If you’ve ever been to the gym, you’ll probably already know how hard it is to stay motivated and maintain a good gym program that gets the results you’re looking for.

If you’re anything like me, getting back into a fitness routine after all the fun of Mardi Gras is a major challenge. Some years it’s taken me a good couple of months to drag myself back into a regular program.

I’ve often wondered if I should shell out a few bucks for a personal trainer to help me stay focused, and possibly introduce some new types of exercise like Yoga or Pilates to my current weights routine. To tell you the truth, I’m not even sure if what I’m doing is right for my current goals.

I decided to ask Garry from Alive Health and Fitness to see what he thought on the subject.

The first thing he said was...

Great champions have great coaches.

Why should you be different?

Tiger Woods never hits a practice ball without his coach watching. Amelie Mauresmo doesn’t go on the court for training without her coach.

The Manchester United team do not go on the training field without the coach and assistant coaches there to support, push, motivate and create a consistency that converts to ingrained habits.

If you want to be a “legend in your own lunchtime” why should you be any different from the world’s sporting champions?

Having a trainer is a great way to reach your fitness and health goals. You’ll find those people with a personal trainer are more apt to accomplish their desired fat loss and muscle gains.

Here are five top reasons why it works and why it can work for you:

ONE
Consistency. The number one way to achieve your targets is consistency. A lot of people find that unless someone is there to meet them at the gym, they will find excuses not to go. Having a trainer ensures you will get out of bed and into the gym.

TWO
Accountability. So, let’s say one day you fail to show up at the gym at your scheduled time. Your caring trainer will call you and make sure you are on your way. He/she will enquire about your cardio fitness, your eating regime, your sleep and work patterns. If you have expressed a desire to reach a certain goal your trainer will hold you accountable and with caring and commitment, make sure you stay honest to your direction and ensure you reach it. So whinging won’t cut it.

THREE
Inspiration. Where does motivation come from? The answer is simple — from deep within us. A trainer’s job is to be the pilot flame of inspiration to ignite your fire of motivation. Sometimes you may not want to work out. Everyone has those days. A great trainer will lead by example. They will practice what they preach and in turn get you motivated as well.

FOUR
Knowledge. When you train with a personal trainer you are exposed to an abundance of information. Take advantage of it. Your trainer should explain what muscles each exercise affects, what foods are good for you, how much rest you need, and so on.

This is information you can use for the rest of your life. If you have questions, ask your personal trainer. If they do not know, they are trained to find out the answers to your questions. Remember the old adage, “there is no such thing as a dumb question”. Learn and you grow.

FIVE
Habit. A good habit takes roughly 8-12 weeks to fully establish. Once you reach that point you will hate missing your workouts. Stick to your programs and stop making excuses and you will have a positive habit and you will automatically let go of negative habits that may have held you back for years.

If you would like more information about a fitness trainer, Garry Hart can be contacted at Alive Health and Fitness Clubs on 6295 9500