Why you should not dismiss a personal trainer with life experience!
When you make the decision to look for a personal trainer and you start your google and Facebook searches, you quickly find there is a LOT of personal trainers out there all promising the same thing! Results!
Fantastic! That’s what you want right? But how do you choose?
As a personal trainer entering the industry in my mid-thirties after having had three children I have to admit that I was sceptical. Sceptical that anyone would want to train with me when I was thrown out among the young, shiny brand new PT’s. Also, I have to admit to suffering from imposter syndrome in this amazing world that I knew I could be a part of but struggled to think why people might pick me.
This negative thinking forced me to have a think about why I had got to this point. I was here because I had spent the entirety of my adult life up until a few years previously in a cycle. A cycle of being overweight, obese, yo-yo dieting and following every diet under the sun. Trying every new workout fad that came along that promised dramatic results and never ever being able to maintain any results I ever gained because it was too hard or too restrictive. Or I was eating food I didn’t enjoy. Or, in a lot of cases, all of the above!
Sound familiar?
After baby number 3, I was at an all-time low with my confidence and I decided something had to change. I committed to regular exercise and I committed to consistent healthy eating. As soon as I made these commitments the weight came off. I finally learnt there was no magic diet and no magic form of exercise.
The magic came through being consistent!
I learnt about the foods I had been consuming. I identified my habits that were negatively impacting me and I worked to change them. I’m not saying there wasn’t times when it was really tough but for the most part it was simple.
I was angry at an industry that had always made it seem so impossible. But, instead of staying angry I decided to become part of the industry and to teach people it can be simple with small changes. And I’m so happy I did.
All of this past experience helps me to recognise where struggles may come up with my clients. What challenges might lay ahead and most of all I can relate to a lot of my clients journeys.
So when you’re looking for a personal trainer think about your journey up to this point. Find a trainer who can relate and understand your situation. And don’t dismiss us ‘older’ PT’s! Most of us have ended up here off the back of our own journey and it’s worth finding out what that is. You may just find it’s very similar to your journey so far!
