Seriously - I wouldn't want someone with bad hair to come near me with scissors. You've got to practice what you preach, ya know!

I guess it depends on the trainer. I've been to one gym, where the trainer was significantly overweight, he had a giant belly, and was pushing his client to do more ab work. It seems a bit hypocritical.

I believe that if you are overweight it has to do with a lack of understanding the combination of fitness and diet or control! I wouldn't want to pay someone to help me with those things in my own life, if he/she couldn't apply them to their own.

My trainer works out far less than I do, but is in great shape since he is constantly moving. He has the knowledge (his degree is in Sports Equipment Technology & a masters in nutrition and health) to help me obtain MY goals. He has his own fitness goals, but understands how to achieve any goals. And that is what you should look for in a trainer. Someone that can combine their own experience (with themselves or other clients) AND their education to help set a plan and path for your goals. It is so important for trainers to TALK to their clients about what the goals are and where you want to be and when you want to be there.

I agree you have to practice what you preach. Although everyone falls off the wagon once in a while but it comes with the career if you're going to promote health and fitness you have to be fit.

I would hire an overweight trainer -- the key word is overweight, not obese. I don't think you have to be in perfect shape to possess the knowledge of the best ways for someone else to shape up. Like I said, if the trainer was obese it might be a different story -- but just because you are not thin certainly doesn't mean that you are in bad shape. I know several individuals who technically fall into the "overweight" category based on BMI, but are in much, much better shape than some thin people. As long as my trainer could complete all the exercises he/she is asking me to do with ease, then he/she is in better shape than I am, and I can learn a thing or two.

Is this even a question?

I love the above analogy to a hair stylist with bad hair - so true!

I agree with julieulie... As long as they are not obese, and can demonstrate all the moves with ease, why not?

I think that a personal trainer is someone, who, in many ways, you look up to - someone who motivates you both mentally and physically. Often, clients aspire to attain the physique of their trainers and they're like your work-out mentors, so I'd have a hard time working with someone who didn't reflect this!

I would, in part because I do understand that some people can posess all the knowledge, but have other issues that keep them from being at a size that others think is "ideal." Some people are overweight for medical reasons that cannot be easily "fixed," but that doesn't mean they aren't setting a great example of being as fit as they can be. We all can learn something from anyone else if we keep our minds open.

No I would not, because I would want someone with the best knowledge and education about health and fitness, and when someone is overweight they lack those things, I wouldnt pay for an overweight trainer because they wouldnt even be giving me 100%. I would think that being a healthy athletic person would be a prerequisite for becoming a personal trainer.

Most likely not. I'd want to hire someone I'd be inspired by.

I wouldn't; I wouldn't have any belief that their method of training would work for me if it didn't look like it was workig for them.

Great post. My husband and I own private gyms (just for personal training) and he often runs into this issue. My honest opinion is that you should not be over weight as a personal trainer or fitness instructor. And, honestly because people do come in different shapes and sizes, this shouldn't be measured on the scale. I feel that trainers and instructors should have body fat analysis done and have to pass a fitness test (this gives some room for people with small weight issues). All too often I see educated trainers all over the United States who really know what they are talking about but don't follow what they preach. They eat horrible and allow for it by stating that they exercise, they drink too much alcohol and I've even seen some smoke cigarettes. You can't really descriminate against people, but I will tell you that I wouldn't want advice from people that don't practice what they preach.

if we were training for sumo: yes, other wise, no way.

For everyone who is saying they wouldn't hire an obese trainer but would hire an overweight trainer--"not thin" does not always mean overweight. Not thin could mean you are at a healthy weight but just aren't a size 2. That's the difference. Overweight or obese trainer? Psh, hell no. Someone who isn't stick thin? Eh...maybe.

The best things in life are free. The second best are expensive.

