There comes a time in everyone’s life where the realization finally sets in: you’re an adult, responsible for your physical and emotional well-being. Once this sinks in, most people turn to fad diets, YouTube Zumba classes, or cramming fitness equipment in small spaces of their homes to achieve a picture-perfect, Insta-ready physique glowing with beauty and health.
In truth, getting started on your fitness journey is more challenging. The motivation that once burned like a wildfire may be reduced to a feebly flickering flame, smothered by the stresses of everyday life, as evidenced by many failed New Year resolutions and summer physique programs.
Hiring a fitness coach who will hold you accountable for all elements of your mental, physical, and social health may be the best option if you seek a more hands-on approach to fitness.
A personal trainer can carefully plan a personalized workout program that fits your body type. Instead of aimlessly trying out every fitness fad or equipment or finding excuses to lapse on workout times, a fitness coach will help motivate you to meet your fitness goals.
Here’s what you should know when employing a personal trainer.
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Fit for Your Needs
Like a psychologist who looks after mental health, the trainer you will partner with must be someone who will look after your physical health. A fitness coach is not a P.E. teacher who will simply order you to exercise without a clear objective. Rather, they help you meet or even exceed your health and fitness goals. So, before jumping on hiring one, it is best to have reasonable goals.
Your fitness coach may also suggest more nuanced training plans based on your overall performance, but do not let their help or expertise scare you. After all, a fitness coach listens to their client’s objectives to help execute the training regimen. Someone who does not listen or cannot take their client’s objectives into account is not the right one for you.
Attentive listening is a key communication requirement, so it should go both ways. When they listen to you, in turn, you listen to them.
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Fit for Your Budget
Again, much like having a psychologist check your mental health, a fitness coach who looks after your physical well-being can be costly. It is vital that your preferred personal trainer meets your budget.
Many factors may influence pricing, such as location, gym affiliation, credentials in their name, or a significant following. On top of these, some may require fitness equipment if gym access or training facilities are not a viable option for you.
Before securing their services, check how you can drop the cost. Discuss possible fitness packages or discounts, or split the costs by affiliating with their fitness centers.
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Fit for Your Personality
Securing a personal trainer requires a commitment to reaching your goals and entrusting them to handle your training regimen. Commitment is built on trust, and trust is built based on communication and comprehension with context and clarity.
To build the trust that makes you more comfortable committing to a long-term goal, check your fitness coach’s credentials and level of expertise to confirm their credibility and see if they’re the right fit for your personal goals.
If they are the type of trainer specializing in the discipline that benefits you, they can better understand your concerns and how to navigate them with a physical regimen. Trust is formed when they consider your health and physical capacity in crafting a workout program that fits your body type and endurance level.
Furthermore, you must take their personality or attitude into account. You need someone willing to work on your personal goals with patience while holding you accountable for the objectives you must meet. A chatty and relaxed personal trainer may interfere with the efficacy of a training plan, while a drill-type sergeant may push you too hard to quit.
Listen to Your Gut
You always hear how building up your core is essential in fitness. But the core is more than the solar plexus—it’s also listening to your gutfeel.
You can do everything right, ask the right questions, make yourself coachable, and be willing to make sacrifices to follow the training plan, but only you know what is best for your body. Listen to your body’s needs, convey those needs to your trainer, and see how they best accommodate them.
