If you’re finding it hard to stay motivated and you’re considering working with a personal trainer, then this post is perfect for you. Here, we list the nine ways how a personal trainer can help you stay focused and motivated. Hopefully after reading this, you’d be able to fully determine if working with a personal trainer would be perfect for you. 

9 Ways Your Personal Trainer Can Improve Your Motivation

1 reachable goals

It’s impossible to achieve success and stay motivated if you don’t even know what you’re working for. The difference between people that achieve in their fitness journey and those that don’t is basically this: goal-setting. This is something that your personal trainer will give you access to. Your personal trainer will help you by coming up with reachable goals that will keep you motivated and inspired. 

2 having a good role model

Sometimes, a good role model is all we need. This is especially the case for people who live in a space where their goals are not normalized or supported. A fitness journey is not a mere personal project, it is a lifestyle change that requires intense focus and dedication. Such becomes easier if you have someone to look up to and model your behavior around. This is something that a personal trainer can definitely provide. 

3 being held accountable

Accountability is everything when it comes to fitness. It’s impossible to achieve anything if you can’t even be honest and transparent with yourself. It’s impossible to go to point B if you don’t even know how you’re doing in point A. This is something that you would be immersed in and greatly benefit from if you’d opt for a personal training service for example. Your personal trainer will hold you accountable at all times.

The process in itself will keep you grounded and motivated. 

4 feel challenged

It’s hard to stay motivated on your own because you have no one that challenges you along the way. Feeling challenged is best in keeping someone motivated because it offers something that one can always look forward to.

It offers the open possibility of always doing better and growing continuously. This is something that a personal trainer can also easily provide.

5 track your progress and results

It will be very easy for you to stay motivated when working with a personal trainer because they will make it a point to always track your progress and result. Being monitored and tracked will always make you feel seen and truly cared for.

Your personal trainer will always be there to guide you every step of the way with professional help. 

6 you will never get bored

People easily get discouraged while in the middle of their fitness journey without even realizing that they’re just bored. It’s easy to get bored if you only have yourself who does every single thing and has no one to share goals and wins with. Monotony is dragging and it’s bound to happen if you’re not working with a personal trainer perhaps, who can offer new workouts every time you feel like you’ve hit a wall or need a change. 

7 enjoy small wins

You will always be motivated if you’d work with a personal trainer because they will always highlight every single win, from big ones to small ones. This is quite important as this is the very thing that boosts people’s morale.

You can very well do it on your own but most people don’t have the capacity and are not even familiar with, seeing the good in themselves and their works. This is something that a personal trainer can always transparently point out. 

8 become a part of a healthy community

Working with a personal trainer will easily make you a part of a big healthy community that takes wellness seriously. Being part of such a community will make you feel motivated all the time because you will never feel alone. You will always feel like doing everything you possibly can because you will be exposed to and associate with people who prioritize their health. 

9 be able to stay cool and positive

Starting a fitness journey is a feat in itself. Sticking to it, all the more. This is why it’s hard to stay cool and positive when you’re on your own. You’re creating a lifestyle that didn’t exist before so you naturally experience challenges and blocks every step of the way.

Things can get easier though when you work with a personal trainer. A personal trainer fully understands everything that you’re going through so you’d always have someone to talk to who can keep you cool and positive at all times and help enforce healthy habits in your daily lifestyle. 

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Per studies conducted by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, about 30 million people suffer from eating disorders in the United States. While other disorders like binge eating disorder are more frequent, anorexia nervosa remains among the best-known and most dangerous of those disorders.

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by restricting food intake to such a degree that there can be devastating consequences for the physical health of the individual. It is not uncommon for people with an anorexia nervosa diagnosis to have a full list of medical problems that must be tended to in addition to the psychological treatment that is needed. This makes the need for early and complete diagnosis and immediate medical treatment essential when anorexia rears its head.

The pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa most commonly is the result of drastically lower levels of both caloric intake and the varied nutrients that some with a balanced diet. People with anorexia nervosa tend to eat very little, of course, and what they do eat is often of marginal nutritional value. Therefore, it is quite common for those with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa to have specific endocrine deficiencies and abnormalities. Here we’ll outline some of the common complications that come with an eating disorder-driven nutritional imbalance:

Gonadal Hormones Can Be Decreased

Gonadal hormones are produced by the gonads, which include things like progesterone and estradiol from the ovaries or testosterone from the testes. Because of the reduction in essential nutrients, including vitamins and proteins, people who have anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa can have reduced gonadal hormone secretions.

