"That's half of what a PT will charge you at [big gym franchise who shall remain anonymous]!" I replied. That's not mentioning that guy in Brisbane who charged $400 per session back in 2013. His policy was to double his rates every year... I shudder to think what he must be charging these days!

When discussing Personal Training with people, the "cost per session" topic always arises. Whether they're talking about my rates, or others rates, people ​always say how expensive it is to get training. And when you think about the rate for a session in comparison with the time you may actually spend with your trainer, you're probably right. It IS expensive (especially if your trainer costs $400 / session). But there's a lot going on for us PT's that you may not have thought about. So on behalf of every Personal Trainer in the industry, let me share with you where your money goes when you pay us!

(Note: This is not a rant or vent or complaining session about people not paying us. It's something to help you understand why we charge what we do. It's important that we understand each other, right? Understanding makes relationships better :) )

• Knowledge, training and experience.

Every personal trainer you encounter will have their certification. In Australia you can't be an active Personal Trainer conducting sessions without at least your Certificate Four in Fitness. Depending on the training institution they go through, this will take anywhere from 6 weeks (yikes!) to one year to achieve. During these courses aspiring trainers learn everything they need to know to make sure you reach your goals as quickly as possible, while being as safe as possible. On top of this formal education, trainers often have years of experience in different sports as well as exercise itself. We don't charge what we charge because we feel like it, it's because we know what we're doing.

• We're running a business.

Now, just because we're running a business, it doesn't mean that we're all about getting numbers and making as much money as we can at the expense of those we train. Not at all! With running a business comes a LOT of financial responsibility.
- We have to sort out our own taxes (starting at 28% in Australia) & superannuation,
- Professional insurances (anywhere from $120 - $500 per year),
- Music licensing (approx $375 for a small bootcamp, right up to $3,500 for a facility with 100 members),
- Professional registration (anywhere from $220 - $440 every two years),
- Continuing education courses (often courses with enough credits will cost at least $1,000),
- Purchasing equipment, first aid kits as well as doing first aid courses,
- Vehicle registration and maintenance costs (at least $700 per year for registration alone),
- Uniforms,
- Programming software, etc.
I'm sure there's things that I've forgotten, but this is a good summary of what we need to pay for and these things are not cheap!

• We pay rent.

Whenever I tell people that Personal Trainers pay rent to the gym / studio they work from, they are surprised. The vast majority of Trainers subcontract to a facility, and have to pay to be there. They do not get paid to be there unless they are working on the front reception desk, or are a manager of some description. The only time they get paid for training is when they have a session. So if a Trainer has a client at 6am, and then doesn't have another client until 4pm, that's a whopping 9 HOURS that they are in the gym unpaid. I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't be happy with only getting paid for 2 hours of their working day! The cheapest rent in a gym that I have heard of is about $220 per week. The most expensive I have heard of is $475 per week. We have to pay this, or we can't earn money to even feed ourselves (sounds dramatic? Well, it's true).
What about those outdoor trainers who run group sessions in parks, or trainers who use community halls? You've still gotta pay! Depending on the council, Trainers need to pay for use of public land. And community halls are cheap, but it's still an expense. And if you work from home, you still need to pay rent at home, or mortgage and rates if you're lucky enough to be a home owner. Often if you run a business from home, your home insurance rates increase too.

• We need to train ourselves.

Just like you, we need to train ourselves! Sometimes we use the gym / facility we work at because we might get a free membership (which isn't actually all that free when you think about how much our rent costs...). Often we have our own Trainers or participate in our favourite sports, which costs extra money. We don't train ourselves just because it's our job to be fit and healthy and look our best. We train ourselves because we enjoy it and often it's a bit of "me time". (Side note - if you see your trainer having a session, give them a friendly wave and leave them be. They probably love to see you and chat to you, but they may have had a crazy day and need a bit of quiet time).

• Compensation.

