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What should I look for in a personal trainer?

samanthalynn84
samanthalynn84 Posts: 14
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I'm hoping someone here could tell me what I should look for in a personal trainer. I've never used one before (I've never even had a gym membership). I need to lose 60 more pounds. I've had a few knee surgery's and while both my physical therapist and surgeon have released me for yoga and light, low impact cardio they suggested working with a trainer for anything more. I'm meeting with one next week and I'm hoping its a good fit because he's the only one in a 35 mile radius and I would prefer to keep it close to home.

Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    I would make sure that your trainer bases their exercise and nutritional advice around proven scientific research. Many trainers are terrible at promoting fitness myths. If your trainer tells you things like "don't eat carbs after 6pm", "do high reps to burn more fat", or "eat 6 meals a day to stoke your metabolism", then run for the hills.
  • Arliah
    Arliah Posts: 266 Member
    vismal wrote: »
    I would make sure that your trainer bases their exercise and nutritional advice around proven scientific research. Many trainers are terrible at promoting fitness myths. If your trainer tells you things like "don't eat carbs after 6pm", "do high reps to burn more fat", or "eat 6 meals a day to stoke your metabolism", then run for the hills.

    In that case, the running for the hills is probably the better way to lose weight anyway *lol*
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    Look for someone who is going to work with you to develop a lifestyle plan that fits you, not a prescribed "you have to do it this way."

    Also, he shouldn't be selling you supplements or offering other than general nutritional advice unless he are also a registered dietician because that is out of the scope of practice of a personal trainer and illegal for them to do.

    He should also be taking your physical history and planning your workouts around your injuries.
  • samanthalynn84
    samanthalynn84 Posts: 14
    vismal wrote: »
    I would make sure that your trainer bases their exercise and nutritional advice around proven scientific research. Many trainers are terrible at promoting fitness myths. If your trainer tells you things like "don't eat carbs after 6pm", "do high reps to burn more fat", or "eat 6 meals a day to stoke your metabolism", then run for the hills.

    Thanks. Judging from his website and Facebook page he appears to have a slow and steady wins the race mentality. But I will defiantly make sure that fad diets and fad exercises are not part of his plan.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Someone with good, strong recommendations. A person you can enjoy spending time with, respect enough to listen to, with good people skills, a comprehensive pre-session "interview" about your health, goals, wishes and dislikes.

    I laugh and sweat in equal measures through my training sessions. My PT has helped me overcome anxiety over health issues, pushed me (literally and physically ...LOL), given me confidence and self-belief

    It's a relationship, you don't have to like them but you have to respect them...if they try to upsell you ..run
  • epido
    epido Posts: 353 Member
    edited January 2015
    A good trainer will listen to you and ask questions to figure out just what your specific goals are and come up with a program tailored to meeting those goals. They will get a good history from you, to determine if they have the ability to help you reach those goals while taking into account any medical or physical limitations you may have. They should be knowledgable in their profession, and not spouting off the latest broscience. Along with that, in order to have a good fit with your trainer, there are other things to consider, such as personality and teaching style. There are going to be certain people out there that you just don't click with, despite their ability to do their job very well.

    Don't allow a trainer to make you feel as if you can't ask why you are doing something. It's your money and time, and you deserve to understand how what you are doing fits in with your goals. If you don't understand something that you have been asked to do, you should be comfortable asking them to repeat the instructions or demonstrate the exercise again.

    Also, I personally wouldn't want a trainer that wants to put me on a treadmill/eliptical/other cardio machine on a regular basis. I can do that on my own, and don't want to waste my time having them stand there and watch me run in place for any amount of time. That being said, there are plenty of people out there who say you don't really need a trainer for any of it, and I can see their point. When it comes to doing the actual work, they are 100% correct. However, I am someone that needs the accountability having to meet my trainer at the gym twice a week provides for me. I also don't really like to come up with my own plan for the day each time I work out, so simply doing what I am told to do is a huge bonus in my book. He also does a good job of educating me about how or why a certain movement affects what I am trying to do, gets me closer to my goals, etc.

    It may take trying out more than one trainer to find one that you truly enjoy working with, but a good trainer that is a good fit for you is worth their weight in gold in my book!
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