Trainer or no trainer?

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Tzipporah90
Tzipporah90 Posts: 126
in Fitness and Exercise
How important would you all say it is to have a personal trainer during your weight loss journey? It is quite pricey.

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  • Megan_20
    Megan_20 Posts: 2
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    I have had a personal trainer for the last 6 months, and I can say that is honestly helps me stay motivated because with them you HAVE to work out, there is no, well I don't feel like it today. Getting a trainer is one of the best things I have done since starting to try and lose weight!
  • spongela
    spongela Posts: 107
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    I think mostly its important for motivation, as these days you can get pretty much any advice you need online on places like this.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    I haven't had one and I've been here a year (last week) and lost 72lbs on my own. It is hard to do on your own but doable, heck I don't even have a gym membership BUT I do own both an elliptical machine and a treadmill. I had the treadmill gathering dust, I invested in the elliptical after starting hard here.

    A personal trainer is now something I'm thinking about, mostly semi-private because it's cheaper. After 1 year I'm pretty close to my goal and really want to bust it out AND not just lose the weight but sculpt the body into what I really want it to look like.

    So you CAN lose a lot of weight, and work out on your own totally fine, but some people need the trainer to push them, I didn't but think it might be a good gift to myself :D
  • emartindale
    emartindale Posts: 7
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    i love my tranier. i do boxing it is one on one, he keeps up with my eating..the only thing is at first you will gain so inches is more important than pounds. i also run three miles after work on the treadmill and actually i see my trainer three times a week for 50 mins and when i see him i run faster than the days i dont its like i have more energy. I also work full time and a mother of two...so i stay pretty busy but its worth it for your health!! i only pay 65 a month
  • SirBen81
    SirBen81 Posts: 396 Member
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    Getting a trainer will be helpful if you feel that you have inadequate: (1) knowledge about exercise/nutrition, or (2) willpower to exercise and diet.

    If you already have these things then a trainer has much less utility.
  • leftymac
    leftymac Posts: 169 Member
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    i love my tranier. i do boxing it is one on one, he keeps up with my eating..the only thing is at first you will gain so inches is more important than pounds. i also run three miles after work on the treadmill and actually i see my trainer three times a week for 50 mins and when i see him i run faster than the days i dont its like i have more energy. I also work full time and a mother of two...so i stay pretty busy but its worth it for your health!! i only pay 65 a month

    You see your trainer 12 times a month (3x a week) and only pay $65 total? I'd like a trainer that only charges $5 for a 50 min session.
  • emartindale
    emartindale Posts: 7
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    Yea three times a week, $65 on the first of every month. its called Iron Lung Fitness in Decatur Ala, him and his sister own it! at first i only went 30 minutes starting out but we are up to 50 a session
  • CJunell
    CJunell Posts: 4
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    Disclaimer: I am a personal trainer and weight management coach. I think having money to purchase healthy clean food would be number one in weight loss because in pure weight loss mode, you can get your exercise by walking or jogging. If you are wanting to lose weight faster, get in better shape or gain muscle I believe personal trainers can add significant value. With this economy you should be able to find an independent personal trainer as low as $25/hr given your in an urban area. Verify they are certified by going to their certification institute's web site and verify they have active professional liability insurance. As with all other things, you get what you pay for. :smile:
  • bunnysone
    bunnysone Posts: 486 Member
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    ive been with my trainer for 6 years. Not only has he saved my life physically, but he is also my life coach and now one of my closest friends. He know more about me than just about anybody else. He has also guided me with nutrition along the way and completely changed my diet.

    When I injured my back last year he knew my body so well that I phoned him to describe what the symptoms were and how I did it, and he knew exactly what I did and could give me advice within minutes of doing it.

    I NEVER thought I would pay for a gym membership, let alone a trainer. It hurt, my trainer cost me $100 per hour (and that was discounted - he trains other personal trainers for around $150 per hour he is so good.) So combining the trainer and gym membership it was costing me around $125 per week, and for most of that my husband was ALSO seeing him.

    It was worth every cent, every sacrifice we did to make it happen. We are now completely changed people, extremely active and fit, regularly participate in events and races and I am now dedicated to obtaining my cert 4 as well. Fitness is our lifestyle now, before the trainer we were more inclined to live in shopping centres and watched TV.

    I am testament to how important it is to have somebody who knows what they are doing show you the way.
  • Tzipporah90
    Tzipporah90 Posts: 126
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    WOAH! We def dont have it that cheaply anywhere here in St. Louis!
  • AlyBelden
    AlyBelden Posts: 45
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    I've lost 60 lbs on my own, but was ready to start toning up and getting stronger. For me, that = trainer. I really like working with her, she has definitely pushed me to do things I didn't think I could do. Yesterday I was doing jump squats, lunges, plank hold, mountain climbers... all stuff I could NOT do 2 months ago. If your goal is just to lose weight and you don't have the money, you can definitely do it without. If you want to be pushed, though, a trainer is a great way to do it. Plus, like someone else said, it keeps you going when you have one of those "I really don't feel like working out today" days for no reason other than you are being lazy. Your trainer will help keep you accountable.

    I will add, when I first started a few years ago I tried to work out with a trainer and I got really overwhelmed and never finished the sessions I paid for with her. I was not mentally ready to be pushed *at all* and needed to do things in my time & for the right reasons. I just started walking several days a week and really watching what I ate. NOW working with a trainer I'm totally there mentally and LOVE it... it's just something you should think about if you are just starting.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
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    Hiring a trainer is absolutely not necessary for weight loss.

    That said, I consider having a trainer to be an important aspect of meeting my fitness goals, which are about more than weight loss. I cannot believe how far I've come in the two months since I first decided to join a gym and hire a trainer. I feel confident in the gym, I have a daily game plan, and I'm motivated to improve. I probably won't need a trainer forever, but for now it's making a difference for me.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    I simply started counting calories, weighing and measuring everything I ate. Then I walked, 30 min a day 5 or 6 days a week. Or using the elliptical machine, so I did something 5/6 days a week. I didn't add in strength training til much later.
  • lwoodroff
    lwoodroff Posts: 1,431 Member
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    The best thing for me with the trainer is the improvement in fitness and stamina. Half an hour a week and works out at ten quid a time so good value as I focus more and have to commit to regular gym sessions in the week as I know Friday is coming! Really kick started things for me and keeps it fresh as we don't use the gym machines.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,709 Member
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    I think mostly its important for motivation, as these days you can get pretty much any advice you need online on places like this.
    But seeing an exercise online and actually doing it are 2 different things. Especially when it comes to something like squats or rows. Plus most people TOTALLY underestimate how strong they really are.
  • wedjul05
    wedjul05 Posts: 472
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    Here in Ireland, it's actually quite unusual for someone to get a personal 1 on 1 trainer. Correct me if I'm wrong any other Irish people!

    What most people do it get a fitness person from their local gym to do an assessment, do up a programme and go with this for a while. THis is what I do. THe girl in my gym is great. I know it depends on the gym, staff etc but out of all the staff at a gym, there is bound to be 1 or 2 who know their stuff. They are all qualified.

    I then go off and do the programme they have given me to the best of my ability. I then book a follow-up appointment with them a few months later and get my programme modified to concentrate on a different aspect.

    It's working so far anyway.
  • katherines2230
    katherines2230 Posts: 276 Member
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    I've been successful in the past without a trainer and without a gym membership. However, this time around I simply could not do it on my own. Getting a personal trainer has been the best decision for me. I started out only working with my trainer twice a month and would follow his written workout plans for the rest of the month. Now I see him once a week and it still doesn't break the bank!

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