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.
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"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.)
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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?