For women with either disorder, menses (menstruation) can stop temporarily or entirely. For men with either disorder, fertility issues or impotence may be present. For both men and women, there can be a range of physical side effects that come along with low gonadal hormone levels. The most common signs of reduced hormonal production aside from fertility reduction are: 

• Loss of menstruation
• Hair loss
• Slow or no breast growth (in teenagers)
• Low sex drive 

There May Be a Decrease in Thyroid Hormone Production 

The thyroid is responsible for the production and regulation of multiple types of hormones in the body, and this function of the thyroid can be disrupted in people who have received an anorexia nervosa diagnosis. Two hormones offered by the thyroid are thyroxine and triiodothyronine. These two hormones are created from iodine that is derived from certain foods, which means if an individual is not getting enough food in their body, the thyroid does not have what it needs to create thyroxine and triiodothyronine. Both of these hormones are considered essential for the proper functioning of the body and the brain. For younger individuals, the lowered levels of these thyroidal hormones can cause delayed development. 

There May Be an Increased Secretion of the Stress Hormone Cortisol 

Cortisol is referred to as “the stress hormone” because its release comes when a person experiences stress. Cortisol serves a function in the body with things like controlling blood pressure levels, blood glucose levels, and regulating metabolism. On the other hand, too much cortisol production can have negative effects on the body. Both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa can result in higher levels of cortisol in the bodies of these individuals, which can cause problems with muscle weakness, unstable blood glucose levels, and a tendency to bruise easily.

Seek Treatment Before It Gets Worse

Anorexia nervosa is normally deemed as the more dangerous type of eating disorder and the most deadly kind of mental health disorder. Fatality rates are high for individuals with the disorder, and proper treatment to address both their physical and emotional needs is a must. A quality eating disorder treatment center focuses on well-rounded treatment plans for all types of eating disorders.  

Photo credit:

• Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

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Quick Stats

Name:  Keryn Prenter
Age: 30
Height: 1,63m
Competition weight:  54 kg
Current weight:  56 kg
Current city:  Cape Town, South Africa
Occupation:  I own a Catering Company and also make daily meal plans.  I’m an athlete, fitness model, brand ambassador and most importantly I’m a mom and wife

How did you get into the fitness industry, and have you always lead a fit and healthy lifestyle?

I have always been athletic and started doing weight training when I was 19.  My husband owns a gym and I’m into nutrition so our lives have always revolved around ‘wellness.’  I started competing to get more involved in the industry and fell in love with the sport.  I can’t wait to get back on stage in less than 5 weeks.

What do you love about it?

Everything!!!!  I was a very skinny teenager but always had a very strong character so I really love that I am strong on the outside too now

What competitions have you competed in and your placings?

2012

• Shameen Classic | March | Beach bikini division | 3rd
• IFBB Cape Classic | April | Beach bikini division | 1st
• IFBB Muscle Mania | June | Beach bikini division | 1st
• IFBB Western Province | August | Beach bikini division | 1st

I received my Western Province colors and was chosen to be a part of the Western Provence team to compete at the South African National Championships held in Jo burg.

• IFBB South African National Championships | September | Beach bikini division, 3rd

What do you think is the key to your success?

Never give up!

“Persevering is definitely key and if you do not at first succeed then try harder.”

I’m very ambitious and really enjoy being challenged and I think that that ambition, boarding on total stubbornness, is what pulls me through most situations.

What are your future plans?

I have so many goals and sometimes they are a bit scary but as they say if your dreams don’t scare you then they are not big enough. I am willing to pay my dues in this industry and will definitely grab any opportunity that comes my way!

Take us through an average day of yours:

Two years ago I opened a small restaurant that serves healthy food called Pronto.  I just recently sold it because I didn’t have enough time to fit everything in, so now I only deal with the catering at Pronto.  I also do daily meal plans for clients which is five meals a day, five days a week – all calories counted, made by me.
So basically:

• I wake up at 5:30 have breakfast and start preparing meals for my clients and myself.
• I spend most of the early morning with my 2 year old son and then generally do cardio from 9:30, for about 30-40 minutes.
• The rest of my day is made up of catering and meal plans, meetings and castings.
• I do weight training from about 3pm – 4pm and head home to start dinner.
• Evenings are spent with my family and after I have fed,  bathed and put my son to sleep I start prepping for the next days catering and meal plans.
• When that’s done I catch up on any admin or other work I have and am normally in bed by 9:30.

