Having signed up with a personal trainer does not necessarily guarantee success. A lot of people still fail at achieving their fitness goals. I will outline a couple of things that will help you and your personal trainer succeed as well as help you build a great relationship with him or her that will bring your fitness to the next level!
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- Know what you want! It is important that you have a clear picture of what you want to achieve. If you have a certain look that you strive for, let’s say Jessica Biel in “Blade Trinity”, cut out a photograph; print out a picture and take it to your personal trainer! Don’t be embarrassed, the visualization will also help you focus on your goal.
- Create short term goals! Most people sabotage themselves by setting vague or unrealistic goals. Here are some examples of what not do to:
- I want to lose weight – this goal is too general, be more specific! Try “I want to lose 1 to 2 lbs per week”
- I want to buff up – this goal as well is too general. What exactly do you want to work on? Try “I want to see some muscle definition in my arms and chest”
- I want to lose 30 pounds – losing that much weight is unrealistic in a short period of time. Try “I want to lose between 5 and 8 lbs of body fat every month”
- Create a strategic ‘battle plan’ with your trainer that will outline exactly how you are planning to achieve your fitness goals:
- What is your trainer planning to do with you?
- What are you supposed to do in addition to your personal training?
- Which enhancements or changes to your diet are necessary?
- Accountability is a big factor in your weight loss success!
- Have your trainer track your progress weekly or monthly, whatever works best for you.
- Tell friends and family about your goals. If you are afraid to do that, ask yourself if you are one hundred percent committed to it.
- Motivation is another big factor. Motivation rarely stays the same. It waxes and wanes as we succeed or have setbacks. Even the weather can influence our motivation. Therefore it is imperative to surround yourself with as many motivating people as possible. They will help you stay on track.
- Perseverance – I have seen people workout with moderate intensity everyday, come rain or come shine, and I have seen people who work out like crazy one time and then don’t show up at all the next because something “important” came up. If your health isn’t important, what is? The people that did their moderate workouts on a daily basis were the people who achieved their goals. Doing something everyday is a whole lot more effective than doing something one day and nothing the rest.
Michael at Shape Up Fitness & Wellness Consulting has been working successfully with clients in the weight loss and athletic sector for years. His background in Sports Medicine makes him uniquely qualified in his field. You can find him and more interesting articles concerning personal training, fitness, health and weight loss at: http://www.charlottepersonaltrainer.org