I wasn't quite sure what heading I should use for this one, so I really am sorry if it doesn't quite fit what I'm trying to say. Being a Personal Trainer is often a very emotionally (as well as physically) taxing role. Don't get me wrong - we love our jobs! But dealing with the public is hard. Dealing with people who are trying to change is harder. And often, we have stuff going on in our lives that we need to shove into the back of our minds every day so we can help you reach your goals. You see, we're not just people who conjure up a workout, count your reps and check your form. Often we become a counsellor, but we aren't taught how to deal with emotionally heavy situations as a regular counsellor or psychologist is. We are invested in your success from Day One and sometimes it can feel like we want your success more than you do. We get up early for you and we stay up late for you. We think about you in our down time, and we worry about you when you don't show up for a session and you haven't contacted us. We are your biggest supporters!

• Investment.

You are not investing in your Trainer. From the list of expenses a few paragraphs ago, you can see we have a lot of expenses and just because you pay us $60 per session it doesn't mean we're getting rich off you. You are investing in YOU. I've heard it referred to as "hurt money". Because we're motivated by avoiding pain, when we waste our hard earned money, it hurts us, right? So paying your Trainer $60 and not showing up for a session is going to hurt! It's extra incentive for you to turn up, put in the hard yards, and eventually say "Thanks, I couldn't have done this without your help" when you reach your goals. As much as we don't like to think that we do it, we let people down. Even our friends and family. Especially ourselves. When you don't turn up to a session, sure, your Trainer is disappointed. But you are disappointed too, aren't you? You feel like a failure, you feel like giving up, then we have a discussion about you feeling like a failure and you feeling like giving up. Your Trainer tries to encourage you not to give up. We both know that you don't really want to give up. You don't want to fail again. You don't want to have another experience that "didn't work." You want to be successful, you want to be happy and you want to be healthy and look awesome. And if you give up now, all of that hard work is just a waste of time. Don't do that to yourself, okay? Contrary to popular belief, we're not trying to "keep you on the books" so we can take your money. You came to us for help, and we know that we can help you. Don't let yourself down and waste your investment. You are the best investment you will ever make!

There's probably other things that I can write down on this list, but I think that's probably going to be overkill. You get the idea. We're not here to rip you off, or get rich off of you. Our rates are set so we can pay our bills, have a roof over our head, eat, and motivate you to actually set foot in a gym / go to a bootcamp / whatever so you can reach your goals and live your best life possible. It's absolutely up to you how much you pay for a Trainer. You're an adult and you can make up your own mind how much you want to pay. If you don't like a Trainer or how much they charge, try again with someone else. Simple as that! Hopefully you feel informed now, when the topic of cost comes up and you can be confident that you won't get ripped off :)

Should sign up for the Open? I knew I wanted to, because for the past two years I had done the workouts as best as I could with the small amount of equipment I had at home. The prospect of doing the workouts in an environment with all the correct equipment was super exciting! But still, I was unsure.

With one day left to register, I did it. I signed up, and I hit that submit button. I knew that it would be great, and I was not disappointed!

As I mentioned, there was nerves, excitement, and general terror when I completed my registration. What was going to happen over the next five weeks? I had been involved in minor competitions before, but I had never participated in something that was literally a worldwide event. The possibilities were exciting! Amazing things happen for people during the open, and I couldn't wait to see what amazing things would happen for me. But at the same time - what if I couldn't do a workout? What if the scaling options weren't scaled enough for me? There was only one way to find out. Do it.

So, what did I learn during my first official CrossFit Open?

When the each workout gets released, you have no other option but to be open minded. The people who program these workouts are programming to push you. You're going to be uncomfortable and do movements that you hate, and there's nothing you can do about that. You need to look at each workout logically, and think about what your current capabilities are. When you know what your current capabilities are, you know how hard you can push yourself.

There's no workout like an Open workout, so you're forced to think about strategy. How on earth are you going to survive this!? If the workout requires a certain amount of wall balls, and you're not good at wall balls, you need to figure out how you can get these reps done in a good time, resting where needed, but also not wasting time.

"Break before you break" was a common theme with these workouts. What this means is, if you know you can do 10 wall balls before your body gives up, then you need to stop and have a mini-rest at 7 or 8 reps. And I do mean a mini-rest! Take a couple of breaths, shake your legs out and start your next 7 or 8 reps.

"Just keep moving" was something I told myself quite a bit. I knew I couldn't go super fast for something because I knew I'd burn out too quickly. Instead, I paced myself more and just keep moving. Being consistent and having a good rhythm will get me through the workout in a better time than if I burn out and waste one minute resting. One minute doesn't seem like a long time to rest, but trust me, you need every spare second when you tackle these workouts! Being strategic is the way to go!

