By Marco
After holding thousands of consultations, both privately and for large fitness chains, I can say with absolute surety that there are undeniable patterns at play when it comes to whether or not someone elects to work with a fitness trainer. At the very top of the list is “I’d love to, but I can’t afford it.”
Now granted, if someone does not see the value of working with a pro, then they are not going to invest a dime. They may feel this way because the consultation they received was more of a sales pitch than anything else, but the reality is that ignorance can kill a person. Don’t believe me? Spend a day in a battle field somewhere without training, try to fly a plane, try to fix your own car (without being a mechanic), try to do surgery on yourself… see what I mean?
You think those are extreme examples? How would you like a list of the injuries: strokes, pass outs, calls to 911, the amount of people who quit trying and chronic conditions now in full swing, that all started at a gym; all because an inexperienced person “tried it” on their own.
So you can’t afford a trainer? Well, let’s have a look at what you apparently “can afford.”
- Designer coffees
- Dinners out
- Vacations you can’t afford but put on credit
- Weekly hair appointments
- Weekly nail appointments
- Mani / Pedi
- The golf course fees
- The huge car you drive that you can’t afford and the gas that it eats
- The weekly partying, girls/guys night out
- Not making your lunches, buying them instead
- Nights out at the movies
- I love my wine and my booze. How much is that costing you?
- That outfit you just HAD to have.
- The “diet” and weight loss supplements you are buying
- The shopping spree
- The boxed “diet” food you are buying
- The cigarettes
- The big screen TV
- Binge buying at Costco, Best Buy, Guess
- Video games
- Fad electronics
- The list goes on and on…
Truth is you could do away with any one of these if not several and put some money aside to get educated by a fitness pro, but you don’t. You choose not to.
It IS a choice
Are you deifying your kids and buying expensive outfits that they outgrow in weeks?
What about that expensive hobby? Scrapbooking, cars, crafting?
As a man who lost 160 Lb. naturally and has kept it off, let me assure you of this: there is NOT A SINGLE SOLITARY SUPPLEMENT THAT WILL FIX YOUR WEIGHT PROBLEM or help you lose weight properly and long-term. Forget it; It is all a cash grab. You are spending money on shortcuts that do not work.
The truth is that whatever we desire or prioritize the most, we manage to find the money for, or put it on credit, or find a way around getting it. Don’t believe me? Got any debt? What did you spend that money you did not have on?
The truth is we don’t WANT to spend money in the area of hiring a trainer. We would rather spend it on the vices and pleasures above. That and/or we think you can do it ourselves. This is the ONLY area people seem to skimp on. Not car repairs, not medical issues, not renovations, not golf lessons, but as far as the gym goes “I will try it on my own.”
As a trainer and award winning fitness consultant I can say this; NOTHING causes someone to leave a gym and give up on their fitness goals more than a lack of results. Why is there a lack of results? Because people in general have no idea what they are doing in the gym. I am not just talking about technique here. I am talking about programming, working around injuries, having a specific program; no, not just a class, though they are great as well. I mean a focused program that is right for each individual.
Bottom line? Everyone wants it, but few are willing to work for it, much less pay for it.
TRUTH IS, you can’t afford NOT to work with a trainer!
Check where your money is going. You may be able to make a few adjustments and at least get started with some potentially injury saving, discouragement preventing advice.
Most of all though, you have to decide that your health, fitness and well-being is THAT important to you. More than the vacations, more than the things we have all spent money we did not have for.
