"From extensive personal and professional experience, I know how frustrating it can be when we fail to achieve the results for which we've worked so hard.
There are several key principles that lead to success in any fitness program. When optimal outcomes are not being met, there is generally an absence of one or more of these important tools."
Intensity
One of the biggest advantages of working with a good personal trainer is having someone with the expertise and ability to motivate clients to really challenge themselves. This doesn't mean that one should work out beyond his/her own safe limitations, but rather that he/she should work as hard as possible within those limitations. Working with relative intensity is crucial to meeting fitness goals.
Continuity
How often have many of us vowed to change our lives and change our bodies by taking on an extremely rigorous program that is only maintained for a brief period? Absolutely no lasting results can be achieved without consistent effort. Periodic effort will yield periodic changes, if any. For a long and healthy life, fitness has to be adapted as a sustainable lifestyle, not a "quick fix." Immediate and temporary results can be deeply disappointing. Long-term fitness, health, vitality - and yes, weight loss - can only be maintained if one is consistent and committed long term. Continuity is key.
Variety
Before I became a fitness trainer, I used to wonder why my own consistent, rigorous workouts had ceased to be effective. The answer: lack of variety. Even the most well-crafted program will eventually lose effectiveness if it isn't modified. After a period of time, our bodies get comfortable with what used to be a challenge. When this occurs, a static period or "plateau" is reached. A good personal trainer should have a vast repertoire of exercises to draw from and should constantly create new ones as clients advance. Variety in fitness can be overlooked by non-experts, but trained fitness professionals know that it is essential.
Safety
It seems extremely obvious that safety should be a priority in any training program, and yet too often it isn't. In a misplaced desire for maximum results, clients and trainers alike can approach training a bit recklessly, ignoring important postural elements, good form, proper technique, and basic safety procedures. A body that is over-trained, strained, and fatigued does not benefit from being pushed beyond safe limitations. Avoiding and respecting physical challenges is crucial. Basic safety guidelines must be carefully observed for optimal results. A qualified professional should be extremely knowledgeable about what these are.
Nutrition
After years of battling weight fluctuation due to over and under-eating, fad diets, detoxes, and trendy quick-fixes, I have concluded the following: Moderate quantities of fresh, wholesome foods combined with a consistent fitness plan gets the job done. That has been my personal method of losing weight and maintaining the same clothing size for 20 years! There is a lot of hype and controversy about something quite simple. Respect your body and treat it with love. Extreme weight-loss plans starve your body of vital nutrients and slow down your metabolism, making it more difficult to lose weight over time. These plans often can't be maintained, and sometimes lead to rebellious binges. Chronic dieting and overeating is epidemic in our country. These harmful habits and addictions must be arrested. Proper nutrition and dietary health is something that fitness professionals should understand and help their clients achieve.