First Steps Fitness

Personal Trainer Toronto

  • About
  • Services
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact

Taking the plunge to getting fit

16 September, 2013 By Gabriela Cordero

Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter

take the plunge to getting fit

Committing to a fitness program isn’t easy.  It takes dedication, commitment and time. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that change doesn’t take work. It does. It takes lots of work but the results you see are definitely worth it. Just going on my site and reading this article highlights a stage of change. You’re thinking about your health, your fitness levels, and taking positive steps towards a healthier you.

There are stages that you go through when deciding to take on new tasks in life, whether its learning to dance, quitting smoking, or deciding to make fitness and physical activity part of your daily life. The stages of change are not fixed or stagnant; sometimes you may find yourself in transition between multiple phases. The stages of change as it relates to starting a fitness program are:

Pre-contemplation

If you are at this stage, you are not ready to make any changes in your life. You aren’t even thinking about a change in behaviour. For some people they may not even be aware that a change is needed i.e. losing weight.

Contemplation

In the contemplation phase, you are starting to think about altering something in your lifestyle.  You realise that you need to make a change in order to live optimally. You recognize that a change must be done and living status quo is no longer acceptable. If you are in the contemplation stage, you accept and embrace the idea that physical activity and implementing a nutritious diet are critical to living a healthy lifestyle.

Preparation

After contemplation, you typically enter a preparation period where you are willing and ready to make a positive behavioural change (i.e. starting a fitness program and changing your diet). By this point you start the research process of selecting the appropriate physical exercise and learning about what healthy foods you should incorporate into your diet. You also consider whether you should go through your journey alone or enlist the help of a friend or personal trainer.  You may not be ready to commit to anything at this point, but you’re more open to options.

As I stated earlier, by reading this article this puts you in the preparation phase. You found my site, you’re interested in what I offer, and are thinking if my personal training service is right for you.

Action

Getting to the action phase can be challenging. Sometimes going through the first three steps can be done with ease, but getting to the next step of implementation can prove to be difficult. So if you’re at this stage, congratulations!

At this juncture, you begin to implement change. You make the necessary steps to move along your journey to self-improvement. It’s important to stay motivated to prevent relapse. A personal trainer by your side helps to keep you inspired and committed to your goals.

For example, you may be working out consistently but you stop seeing the results you desire, so you become discouraged and you consider giving up. If you have a great fitness trainer you are kept on track of your fitness goals.  A trainer can encourage you, push you to new limits, and make you accountable. Your trainer can light a fire under you especially on days when you feel you have nothing to give. Think about it. How easy is to give up when you have no one to answer to? How much harder is it to throw in the towel when you have a team member who relies on you?  Personal training is a partnership, a relationship between two people working towards the same goal….a stronger, healthier, fitter version of you.

Maintenance

Physical activity, fitness and eating healthy are now part of you daily routine. It is essential at this stage to keep motivated and be surrounded with like-minded individuals, people who will continue to encourage you. Your trainer can be your biggest supporter in a world of temptations. Also, there may be some people in your life who want to see you fail and sometimes go out of their way to sabotage your progress. Having a trainer by your side can help you maneuver past challenges in your fitness journey.

The stages of change are not fixed. You don’t simply move from one stage to another in a specific amount of time – it takes consistent work and dedication to transition through the steps. You’re human and relapse can happen. What’s important is to keep moving forward, staying positive and to keep focused on your ultimate goal such as losing weight or improving your overall health. Remember, aren’t born walking; you learn to take your first steps. Just by reading this article you’ve taken the first steps to a healthier, fitter you!

Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter

Filed Under: Blog, Exercises, Personal Training, Weight Loss

Personal Trainer

  • Your Own Personal Trainer in Toronto
  • Do You Need Personal Training?
  • Benefits of In home Personal Training
  • Top Reasons to Hire a Female Personal Trainer
  • You’ve Hired a Personal Trainer, Now What?

Get updates (it’s FREE!)

Find us on Facebook

Testimonials

"I needed motivation – but not the kind of “motivation” I would get from a loud, overbearing, drill-sergeant trainer who would tell me I am too slow, too fat, and could only eat one leaf of lettuce per day for the rest of my life.

And then I found Gaby and First Steps Fitness. With Gaby training me, I felt motivated and supported instead of pushed and intimidated. She was quick to smile and offer support."

- Miranda C


"Gaby is an excellent trainer; enthusiastic, knowledgeable, patient, supportive and approachable. She is encouraging, pushing you to move from one level of fitness to another and learn something new at each and every workout. Gaby’s approach to exercise is fun and in no way intimidating."

Diana H.