When I was doing "regular" workouts outside of a CrossFit environment, I got really bored. I soon realised that gymnastics training was the only thing that gave me both mental and physical stimulation. I knew that it would take something like CrossFit to keep me engaged mentally and prevent boredom when I couldn't do my gymnastics training. I was right! There's nothing like staring down the barrel of a workout to freak you out! It's up to you to grab those feelings and channel them the right way if you're going to make it through the workout.

It reminds me of an interview I saw with Cathy Freeman after the Sydney 2000 Olympics. She had taken the gold medal in the 400m women's final. If it was any of us in that stadium with over 100,000 people roaring in excitement, and the expectations of a nation on our shoulders it would overwhelm us. The adrenaline, excitement, and nerves would have us in a heap on the floor. We need mental mastery to control our emotions while we do what we need to do. In the interview she said that she didn't really hear the crowd until the race was over. How does that even happen!? How do you not hear that many people yelling!? She was in control of herself. She told herself, "Just do what you know." And that's what she did, she ran 400 metres and BLITZED IT.

19.5 (the last workout for the open) was a combination of barbell thrusters and pull ups, scaled to your ability where necessary. In total, we had to complete 210 reps within 20 minutes. As I stood at the barbell ready to do my first set, I was nervous! I'm pretty sure I even thought to myself "why am I doing this!?" I looked down at the barbell, poised and ready to go. The clock signalled three, two, one, GO. The adrenaline and nerves would have me start going as fast as possible. Go go go, get those reps done! But I had to tell myself - keep it steady, do one rep at a time, and break before you break.

Don't get me wrong - I have confidence in myself and I believe in myself. But there are times when you just don't feel it. You doubt your strength, you doubt if your body will make it through the workout (or whatever you're facing in life). There's something inside your mind that just feels shaken.

When you commit to something, whether it's a competition like the Open or something else, you will encounter those times. But there is something so super cool about coming out the other side of the workout and thinking "Wow, I just did that!" An inanimate object such as a barbell can reassure you, and even surprise you, that you're more capable than you feel or realise.

For a long time I've had minor postural issues that have contributed to me having weak quads (thigh muscles). Getting your body to release tight and weak muscles, while simultaneously strengthening them without your body having a hissy fit is quite a big task. It takes time and patience. So when I saw that 19.3 (the third workout) was a lot of lunges and step ups with a 15kg dumbbell, I really wasn't sure how I would go. Even if I had the energy, how would my quads react? Would they strain and make me unable to complete the workout? I was just going to have to give it a go and see what happened. I didn't do that well during the workout. Or any of the workouts if you were to compare me to every other person doing the Open across the world. But that's not the point. One or two years ago, if I had of attempted that workout during a different phase of "Operation Get-Stronger-Quads" I'm fairly certain that I would have seized up majorly and would have been in a lot of discomfort if I made it through the workout. And while my quads were most definitely on fire throughout the workout, it wasn't my legs that suffered in the days after. My body was stronger, it had more endurance, and I didn't back down from the task at hand. I did the workout one rep at a time, kept on breathing, and let my body put the doubts in my mind to rest.

I'm capable of some pretty cool things, and the Open showed me that.

Sometimes, it's really not fun being the last person to finish, whether you're doing the Open or just a daily workout. But it's so lovely when you have people cheering you on. And it's not just people calling out "Come on Hannah, you've got this", because it's a nice thing to say and it makes them look like a nice person. They do actually want you to succeed. When you're doing an exercise that you're not confident in, and you hear someone encouraging you and giving you a tip or saying "nice work!", it really is so lovely! It's even nicer when they cheer for you and you've never trained together, but they know your name, and they came to cheer you on when they could have chosen to encourage someone else in your heat. It doesn't matter if you go to a "regular gym", a beachside bootcamp, or a CrossFit box, having amazing people around you is just that - amazing. It's something that nobody should miss out on.

Am I glad I did the Open? Yes.
Would I do it again? Heck yeah.
Should anyone else give it a go? Absolutely. Because even if you don't become the "Fittest On Earth", you'll achieve things you didn't know you were capable of, and it will inspire you to see what else you an achieve!

