Personal Trainer Separation Anxiety!!!!

FaithandFitness

We are looking at realigning our family budget, which would mean dropping the personal trainer!!! I know I have learned enough from her to do it on my own (and honestly, I only see her once every other week at this point) I ordered some fitness magazines to get fresh, new ideas . . . I just need to do this on my own (Or at least decide I can before I am cut off from my trainer) I am considering just having a once a month appt with her to do a fitness assessment and chat . . . any other ideas from anyone who has been through this type of thing? I know so many people do it all on their own and I get so much advice and support here as well.

Egger29

Generally speaking....with all my clients, I pushed them through their workouts so they got a sense of how hard they COULD push if they really focused.

IN that respect, they would feel the difference in the end and know they worked as hard as they could for their goals. Following that, in working out on their own, they would know when they were cheating or cutting corners, because it wouldn't feel the same. Most picked up the personal discipline to continue to push themselves in the same way on your own.

You've got a great network here for that and you can still check in with your trainer every so often for tips and such.

I'd stay away from fitness magazines however as they tend to contradict themselves one month to the next....but that's how they sell magazines right? (personal opinion).

Cheers!

DeniseGdz

OMG BUMP, BUMP, BUMP!! I had to cut my trainer down to twice a week for the month of May but I know that after May that may be it and I'm already freaking out!!

Help! :sad:

HoopFire5602

Generally speaking....with all my clients, I pushed them through their workouts so they got a sense of how hard they COULD push if they really focused.

IN that respect, they would feel the difference in the end and know they worked as hard as they could for their goals. Following that, in working out on their own, they would know when they were cheating or cutting corners, because it wouldn't feel the same. Most picked up the personal discipline to continue to push themselves in the same way on your own.

You've got a great network here for that and you can still check in with your trainer every so often for tips and such.

I'd stay away from fitness magazines however as they tend to contradict themselves one month to the next....but that's how they sell magazines right? (personal opinion).

Cheers!

I was wondering the same thing about fitness mags. I want to subscribe (I read Muscle and Fitness: Hers) but I already found one workout that I like and I know that in the next issue there will be something else new and better, and 'get strong faster' that will make me re-think what I am doing. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is irritated by that.

FaithandFitness

Thanks Egger, that is very encouraging . . .I know how to work out my muscle groups and push myself. I have a ton of exercises that I can put together so that I am continually challenging myself, I have a self confidence in the gym that I definitely did not have back before I lost 25 lbs and 15% body fat. I know my trainer feels confident that I will do fine on my own. I'll take the info I get from the fitness magazines with a grain of salt, especially since I feel like I am on a pretty good path here! Thank you so much for that statement, that really helps!

lulusmom

I think the best thing you can do for yourself while making the transition is to write down your gym routine to follow each week. That is what I rely on a trainer for (when I have one) the most, because it keeps me focused in the gym. Nothing seems less productive (and discouraging) to me, than going in to workout alone and not having a "plan."

torregro

I love my personal trainer and my sessions, and the biggest gain to me is the incentive to push harder, add more weights, and use those pieces of equipment that heretofore I was just waving at as I walked into the aerobics studio! LOL
But.........the day will come when I'm not using the trainer, and part of that preparation is the book of workouts that we have been preparing together. There are a series of 4 different workouts for the "machine room", 4 workouts for the free weight room, 4 different workouts involving balls and bars and plyometrics, etc, along with a section for stuff I can do at home and a workout for vacations using bands. As I learn about the equipment, I write down my personal settings for the seats and bars, what weight and reps I'm currently doing, and what my start and finish points are. We also include warnings about form, etc. While I don't work from this book every time (sometimes I just need my butt kicked without thinking about the details), I *do* consider the preparation of this book KEY to my being able to be on my own at some point. While I still might not necessarily push myself as hard as I would with someone looking over my shoulder, at least I'll know what I accomplished the last time, so I have a starting point.

Years ago I had some great sessions with a wonderful personal trainer, BUT.............I got so used to her shepherding me through each and every workout (she even stretched me, for crying out loud), that when our sessions came to an end, I realized that I was kind of floundering, not really knowing what to do, or in what order. In retrospect, it now seems like a way to keep me tethered to a trainer, but I take responsibility for not figuring out what I needed as well.

So.......while I wish all of us could work out with a terrific personal trainer all the time, I would suggest that anyone thinking of taking 3 or 30 or 100 sessions with a trainer consider WHAT they want to learn, and WHAT they want to leave the experience with........sooner, rather than later.

FaithandFitness

I just figured out that I am much more prepared to step out on my own than I realized. Sometimes just the idea of change sparks all sorts of anxiety and worry where it doesn't need to be. I have tons of workouts written down. I can walk into my gym and say, "I want to do back and chest" and I know what to lift, which machines to go for, and how far to push myself (If I am not sweating, then forget calling it a workout). Thank you so much for all your wisdom and encouragement, I love MFP!