Does anyone have a personal trainer? Please tell me about it. How often do you meet with your trainer? What do you do with them? Approx. how much does it cost? What was your fitness level before the trainer? Any suggestions for questions to ask a potential personal trainer? I have some concerns that maybe some of you can help me with.

1. I am not fit at all. I see shows like the biggest loser and I am terrified by what I see. Do they start out slow and let you build up gradually?

2. I am having alot of trouble with my hips lately and my back. Can this be worked around?

3. I am really good at avoiding and not acknowledging things I don't like. I fear that if a trainer is too tough on me or talks to me the way they do on the biggest loser I will just quit. Have any of you dealt with this? What did you do? Can I convey this to my trainer?

Also, is anyone in the Connecticut area that can reccomend a trainer.

Let me just say. This was in 2000 when I was single and no children. :wink2: Anyway, when I started the gym in May of 2000, I went three times a week and each of those days were different areas of the body. I had NEVER worked out before and was not at all athletic when I started. He did an assessment on me when I first went in--got my weight, measurements, and did a flexibility test on me, which I totally bombed. He also did an interview about my expections I had and long-term goals I wanted to accomplish.

As for starting out slow, he put me on a high protein, low carb diet (basically for quick weight loss and protein also helps build muscles, etc). My first week, he only wanted me to do the treadmill at least 20 minutes a day at 3 to 3.5 mph. So, I went in 5 days that week. The next week is when we started the weight training.

As for your problems with your back and hips, tell your trainer everything. Make sure he/she knows that you have these problems. There are so many different exercise combinations to get results. In fact, he/she will change it up from time to time as well.

As for avoiding things you don't like. It isn't easy, but it is very gratifying when you start to see the progress. Also, I had so much energy at the end of my work-outs. I felt like I could run to the top of a mountain! In all reality, or at least in my experience, I have no seen a trainer YET that treats their clients they way they do on Biggest Loser. If they did, not many would be back. Yes, they do try and keep you motivated. They will say things like,"Come on, one more, I know you can do it." My trainer used to try to burn my muscles out, not painful, but it was weird, in my mind I felt like I could do more, but then they would just freeze or feel like it would lock up. Then he knew I had had enough.

See if you can check around to different gyms and see if any of them offer any type of complimentary sessions just to let you get a feel of how they are. Explain to them that you have never worked out before, but you want to make some changes. I lost a WHOLE lot of weight, then I met my husband and we had a baby and well, the rest is history, I gained all that weight plus about 75 pounds more back.

As for expense, trainers charge different rates, but a general idea my trainer was about 320 a month for 12 sessions. Yes, expensive, but it was so worth it to me at the time.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me anytime. Good luck to you

I really feel it's the best money I have EVER spent...the more sessions you buy the cheaper it is...i pay about $49 a session.

I work out with him 2 days a week. they start you out slow and I have never seen any of the trainers yell at you like they do on biggest loser =) They keep you going...telling you are doing a good job, good form, just 2 more left...etc etc.

my trainer asked if i had any problem spots...like sore back, hips etc. at the end of the session, if something is sore he massages it with this big roller thing...or stretches me out.

I do my own cardio and only do strength training with him...sometimes i ask him what to do with my cardio but i kinda feel like it would be a waste of money for him to stare at me for an hour while i'm on the treadmill/eliptical.

as far as my fitness level...i thought i was doing pretty good, but working with him i've realized how much more endurance i have...i can do things on the treadmill that i was never able to do.

if you decide to do it and don't care for the trainer you get, just switch...it's just like anything else...sometimes your personality just isn't going to match.