Yep. She said it. I was looking skinny. Just smile and say thanks!

I knew what she meant. I knew she didn't mean anything bad by using the word skinny. She has a heart of gold and wanted to congratulate me on taking charge of my health and reaping the benefits of it. But still, I lost my breath for a moment when she said it. My stomach lurched into anxiety and I felt like crying. Internally I was saying "I don't want to be skinny!!!"

Being skinny really isn't a big deal, especially if it's a healthy skinny and not a sick, emaciated skinny. Being skinny can be a good thing, personally I just don't like the word!

Aside from not liking the word, I reacted the way I did was because I felt that I had lost too much weight. I wasn't happy about losing as much as I did and I was desperate to put some back on as quickly as possible. I was working with a naturopath on a few minor health things that I wanted to address, and unfortunately one of the supplements I was prescribed had a mild reaction to my body in the form of a fever. This was in the peak of our Australian summer, and it took a couple of days for my body to recover from the fever (don't worry, it was sorted out very easily and I was back to my normal self in no time). I didn't realise I had lost as much weight as I did until I wore one particular bra one day. It dug into my lower chest, I just couldn't get comfortable. That night as I was getting ready for my shower I realised why it was so uncomfortable. I had lost enough weight to make my solar plexus more prominent.

That was a really scary, upsetting moment for me. I immediately felt anxious. What can I eat that will make me gain the weight back now? Please don't look at me and comment on my size! I had to consciously make myself stay calm. I had to coach myself, like I do for my team members! I had to tell myself - I know how to change bodies. I have the knowledge, I just need to do the right thing and my body will take care of it all for me.

Deep. Calming. Breaths.

And, my body has taken care of it all for me, just like I told myself. I focused on eating well, giving my body the good quality food it needed. I made sure I had plenty to eat. I didn't snack constantly throughout the day, but I made sure that I had enough at each meal to last me until it was time to eat again. I have gone from 59.9kg back up to 62.3kg over a healthy period of time. Because of the way I have been eating, there hasn't been a lot of fat gain. My body has replaced the fluid it lost during the feverish sweats on 36 degree Summer days, it's replaced some of the fat it lost, and it's building muscle. It's doing exactly what I want it to be doing.

Do I want to be called skinny now that I'm recovered? No. There are more words in the dictionary to describe my body than that word alone.

The point of all this, is that a compliment to you may not be a compliment to me. Or, whoever you're talking to at the time. My goals are not specifically weight loss goals. While it is a bit of a novelty for me to lose weight according to the scale, it's not something I'm desperately trying to pursue. I believe there's more to life than getting smaller. I'd rather spend my time getting stronger, fitter, and figuring out what I can hang upside down from next time I'm at a local park.

We need to be mindful about what others could be going through (or have been through in the past), and what may be a trigger for them. I know that this kind of mindfulness risks getting taken way too far where we feel like there is nothing we can say without getting into trouble, but we don't always know if someone has struggled with an eating disorder, or if they've had compulsive exercise or other lifestyle behaviours before that have really impacted their lives negatively. Excitedly telling these people that they look great because they look skinny, could be the thing that triggers them into a negative behaviour pattern again, or at least causes them some level of emotional stress like it did for me.

And it's the same when we've noticed someone has gained weight. Commenting that someone looks bulky isn't necessarily a bad thing. But if someone isn't familiar with what "bulky" means in a fitness context, they could get really confused and upset because they think you're calling them fat.

Remember - this post isn't about what you can or can't say. There's no Word Police out to get you if you say the wrong thing! This post is simply about making you more aware of the word choices you make. So let's have a brainstorm about what could be better words to use!

Instead of saying that some one is skinny or bulky, try these instead:

• Wow! It looks like you've been working hard on your body, are you trying to lose weight at the moment?
• You look so different! Are you doing a different workout plan at the gym or eating differently?
• You're making so much progress! Have you increased your weights at the gym lately?

When we engage this way, we still get to share our excitement with our friends and family, but we don't focus on the potentially triggering words we've been discussing throughout this blog post. We recognise the change, and we enter into a healthy dialogue which allows the other person to give you insight into what's going on, good or bad.

