Ask a Trainer: Let's get personal

Q: I started working out a few months ago, but I’m not getting the results I want and I’m getting bored with my routine. What can I do to change this? – Maggie S.

A: Great question, Maggie! We get a lot of questions like this and a lot of people struggle with the same thing.

Last week I went shopping for a new cell phone and had no idea what kind of phone I wanted. I went to several different stores and asked the professionals what phone they recommended. Each of them told me a different phone to buy, but their reasoning for each was the same: “The camera on this phone is great and the picture quality for watching movies is awesome!” I stumped them on their recommendations when I told them that I don’t take many pictures and I don’t watch movies on my phone. One even gave me a disapproving look, like he didn’t understand. Phone calls, email and texting were the primary functions I was looking for. OK, and maybe a little Facebooking. Every other function on the phone wasn’t really important to me.

If I’d purchased one of the phones that had great picture quality, the phone would have catered better to someone who was looking for those qualities and not as well to the needs I have. It’s the same thing with your workouts! If you’re doing a workout that’s better geared for someone else, you’re not going to get the results that you’re looking for. Subsequently, you’ll probably become demotivated, which is what sounds like happened with you. Diet also falls into this category. If you’re eating for someone else’s goals and body type, you’re not going to get the results you want.

If the cell phone sales guys had started with asking me what I was looking for in a phone and what functions I used most, they probably would have recommended a different phone. Instead I had to tread through the myriad cell phone information on the web and determine which phone fit my needs best. They could have saved me some time and frustration!

This surprisingly happens a lot in the fitness industry, too. Personal trainers jump into a fitness routine with someone, like you, with a program that they’ve used on someone with different goals. This is why we take a personalized approach to fitness and learn the goals of each of our clients before we begin training. We’re a coaching club, not a general gym. We now offer a Get Started plan that includes a free 30-day individualized workout plan that is customized by a personal trainer to fit your goals. The trainer guides you through the routine and ensures all of you questions are answered, so you stay on the right track toward reaching your goals. We also include a customized diet plan from a registered dietitian! Did I already mention that we’re not charging for this? You will have a tangible workout guide that is customized to your goals. We also send you videos of each of the workouts, so you can review them at home, if you wish. This all in efforts to overcome some of the common sticking points that people face in fitness, like those you’re facing now.

My email and phone number are below or you can go to anytimefitness.com to request a call from me. We set up some one-on-one time to talk about your goals and formulate a customized plan to help you reach your goals. And we’re there every step of the way!

You don’t have to struggle through trying to figure out the right workout plan for yourself, like I did with trying to find the right phone for me. We’ll get you there quicker.

Patrick McGaha Jr., member experience manager at Anytime Fitness, Winter Park, is dedicated to building a welcoming environment in the club, conducive to helping members and clients reach their health fitness goals. To get your fitness and nutrition related questions answered by a certified personal trainer, or for a free personal training session, call us at 321-972-5833 or email [email protected].