Recent Posts

  • How to Include Your Dog in Your Exercise Routine
  • 10 Key Traits of a Great Personal Trainer
  • These 3 Simple Changes Will Maximize Your Fat Loss
  • 11 Things That Happen When You Stop Working Out
  • Today’s Motivational Fitness Quote #98

Health & Fitness Articles

  • Personal Training
  • Fitness Bootcamp
  • Exercises
  • Weight Loss
  • Healthy Eating
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recommended Sites

Fit Arsenal

Copyright © 2019 · First Steps Fitness

All Rights Reserved

  • About
  • Services
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact

Copyright © 2013–2019 FirstStepsFitness.ca - Personal Trainer | Custom Personal Training | Fitness Bootcamps | Toronto, Ontario | 416-899-2801

Featured Article

Is Hiring a Personal Trainer Right for You?

Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
A Toronto personal trainer showing proper technique
A personal trainer showing proper form – Toronto.

For those who are trying to lose weight, tone your body, or have any other fitness goals, one question that you may have is: should you hire a personal trainer? Or will personal training work for you? And, for each person, the answer is going to vary. For starters, you have to know what to look for in a trainer, and what they can help you with, so that you select the right person to work with.

 

There are several factors to consider when you are deciding whether or not to hire a trainer; and, if so, who to work out with for optimal results.

 

Client is accountable to a personal trainerWhat are your trainer’s responsibilities?

If you are considering hiring a personal fitness trainer, you have to understand their responsibilities to you. There are a few things a trainer should do once you hire them; these include:

  1. Assessing your fitness level and capabilities – a good trainer should provide a fitness assessment at the start. Doing this allows the fitness trainer to set a base level for you, to determine your strengths and weaknesses, and to understand what type of training is appropriate for you.
  2. Advising you of the correct method. This can range from how to use equipment, to how to properly do a push up or crunches. Doing this helps develop proper form, but even more important, it limits the potential for injury.
  3. Develop a personalized plan for you based on initial discussions and assessment. As well, the trainer can create a workout plan that you can do on your own, in between sessions.
  4. Motivate, encourage and guide you through your journey.
  5. Help you set realistic and attainable goals so that you don’t get demotivated and give up.

 

A personal trainer can help a client work out properlyWhat are advantages of working with a trainer?

For those who have a set goal in mind, there are a number of benefits to hiring a personal trainer; some of these include:

  • Motivation and constantly being pushed to the hardest levels.
  • They can develop challenging workout routines you could never do on your own.
  • Some will help you with a nutrition plan, and help you make better meal choices to attain your goals.
  • Trainers know how the body works; this means they can push your muscles in a way which will show growth and strength building, in far less time than you could do on your own.

 

The motivation and constant backing alone, are key reasons why clients have hired me.

You not only stay motivated, but when someone is holding you accountable, you are inspired to work harder, and wouldn’t want to disappoint. It’s so much easier to forego exercising when no one is holding you accountable.

 

What are the rates for a personal trainer?What are the rates?

Personal trainer rates vary based on their degree, credentials, how long they have been training, reputation, and even location. Bigger cities tend to cost a higher rate for good trainers, and personal trainers in a high end gym will likely charge more due to the fact that they have more overhead costs.

 

The cost of one-on-one training can range anywhere from $50 to well over $100 an hour. This is what you should expect in a city like Toronto. Anything lower than $50 an hour, you should stay well away from, or question it (perhaps there are hidden costs that you aren’t aware of). Or the trainer is not experienced or have the proper credentials, such as a trainer certification from a recognized organization.

 

However, many trainers will offer some kind of discount if you sign up for multiple sessions. Typically most clients will take advantage of this. Signing up for multiple sessions helps clients commit to a program they’ve already paid for, plus the added benefit of cost savings.

 

Is it worth it to get personal training?Is it worth hiring a personal trainer?

This varies by person. If you are the type of person that needs motivation and is new to working out, a trainer may be a good route; if you like to workout on your own, and are a fitness buff, a trainer isn’t the right choice for you, unless you want to take your fitness to another level. This is when you should look for a specialized trainer focused in a certain discipline. For example, as a personal trainer, it is incumbent on me to keep enhancing my education and experience such as nutritional courses or a specialized field like cross-fit.

 

If you have tried the gym or working out for months on your own, and see no results, a trainer might be what it takes to push you to your desired fitness levels, and help you attain the goals you have set out for yourself. A lot of my clients have the following in common:

 

    • they need to change their lifestyle, yet they have no idea how to start
    • they often don’t have the motivation and they need someone to encourage them
    • they need accountability, and often friends or workout apps or fitness dvd’s can’t give them that
    • they don’t want to get injured and they’re looking for a health and fitness expert who can not only train them but also educate them
    • they’re looking for someone who will be just as invested in achieving their goals just as the clients are
    • they’re afraid – they’re afraid to fail. But some are also afraid to succeed – what would they do with a new healthy body?

 

It’s absolutely natural to feel fear. It’s human nature. Not knowing what lies ahead or where your journey will take you is scary. But my job is to lessen that fear by being right by your side guiding and encouraging you along the way.

 

There are many factors to consider, but I hope that this article has helped you make a decision. It makes me happy that you’re even reading this because it means that you’re ready to make a change.

 

>>Contact me to see how I can help you achieve your health and fitness goals.

 

Motivational Fitness Quote

 

Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter