Personal trainers: The good, the bad and the ugly. Do I even need a personal trainer?

Personal trainers can be the key to helping people meet health and fitness goals, or they can be a huge waste of money.  Determining if you need a trainers expertise or not can be a tough decision.  But if you know you need one choosing the right one could be even more difficult.  First step is to determine if you need a personal trainer.

How do I know I need a personal trainer?

1. Do you lack motivation on your own?
2. Do you like to do different types of workouts but you are not sure how to create a program ?
3. Do you have specific fitness and training goals such as competing?
4. Do you feel comfortable using the equipment in the gym on your own?
5. Do you want to lose weight but can’t seem to lose the weight without doing drastic diets or starving yourself.

If you decide you need to have a personal trainer, here is a guide for choosing the right trainer for you.

How do you choose the correct trainer for you?

1. Ask questions. Your trainer should be able to answer your questions completely and comprehensively.
2. Get referrals. Good trainers have worked with many people and they will be happy to give you their feedback with their experience with the trainer.
3. Find a trainer that trains in the way you want to train. You want to find a trainer that will cater to your needs. You want to find someone that fits with your personality because it is important for you to trust your trainer. If you want to be a powerlifter find an experienced powerlifter trainer.
4. Ask about qualifications.  Good trainers will always look for ways to expand their knowledge in the field.
5. Do you have special needs or injuries? Ask if the trainer has experience working with your special needs. Exercise and nutrition can help with many medical conditions but improper treatment can cause more harm.
6. Nutrition plans can be the key to success in achieving your ideal physique.  It is important to understand you don’t need to eliminate foods,  slash calories,  do detox’s, or replacement shakes to make progress.
7. Shop around. Most purchases are made based on emotions. You will find different trainers charge different rates and offer different services. Make sure the trainer you choose provides you everything you are looking for to help you with your fitness journey.  Cheaper is not always better and neither is more expensive.  Doing your homework before you finalizing your decision is important.

How do you know if you have chosen a trainer that may cause you more harm then being helpful.

1. The trainer does not do any type of assessments.
2. The trainer is having you do workouts that you may not be appropriate for you.
3. The trainer doesn’t let you eat foods you enjoy like fruit.
4. The trainer has you on a highly restrictive diet  or is having you do 2 a day cardio workouts and you are not prepping for a competition.
5. The trainer has you work through injuries instead of addressing the issue to resolve it.
6. The trainer can’t explain why you are doing the things he/she is asking you to do.
7. The trainer tries to sell you a bunch of supplements.
8. The trainer does not track your progress.

While these are just a few ways to find the perfect trainer it is important to do your research so you don’t injury yourself or end up damaging your diet to lose weight.