Personal Trainer... yay or nay? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

ChunkyDunker · 01-31-2008, 10:08 PM

Hi all, I'm ready to ramp things up a bit by joining a gym. What do you think about working with a personal trainer...is it worth the $$$?
Besides the hour with a trainer I get when I sign up, I'm considering buying a few sessions with a trainer as well. How often do you meet with your trainer? I'm thinking maybe it'd be good to have someone asess where I am, then help me devise a plan and maybe review once a month? I'm very new to all this and was wondering what the norm is

Thanks!

mandalinn82 · 01-31-2008, 10:14 PM

The most cost effective will be to do just as you said...get an assessment, do a session or two to develop a program, do another session or two in a month to reassess and re-plan.

If you have more money, it can be great to see someone once or twice a week, just so you can get your rear kicked. My days with my trainer were always my hardest lifting days, and he really kept me working right at the edge of where i was so I was constantly improving. I could never afford to see him that often, though.

sapphireheather · 02-01-2008, 11:29 AM

I go to a gym where the montly fees include weekly personal training sessions! I LOVE it! I get to check in with my trainer once a week to keep me accountable and to get the extra push I need when doing resistance/weight training. I don't push myself nearly as hard as she does!

Good luck with what ever you do and if money is an issue, I'd do the assessment, meet with the trainer once or twice to get a program started, then check in with the trainer montly and then in a couple of months get reassessed and revamp your program. Good luck!

Nori71 · 02-01-2008, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sapphireheather

I go to a gym where the montly fees include weekly personal training sessions! I LOVE it!

This in how it is at my DH's gym. I cannot go there because of the distance and the fact that they don't provide childcare. He is recovering from an back injury and this has been such a nice perk.

I pay for a trainer at my gym. I do exactly what you are thinking to do. I bought a few sessions, got a good routine going and then schedule a followup appointment when I feel I need it. I wish I could do it all the time, because like was mentioned above, I do get my best workouts in when Josh is working with me.

BlueToBlue · 02-01-2008, 08:21 PM

I work with a trainer three times a week and have done so since I started my exercise program 2 and a half years ago. It is absolutely worth the money for me. In fact, when I look at all the

I spend money on, it's easy to justify the training; it makes me healthier, improves my quality of life, and literally prolongs my life (assuming I don't get hit by a bus or something

).

It has been incredibly motivating for me. I went into not even planning on trying to lose weight, I was so demoralized about myself that I just didn't I could. But with the personal training, I was motivated to change my eating habits and start exercising on my own--I ended up losing 35 lbs and dropping from size 14 to size 2-4. I also would have been absolutely lost in the gym without it; it really helped me get over my fears. I can get in a great cardio workout on my own, but when it comes to weights, my best workouts are always with my trainer. I consider my trainer to be the number one factor in my success. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it.

Ilene · 02-01-2008, 09:02 PM

Absolutely and positively YAY on the personal trainer

For all of the above reasons...

GatorgalstuckinGA · 02-01-2008, 09:49 PM

i meet my personal trainer twice weekly. Its well worth the money. I don't think ill have the money to renew once i've finished up the amount of sessions i've paid for. But i've got a wealth of motivation and knowledge with them . I still have about 15 more lessons to go...so i'm not worried yet. But i would highly recommend if you are really serious about weight loss. But give a few sessions a try and see what you think

Heather · 02-01-2008, 09:57 PM

I love working with a trainer for all the reasons above. I started off twice a week and now do once a week. He's constantly keeping me moving forward.

ennay · 02-01-2008, 10:11 PM

sigh - I wish I could get a trainer. Maybe next year I will switch gyms.

Lifeguard · 02-02-2008, 10:21 AM

I absolutely LOVED having a personal trainer. I've moved out of the country so I'm working out on my own now but I plan to have sessions with them when I am home visiting & I keep in touch via the internet from here.

Absolutely best thing I have ever done for myself!!!

ChunkyDunker · 02-02-2008, 07:11 PM

Thanks so much for all your replies. I'm all signed up and start with my cutie-patootie trainer on wednesday lol. I'm thinking that I'm going to go with his reccomendation of two sessions a month (back to back days) he said that he likes to do two in a row because the first session would be more showing me what to do and how many/how often and the next session we can really concentrate on intensity and form sound. I can't wait to get started

Thanks again!

Ilene · 02-02-2008, 10:42 PM

So glad you decided to get a trainer

djs06 · 02-03-2008, 12:09 AM

Good luck with the trainer! I think it's pretty much always a great idea.

BlueToBlue · 02-03-2008, 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChunkyDunker

I'm all signed up and start with my cutie-patootie trainer on wednesday lol.

Ooh! It's definitely a nice bonus if your trainer is attractive

!