Personal Trainers – Worth it?

The only personal trainer I've ever used was my dog. He got me moving and I lost 50 lbs in the process. He's not around anymore, but I'm familiar enough with nutrition, calorie consumption and types of exercise that I don't need a personal trainer to lose weight, improve my nutrition, etc. I'm also not looking to get totally ripped, so if your goal is to have THAT kind of body AND you can afford it, a personal trainer will definitely be your best friend.

It's possible to do all this at home, but you must do the research and be disciplined. I can't afford a trainer or a fancy fitness center, so I am doing this mostly by myself, with the help of my MFP friends.

The first time I really got fit & lost a significant amount of weight was when my place of employment adopted a health incentive. A medical intern was given the duty to head it up. She wasn't a personal trainer, but I would meet with her once a week to consult & weigh in. She instructed me to keep a food diary & gave me a pedometer & told me to strive for 10,000 steps a day. Small goals, but it worked. The food diary kept me honest, especially since I knew she would be looking at it each week. And that's why I'm on MFP, the diary just works. But what I think really did it for me was the accountability of reporting to somone each week. I think a personal trainer would be worth every penny. (if you have it) Consulting with the medical intern once a week (for 8 weeks) - and that was 6 years ago - basically gave me the basic skills to maintain a healthy lifestyle of my own every since & the desire to educate myself more to continue without her help. I lost 25lbs while participating in the program & for the most part have kept it off. I've gone up & down here & there, but have never been even close to that weight again.

Oh - AND my dog played a BIG part too!!! Although he is nearing the end now & can't go for a run with me anymore.

I LOVED MINE!!!!!

I had one for a while & he was great! Basically they're just a personal motivator b/c we pretty much know what we are supposed to do as far as eating habits etc. but I did learn alot about using good form from him. The accountability factor is a huge plus for me too. If it's in the budget, I say do it!

I used a trainer for a while, because I was really worried about form and coming back from a serious injury. She was just that, though, a trainer, no diet or anything else. I loved it, and highly recommend even just that.

Right now I run with a training group, and have two coaches (that we all share). It's just enough attention and pushing to give me a kick in the pants and keep improving, with a reality check - there were some things I'd read a lot about and thought I was doing appropriately but found out my interpretation was way off. So I'd highly recommend a coach/trainer for that reason too.

The only caution I'd give is relying on a single person for too much - if s/he's got a lot of experience in all the fields necessary and has the appropriate licenses and certifications, that's good insurance. And regardless, it may be the "nudge" you need to get and stay on track, like others have mentioned. But definitely keep an eye on their advice and independently research what you learn from them - it will benefit you the most no matter how skilled a trainer they are, if you remain an active and engaged participant in your training. Autopilot and blind following have their place, but not necessarily in your health.

Based on my observations of personal trainers at the local 24 Hour Fitness, personal trainers are probably the most cost-effective way to ensure that you get a debilitating injury as quickly as possible.

They can be great - but I'd recommend checking out qualifications and experience and you might need to try out a couple to find which one "fits" with you. Good luck.

I LOVE my trainer! He's the best money I've ever spent and paying him ranks up there with paying my rent. It took me a number of gyms and several trainers to get to the right one for me, and I can't imagine this journey without his support and encouragement. He's my rock and the reason I've done this well so far. He genuinely cares about his clients and sweats every weigh-in with us. However, he's also blunt when we're off plan or shirking the cardio, but doesn't need to yell. Once you get "The Look" combined with a more grueling than usual Leg Day, you learn your lesson. He's also the same guy who will sing "Eye of the Tiger" when I'm doing dumbbell jabs to distract me from my burning shoulders or will do the last set of toe taps with me because I'm pooped and I HATE toe taps. So long story short: Yes, worth it, but make sure you find the trainer that works best for you.