Personal Training and Fitness 101: How to Get Started

Let me first say this is not a tutorial on physical fitness, nutrition or all that other good healthy stuff. Rather this is a guideline as to what to look for when selecting a personal trainer and what works best for you as an individual. I have been a gym rat for more than ten years. It wasn't until the last three years that I became really serious about my weight gains and losses and finally did something about it. At the encouragement and partnership of a friend; we joined Weight Watchers together, I lost 65 lbs. My friend and workout partner lost 30. That was the most important factor in this equation; having a partner/friend to take this journey with. You'd be surprised how important it is to surround yourself with positive people who share your same goal or at least support the hard work you've set up for yourself. We pushed, gave encouragement and kept each other in line. We held ourselves accountable to one another. Could I have done this on my own? Sure I could have. Would it have been as much fun or satisfying? It definitely wouldn't have been as much fun. Especially going shopping once the weight started to disappear. We all know women love to shop. Put two girlfriends together and look out. It's going to be a great afternoon and celebrating each other's triumphs was even better. I can't tell you it was all easy or without its ups and downs, it wasn't. It was hard work but well worth it.

Thus my life of healthy living, eating and constant working out began. Even before that transformation I was into physical fitness. I always played P.E. in school, was heavy into tennis in my teens, soccer, archery, softball, etc. The sky was the limit until I tore up both knees repeatedly and was advised by doctors to just walk, bicycle and swim. Then came the weight gain. I was always heavier as an adult though to many I didn't look the 220 lbs I topped at. It's always the same story for all of us who have been in this position. We know we're heavy and unhealthy but laziness somehow creeps in and the first step into the gym or lifestyle change seems monumentous. Believe me that first step is the most important and once you get past that all the hard work will be well worth it.So, now that you've decided to jump on board the fitness bandwagon I have some well thought out advice for you. To start out, the fitness industry is a billion dollar a year capsule. Whether it is gym memberships, personal trainers, diet systems, (Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, etc) home equipment, or DVD's; it has become a cash cow so to speak. The mere fact that the majority of American's are in the obese category is staggering, not to mention the percentage of overweight children and teenagers. It is truly a deadly epidemic that costs the insurance companies millions of dollars a year in health care and benefits. But never mind that argument, I'm not a politician. I'm just one of the millions just like you who decided to do something for myself.

Joining a gym is a wonderful first step. Just remember you have to leave the house to get there. The gym is not going to come to you and knock on your door trying to inspire you to come in. Get up, get dressed, and get moving. It's not that hard once you've set your mind to it. And that's really the key. Unless you've decided this is what you want to do for yourself anything anyone else says will be a waste of time. YOU need to take the first step. Okay, I know this is starting to sound like a sermon. Maybe yes, maybe no, but it is the way it is, plain and simple. There are hundreds probably thousands of gyms to choose from. Fees run the gambit from affordable to ridiculously expensive. Let's face it, not everyone can afford to throw extra dollars at a gym every month for memberships. There are real alternatives. You can go to many retail outlets and purchase free weights on your own. They are quite affordable and work just as well as those you find in your local gym. If you're unsure of what you should be doing in regards to your fitness routine there's always internet research and as I've already mentioned dozens of fitness DVD's available for purchase. The most important thing to remember is that you start moving. Walking 30 minutes a day is a great cardiovascular exercise. Better yet, it's free. Walk your dog, with a spouse, significant other, neighbor, friend; switch on that MP3 player and take a stroll on your own. You'll be surprised how much better you'll feel and how quickly your body will change. Pick up the pace, get a stride going and take off. It's really that easy.If you've decided to go the gym route, congratulations. Your first question may be "Where do I start?" It can be a scary first experience. All those weird looking machines, all the buff people walking around (and maybe not so buff people), just keep in mind; they all took the same first step also. And guess what, they survived. So will you.

My first recommendation after getting a gym membership is to talk to a professional. Usually there is an incentive when first signing up. Ask about a free training sessions with one of the gym's personal trainers. This is a great way to get your feet wet, get a fitness assessment, and instruction on what machines are best for you, how to use them properly, and set your fitness goals. That's the key here; what do you want to accomplish? Lose weight, tone your body or both? A personal trainer is the key component to guiding you in the right direction. Important factors in choosing a personal trainer:

1: like the person you're going to be working with. Make sure your personalities match in some way and that you're comfortable with this person. You're going to be spending a lot of time together so it's important that the trainer understands what your goals are.
2: make sure the trainer just doesn't hear you but really listens. It's important that you're on the same page when it comes to your fitness routine. It is your responsibility to give the trainer all of your correct medical history. Bad knees, shoulder or back problems, heart conditions, etc. Don't leave out any medical information. If you do you could be doing more harm than good to yourself. A professional trainer will know instinctively what to do given your medical situation. Compensation for injuries in regards to exercises, diet, etc can always be played with and tweaked when it comes to workout routines.
3: Have an open mind when it comes to exercises. Don't immediately say, "I can't do that." How do you know if you've never done it before? You may not be Jillian Michaels or Jackie Warner right out of the box. They've been training for over twenty years so there's a reason they look the way they do and can exercise the way they can. Give it a shot. You've got nothing to lose.
4: Don't get discouraged or down on yourself. Like I just stated, everyone starts somewhere. You will make progress each and every time you work out. You didn't gain the weight in a week and you won't lose it in a week. Everything takes time. I know it's hard but be patient. It will all be worth it.
5: Know that not every personal trainer works the same way or will have the same philosophy. I've worked with dozens and I get different routines from every one. It's not that one is better than the others. Each individual has a different way of training people. If you're unsure, ask around. If you're working out with a trainer in a gym setting, find out whom else they have trained and talk to those individuals. See what their results have been. But don't get the wrong idea; what works for someone else may not work for you. Everyone is different and has different body mechanics.

Now that you've got the basics here is another one of my golden rules. Everyone is going to have an opinion, and you know what they say about that. Opinions are like, um, well, everyone has one. I'm trying to keep this clean. You fill in the blanks. Once word gets around to your friends or they start to see your body changing for the better get ready for advice, questions, and pearls of wisdom. Take it all with a grain of salt. You will soon discover that EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER is an expert. Experts that really don't know anything at all. We all know these folks. I run into them every single day of my life and I know you do also. Let it all go in one ear and out the other. If you don't, all the buzzing in your ears will drive you nuts. Smile, nod your head, be polite and walk away. Let them think the '˜know-it-all,' know it all. Don't break their hearts and tell them the truth. Once you begin educating yourself you'll find you're making excellent judgments and choices for yourself. Research in the internet, talk to trainers, read books, watch DVD's, etc. There is a wealth of information at your fingertips. Soon you'll be the '˜know-it-all,' who really does know. That's a great feeling.

Of course there is so much more to know and learn. Take baby steps at the beginning. We've all been there and there are many more folks to follow. The holidays are right around the corner. Come January 1st after all the New Year's resolutions have been made to lose weight, the gyms will be rocking with new memberships and fitness dreams. As with every year by March or April all those people with the best intentions will once again be home sitting in front of their TV's eating a bag of chips or a pint of ice cream. We're all human, it's inevitable. I've done it myself countless times. The most important thing to remember is: when you're ready, really ready, it will happen for you because you will have decided to make it happen. Good luck, see you in the gym tomorrow.