.  I excused myself and approached him, rather curious. Aside from exchanging smile, the guy, who I see everytime when I'm at that gym, never spoke to me. 

"Kak, kakak ni train orang exercise kan ?" (Sis, you train people in the gym, yes ?)> When I said yes ( even though I actually wanted to say "DUH!" ) He proceeded to continue 'ada orang nak cari trainer dan saya cadangkan akak. Dia nak jumpa akak" (There is someone who is looking for a trainer and I suggested you. She wants to see you). I asked him where the person in question was and he said she was in the club cafeteria by the pool. So I told him that I can't see her at the moment as I'm engaged with a client but I will see her if she was still around when I am done. He said okay and left to inform her. I 

20 minutes later, I walked into the cafeteria, led by the guy, whose name, I later learned, was Wan. Wan took me to one of the tables right by the edge of the pool, where a group of 4adults and 2 kids were seated. The first thing I noticed as I neared the group was the fact that all the adults (3 women and 1 man0 were smoking. The two kids at the end of the table were wet (probably just got out of the pool) were munching down a plate of fries washing them down with Coke. Both kids, estimated ages of around 4 and 5, were obviously overweight, as were ALL the adults at the table. I glanced at the huge notice displayed on the wall where their table was pressed up against, directly above their heads. In huge letters "NO SMOKING PLEASE". even if they were all illiterate, there was a very distinct picture of a cigarette with a huge prominent red cross stamped over it. It was all I could do to not roll my eyes in disgust. Go figure !

I inroduced myself to them, giving out a piece of my calling card around the table..They looked at my name and credentials and I saw their eyebrows lifted. The first thing that the lady (her name was Jun) nearest to me said was "Wow ! You are a real professional. you must be expensive !" . I just smiled and watched her reach into her LV leather tote bag and pulled out a fresh pack of cigarettes and a matching LV ladies' wallet to stuff the card in. I pulled a chair and waited for her to ask me more questions. I had a better look at what was covering the tabletop. There were plates (some empty) of fries, drowned in mayo and ketchup. On another plate were remnants of what looked like fried kuey teow, There was a bowl of fried chicken wings and a half eaten burger. And as snacks (for reasons beyond my comprehension) there was one jumbo sized packet of chips. I was almost expecting to see desserts but there wasn't any. Maybe they were trying cutting down on their sweet tooth indulgence. 

Jun asked me a few questions about acquiring a personal trainer to help her lose weight. She punctuated every question with a deep puff on her ciggie. She was kind enough to turn her head and blow it away from my face, directly into the face of one of the kids. She said she had been trying to lose weight for the longest time. Have tried everything, even bought slimming packages at a slimming centre where she lost some weight but put it all back on once she stopped the treatment. She tried countless of crash diets but went too far once and was admitted to the hospital for a month and was treated for symptomatic eating disorder. But she lost a LOT of weight then.. along with chunks of her hair as well. She sighed and looked forlornly at her new cigarette which she just lighted between retelling of the the hospital story. Jun, I noticed, was a chain smoker. In the 10 minutes I was sitting there, she smoked a total of 4 sticks.  She also had a nasty chesty cough. 

i asked if she had tried exercising to lose weight. She said she used to be a member of one of the big gyms in the city. She went there twice.. First time to sign up and 2 years later to cancel the membership. She sometimes goes for golf games with her girlfriends but they are all too busy now. She comes to that club three times every week to send the kids for their swimming lessons and waited for them for an hour everytime till they finish their lessons. I looked across the pool from where we were sitting right at the gym where i have just left my client and bit my lips. I chose to let her talk. She wanted to lose weight desperately; her sister is getting married in December. If not for that big event, she couldn't care less. 

I finally got around to telling her of what her program would look like based on her goals, and medical history.  i mentioned casually that for a start, all these food she had on the table will not make the list of what she can eat.. EVER. She sat there nodding her head, fiddling with the many many rings she had on her fingers. and finally she asked me the golden question. when I told her my fees, she immediately asked if i can give discounts and perhaps cut down on her training time coz there is no way in hell she will be able to work out for a full hour. She will DIE, for sure. I wondered if i should tell her that she was gonna eventually kill herself anyway with the kind of lifestyle they had. I asked her how often does she want to train. She said preferably once or twice a week. She is not sure she could do 3 times or more. I reminded her that she is at the club 3x a week anyways when the kids go for swimming lessons, so why can't she train while they were having their classes ? That silenced her for a while before she replied, sometimes she doesn't send them - their family driver would, when she's busy. I knew there was nothing left i have to say. i do not usually attempt to pursue anything once the client starts making excuses. I am very strong upholder of this motto "If there is something you must do and you cannot do it, then you cannot do anything else"

I took my leave then and told her she knows where to find me when she has made up her mind. I was getting suffocated with the smoke as well as her attitude about her own well-being. I knew as I walked away, I would not hear from her because she thinks hiring a trainer to help her improve her life is more expensive then the multi packs of cigarettes she spents on daily; more pricey then the junk food that she stuffed her poor kids with; and not half as valuable as the branded handbags she carries around to a pool club. I couldn't help but pity them though. With all the luxuries that God has bestowed upon them, they could not show their thanks by looking after the greatest gift that they have, that of good health. Or whats left of it. Go figure !