Im thinking about getting a personal trainer. But not sure if its worth the money...

I keep questioning can I lose the weight on my own?


SIDE BAR-----Anybody go to or went to a nutritonist?

I went to a nutritionist a few years ago and she was awesome. She gave some great tips about losing weight and eating right. I wish I would have stuck to her advice now. It was a free thing provided by the college.

At the beginning of my journey, I did have a personal trainer. I thought a personal trainer was valuable for helping me learn about exercises and weight training. I think hiring a personal trainer for at least a few sessions can be very valuable.

I'm like Nelie, and had a few sessions (less than 10 total) with a trainer after I started working on strength training. I was TOTALLY intimidated by the idea of lifting weights, and going to a trainer helped me get comfortable. And I have NO DOUBT that I've lost more weight due to strength training, and I'm not sure I ever would have moved past my lifting fears without my trainer. So in that way, it was helpful.

I never used a nutritionist. I feel like if you have a good nutritional basis, it probably isn't necessary, but if you are coming from a place of knowing very little about nutrition, it'd be great to get some information from an expert. I was a human development major in college, which required 3 nutrition classes, so I had a good foundation to build on...without that foundation, I don't know how well I would have done. In fact, I emailed my nutrition professor with a thank you once I reached goal...that's how important that knowledge was to me.

yes, my trainer has been invaluable. i know that i wouldn't have stuck with either diet or exercise without the accountability meeting up with him twice a week and getting weighed fortnightly provides.

also, i'm certain my workouts with him are worth two or three of the ones i do alone.

My trainer was and is a great source of inspiration and motivation during workouts for me. Initially, she helped me get over my fear of the gym and has been a great source of encouragement. I no longer use her on a regular paid basis, we just work out as friends now. But, it's the best money I've spent during my weight loss. Undoubtedly.

I didn't hire her to help me to lose weight, but to build my body. At the point that we started I had already lost some on my own. With her help I began to notice more positive changes in my physique than I did by myself. So she didn't necessarily help me to lose more weight, I had that covered - she helped me to make a real physique, a custom built body (if that makes sense).

Since getting into weights I've seen dramatic physical results and I get to eat more than before I started while still losing. Total bonus!

Nutritionist? No, I haven't used one. I found what works best for me through trial and error, a lot of research and seeing what successful losers here did. I sort of compiled my own plan through everyone else's taking bits and pieces that I liked. I think it could be helpful if you don't have any experience in nutrition and your insurance may cover it.

I am going to my 2nd session with a personal trainer, and I have to agree with everyone. If you do it just at the beginning, you have someone showing you how to use weights properly. How to use the machines,and someone that pushes you farther than you would push yourself!

About a year and a half ago I hired a personal fitness trainer at $60.00 an hour and worked with her for 6 months 3X's a week. I already knew how to work out but felt I needed someone to push me.

She would use a half hour of my hour with me on a treadmill or elliptical machine. The last half hour was exercises. I always felt like the cardio was not what I was paying her for so I used to come in a half hour early and do my cardio then hoping I would exercise for the hour I paid her and guess what? Even thought I did a half hour cardio right in front of her she STILL made me do a half hour of cardio when I got there. I said something to her and she said my main focus was to lose weight not build muscle and I needed all the cardio I could stand.

So I went along with it and worked with her for 6 months 3X's a week. I lost about 15 or 20 pounds in that time.

I didn't feel like I was losing that much for all the money I had spent which if you are in the line of work I am in (music) it was a LOT of money for me!

So I quit and after I had quit I immediately gained back the 20 pounds and gained 40 more in 6 or 7 months after that.

I have thought about what I did wrong and NOW I know that my mind wasn't right! I placed all the work on the trainer. I now know that you can train and do cardio until the cows come home and it can be for nothing. It wasn't until I came to the realization that it is a LIFE change is what I needed the way I think, the way I eat!

I have lost more in the last 2 months than I did in 6 months with a trainer because my mind is right now.

!

I just purchased a DVD workout set with a meal plan from an info-mercial. I'm not yet a week in, but it seams to be working. I have home support as well, I convinced my wife to join me. I workout in the mornings and she does after dinner. It might be cheeper than a trainer.
If you do get a trainer find one that has some kind of degree or certification in nutrition as well as fitness, it will help.

Hi,

I attribute ny weight drifting downwards instead of upwards mostly due to working with a trainer and nutritionist. I see my trainer every few months to help guide my overall process and change and make things more interesting. Also I will see him if I am in a funk and have stopped exercising all together. It gets me back on track,

I can't say enough about the nutritionist!!! He has really helped me develop a "lifestyle change" rather than diet mentality with very specific suggestions and lots of goal setting.

Good Luck!

I saw a nutritionist twice when I started this time. She was helpful but did not really tell me anything that I did not already know. My problem was not lack of knowledge.

She set me up on an exchange program. I ended up customizing her program into something that I could live with long term. She was adamant that I not count calories. She felt it led to an obsession with food. Of course, I already have an obsession with food that led me to being morbidly obese. I want to count calories. It is much easier to me than trying to figure out how much one serving of starch is.

She also wanted me on 1200 calories a day. I just could not stick with that so I changed to 1500 – 1600 a day. I don’t lose as fast but at my starting weight of almost 300 pounds, I could certainly lose on 1600 calories a day.

When I get closer to goal, I will probably see a nutritionist again but , for now, my plan works fine.

I have a personal trainer and it's the best money I have ever spent.
I wanted to change so badly but wasn't sure where to begin.
My apartment is above a store, so I was hesitant to get an eliptical or to do work out tapes in my apartment because I was seriously afraid of shaking things enough to make some of the products on the store shelves fall off - How embarrassing would that be?!
I was hesitant to go out walking or running because I didn't want to run past my neighbours houses for fear that they might see all the flopping and jiggling of my fat as I bounced by.
I was worried about going to the gym because I didn't feel confident about using their equipment & I was afraid that I would pay for my membership go a few times and then start making excuses about why I didn't want to go anymore. Hence, my decision for a personal trainer. I knew that it would give me accountability for going to the gym as I train with her twice a week. Since I was paying for the training sessions so I couldn't very well miss them. I also started to feel comfortable with the equipment and the free weights as my trainer stressed from the beginning that she wanted to teach me how to work out on my own.
She's been great with going over my food intake as well and giving me amazing nutritional advice. I have been with her almost 6 months now. I go to the gym 5 days a week. (Sometimes 6) She encouraged me to join up for a 5 km run this past December (which she ran with me) and I completed it and was SO PROUD of myself. She's become a friend, a mentor, a motivator, and someone who is in my corner and wants me to succeed. That's been my experience & that's why I say it's the best money I have EVER spent.

i plan on joining the Y in the next few weeks and they usually give you one at no charge for i think 3 visits and im definitely going to take advantage of it