Why Hire a Personal Trainer?
If you’re considering hiring a personal trainer, there are three things you should consider first.
Choosing to hire a personal trainer is often an emotional decision. But whether you hire a personal trainer or not, it requires a lot of intention and perseverance to reach your fitness goals. A personal trainer can help you stay focused and provide the support you need to reach your goals. But you should consider a few things before you begin to ensure you get the most from the experience.
1. Have Realistic Expectations for Yourself AND Your Trainer
If you’re hiring a personal trainer, you likely have certain goals in mind. But if you’re overly ambitious and expect BIG results IMMEDIATELY, you’re destined to fail. So, before you start, you need to carefully examine your goals. And ask yourself: Are they practical and reachable within my time frame?
A personal trainer can help you to create and reach reasonable goals. Of course, you have to put in the work. If if you’re open and honest about your capacity for change – your trainer can help you meet your goals.
Keep in mind that you can’t expect your personal trainer to be an expert beyond their own scope of training. When it comes to nutrition, trainers can offer suggestions, to a point. But most personal trainers are not nutritional experts.
Make sure your nutritional plan provides enough calories and nutrients to get through the day. Also, if a trainer recommends a supplement, research it yourself to make sure it’s right for you.
2. Be Prepared to Do Your Homework
Reaching your fitness goals may require more than hiring a personal trainer and showing up to your sessions.
Most successful fitness programs include…
- A regular and balanced workout routine
- Following a proper diet
- And adhering to exercise and lifestyle changes outside of the gym
Your trainer can make sure you’re following the right exercise routine in the gym. But it’s up to you to follow through on your program everywhere else.
If you are not getting the results that you want, it’s likely due to something you’re doing outside of the gym. Open communication with your personal trainer is crucial here. If you are having trouble doing your homework, it’s the trainer’s job to help you adjust your lifestyle. And it might even require re-assessing your goals (see #1)
And your trainer doesn’t stop working on your program after your session, either. Like any coach, she plans and brainstorms new ways to help you succeed long after you’ve left the gym.
3. To Achieve Results — You Need Consistency (Not Painful Injuries)
Your personal trainer’s goal is to make you feel better — not worse. The trainer’s job is to help you build muscle. But you don’t need to end up sore and wore out to do so. Sometimes soreness coincides with muscle growth, but not always. And if it does happen, it should not persist. If you continue to get sore, something in your workout needs to be changed.
Rather than pushing yourself to the point of soreness, focus on consistency. That’s the key to building muscle, losing excess weight, and reaching whatever fitness goal you have set for yourself.
And consistency extends beyond your exercise routine. It includes consistency in your diet and other lifestyle behaviors. Getting enough sleep and stress management are critical, too. This is where #2 comes back into play. Because only you can follow through on creating the consistency you need to achieve your desired results.
Looking to Build Consistency in Your Workout Routine (And Beyond)?
Working with a trainer, like Boba is a GREAT place to start! She can help you evaluate your fitness goals. Create a program to reach those goals. And guide you along the path to fitness success.
Looking For Further Info on This Topic?
Here Are Several Related Articles…
Four Pillars of Fitness in One Session
The Four Elements of Fitness: Are You Out of Balance
The Amazing Powers of Exercise
Five Simple Rules to Get in Shape