According to a recent Canstar report, 52 percent of Aussie gym membership holders don’t go to the gym as much as they had initially envisioned when signing up.
So what is it that holds us back from turning good intentions into actions in our health and fitness journey? Vision Personal Training Mosman Studio owner, Joe Sprange shares his expert advice with RESCU.
Activating good intentions takes a great deal of accountability, targeted goals, education and a personalised training and nutrition plan.
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While doable, staying on top of all of this ourselves, while dealing with the daily work life juggle, can be challenging. Investing in an activator, educator and motivator who creates a personalised fitness program, establishes targeted long and short-term goals, and keeps you accountable, is giving yourself the best chance of success.
Instead of signing up to access an equipment-filled space for a set amount of time, when you invest in the services of a personal trainer, you’re investing in an outcome. Whether it’s to lose five kilograms, increase fitness levels or improve confidence, a good trainer will create a walkable path from where you are to your goals within your first few sessions and let you know where the checkpoints will be along the way.
A trainer knows how to set you up for success and does so by finding out what motivates you, identifying how you like to train, what the best exercises are for your body type, and providing you with fitness and nutrition education relevant educating and empowering you on your journey.
The biggest differentiator between a gym membership and a personal trainer is the action plan that a PT provides. With a personal trainer comes a full personalised health and fitness program, where your calorie output and macronutrient intake has been expertly mapped out, which if you follow, will guarantee you achieve results in a set amount of time.
As reported on in late 2018, Australians are wasting $1.8 billion[1] on unused gym memberships, so it comes as no surprise that that some gyms are banking on you not showing up.
A personal trainer is a voice of reason, a source of motivation, a health and fitness educator and your own personal cheerleader who will be there to celebrate the big and small wins.
Speaking of wins, a trainer knows how to get you there without forcing you to make drastic changes to your routine. A successful plan is one that fits in with your pre-existing routine.
Education is power and the first piece of information a trainer will educate you with is that results are achieved by 70% what you eat and 30% how you move, and therefore your efforts should be distributed accordingly. Down the line, your trainer will drip feed you further education when you need it, but never too much to make healthy living feel unattainable or overwhelming.
Trainers use tools and resources to identify challenges, educate, and check in with you. A recent study conducted at Duke University found, those who solely track food intake in a food diary lose an average of 2.5kg over a three-month period.
It would be inept if I didn’t touch on community given 57% of the population[2] have tried more than one gym in an effort to find a place they really like. Finding a place where a personal trainer is there to guide and educate you as well as a community where you feel welcome and supported is really important. There are places who can offer you both and are genuinely invested in your results.
[1] News.com.au, Lazy Aussies wasting $1.8 billion on unused gym memberships’.
[2] Canstar, ‘What does the average Australian spend at the gym?’.
