I’ve never been one of those people who loves high-intensity interval training. I hate being singled out in an exercise class, or yelled at to “go one more.” No thanks.
I’m more of a walker, someone who enjoys yoga — and it’s during these activities that I have some of my most profound thoughts. I’m not saying you can’t have those revelations when lifting weights, but for me, it’s also about the environment. I’m much more reflective grounding myself on a yoga mat or in a park than surrounded by metal clanking.
But I also know the importance of strength training and muscle maintenance, especially as I near 40. I’m also on the fertility journey, and I know how important muscle is for pregnancy prep. So, I booked a consultation with a personal trainer at my local gym and had a bit of an awakening. But can AI help fill the same gap for those who may not have the means to work with a trainer?
Content warning: This article includes content that could be potentially triggering to those with eating disorders. If you or someone you know has an eating disorder, you can contact the National Alliance for Eating Disorders at 1-866-662-1235 for free. Additional resources can be found through the Eating Disorder Hope community. If there is an emergency, call 911.
When I arranged an intro session with a trainer at my gym, we used the InBody scan machine they have available to members to get my health stats. I learned I have a body fat percentage of 37.9%. The trainer said it should be 25-27% based on my gender, height and age. She reminded me the problem isn’t so much about my weight, but my lack of muscle. She wants me to increase muscle mass to bring the fat percentage down, which will improve my basal metabolic rate, which is the amount of energy the body burns performing essential functions such as breathing. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat tissue, so it burns more calories at rest.
My trainer said it’s realistic to lose 1 to 2% of body fat per month, so if I want to go from 37% to 25%, this would take 12 to 24 months. My goal is 12 months.
I’ve used AI before for advice on my health goals and creating home-cooked meals at home from a photo. Surely, I could also use AI as a weight-training thought partner.
Caveat: My goal is three strength sessions and daily walking, plus yoga once a week. I will be working with a personal trainer weekly, who will give me a training plan to follow. I’ll consider AI’s advice in addition to the professional expertise I’m paying for.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
Get AI to dissect your health data
The more personalized health information you have, the better. Just don’t put any sensitive personal data into chatbots in case of data breaches. A good rule of thumb: If you don’t want anyone to see it, don’t put it in an AI tool. I’m comfortable uploading my body scan alongside my goals, but I wouldn’t put in blood test results, for instance.
For my first prompt, I shared my body scan PDF and the trainer’s suggestions and highlighted my current goals. I asked ChatGPT to act like an expert personal trainer and/or nutritionist to offer advice. This helped start with good framing.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
I liked how it reminded me that extreme dieting or training isn’t smart during the pre-conception period. It focused on hormonal balance, which was helpful, too. I found the macros useful, as I never know how much to eat for my body and goals. I went ahead and updated those percentages in my food tracking app, but I’ll confirm with my trainer in my next session.
ChatGPT said this is a good ratio for fat loss, muscle gain and fertility prep. Here’s why:
It also gave a good tip: Dial up carbs and reduce fat on training days, then vice versa on rest days. I’ll also bring this up with my trainer, as it might not be applicable for me.
I don’t need ChatGPT to tell me exactly what to eat, because I have that covered. When I went through my diet with the trainer, she said I should add protein powder to my coffee, because I only eat an apple and drink two coffees for breakfast. My first meal is at 12:15 p.m. I laid out my usual eating habits and choices to see if ChatGPT could pick up on adding protein early on, like my human expert suggested:
It did pick up that having two coffees before I eat could cause a cortisol spike, which can affect fertility. Like my trainer, AI also suggested pairing my coffee with collagen for a protein boost.
As a coffee snob, I’m not into changing the taste, but I will swap out my apple with something else. I asked ChatGPT what I can do to balance my hormones without having a big meal or using up my calories.
It suggested a hard-boiled egg, a few almonds, smoked salmon or even just starting my day with a glass of lemon water to blunt the cortisol response caused by the coffee. Based on my usual day of macros, I’m a little high on fat and low on protein, so I’ll opt for a morning snack that covers my 20-25g protein deficit. Here were the suggestions for that:
I told ChatGPT I don’t like to drink my calories, and I already have eggs and yogurt. I went with the cottage cheese, cucumber and smoked salmon on a rice cake. (I do allow for a couple of meals per week where I don’t track my macros.)
Weight training with AI
Now, onto the training side. With most of the work happening in the kitchen, I can focus on training for strength and longevity, rather than “working off calories.” I like the 80/20 rule here: Focus 80% on making good food choices and 20% on the training.
I made some tweaks to ChatGPT’s training plan: One session per week with a personal trainer, two other strength workouts, three sauna sessions, daily steps (7,000 or more) and a bi-weekly yoga class. My trainer said she wants me in the gym three times per week for strength workouts — the rest is up to me.
I’ll do a body scan every month (which is free with the personal training sessions at my gym) and work with a trainer for the next 12 months, with the goal of being pregnant within three months.
I wasn’t looking for a weight-lifting plan because my trainer will create that, but it did confirm I was heading in the right direction:
The verdict on AI as a training buddy
I do feel more confident with a plan in place. I can use AI to consider other options in addition to professional advice and get even more granular (and answer my questions at all hours of the day). Then, I can take what I’ve learned and confirm it all with an expert before I make any changes to my diet or exercise routine.
I doubt I’ll ever love the gym, but at least now I can connect my training to my big life goal of having a baby. It makes those sessions much more meaningful.
I’ll upload my progress, percentages and training plan into ChatGPT for secondary advice that I can discuss with my trainer and doctor over the next 12 months. It’ll never replace the hard work required or the experts who help us make the final call when it comes to health changes, but I’ll take all the extra support I can get.
Read the full article here