Be mindful and considerate. It's not too hard once you know how ;)

I was never that strong. In primary school the boys would challenge us girls to arm wrestling matches (probably not the best or safest thing!!) and I would ALWAYS lose! When it came to doing gymnastics, it took me forever to finally achieve a "circle-up" on to the low bar. It felt like it took years to gain strength for that skill, no joke!

Fast forward into my early twenties, my strength was still looking pretty darn bleak!

I first started getting into strength training in a "traditional" gym setting. Weights machines, dumbbells, and small barbells were my weapons of choice. They were all perfectly acceptable, but I soon realised their limitations for what I personally wanted to achieve, and how I viewed the human body's movement patterns.

A lot of women are scared (or at least hesitant) to try weights training. Gaining too much muscle, or getting bulky, is less than desirable. We are somehow taught that we'll end up looking like men, and will lose our femininity if we do weights. I personally don't buy into that, because everyone's perception of masculinity and femininity is quite varied. Also, regular folks like you and I just won't give ourselves the same training and nutritional stimulus to end up looking like a competitive athlete or body builder (more on that later).

Back in 2011, I decided to head to some adults gymnastics classes. Not only was I incredibly unfit, but I was weak too! Here we go again - after so much effort, so much time, I would finally achieve the basic level one skills I had learned as a child. This what one of the things that kick started not only my health and fitness journey, but more specifically, my strength training.

I started up at a gym not long after I finished my time doing those gymnastics classes, and got stuck into a number of years doing variations of traditional strength training workouts. Because I wasn't able to go back to my gymnastics classes, I decided to try pole fitness instead! Yes, my strength had improved, but there were still weaknesses. After about four or five months of pole fitness classes, I finished up and continued with my traditional weights workouts at the gym.

This time in the gym served my body really well, especially when I decided to get back into gymnastics a number of years later. Achieving old and new skills was so much easier, now that I had a solid foundation of strength and had been using a variety of training methods. Not only had I been using machines and dumbbells, but I enjoyed using various tools such as suspension training (e.g. TRX straps), kettlebells, and larger / heavier barbells.

It was during this time that I gradually built up the strength to deadlift 67.5kg, which was about 1kg heavier than my bodyweight at the time. People would often comment that I was looking fit and strong, but they were surprised when I said that I could deadlift that amount of weight. No - I did not look like a hulk! No - I did not look unfeminine! I looked exactly how they described me, a normal woman who was fit and strong. I was someone who could do a chin up, and was working towards doing more chin ups. I could do push ups on my toes! I could hold a decent plank.

I started off with very little strength. And because of that, I had very little confidence in my physical abilities. Strength training has changed all that.

I'm more confident. It doesn't matter that I'm not hitting the same "numbers" as my friends. The fact that I can still deadlift my bodyweight is a real achievement for me, and anyone else who can. The fact that I can lift a nearly 30kg barbell over my head is something that I wouldn't have had the confidence to do all those years ago. Strength training gives you confidence. A barbell (or whatever piece of equipment you chose to use) has a unique way of assuring you that you're actually more capable than you think or feel.

Start lifting weights and not only will you have more confidence, but you'll be opening tight jar lids like a pro! It's actually kinda funny... for me, jar lids are a challenge. I hate them with a passion but I will open it!! My husband often tells me "I can help, you know!" And I'm super grateful for that because as a mechanic he has awesome grip strength. But of course, the challenge of a jar lid makes me much too stubborn to ask for help as often as I could :)

I hear it all... the... time...
"I want to get more toned."
I'd like to educate you, and reassure you of something: lifting heavy weights is not going to turn you into the Shulk (She-Hulk). As females, we are just not made with enough testosterone to allow that to happen. Plain and simple!!!

If you are wondering how body builders look the way they do, it's because they spend ALL of their time eating and training in a very specific way. Their lives revolve around it! And those really big body builders..? Supplements. You can read into that any way you like. Supplements that natural body builders use, or "supplements" (insert winky-face emoji here) that the highest of high level body builders use.

The everyday person uses strength training to not only get stronger, but to create shape. What creates that toned look? Muscle! And as females, we need to lift heavy in order to create that shape. Of course, we need to do this sensibly - start off light and progress heavier as we get stronger, under supervision of someone qualified. But still - we need that stimulus.

Remember - if you think you're getting too big, just tweak your training until you achieve what you're happy with! Easy!

