As some people can probably relate, I go through peaks and valleys when it comes to working out. And for the past eight months, I’ve been in a deep, DEEP valley. Hello marriage!
Since walking down the aisle last summer, I have fallen off the exercise bandwagon … hard. Right now, I’m averaging a trip to the gym about two to three times a month (if that), and as you can imagine, that has resulted in a few extra pounds of post-wedding love weight.
But that is all about to change. This week I started working with a personal trainer at The Edge Fitness Clubs (which is by far one of the best gyms in Connecticut). It’s all part of a 60 day challenge I’m doing for my job as a reporter for the TV show CT Style.
I’ll be documenting my progress over the next eight weeks, complete with my moments of weakness (oh pizza how I will miss you dearly), hurdles and accomplishments.
That said, this is my first time working with a personal trainer, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. If you are considering investing in a personal trainer, here are five reasons to finally pull the trigger.
One of my biggest problems when it comes to the gym is actually getting there. I may have all of the intentions in the world of hitting the treadmill and weights hard after work – making sure I have a bag full of workout gear packed in my car – but on my drive home, I often miss the exit for the gym and head straight home. This is more of a problem for me in the winter months when it’s cold and dreary and all I want to do is put on my PJs and snuggle up in front of the TV (one of my favorite winter pastimes).
With a personal trainer, that’s not so easy. If you have a standing appointment with them on Mondays, Wednesdays or whatever day, you’ve got to show up and bring your “A” game, because otherwise, they will be extremely disappointed in you, and that’s not a good feeling. I would rather suffer through a hard workout for 30 to 60 minutes than feel that I in some way let my trainer down.
I’m a creature of habit. When I go to them gym, I tend to stick with my same ole routine — treadmill, a few weights that I feel comfortable using, some stretching — lather, rinse, repeat. Since I’m being honest with myself, this routine got stale eons ago, and frankly, if I really want results, I’m not pushing myself hard enough.
That’s probably why these next 60 days are going to be such a challenge for me to say the least. Already I’m learning new exercises that are most definitely out of my comfort zone and hurt like a witch with a capital b. The other day, I ventured on my own to Edge Fitness to try a circuit my trainer Brian taught me. I felt so funny doing the battle ropes on my own (Am I doing them right? Will people think I’m a wimp because I can’t do them for long?) … I pushed myself to get over my insecurities and I’m so glad I did, because my arms are sore (which means they’re on their way to being stronger and leaner).
For me, this goes hand-in-hand with my second reason for getting a personal trainer. When you break out of your comfort zone, you. will. get. results. No more going to the gym and barely breaking a sweat with those routine exercises. With a personal trainer, it’s time to get down to business and that means you will actually see results.
Brian was clear with me: If I do 100 percent of what he tells me, I will get 100 percent of the results. If I do 75 percent, I mig ht get 50. That said, I want to see abs for the first time in my life, so I’m willing to put in the leg work (pun intended).
In addition, a trainer can assess where your starting point is and where you need to strive to get to physically. During my first session, I had to step on a machine that measures your percentage of body fat, lean muscle mass, water, etc. I wasn’t very happy when I saw the results, but that’s because I realized I had my work cut out for me.
No body is the same, and that means no workout should be the same either. What works for one person, might not work for another, so it’s great to have an expert design a fitness plan just for me.
Plus, depending on your fitness goals, you may want to choose certain exercises. Over the next eight weeks I’m aiming to achieve several things: To lose 11 percent body fat, to be able to do two chin ups (right now, I can’t even do one), to squat 100 to 125 percent of my body weight, and to clear a 20 inch box jump. With those goals in mind, my trainer will be creating a new circuit each week for me to follow.
Often times when you work with a trainer, they’ll also provide you with guidance when it comes to what you eat to fuel your body. As part of my program, I’ve received a custom meal plan that stays within my caloric limits. Thankfully, it takes into consideration that I usually eat mostly plant based foods and stay away from dairy and meat.
I’m also required to keep a daily log of what I eat. While I tend to reach for healthy foods, seeing how many calories, fat, etc. are in some of the things I typically reach for makes me realize I’m putting way too many calories in my body.