Gym instructor or expensive personal trainer

yeneewss

Anyone decide for me which is better. Had a personal trainer for four years and lost half a stone which I have put back on again since I stopped seeing him! Half a stone for four years of fees is crazy. So, can I trust a gym instructor to give me a personalised programme? Personal trainer was fun, good to be with for the crack, but disappointed me in the end as he fecked off and made it clear that he would not be keeping in touch. I guess I relied on him too much and thought that it was slightly more personal than just about money (not that personal!!!). Can't face starting that again and trusting someone like that.
Oh, and I just joined a new gym - left my old one about two months ago.

Hanley

1/2 a stone in 4 years is a joke....

Pick your trainer based on results, not how nice they are (I'll qualify that by saying obviously don't go with a knob, but don't just get a cheer leading back slapper either!!).

Where are you based? There's quite a few PT's here who could help or point you in the right direction.

celestial

+1 get yourself someone you'll be in good hands with.

There are a few PTs on here I reckon and Transform and Cowzerp are two that spring to mind as ones who very much know their stuff.

cowzerp

Well said Hanley, If you can afford a PT then go that route, as far as your weight loss goes, the weight is lost by you at home whgen eating right, maybe he did not advise you properly or let you know that your the 1 in control of your weight, i only ever take credit for toning and getting my clients fitter, the weight loss is due to them following my advise but they do the work at home.

a fitness instructor will give you a program and it may be ok but certainly not as good as 1 on 1 training for many reasons, i personal train some fitness instructors as they just want the motivation, others want the knowledge, at the end of the day its all going to come down to you dedicating to a better eating plan..

crotalus667

yeneewss wrote: »

Anyone decide for me which is better. .

If you have the cash to splash a PT is by far the better option , not that you wont find really good gym instructors it’s just that most don’t have the time or motivation (most charge/have to charge for PT work even if they have nothing else to do other than man a desk) to give you the “PT experience”

yeneewss wrote: »

Had a personal trainer for four years and lost half a stone.

There is either one of two things here , either you ignored what the PT told you or he was incompetent . Judging by what you have posted I am going with he was incompetent , Did he give you any nutritional advise ?? I’m not just talking about the odd thing blurted out at the end of a session , did he sit you down and have a good chat about it with you ?? I know 1 pt who does a whole session on it with new clients (think it is done as a freebie) that’s how important nutrition is.

Also was it in a gym or at home/outdoors ??

yeneewss wrote: »

Half a stone for four years of fees is crazy. .

If you dont mind , what where the fee's??

yeneewss wrote: »

So, can I trust a gym instructor to give me a personalised programme?

It depends on the individual , if you say which one one your in the likely hood is some one here uses it and can advise you on who to go to , or if there is a better option in your area .

yeneewss wrote: »

Personal trainer was fun, good to be with for the crack, but disappointed me in the end as he fecked off and made it clear that he would not be keeping in touch. .

Ouch that sounds like he was being nasty :eek:

yeneewss wrote: »

Can't face starting that again and trusting someone like that.

Dont be put off PT's because of one bad egg

Magic Eight Ball

+ 1 for Transform.

Sorry to hijack the thread but if there are any personal trainers in the Blanch area, i'd love for you to pm me. Heading off travelling soon so only for 5-6 weeks

yeneewss

Okay, now in Northwood Fitness. Husband said he won't agree to a PT, based on results from last one. Used to give him a food diary for months on end. Don't eat that bad anyway - did one thing different though. I now eat breakfast (cereal) no matter what and eat small, but often. May just grab bull by horn and ask the one guy down here I have got to know what he thinks and if he can help. He trained the manager of my former gym, not my PT though, so I figure he has a lot of experience. I know it's a matter of exercise and DIET but on the gym side need work.

MagicMarker

yeneewss wrote: »

Okay, now in Northwood Fitness. Husband said he won't agree to a PT, based on results from last one. Used to give him a food diary for months on end. Don't eat that bad anyway - did one thing different though. I now eat breakfast (cereal) no matter what and eat small, but often. May just grab bull by horn and ask the one guy down here I have got to know what he thinks and if he can help. He trained the manager of my former gym, not my PT though, so I figure he has a lot of experience. I know it's a matter of exercise and DIET but on the gym side need work.

No offence, but if over 4 years you lost half a stone, then I highly doubt you were eating well.

Why not post in detail what you would eat in a typical day as well as what training you do?

yeneewss

Okay, well on a day during the time I was really trying on this, breakfast would be cereal, a protein bar at about 11, a banana at lunch, salad and steak/chicken/chop or some meat at dinner time and that was it. That went on for months. No mayo on salad. No white bread.

