New Year
’s resolutions have been made, and perhaps you’re not quite sure
how to get started. An even bigger question…once you begin, will
you be able to stay with the program?
New Year’s resolutions have been made, and perhaps you’re not quite sure how to get started. An even bigger question…once you begin, will you be able to stay with the program?
Maybe help is the answer. Getting started is the hardest part. Perhaps a personal trainer is just what is in order. Someone who can motivate, inspire, educate, and most of all, assist you in reaching your goals.
If you have never participated in a weight-training program, a certified personal trainer will help you get started on the right track.
According to the International Health, Racquet and Sports Club Association, in 2000, more than five million Americans used personal trainers to create, maintain, and follow their fitness programs. About 77 percent of the personal trainers were associated with gyms or health clubs.
Resistance training (lifting weights) is an extremely important component of a total exercise program. Weight training builds lean muscle tissue, which burns more calories than fat tissue. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the more calories you are burning at any given time, without even trying. (One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories). As an added bonus, resistance training helps protect us from bone density loss (osteoporosis).
From the beginning, you want to be sure that you are doing exercises that are appropriate for your individual needs. Correct form and technique are also crucial for success. Without proper alignment, you may be doing yourself more harm than good.
Next, it is important that you are lifting the right amount of weight (not too heavy or not too light), and using the appropriate progression of repetitions (how may times you lift the weight) and sets (how many times you do the repetitions).
Since you haven’t started on your program yet, let’s talk about motivation. A personal trainer is a prime person to get you moving by providing the encouragement you need.
What about accountability? Words heard quite often by a personal trainer are “ I would not have come in today if we didn’t have this appointment,” or “I would not have worked as hard if you weren’t here with me.” A personal trainer keeps you honest in your workouts.
Now let’s address the dreaded plateau. All too often, we do the same exercises for too long, and our muscles become complacent. Yes, we are still burning calories, but because our bodies have adapted to the stress, we are burning fewer calories and we are no longer seeing changes in our bodies. We get stuck in the same routine, and don’t see the progress we expect or hope to see. A personal trainer, who is educated in exercise science, can manipulate all the elements of the workout, so the muscles are constantly being challenged, and thus, avoid boredom.
Need a jump-start to stick with your resolutions? Consider a personal trainer to help. Just a word of caution: once you work with a personal trainer, you will never want to work without one. For more information about the benefits of personal training, please contact me @ (408) 776-1617.
Karen Frost is the Wellness Director for Gold’s Gym of Morgan Hill. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Physical Education from New York University, and is certified by the American Council on Exercise as a Personal Trainer and a Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant.
