by Michelle Homan

Hiring a personal trainer can be one of the most beneficial decisions to be made when attempting to reach your health and fitness goals.  But before you pick up the phone, there are a number of important questions you should be asking yourself.  Being honest with yourself can make the difference between reaching success, or just experiencing the same old non-results you were seeing before.

What are my goals?

This is probably the first question a personal trainer will want to know, so give some serious though to it before deciding to hire someone.  Hiring a personal trainer can be highly beneficial if you have been trying to attain the same goal for an extended period of time without seeing expected results.  Goals such as ‘lose 10 pounds’, ‘complete a 5K’, or ‘have a six pack’ are specific enough for your trainer.  A personal trainer can then devise a detailed program tailored to reaching that goal.

Can I make the commitment?

Personal trainers only work when training sessions are not only attended, but also performed with focus and effort.  To see the expected results, many fitness programs require 3 days per week.  Do you have time in your schedule?  Do you really want to commit this much time to fitness?  If your mind is not fully invested, results may not been seen in the expected time frame.

Why do I really want a trainer?

If your answer to this question is something along the lines of, ‘to learn the correct exercises or form’, or ‘to push me past this latest plateau’, a personal trainer would be an asset to your fitness routine.  A good trainer will teach while also pushing a client to reach their specific goals.  If you are looking to learn some new moves, or be taught the correct ways to workout, trainers could provide hands on experience in a time frame predetermined by the client.  If being pushed past the plateau is your goal, have the trainer design a plan of attack that can be reassessed on a regular basis.  Most trainers, especially independent ones, are very flexible and able to provide a wide variety of services.

However, if the answer to this question is, ‘because I am lazy’, or ‘because I want to lose 20 pounds in one month’, a personal trainer may be able to help—but only to a certain extent.  Having an appointment with a trainer can force a client who would otherwise not exercise, but cancellations may always loom as an option for a client with this answer.  And having a trainer can help a fully committed client lose weight, but only realistic amounts—not ‘Biggest Loser’ type miracles.

Understanding that hiring a personal trainer is most effective when the client is motivated by realistic goals will ensure a positive experience for both the client and the trainer.  Although not everyone requires a personal trainer to attain their goals, a personal trainer could be just what you need to finally reach your fitness fruition.