Have you used a personal trainer?

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.

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.

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:

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.

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........