Your goals have to be achievable and realistic if you want to succeed, it’s no good setting a goal to lose 3 stone when your wedding is in 4 weeks! Aiming for a 1-2 lb per week weight loss will be very realistic and achievable and set you up for success. If your goal is to lose a stone then make sure you make a start 12 weeks before your wedding, in the worst case you’ll be 12lb lighter by your wedding day, looking and feeling great. Write your goals down and keep them insight every day as a constant reminder of what you are ultimately aiming for. A reputable Personal Trainer will be able to help you with your goal setting and give you the strategies you’ll need to keep on track.

To change your body shape you will have to make several lifestyle changes. This will involve good nutrition and structured exercise. As most of us live life at such a rapid pace, juggling work and family life, good nutrition and regular exercise often get pushed to the bottom of the priority list. You will therefore need to give a higher priority to these two things in order get the results you’re after. As 70-80% of your success will come from what you eat, it is wise to choose a Personal Trainer that also specializes in nutrition.

Now that you have set your goals and made good nutrition and regular exercise a priority in your life you need to take action! You won’t have time to waste your efforts on fad diets and gimmicky fitness gadgets that promise the world and end up gathering dust in the loft! This is where a Personal Trainer can really help you. With varied and fun workouts designed specifically to meet your needs you will reach your goals as quickly and efficiently as possible. By frequently updating your workouts you will keep your improvements constant and motivation high.

When deciding which Personal Trainer you are going to hire, it is vital that you consider the following points:

Is the Trainer fully qualified? - Here are some of the well respected and industry recognised qualifications in the UK; CYMCA or CYQ, Premier Training, in the USA the American College of Sports Medicine - ACSM

Is the Trainer fully certified? - Are they a member of the Register of Exercise Prefessionals (REPs) and National Register of Personal Trainers (NRPT)

Is the Trainer insured? - To be a member of REPs & the NRPT the Trainer must have valid Public Liability Insurance

Is the Trainer experienced? - You must make sure that the Trainer has an excellent track record, this is usually evident through word of mouth recommendations and/or previous and existing client's testimonials.

By Ryan Phillips, Director and Personal Trainer of Phillips-Fit
www.phillips-fit.co.uk