The first time I ever had a Personal Trainer

Have you ever had a Personal Trainer? Are you thinking about getting one but aren’t sure you want to spend the money?

I’m a trainer specialising in strengthening women’s bodies. Let me tell you a story about my first experience with a PT and how I actually ended up saving myself money after hiring them. It was one of the best investments I ever made. This experience helped me understand that spending money on one high impact healthy habit meant I spent less money on many unhealthy habits which I can now see looking back were all unhealthy ways of managing my stress.

My trainer’s name was Guy, we lost touch, but I think of him often. With every session, Guy pushed me further than I could have pushed myself. It wasn’t anything major, just lots of small things.

- It was those little words of encouragement: “You can do it, just one more rep, that’s it, keep going, WELL DONE - you did it!!!!”

- It was the attention to detail on the correct alignment, protecting me from re-injuring my vulnerable right knee: “Keep your back straight, remember bend knees over toes, don’t forget to breathe.”

- It was the silly little jokes he made when I felt utterly exhausted and like I couldn’t carry on: “You don’t look tired enough, shall we double the weight?”

- It was the advice on what I should eat for dinner that night after training: “Eat a dinner with plenty of carbs and protein as soon you get home.”

The fact that I had an appointment with Guy made me sure to keep it, I never cancelled. We trained only once a week, but in the days in between training, I found myself consciously looking after myself better than when I didn’t have a trainer.

In my everyday life, I found myself making different choices.

- I drank a lot less alcohol. I stopped binge drinking.

- I ate more vegetables.

- I didn’t order that extra side of fries when I ate out.

- I added a yoga class to my routine occasionally.

- I reduced my impulsive 'retail therapy' habits.

- I felt happier.

- My body felt a little stronger.

- My head felt clearer.

Gradually, I stopped spending money on unhealthy habits until in the end, I realised having a PT actually saved me money. I often found myself thinking: “I worked so hard in the training session and spent all that money on a trainer, why throw that away only to make a poor choice now?”

My everyday choices weren’t always perfect, but nothing is. I saw my PT as an investment rather than a cost. It wasn’t anything major at the start, just lots of small things. In time, the cumulative impact on my lifestyle was major because of lots of small things.

Get in touch if you’d like to some support with building an exercise habit.