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Gina shifted in her chair. She felt quite silly. Liz had survived cancer and started her life over at age fifty. Thirty-seven wasn’tthatold, and she certainly didn’tfeelold. Most of her colleagues often complained about aches and pains, indigestion, and weight gain, but apart from the occasional migraine headache and her low iron levels, Gina was in great health. She felt strangely abnormal though, listening to her colleagues discuss their medical complaints, and almost thought of asking the doctor why she wasn’t getting all those so called ‘normal’ problems.
‘Let’s move onto your next objection. You think you’re too shy, Gina. Tell me, what does it take to be a good personal trainer?’
‘Well, you obviously need a high level of fitness. And a desire to help people. Patience...’ her eyes looked to the ceiling, searching for more answers, ‘...and good communication skills.’
‘Okay. Now, do you have those attributes?’
‘I think so. I really like the idea of helping people improve their fitness, and Icancommunicate well, but just not in a...’ she pumped her fist in the air, ‘hyped-upkind of way.’
‘Is it a pre-requisite that aspiring personal trainers pass a personality test to show their outgoing nature?’ asked Liz, eyebrows raised.
‘Of course not, but you need to be able to express enthusiasm to motivate the client.’
‘Could it be true that different personal trainers have different personalities, and that some clients might prefer a softly-spoken trainer?’
‘Yes.’
‘And is it possible to motivate someone, instruct them on correct techniques, without raising your voice and speaking in a ‘hyped-up’ way, as you call it?’
Man, she must have been an awesome lawyer.‘It’s possible, yes.’
‘Then Gina, what we’ve discovered so far is that you most certainlyaren’ttoo old, and it’s not a requirement to have a specific personality type to be a trainer. So that leaves us with objection number three: your fear.’ Liz, as though giving a closing statement in court, leaned her hands on the table and looked directly into Gina’s eyes. ‘What are youscared of?’
Suddenly the chair beneath her felt uncomfortable, hard, rigid, and the walls seemed to close in around her. Warmth rushed throughout Gina’s bloodstream as she came to a realisation. ‘I’m scared of ... disappointing my husband and family.’ Her voice quivering, she looked down at her hands, wringing them repeatedly.
Zoe, seated next to her, extended her hand to still Gina’s.
A puzzled look appeared on Liz’s face. ‘Why would becoming a personal trainer disappoint your husband and family, Gina?’
‘Because my husband wants children, my parents want grandchildren, and changing careers would put that on hold. And by then I might not be able tohavechildren.’ She rubbed her fingertips against her temples, crazily wishing a mild migraine would manifest so she could leave early and go to the safety and comfort of her bed. Hot tears fought to escape, but she kept them locked up. She looked at Liz. ‘We haven’t had any luck conceiving as yet, and I’m sick of trying. I just want to get on with enjoying my life.’
‘Are you saying you don’t want children?’ asked Liz.
‘Yes. No. I don’t know!’ Her heart pounded and she tugged at the neckline of her top.
‘Okay, Gina.’ Liz sat close to her. ‘If you had the choice between falling pregnant right now, or studying fitness and starting a new career, what would you do?’ Time seemed to stand still for a few moments, the women mesmerised, silently waiting for a response.
‘I’d start a new career,’ Gina whispered, her body completely still.
Liz stood. ‘Then you know what you have to do, don’t you?’
Gina gulped. ‘I have to tell my husband.’ The thought of what lay ahead paralysed her. Now shedidn’twant to leave early and go home. She wanted to stay here, in this chair, where she felt supported and she didn’t have to face Marvin.
‘Gina, remember what I advised Cara last month; make sure you consider your husband’s feelings about the issue, and accept that he will be upset. Now, it’s not like you’re telling him you don’t want children at all, because it doesn’t look like you’re completely sure either way yet. However, I can see that you really want this new career now, and staying in this unhappy situation you’re in will only make things worse.’ Liz placed her hand on Gina’s shoulder. ‘Before you talk to him, look into what’s involved in becoming a personal trainer. Get some course brochures, and get clear on the practicalities, such as: when you could start, how long it would take to become qualified, and how you’ll manage financially. Talk to your personal trainer friend, write down a possible plan of action, and show it to your husband. Open up, and talk to him about it. Mention that it could be best to train now before possibly having a baby so that it’s easier on your body, and that it’s a career you could also work around motherhood.’ Liz glanced briefly at Miranda then back at Gina. ‘And if you decide you do want children in future, you could also discuss the possibility of freezing your eggs to buy you some time, as a back-up.’
Gina nodded gently, knowing if she wanted to change the direction her life was heading in, it was now or never. When she didn’t allow herself to think about Marvin’s probable reaction, she felt excited at the prospect of a fitness career. She could imagine herself arriving at the gym, a client ready and waiting to absorb her advice, and she’d be able to watch them transform their body step-by-step. It would be sorewarding. Maybe she’d even write a fitness book one day, she’d be good at writing up her knowledge into a structured plan of action. In her mind she saw charts, checklists, and tips in easy-to-read point form. And photographs demonstrating each exercise, with detailed instructions accompanying them.Gina Longwood ~ personal trainer, health and fitness expert, and author.The prospect made her feel alive. She could even come up with her own weight loss program and start her own Bootcamp.
Yes!She wanted this.
Squaring her shoulders, Gina rose from her chair with a surge of energy, and true to her uncharacteristic behaviour tonight, wrapped her arms around Liz. All the women clapped at Gina’s breakthrough. A few women hugged her too. She wasn’t normally the ‘huggy’ type, but she felt closer to this group of women than she did to her own husband, and she needed the support if she was to go ahead with this.
After Liz shared Grandma Joy’s Words of Wisdom and the meeting ended, Shauna came over to Gina with a concerned look on her face and placed her hands on her toned shoulders. ‘Gina, with all this exercise you’re doing, your body’s probably using up nutrients at a rapid rate.’ She pulled a brochure from her hessian shoulder bag. ‘This natural green smoothie formula would be of great benefit to you, it contains twenty-seven vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all in a highly concentrated wholefood form. Just mix with water and drink. I highly recommend it.’
A green smoothie. Marvin would have a field day making fun of that one. ‘Thanks.’ She accepted the brochure. Shauna was a teacher at a small alternative school by day, and a product-pusher by night. And, an environmental activist onweekends. She wouldn’t stop until the world surrendered to her influence.
Miranda approached. ‘Maybe you can be my trainer one day, Gina. I really need to shape up.’
‘Sure. But don’t wait, I can recommend a great trainer you can see now, here at the gym.’