“It gets a bit manic at times but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I’m a total busy body and love being on the go!”

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your diet, pre contest and during the off season.

I have a very natural, balanced approach.  I stay in shape all year by eating 5 meals a day consisting of clean foods.  So no man made foods basically.  Closer to a competition I make my portion sizes a little smaller and increase my cardio.  I think it’s important to always be ready for a shoot, and yo-yo weight gain and weight loss is just not something I enjoy doing.

What’s your favorite healthy meal which you eat even during your contest prep?

Salmon and asparagus

Do you believe in using supplements?  If you do, with all the different supplements out there, what would you say are the most essential ones that need to be taken?

I use muscle works but because I have a healthy balanced diet I only really use a pre workout and a whey protein shake after training.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your training and on average how long do you workout for?

I workout for about an hour and a half a day.  Cardio in the a.m, weights in the p.m.

“I alternate upper and lower body during the weeks weight training and my golden rule is listen to your body.”

If on a specific day I don’t feel like doing weights and only doing cardio then that’s what I do because I know I will have a much better workout.  For me, being able to consistently train well all year round by having balance is worth a lot more than doing anything extreme.

How do you measure your progress? And how often?

Honestly doing regular Photoshoots is how I track my progress.  I would definitely recommend that anyone in the process of getting fit and healthy take regular progress pictures.

What’s your favorite form of cardio and how much do you do?

I’m a runner and I used to love doing long distance running (20+ km) but have to limit my distances now as I’m very weary of loosing any muscles on my legs.

What would you say are the three best exercises women should include in their Back work outs?

• Lat pull downs
• Bent over rows
• One arm dumb-bell rows

Favorite female fitness icon(s):

Nathalia Melo and Sarah Allen

Favorite Quote:

“Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it!”

Advice for someone wanting to start competing?

Get a good diet plan and work out routine and commit to a competition; the rest will fall into place.

What do you think are the three major mistakes people make when they start out trying to lose weight?

1. They think that they need to eat less
2. They think that they need to skip meals
3. They think that it will come in a bottle or a pill form

Where can people get hold of you?

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KerynPrenterAthletefitnessModel
• Twitter: @KicoKay
• Email: keryn.prenter@gmail.com

Keryn Prenter Gallery

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Quick Stats

Name:  Peter Gaiser
Age:  28
Height:  1,79 m
Competition weight:  77 Kg
Current weight:  86 Kg
Current city:  Cape Town
Occupation:  Personal Trainer and Fitness Model

How long have you been training consistently for and how did you get into this lifestyle?

I’ve been training for 10 years.  I developed an interest for fitness and bodybuilding at the age of 10 when I saw Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude van Damme on TV and that’s when I decided I wanted to have muscles like Arnold and be able to fight like van Damme.  I had two 5 kg dumbbells that my dad bought me for Christmas and that is what I used as a kid.

What do you love about it and what keeps you motivated?

“I love the fact that I have total control over my body and that I can modify it through dieting and training.”

Also the challenges of the different styles of training make it very rewarding.  Believing in myself and knowing that in the end I will become a better me is what keeps me motivated.

What competitions have you competed in and your placings?

2008

• Fitness SA Pageant, fitness model (debut), 19^th

2009

• FAME SA Fitness Champs, fitness model, 2^nd

2010

• Fitness SA Pageant, fitness model, 4^th
• FAME SA Fitness Champs, fitness model, 3^rd and 6^th natural bodybuilding

2011

• Fitness SA Pageant, fitness model,  6^th

2012

• Fitness SA Pageant, fitness model, 1^st
• Muscle Mania Model Universe Champs, fitness model, 14^th

What are your future plans?

I am currently training for the Trojan Warrior TV show due to be filmed in June this year as well as the new WBFF SA Champs in July, and then to defend my title at Fitness SA Champs in August.  I also want to grow my own brand and keep inspiring others to achieve their physique or figure goals.

Do you ever find that your weight training interferes with your golf in terms of flexibility for example?  How do you manage to balance between the two as they both require you to put a lot of time and practice into them?

I would spend 2 hours on the driving range and coach golf for 7 hours and have one or two 1 hour gym sessions per day.

“It’s all about managing your time and making sacrifices where you need to, to achieve your goals.”

I have since left the golf industry and I am now focusing completely on personal training and my own brand as an international fitness model.

