Do Personal Trainers Really Help?

I'm about 50 - 60 pounds overweight, being only 10 lbs shy of my original weight which I managed to lose 7 years ago. Since then I've been trying to lose it, but I've just steadily put on the weight. It seems as though all the will power I had disappeared the 1st time around. I'm really starting to feel uncomfortable and am sick of being unfit. Has anyone ever tried hiring a personal trainer with success? Do you think working with a trainer will get me back to where I need to be?

If you lack will power and motivation, yes, a personal trainer could help you. Just bear in mind that even if you hire the best personal trainer it would be waste of time and money if you don't follow exactly your diet/workout routine!

Good luck :)

They help as much as you're willing and able to accept the help and, subsequently, help yourself. A trainer can only do so much to motivate. But if you've got a small flame under your ass that needs a bit of kindling, it could be well worth hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions.

I have a personal trainer myself and i find that it helps alot. He keeps me motivated and on track. I have lost a total of 70 pounds. But like the others say you get out what you put in. They are the guide but you still have to put in the work

Personal trainers are expensive and a waste of money join a gym where there are coach's and people there with your caliber of skill most gyms have diet plans during holidays

I always thought they were a huge waste of time and money, and I laughed at all the people in the gym who, IMO, thought they were so much better because they used one.

Until I signed up for a gym with an included personal trainer for....6 sessions? I don't know, because he was so awesome, I kept him for almost a year.

I had gone through a divorce, and came out of it 15 lbs. heavier. He worked with me on my nutrition, and flat out told me that if I didn't get the eating part right, the gym wasn't going to help me lose weight. So he started me tracking my food and gave me some guidelines.

We met every Monday at the same time, and we would do a workout. He would then have me do that exact workout, alone, 2-3 more times that week, and each Monday, he'd change it up. So that my body was always getting challenged.

Here's the biggest thing that helped: He showed me truly correct form. He really hung in there with me to get my posture and form correct, while I was doing sets, to not only get maximum benefit, but lessen the possibility of injury. He also showed me that there were things that there was "no way in the world" I could do, that I did. And increased, and improved. To this day, I still do many of the same methods he taught me.

The only reason I stopped working with him was that he was moving on to a different area of town. Since then, I've worked with other personal trainers, male & female, and I can tell you, it really does help so much to have someone push you just that little bit that you think you would push yourself, but you don't. And, and this is so important....really observe your form and correct you on it.

By the way, I lost the 15 lbs. that time, and I was in the best shape of my life. Lunges and squats and planks, oh my.

Personal trainers are expensive and a waste of money join a gym where there are coach's and people there with your caliber of skill most gyms have diet plans during holidays

And I don't just say it because I used to train / coach. Some people are genuinely on the cusp in terms of motivation and need that little but very personalized kick in the ass a reputable trainer can provide. Now, if you're like LHGirl and you've got the coin and like your trainer that much, I suppose you can could keep one around all year. It's more or less free money for us, so no complaints about it. But, typically, you can get trained on the basics, really get their form locked down, get the one-on-one help in establishing realistic goals, and take it from there, finding their own workout partners and asking someone who's working out and obviously knows his **** to give the occasional form check.

If someone is broke, I obviously wouldn't advise them to break the bank on a professional, but I wouldn't discourage someone who think it could help them from giving it a shot.

I kept mine for that long because in my case, I'm way too unmotivated without it. I'm that person who can have all her workout stuff ready to go, and just....look at it. So, having an appointment held me accountable.

Also, I honestly just learned a lot, which I still apply today (as I eye my dust-bunny covered shorts and my dead iPod).

I'm about 50 - 60 pounds overweight, being only 10 lbs shy of my original weight which I managed to lose 7 years ago. Since then I've been trying to lose it, but I've just steadily put on the weight. It seems as though all the will power I had disappeared the 1st time around. I'm really starting to feel uncomfortable and am sick of being unfit. Has anyone ever tried hiring a personal trainer with success? Do you think working with a trainer will get me back to where I need to be?

I'm sorry; if it makes you feel better I struggle with the weight too. Not obese or anything, but have struggled my whole adult life with getting the perfectly flat stomach. Serious martial artists of 16+ years, know every workout routine in the book, lift weights, been on diets, never quite get 100% where I want to be.

My advice. Our biggest culprit in this world is FOOD. It doesn't matter how hard you work out, how much time/hours you put in, what exercises you do. It's the DIET. Abs are made in the kitchen. My personal saying; fitness is 20% exercise and 80% diet. I've seen this phenomenon in person. My mother, who weighted 180 pounds, underwent emergency hernia surgery last year and was put on a feeding tube (and still is on it). She now currently weights only 78 pounds as her only food that goes in her stomach in nutritional supplement. The food is the key. I also have a friend who has muscular dystrophy and is wheelchair bound for life. He lost 100~ pounds simply by dieting when he was becoming too overweight.

My advice; I would actually suggest a doctor & nutritionist combo. The food is the culprit. Get a plan with your doctor and a nutritionist who can help you get on an appropriate diet. A nutritionist can make meet with you ever so weeks and have you keep a food diary. You want someone qualified and knowledgeable to help. Personal trainers; I don't trust all of them. They seem to hand out "certifications" these days, and they are also going to have you doing a lot of exercise (which isn't bad). Exercise is great, and I highly encourage it. But I think you should focus on the food. Stress eating, sodas, eating snacks at night, candy, etc. There's a lot of bad habits we develop.

Thats a good point. I think what I need is someone to keep me in check until it becomes a habit. Some nutritionists aren't great either, but definitely something to consider.

I'm sorry; if it makes you feel better I struggle with the weight too. Not obese or anything, but have struggled my whole adult life with getting the perfectly flat stomach. Serious martial artists of 16+ years, know every workout routine in the book, lift weights, been on diets, never quite get 100% where I want to be.

 

My advice. Our biggest culprit in this world is FOOD. It doesn't matter how hard you work out, how much time/hours you put in, what exercises you do. It's the DIET. Abs are made in the kitchen. My personal saying; fitness is 20% exercise and 80% diet. I've seen this phenomenon in person. My mother, who weighted 180 pounds, underwent emergency hernia surgery last year and was put on a feeding tube (and still is on it). She now currently weights only 78 pounds as her only food that goes in her stomach in nutritional supplement. The food is the key. I also have a friend who has muscular dystrophy and is wheelchair bound for life. He lost 100~ pounds simply by dieting when he was becoming too overweight.

 

My advice; I would actually suggest a doctor & nutritionist combo. The food is the culprit. Get a plan with your doctor and a nutritionist who can help you get on an appropriate diet. A nutritionist can make meet with you ever so weeks and have you keep a food diary. You want someone qualified and knowledgeable to help. Personal trainers; I don't trust all of them. They seem to hand out "certifications" these days, and they are also going to have you doing a lot of exercise (which isn't bad). Exercise is great, and I highly encourage it. But I think you should focus on the food. Stress eating, sodas, eating snacks at night, candy, etc. There's a lot of bad habits we develop.