Also remember - "heavy" is not a pre-determined weight range that you can google. "Heavy" simply means that you need to work hard to move the weight. Don't ever compare your heavy to someone else's heavy. We're all different, all at different stages of our strength training, and we all start somewhere.

I'm sure you're not looking to get so much confidence that you end up with your head in the clouds and a superiority complex. But because you're strong, fit and healthy, and you actually like the way you look, you're going to feel awesome and you can rock virtually any outfit you choose, Summer or Winter.

Don't get me wrong - you may not have the perfect body (newsflash - nobody does), but being happy with how you look will make a trip to the beach or wearing your favourite skirt or shorts so super enjoyable!!!

And that is certainly true! Did you know that once we turn 30 years old, we start to lose muscle mass and bone density. But that's not the only thing to go. If we're not careful, we set can set ourselves up for falls, easily broken bones and extremely crooked posture in our elderly years. Strength training along with good healthy eating can prevent many of these issues.

Strength training creates strong bones, strong muscles (including a strong pelvic floor - nobody likes incontinence, right?), and better balance. We will be healthier and more confident in our "golden years" if we put in the work now.

Picture yourself when there's more gray hair on your body than your natural colour:

• Do you need help walking up or down stairs?
• Do you lose your balance easily?
• Do you "leak" gas, liquids or solids from down below when you laugh, sneeze, or cough?

Strength training might make you look good and feel awesome now, but trust me! In a few short decades you'll thanking yourself for doing strength training. You'll have great quality of life, you'll live without assistance for much longer, and you'll possibly even need less medication and have better blood sugar than your ageing friends.

Confidence, shape, and healthy ageing are all very important. But one of my absolute favourite things about strength training doesn't have anything to do with a muscle. It's got to do with your mind!

When you are presented with a workout that challenges your body in more ways than one, you have to think about it. You need a game plan. You've already committed. You committed when you started training, and when you signed up to the gym (if you go to a gym). So, how are you going to get through the next 12 - 60 minutes without burning out?

When I was doing gymnastics, one of the apparatus that I trained was vault. It's quite possibly the most intimidating thing that I have had to conquer in a sporting or workout sense, ever. And I'm not even doing anything fancy on vault! It's just plain intimidating! Standing at the end of the runway, your mind tells you that it is not a good idea to throw yourself at a stationary object, let alone do it while upside down! This is where mental mastery comes in. You gain control of your thoughts. You understand the process of doing the vault, you've broken it down and done it all before. You know that once you start running, you are committed. The chances of injury are much higher if you bail at the wrong time. Run, jump, rebound, stay tight and powerful deflect, look at your toes, land. Visualise it in your head, take a deep breath, and go. There is no time to doubt your abilities.

A workout is similar. Probably less intimidating than a vault, but similar! You know what you're capable of, you know how far you can push yourself safely. All you need to do is conquer the will to be lazy and give up on your goals and stay in bed instead.

Visualise the end goal, take a deep breath and go! You should never doubt your abilities, because you're stronger and more awesome than you realise!

"If you can do it yourself, then why are we having this conversation?" I thought to myself.

What this person said to me, and what I thought to myself, are both 100% acceptable. I wholeheartedly agree with what she said. If you can do something for yourself, without paying for help, go right ahead and do it. Because let's face it, you'd only be taking up my time, wasting your hard earned money, and preventing me from helping someone who truly does need my help. I don't want to train someone who doesn't need my help. It's pointless!

The reason why we were having this conversation, is because she felt limited. Further conversation revealed that. Despite her having knowledge of the human body and how it works, she really needed help with practical steps and advice to help her achieve her goals. She needed help with putting her knowledge into something easy, understandable, and doable.

1) Squats, push ups... what else should I do??
This folks, is the most straight forward answer you'll ever get, for anything! If you don't know what to do, get help from someone who does.

2) You know what to do, even though you've done bootcamps / group exercise before. You just don't know where to start outside of that setting.
Fair enough! Just because you know what to do, it doesn't mean that you understand everything about it. Did you know that you can hire a trainer simply to help create a plan for you? That plan can consist of what you'll do each day of the week. It can be creating fresh workouts for you to do as well as creating a workout schedule. It can be sitting down periodically with your trainer to discuss your goals and figuring out which group classes at your gym would be best suited to get you closer to achieving those goals. We're not just someone to make you sweat lots and count your reps. There's more to us than that!

