"4 reasons why hiring a personal trainer is the best fitness decision I've ever made."

Image via iStock.

Confession: Fitness is something I have never enjoyed. For me, it’s about as fun as watching paint dry.

For years I’ve been using my ‘I hate fitness’ mantra as an excuse to not exercise. A habit that has recently snuck up on me in the form of excessive puffing if I even so much as look at stairs, and some very, erm, tight jeans.

In an effort to change my exercise-hating ways, I made the most daunting phone call I have ever made… I called a personal trainer.

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No exaggeration: it’s changed my life. I’ve stuck with it for three months now, and I see my PT twice a week (basically a miracle for me). If you’re in the same fitness boat, these four points should convince you to make that phone call too.

1. I make a booking. (As in, it’s set in stone.)

At the end of every training session (when I’m on a nice endorphin high) I book a time for another session later in the week. If you’re anything like me, the idea of cancelling a booking is mortifying.

I don’t like to be rude, so I rarely ever cancel appointments. So by the time my next appointment rolls around, and I’m not feeling super motivated, I still end up going, even thought I hate myself for it at the time.

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According to Shannon White, Personal Trainer and owner of Mordy PT, I’m not alone. Shannon believes many of his clients benefit from the motivation and accountability of having a regular PT session. “It’s easy to say ‘no’ to going to a gym, but if you have an appointment with a PT you find a way to get there,” he explains.

2. I don’t have to decide what to do.

By the time I've thought about what exercise I should do - walking, running, aerobics, swimming, yoga - the choice overwhelms me and I make a date with my couch instead.

The best bit about going to a personal trainer? They do all the thinking for you.

RELATED: 22 things your personal trainer is thinking during your session.

"It can be easy to injure yourself if you don't know what you are doing. And clients take more away from a session with a PT versus training solo by chatting about nutrition, or learning how the exercise they are doing is benefitting them," says Shannon. (Post continues after gallery.)

3. Accountability

My PT keeps me accountable, not in a scary Biggest Loser style way, but in a friendly ‘keeping it real’ kind of way. If I have had a bad week, I’ll fess up, and I’ll get a friendly reminder that an occasional indulgence is OK but I can’t “out train a bad diet”.

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There’s something about all that hard work going to waste that I simply can’t stand.

4. Having a training buddy is the best.

When I first decided I wanted to enlist the help of a personal trainer, I was worried my trainer would be mean and yell at me all the time. Luckily, I found a great trainer with loads of experience and I actually like 90 per cent of the time (the 10 per cent kicks in when I have to hold a plank for longer then 30 seconds).

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Finding a good PT who you naturally gel with is key – but once you do find them, get ready for the ultimate love/hate relationship!

It’s not a perfect system, I've had slip-ups, binges and have experienced really, really not wanted to go to training.

But I've stuck to it, which is a huge achievement. Having a PT works for me, which leads me to suspect it would work for a lot of other people too.

In my experience, it’s not as scary as you might think. It may be a costly option, but I’d rather spend my money on my long-term health than a new outfit.

What do you love about going to a personal trainer?