Have you used a personal trainer?

kookla33
kookla33 Posts: 234
edited September 25 in Motivation and Support
Just curious who has used a trainer. If you did, what difference did it make for you? Do you think it's worth the money?

Replies

  • FaithandFitness
    FaithandFitness Posts: 653 Member
    I have one right now, and I love her!!!!!

    I like her because . . .she pushes me hard, shows me new exercises, gives me a copy of my workout routine so I can duplicate it on my own, gives me nutritional advice, does monthly measurements and weigh ins, and encourages me.

    When I first started working out with her I lost 10% body fat over the first few months, but only a few pounds. Those pounds came back over Christmas travelling, but since then I joined MFP and I am down 13 lbs since Feb. She continues to push me hard and is so very encouraging. She makes me want to become certified as a trainer.

    She gave me a sense of comfort at the gym. Now I know a few of the trainers there (my husband works with a guy trainer) and so there are some smiling faces when I get there. If I am working out on my own but my trainer is working out someone else, I know I push myself harder.

    I don't know how long we will keep up paying for the trainer, but if you can even do it for a few months it is very helpful. It will get you into a routine and provide you with a good knowledge base to go on your own.
  • Flyntiggr
    Flyntiggr Posts: 898 Member
    I don't think I'd be where I'm at right now without my trainer. I ADORE her! It took me years and God only knows how many hundreds of $$$ to get fat, so since I'm not eating out anymore, I'm redirecting that money to the trainer. She isn't cheap, but has been worth every penny! I use her for two 1-hour sessions each week, so a big investment. When I get closer to my goal, I will likely cut back to either 1 hour long session and a boot camp with her or just 1 session per week.

    Now that I'm fit again, we are going to start training for a tri together. I'm a swimmer - she's not. So we will trade off there. :) So yes, she's my trainer, but she's also my friend now! :)
  • TheGeezNeez
    TheGeezNeez Posts: 28 Member
    I have one (since December) and I love it! It is expensive but for me I definitely think it's worth it. I struggle with motivation and getting to the gym and with my trainer I get there at least 2 times a week. In the last month I have really stepped it up and have been going to the gym or running outside at least 5 times. A trainer won't be the answer to all your problems though. You still have to eat right on your own and exercise on your own. This is something I struggled with in the beginning but I think I'm getting the hang of it. :)
  • __flexylexi
    __flexylexi Posts: 154 Member
    I have, a few years back, and if I had the money I would keep doing it. I only used him for weights though, 3x a week. I had enough motivation to do cardio and push myself on my own, I just didn't really know how to lift weights on my own. Now I consider myself a runner and I do cardio more than weights. I took a weightlifting class and it helped, but when my husband works out with me he is like a personal trainer... he is an iron head and spends 2 hrs at the gym just lifting weights 6 days a week.. Kinda hard now he is in afghanistan so not much weights for me, but I am still running anyways. I think that it is worth it if you want guidance, and you can get a good one that teaches you how to do it on your own.. but if you just rely on your PT to make you do work but slack off on off days, it's not worth it cause it won't work..
  • cmsdives
    cmsdives Posts: 71
    I did, at Golds Gym and I really did/do like him. I do have mixed emotions about it though. I spent a lot of $$ over the course of last year to have a trainer and I don't really have a lot of weight loss to show for it. What I did gain (finally) was the understanding of how much better I feel when I exercise as well as the knowledge that if I don't exercise I WILL gain back the weight. That was a result of knowing that my trainer was at the gym waiting for me so I felt obligated to go. I'm not a person who likes to exercise, never have and probably never will, but I FINALLY realize the benefits and for that, the investment was worth it.

    The one thing that I learned and wish I knew beforehand, is that you don't have to go to a gym to enlist the services of a personal trainer. I would highly suggest you look around your community and do some research before just jumping into a gym membership and contract with a trainer there. The thing about the trainers at someplace like Golds or American Family is that they seem to be more in sales than training (not all of them and I'm sure there are a lot of very good/qualified trainers at gyms so please don't take that to mean that I'm slamming every trainer and/or every gym - it's just my experience). Very few of them ask you about your nutrition habits or sleep habits or how those things can have an effect on weight loss/being healthy. I am now in a wellness coaching program to try and learn more about the whole package that is called "wellness" or "healthy living". The wellness coach I am working with is also a trainer and her philosophy is about the whole package and learning the tools necessary to not just exercise and loose the weight, but keep it off as you become a healthier person overall.

    Anyway, that's just my opinion, others will certainly have theirs. I do agree with a lot of what the posts before mine say about the motivation and learning how to use the machines correctly. The level of accountability is very different when you're paying all this money for a trainer and you know he's waiting for you!

    Good Luck! :flowerforyou:
  • C_Bran
    C_Bran Posts: 254
    Never used one and never will. Waist of money. You can ask other people at the gym and on this site if you need workouts or help with something. If all else fails...... youtube it!

    IMHO
  • __flexylexi
    __flexylexi Posts: 154 Member
    Oh, on another note, I will never pay over 35 bucks an hour for a trainer. I had a good friend that was a gold's gym trainer and he was the one who trained me on the side.. Then I looked up independent personal trainers because that was the median. I only paid a little over 100 a week, which i don't think is too bad for the results I had. I was down to a size 5.
  • Flyntiggr
    Flyntiggr Posts: 898 Member
    My trainer comes to my house. It is her own business. No gym membership, no push to buy any supplements. And she is cheaper that the trainers at the Y. So I'm saving money on both ends. ;)

    Ceebran - come work out with us once - she'll kick your *kitten*. ;)
  • C_Bran
    C_Bran Posts: 254
    My trainer comes to my house. It is her own business. No gym membership, no push to buy any supplements. And she is cheaper that the trainers at the Y. So I'm saving money on both ends. ;)

    Ceebran - come work out with us once - she'll kick your *kitten*. ;)

    If your goal is to have your *kitten* kicked then have fun. My goal is to see results and I've seen them without having my *kitten* kicked. The only supplement I take is an occassional protein powder shake and workout about an hour to an hour and a half, total a week. I walk approximately 3-5 hours a week and since February I have lost 44 lbs.

    I'm good. You have fun with your trainer........
  • cbratthauer
    cbratthauer Posts: 228 Member
    I tried a personal trainer at Gold's Gym and HATED it!!!! But I'm at Snap Fitness now and have had a trainer for quite awhile and I LOVE it!!! However, I'm not very motivated myself to work out, so having him there the full hour, pushing me and encouraging me, and showing me different things to do really helps me. It also helps because with him there I know I am doing everything the right way. It only costs me $20 each time I meet with him, and I can meet with him as often as I want to. Some weeks I go twice a week some weeks I go four times, just whatever I have time for or can afford that week. Of course, I go to the gym even when I don't meet with him, but the hour goes by so much faster with somebody there.

    If you don't want to do a trainer, you could always go with a friend to help make time go by faster! And if you need any ideas for workouts let me know I can give you some that my trainer has me do! :happy:
  • kookla33
    kookla33 Posts: 234
    Thanks for all the feeback everyone. It seems to be a good idea to get a personal trainer if you need help staying consistent and motivated, which I do. It's not in my budget now, but I am going to look at it in the near future. Any of you that have great workouts, especially involving weights/curcuits/intervals and stuff that gives fast results, please share! I want to lose these last few pounds and gain some more muscle! It shouldn't be hard, but it feels hard sometimes! (ok, a lot!)
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