Hiring a trainer may be a good choice if you’ve been exercising consistently for several weeks or months and aren’t losing weight or reaching your goals. … Teach you how to lift weights and do other exercises: Too often, people focus on cardio to lose weight, but you need strength and core training.

Some want an individualized program to lose weight or get in shape, while others need to be held accountable for their workouts. Wherever you are on your exercise journey, a personal trainer may be just what you need to reach your fitness and weight loss goals finally.

Motivation comes from all kinds of places, both internally and externally. You may have intrinsic reasons to exercise, such as wanting to be healthier or getting off your high blood pressure medication.

But, you also need extrinsic motivators to keep exercising, such as wanting to lose weight to look better in a bathing suit or for your high school reunion. A personal trainer can become that motivator.

In fact, a study by Winget al. (1996) compared the results of a small group (3-4 clients) that appointed a personal trainer to a control group with minimal supervision. Those appointed a personal trainer had better adherence (84% vs. 69%) to the exercise sessions during the 24 weeks*.

The importance of personal trainers has been confirmed in several studies. Ratamass et al. (23) compared people trained by personal trainers to people working independently. Results revealed that both Strength Gains and Ratings of Perceived Exertion scores were significantly higher in people who worked under the guidance of a personal trainer. Similar results were seen in studies by Maloof et al. (17) and Mazetti et al. (18).

Earlier studies that have used individually supervised training in moderately trained subjects have shown increased leg press strength of 26 and 30% after 19 and 12 weeks of resistance training, respectively (5, 21).

In this recent study, Storer et al. showed significant improvements in strength gains and muscle in the personal trainer-supervised groups compared to the unsupervised group. Only the personal trainer group showed improvement in aerobic fitness.

Lastly, the most recent study by Dias et al. showed that working with a trainer has lasting effects. For example, teaching trainees what weight they can lift can improve their long-term gains in strength and muscle.

In a review entitled “Why Do Individuals Not Lose More Weight From an Exercise Intervention…,” the investigators suggested it was primarily due to low doses of prescribed exercise.

The minimum amount of extra physical exertion that we should expect to prevent weight gain is “200–300 min per week” minimum. 

This level can at least help maintain our weight, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee.

For significant weight loss, however, the committee prescribes closer to a minimum of 450 minutes a week or more than an hour a day. Note that these times are for moderate-intensity activity, such as walking. For a vigorous activity like running or rapid cycling and FBX training, exercise duration can be cut by more than half.

For those who started obese but slimmed down and are attempting to prevent weight regain, one analysis estimated a threshold of eighty minutes a day was necessary. This falls into the daily sixty-to-ninety-minute range suggested in one systematic review, which is what an earlier version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended.

The number on the scale isn’t the whole story. When individuals were put through four months of strength training, they didn’t achieve significant weight loss. They did, however, lose about eight pounds of body fat! The reason that weight loss didn’t register on the scale is that they gained about seven pounds of lean body mass.

Based on averaging together a dozen or so studies, it might take three months of about three hours of aerobic exercise a week to take an inch off our waists.

So as we spoke about previously, working with a trainer improves results, and FBX-style workouts have shown to double the results in half the time*. 

Workouts require about 40 percent less of a time commitment, so FBX participants accomplish in about an hour and a half a week which would take regular workouts closer to two and a half hours.

FBX workouts include movements that have been proven to burn the most calories and achieve more significant results. Because the metabolic cost of an exercise correlates directly to the amount of muscle worked, we include multi-joint exercises whenever possible.[3] Involve more muscle, and you consume more energy.

We also use tricks like lowering the weight as slowly as possible, which has been shown to significantly impact energy expenditure.[2]Better yet, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) raises dramatically. EPOC, often referred to as afterburn, measures the energy expended to return your body to its normal resting state after a workout (9). 

We maximize EPOC by performing workouts that include things like circuit training or supersets. This type of training has been shown to have more significant effects on the magnitude and duration of EPOC than traditional forms of strength training.[7][8] 

On average, you’ll drop 1 to 2 pounds weekly, seeing noticeable results in three to six weeks. So, the longer you train, the more weight you’ll lose*.

The energy cost of an FBX-style workout has been estimated to be 7 kcal/kg/hr10. That averages to around 600 calories per hour for an average 180-pound male. Not too shabby*.

But remember, The more muscle you build, the more energy your body burns at rest. That’s why lifting weights to build lean muscle should be at the top of your to-do list, regardless of your physique goals.

For the best results possible, you need to come at least 3 times per week. The “magic number” for the most benefit is three times per week.

Training for Fat Loss

Studies show it might take three months of about three hours of aerobic exercise a week to take an inch off our waists.

For significant weight loss, however, a minimum of 270 minutes a week for a vigorous activity like running or rapid cycling and FBX training is prescribed.

To lose body fat, you should work out three to five times a week. One to two of your sessions should focus on strength training to build muscle mass. The rest of your training sessions should focus on cardiovascular exercise.

These sessions can include circuit training and exercises that alternate between intensities. For example, you can make Monday and Wednesday strength training days with the other three days of the week dedicated to cardio.

Lean Muscles

Hitting the gym twice a week is fine if you’re looking to preserve the muscle mass you’ve already built, but if elongating those muscles is your goal, you may need to rethink your current exercise regimen.

The Newbie

If you haven’t exercised in a long time or have never worked out before, prioritize meeting your trainer two to three times a week. This regularity ensures you develop the proper form when exercising, prioritize your fitness as a commitment, and work out enough to see progress.

Since muscle memory is powerful, you don’t want to develop bad habits in the gym on your own. These bad habits can hinder your results and lead to serious injuries.

Scheduling regular training sessions also eliminates any excuses for not going. After two or three months of working out regularly with your trainer, you might choose to reduce the number of sessions or shift focus to different goals or styles of training. The most important thing is that you feel confident about your decision.

Training for an Event

If you’re training for an upcoming event, building muscle, strength, and flexibility targeted for the event is critical. 

Working out with a personal trainer the weeks before the event prepares you mentally and physically. Depending on your current fitness levels, your trainer will recommend several training sessions to help you achieve your goals.

For instance, if you’re training for an endurance road race, you may have three to four days of running with one to two days of gym work, which could be a mix of weightlifting and light cardio.

However, if you’re training for something like a Tough Mudder or Spartan, then the focus of your sessions should be adjusted accordingly.

The results you’ll see with a trainer depend on the weekly time invested and the goals. While noticeable muscle mass and fat loss results could take up to four weeks, most people see increased motivation, enthusiasm and energy from the get-go.

Provided you follow a customized FBX meal plan, on average, you’ll drop 1 to 2 pounds a week, seeing noticeable results in three to six weeks*.

For one-on-one personal training at home, the sessions cost $65 to $95 or more hourly.

We also offer couples personal training, so Have your friend or partner improve the efficiency of your workouts by making them more fun and dynamic. The couple’s personal trainer prices range from $85 to $105 per session.

Several factors determine how long you should work out with a trainer.

And while everyone has different goals, these factors can be broken down into Fitness goals, Skill Level, Cost and Availability.

If you recently started exercising, meeting with your trainer up to three times a week for a month is a realistic goal. Make sure your sessions are equally spaced throughout the week to give your muscles a chance to rest.

Fitness and nutrition naturally go hand-in-hand. Personal trainers are often asked for advice on how clients can boost performance, lose weight, deal with a chronic health conditions, lower potential health risks, and get adequate nutrient intake.

You can’t outrun a bad diet, so what to eat must be addressed. FBX customized meal plans help you achieve your goal as fast as possible.