When I specified the difference between overweight and obese, I meant the difference between overweight and obese. I am well aware that someone who is not thin can still be a healthy weight. I was referring to someone who is, indeed, in an overweight category. One of my closest friends is overweight, and he has completed 7 marathons in the past year. I'd much rather have him train me than one of my size 4-6 friends who can barely run a 5K. Being thin or normal weight does NOT mean that someone is in good shape, and being overweight absolutely does not imply that someone is a couch potato or unathletic. Like I said before, if the overweight trainer can complete everything he/she is asking me to do without a problem, then clearly he/she is in better shape than I am, and clearly can help me.

i agree with julieulie. i have plenty of friends who look fit but can barely walk up a flight of stairs and i have plenty of friends who are round and soft who are yogis, dancers, or run every day.

i think if you can't do what you are asking your client to do then yes, you are unqualified, but the shape of your body doesn't necessarily indicate that shape that you are in.

Honestly, I would. I'm overweight (probably still obese, but working on it) and I think that I need someone who has the knowledge to demonstrate moves and workout safety to me correctly, but I also think that you can't possibly understand what it is like to be overweight (and all the emotional and physical issues that go along with that) unless you have been there.

I personally would feel MORE comfortable with someone who is overweight but knowledgeable, and understands my own personal struggles.

It's also why, as a Jenny Craig weight loss consultant, I was the busiest and most successful consultant in the store. Not because I was skinny, but because I wasn't -- because I totally understood what these people were going through, and had real advice from the trenches.

sigmaration has a good point and that is what I was thinkng. Personally as someone who isn't overweight and already watches what I eat, I would have a tough time taking tips and advice from someone who isn't. However, I feel that someone who is self-concious about their weight and is overweight would feel much comfortable and less intimidated by going to someone who isn't uber-skinny but is fit even if they are "overweight."

I said no, I'm overweight/obese myself and I think I would be more inspired to work with someone who has a nice body, it doesn't have to be perfect. SOme flaws are human, but a really overweight trainer would not get me motivated. ( spelling??? )

"There's a difference between staying alive and living."

i work out with 2 different trainers one male and one female. one is for weight training(female) and one to motivate me for cardio (male). they are both very fit and very motivational. an overweight trainer would never motivate me. if i am paying someone to tell me how to get fit, they better "walk the walk" as well as they "talk the talk".

i have a yoga teacher who is pretty chubby and she is awesome. but i hear people after class mumbling about how they wouldn't want to take class with her b/c she isn't thin. yoga is a bit different though. i am not very flexible through my hips b/c of so many years of running, and some people who have never worked out have a much easier time getting into pigeon, or butterfly or split!
also the sculpting teacher is not what i would call thin, but she's great and knows what she's doing... so I think everyone should be given a chance!

There are a lot of reasons people are overweight and a lot of people don't practice what they preach (including ministers). Ultimately what i look for in a trainer in someone who pushes me and who I feel comfortable working out in front of. In fact, it may put me more at ease to know a trainer has battled weight issues as well and understands food addictions and things.

I only hire trainers who look hot.
=P

i am a personal trainer myself and remember you can be thin and be out of shape also! Some people are not meant to be a size 6 or a size 2! Some people are not meant to have ripped abs it is all about what you inherit from your genes! lets face it some of us are just not meant to have great bodys no matter how hard you work you can make improvements but never have that perfect set of abs unless you are that one lucky person with genetics! I myself got 3-4 percent body fat and am a skinny little guy and yet dont have a ripped six pack but when it comes to comparing the endurance and strength of my abs not one person in my gym can last!

i am a personal trainer myself and remember you can be thin and be out of shape also! Some people are not meant to be a size 6 or a size 2! Some people are not meant to have ripped abs it is all about what you inherit from your genes! lets face it some of us are just not meant to have great bodys no matter how hard you work you can make improvements but never have that perfect set of abs unless you are that one lucky person with genetics! I myself got 3-4 percent body fat and am a skinny little guy and yet dont have a ripped six pack but when it comes to comparing the endurance and strength of my abs not one person in my gym can last!

My gym has no overweight instructors (it's in Tokyo, there's no way it would fly here), but I don't think I'd care if they did. I'm one of those weak and naturally thin people so I know well that being slim doesn't have anything to do with fitness. What I'm looking for in instructors is someone who can teach me how to improve my strength and endurance, and it's blatantly obvious to me that many of the overweight people at my gym are a million times better at that than I am. If the instructor is qualified, knowledgeable, and can do the routines, I don't care what they look like.

