Very Personally Trained

VPT. Very Personal Trainer. That's how they call personal trainers at Gymbox, a slightly pretentious chain gyms, a branch of which I joined in October after an office move.

They are not cheap and boast inspiration from the club culture for the decoration (they even have resident DJs) but they were the closest to the new office and the equipments are quite good, I have to admit.

I must have been going to gyms for close to 20 years now (with mixed results, as we know) but I've never had a PT, let alone a VPT. I had never really felt the need. Recently however, with my body apparently finally willing to show signs of reacting to what I was doing to it in the weight room, I started to feel the need for some help to get better results faster.

As luck would have it, two weeks ago, a new contingent of VPTs was unleashed on the unsuspecting members of my gym, all smiles and bulging pecs, hungry to build a client list. Within a week, I attracted the attentions of not one but two personable young men, eager to make my acquaintance, it seemed. Not a situation I am familiar with, by a long stretch.

The first one offered a few bits of advice on shoulder exercises and suggested I request his card at reception and contact him. A couple of days later, a colleague of his approached me and offered to take me through a set of arm exercises, after which he offered a free training session for the following week.

Let's hope I am not again the cause of some resentment like I was for another hitherto friendly VPT who decided to blank me after he saw me taking two free sessions with one of his colleagues.

In any case, the free session with my second suitor came and soon we were discussing, programme, diet and fees...

I am now furnished with a PT, sorry, a VPT, for the next four weeks at least.

And while the exercising shouldn't be a problem, I must confess to some difficulties with the diet I have been given to follow. I am apparently required at eat a kilo of meat everyday, spread over 7 meals. This in addition to multiple eggs and protein shakes. Even when disregarding the cost and practicality of such diet, I don't think I will be able to stuff so much food down my gullet.

I am however being guaranteed results. On Friday, I was even measured and photographed topless for a "before" picture... Watch this space...

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