Getting back to everything now by myself. Not going with a PT for a while and see how much I learnt from the last guy. Will dig out all my old programmes and discuss them/new programme with instructor.
Thanks for all your replies.

Transform

If your diet is not addressed your not going to get the results to help you look your very best.

The diet you posted has many changes that i would recommend

yeneewss

Trevor Coulahan wrote: »

+ 1 for Transform.

What?

yeneewss

Transform wrote: »

If your diet is not addressed your not going to get the results to help you look your very best.

The diet you posted has many changes that i would recommend

Any suggestions here would be appreciated and considered.

Iago

yeneewss wrote: »

What?

Transform is one of the main posters on this forum and a very good personal trainer by all accounts.

What is the going rate for a PT at the moment?

cowzerp

Iago wrote: »

What is the going rate for a PT at the moment?

Minimum 50 and it can go way up, under 50 and i'd question the PT'S Confidence, credibility and qualifications

Transform

What cereal are you having for breakfast?

What is the protein bar your having?

Banana for lunch - terrible choice and having a bar of chocolate would be about the same as bananas should be had only around workout times. Chicken salad is better choice with lots of peppers, onion, use dressing etc

Outline three of your most recent dinners and where you think you could do better with diet.

Are you drinking 2L of water every day? Are you taking fish oils daily?

crotalus667

cowzerp wrote: »

Minimum 50 and it can go way up, under 50 and i'd question the PT'S Confidence, credibility and qualifications

Hmmm I sort of agree with you , but there are some that charge under for various reason’s local are is a big one there are a lot of places around where the market wont hold a 50+ per hour . I know in one of the big chains that charge you to work a as pt the minimum price you can charge is 40 whit the result most of the pt’s good and bad are all around the 45 mark

Static M.e.

Slightly off topic, Where are you based Transform?

Transform

sandyford in a gym there

cowzerp

crotalus667 wrote: »

I know in one of the big chains that charge you to work a as pt the minimum price you can charge is 40 whit the result most of the pt’s good and bad are all around the 45 mark

Thats because the bad 1's are charging 40 undercutting the good 1's-simple competition.
and clients dont realise the difference in 1 pt to an other in lots of cases..

you would not see good doctors dropping below the average just because they could.

yeneewss

Most recent dinners don't count 'cos I have given up on it all. But cereal would be Rice Krispies/Cornflakes/Country Store or porridge the odd time. Bananas are bad for me? Dinner last night was a special - roast chicken dinner as we just got a new kitchen and christened the cooker. Night before was chicken and tagliatelle. Dinner if I am taking things seriously and not disheartened would have been meat and salad - not peppers though - carrots, lettuce, onion. Love my raw carrot!

Okay, suffering migraine today but will get back on the wagon tomorrow. Today all I want to do is go home and go to bed til it's all over!!!

Transform

bananas are NOT bad for you there just is a time and place for them and lunch time is not it.

Your diet really needs serious attention if you possibly think rice krispies/ cornflakes or counrty store (packed full of sugar) are good for you.

No offence but its no wonder your getting the migranes - more water, less carbs and stay on track with clean health food.

Readf the stickies

liz51

is there a minimum number of sessions you have to do with a PT?

I have a good fitness level, but would like an assesment and some advice of things I should concentrate on etc. as I sometimes think im wasting a lot of my time in gym, like time could be better spent

cowzerp

liz51 wrote: »

is there a minimum number of sessions you have to do with a PT?

I have a good fitness level, but would like an assesment and some advice of things I should concentrate on etc. as I sometimes think im wasting a lot of my time in gym, like time could be better spent

Not necessarily but pt works best when its regular and consistent, i get some students come to me for a monthly session and program because they cant afford the pt but want to be trained at a better standard than they would if they trained on there own..

an assesment with a trainer will benefit you either way..

Static M.e.

Hi cowzerp,

Just on your last point.
Could you go to a PT for a program, diet check and full body analysis (BMI, weight etc) and then take it back to your own Gym and hit the program for a month. Then you think you need a checkup go back to your PT for an update? (Two weeks, monthly etc)

I think most people go the Gyms that are nearest to them (work or home) so they have no excuse about travailing times. (That could be just a personal choice though or from my circle of firends)

cowzerp

Yes that can definetly be done, just let the PT know your plan so they can build the program with the month in mind..

Capital P

Maybe you just needed more goals, just training for the sake of it can be boring, maybe pick an event like a 10k run, charity cycle, novice miss fitness ireland, a novice strong man event, irish arm wrestling championships, white collar boxing bout etc. Anything really that has a date, go to the pt and say listen I want to compete in this in 6 weeks, bust you're ass blood sweat and tears style. And 6 weeks later you'll be stronger, fitter and leaner. Pressure works.