I would hire the best person for the job. If that trainer happened to be overweight but knew how to help me achieve what I want than excellent. as someone else wrote skinny/thin does not equal healthy or phyiscally fit.

Reading through the other posts I see fat bias rearing its ulgy head. Fat people are lazy, lack self-control, self-respect etc. Yeah right if that were the case you'd never see a fat person in public cause they'd never leave their bed. Every skinny person or not so skinny person who has ever said a mean degrading thing to a fat person would be dead if fat people lack self-control. And self-respect knocking other people for their visable flaw to me shows that the lack of self-respect is coming from the skinny person toward the fat person.

These fat bias are also applied in the work place. Employers deem that a fat employee who works hard is lack displine and shouldn't be promoted. Fat employees are put in behind the scenes, low paying, depressing positions, again because they have an issue that others can see and feel free to judge them for.

To train me? no the person should be in shape, not super thin but in good shape.For other positions, like receptionist or something, then it shouldn't matter.

This question made me laugh. The answer is a definite NO though...

Well, I live in a small, small town and there is only one gym and the chick that runs the aerobics classes is overweight (like, not just a bit overweight, i would guess needs to lose about 30 kilos to be healthy). she is a good instructor in that she comes up with good routines and is good about monitoring form and effort. it annoys me she can't do the whole routines (she goes for a walk around the room and sometimes i catch her 'hiding' up the back having a little rest). however, at the end of the day, i don't care, i'd rather have a fat aerobics instructor than none. but given the choice i'd prefer someone who practiced what they preached.
anna

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Find something good in every day.
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I agree with what Oread said - 'I wouldn't have any belief that their method of training would work for me if it didn't look like it was working for them.' If they can't do what they are telling/teaching me to do... then absolutely NO.

hahahaa ! Hell no ;P I feel that a personal trainer should be there to motivate you . Seeing someone who is overweight probably won't motivate me to go to the gym.

There are some magnificent sport coaches out there that are overweight or obese. Just the same there could be some excellent personal trainers that have their own issues and weaknesses for food, but are excellent at what they preach. Its just like an overweight doctor who smokes, he could be a much better physician than another doctor who isn't overweight and doesn't smoke. You shouldn't judge people by their outward appearance. You can have a personal trainer who is in good shape but isn't good at what they do and an overweight or obese trainer who is great at what they do. Who says you have to practice what you preach? It doesn’t mean you cant do you job, and do a great job of it too.

I want to say "yes", but if he's a personal trainer, then why is he overweight? Sports is what he does for a living! There really is no excuse for him to be overweight...

I am overweight, and I would like to be a personal trainer. I exercise every day when I'm not working, but my career keeps me tied behind a desk for 12 hours a day, and I commute for another 2 hours. I'm a stress eater and have ADD as well, so to keep going and keep focused I overeat all the wrong foods all day long. I think that by becoming a personal trainer and giving up my Accounting career, I will eventually shed my excess weight. Why can't someone be training someone else at the same time they are getting into shape themselves? I have a 4.0 in school, a higher than normal IQ and the will to succeed despite my stress and ADD problems. I am good at motivating others! I don't have to have a flat stomache in order to recognize good or bad form in whomever I am training. I don't have to have visible biceps in order to teach someone how to lift weights. And as for setting an example, isn't that exactly what I would be doing? "If the fat lady trainer can do it, so can I!"

of course I would! thin people don't have a monopoly on sense, and just because someone isn't in peak lifting condition anymore doesn't mean they have nothing to teach me. look at trainers for any other kind of sport - they tend to be older and more experienced, and now they train other people. the fact that they aren't in peak competition condition doesn't somehow magically mean their brains got erased.

do i want a trainer strong enough to spot for me? yes. do i care if she has fat tits or chubby cheeks? nope.

some of you need to get your heads out of your tiny asses.