Take us through an average day of yours:

• I wake up at 04:30  have a protein shake and cup of coffee then I start training clients from 6am until 10 am.
• Then I train for an hour, go home, play games with my two Border Collie dogs and attend to emails and other errands that need to be done.
• I also try to get some rest in before I start training my afternoon clients from 15:00 to 19:00.
• When I get home at 19:30, I might have another training session then I cook dinner for my girlfriend and myself and then start planning my day in terms of meals, clients and my own training sessions.
• I get to bed by 22:00 and usually listen to some music until I get sleepy.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your diet, pre contest and during the off season.

I am a big believer in keeping your diet simple, I don’t count calories or get technical with it as I think it’s a waste of time.  It is all about understanding what works for your body.  Currently I am on a high protein, high fat and very minimal carb diet.  I’ve found that carbs tend to make me hold a lot of water and feel bloated.

“When I am dieting for a competition I like to cycle my carbs to help get lean while maintaining good size.”

Do you recommend going on a ‘bulking’ cycle every few months or do you prefer to stay lean year round?

I don’t believe in a bulking phase, for most people it means eating a lot of shit and whatever they can find in thinking they have to put on size, meanwhile it’s just extra body fat which makes it even harder to get lean.  I believe in just keeping your diet clean all year round and enjoying the occasional cheat meal within reason.  It’s all about staying on track.

“Quality muscle takes years and years to build, not 6 months as most believe during a bulking phase.”

You are currently sponsored by USN, which 3 products do you use and would recommend as the most essential supplements?

My favorite supplements from USN are:

• USN Pure Protein IGF-1 as it’s a low GI versatile protein which can be taken at anytime of the day
• USN Amino Gro which is a BCAA supplement. BCAA must be one of the most under rated supplements out there.  I believe it should be a staple in any person’s diet who is following a hectic weight training program as its great for muscle growth and recovery.
• Finally I love USN’s new pre-workout supplement called USN Hyperdrive NO, it gives you tremendous pumps and energy while you train.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your training and on average how long do you workout for?

For me training is all about instinct, listening to your body and feeling the target muscle group working.  A method I use is mind-muscle connection which means imagining the muscle working while you train it. Also, it’s all about time under tension, not about how heavy you can lift, to give the muscle enough stimulation for growth.  I usually train for 1 hour.

Whats your take on Cross Fit training compared to the conventional bodybuilding style of training?

I started doing crossfit style training to help prepare me for the Trojan Warrior TV show, as you need to be strong, fast, agile, fit and be able to handle pain.  It has become pretty addictive for me as I find it more of a challenge than conventional weight training.  When it’s time to train for a fitness show then I will change it up again and go back to the conventional way.

“In the end, I believe it’s all about keeping your training interesting and giving your body a new challenge to prevent staleness and hitting the dreaded plateau.”

What’s your favorite form of cardio?

I don’t enjoy cardio but I have started doing interval running and sprints for cardio as I find using gym machines for cardio is not as effective compared to HIIT training.  Also the way I train for weights using high intensity with not much rest in between is enough to keep me shredded.

What would you say are the three best exercises you can do to build a full all rounded chest?

• Flat dumbbell press
• Incline dumbbell flys
• Super set high and low cable cross over’s

Favorite bodybuilders:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Flex Wheeler, Shameen Adams, Shawn Rhoden, Phil Heath, Jay Cutler, Bob Paris, Lee Priest and Shawn Ray.

Which do you prefer and why.  Today’s bodybuilders like Jay Cutler and Phil Heath, or the smaller physiques like Frank Zane.

I prefer the smaller more aesthetic bodybuilders, guys like Frank Zane and Bob Paris etc.  I just find their physiques more pleasing to the eye even though I like Jay and Phil’s physiques.  I am actually more into the aesthetic fitness model physiques of Joe Donnelly, Rob Riches and Greg Plitt.

Favorite Quote:

“ Every healthy meal and every hardcore workout is one step closer to a better you” ~ Peter Gaiser

Advice for someone wanting to start competing?

Do your homework.  Decide on the look you want to achieve first then decide on a show you would be interested in doing and only enter once you know you are confident that you gave it your all in your preparations for that show.

Where can people get hold of you?

• Facebook: Peter Gaiser – International Fitness Model
• Twitter: @petergaiser
• Email: petergaiser[at]yahoo.com
  
• Website: www.petergaiser.co.za

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