3) You need accountability.
Let's face it. If something is difficult or requires more effort than we'd like to give, and we can get away with putting it off, as humans we will put it off! We've all done it, and there's no point in denying it. You might have the means and the ability to exercise under your own steam, but are you actually going to follow through with it? Genuine, non-judgey question! Because it's all well and good saying you can do it for yourself, but will you? Why not hire a PT to be your accountability partner? None of us like to waste money, so hiring someone is good incentive to help you to create a habit, and where necessary, keep that habit going strong. For example, instead of doing a full program complete with twice weekly training sessions, you can pay your trainer for a monthly program, and then tell them each week when you are planning to hit the gym. They can remind you to do your workout on the day, they can be there to high five you as you arrive and again when you leave the gym, or they can follow up with you afterwards via message. There are heaps of ways to do this and it can be really fun figuring out away that suits you best! Throw them $20 (or whatever their rate is) per week for their effort. Hey, buy them a weekly box or three of organic free range eggs if you like! Then when the next month comes around, get a program update, and repeat! What did I say before? "We're not just someone to make you sweat lots and count your reps." We are able to help you in so many different ways!!

4) You're busy, and you don't have the time to think about it all.
All you want to do is turn up and train. You work. You have kids. Maybe you work two jobs and have three needy cats. What you want is someone who knows their stuff, who understands your goals, and can help you. Why should you exhaust your already tired and stressed brain over exercise when all you want is some "me time"? The solution - pay someone to do the thinking for you! You can do in-person sessions, or have an online program. Either way works well!

5) We keep things simple for you in a personalised way.
Did you know that for general health and fitness, regular brisk walking is all you need to do to start off with? Of course you did! The frustrating thing is, we are marketed to believe that exercise (and nutrition) needs to be fancy, complex, and come complete with it's own DJ to actually get results. Newsflash - not true! All you need to do is:

• Give yourself a decent timeframe (3-12 months depending on your current physical condition)
• Start with walking three times per week if you're a true beginner. Do this until it's a solid habit (i.e.: longer than 21 days. Think 60 days).
• Are you getting bored? Are you getting fitter? Cool! Hire someone to give you a new workout plan to do by yourself or with their supervision. From there, you can create as much variety as you want. Weights, cardio, HIIT, whatever!

​I like to train people for three months at a time. When that three months is nearing completion, we have a good chat about our progress and whether we need to keep working together or not. If my help is still needed (or wanted), we continue. If not, that's okay!

6) You'll learn things.
It's true. Everyone knows how to exercise. If you can walk, ride a bike, swim or run, you can exercise. But do you know the intricacies of how your body works? Do you know what muscles control different movements? Do you know how to best target a certain muscle in just the right way, to get just the right results? When you're working together, a good trainer will teach you those things. For two reasons:

• A good trainer will want to empower you. You shouldn't be dependent on someone for the rest of your life. You're not just paying for time, sweat, and rep counting. You're paying for their knowledge of exercise prescription in different situations, you're paying for a personalised experience, and that means you're paying to learn, whether you realise it or not.
• Being dependent on someone for the rest of your days is bad for everyone. It's really draining when you train someone long-term who isn't willing to learn. And it's actually quite sad, because that person isn't willing to reach their full potential.

You can train with someone for as long or as short as you want, but make the most of it! I have no doubt that any good trainer will be more than happy to share their knowledge on different subjects with you. It will probably be quite exciting for them, and you'll be the one reaping the benefits and getting even more value for your money.

You can think of any reason you want to hire or not to hire a trainer. It's completely up to you, because you are in control of how you spend your time and money. Just remember that all Fit Pro's are different, and you can definitely approach us and see if we are willing to try a non-traditional way to support you in your fitness journey :)

I would love have loved to respond honestly, but I had an idea of how she was feeling and I never want to come across as one without compassion. I didn't want to be misinterpreted or thought of as nasty. Motivation is frustratingly fleeting, and more people than I have met in my whole life struggle with it. Every single one of us struggles with it, nobody is immune!

If I had responded honestly, I would have asked her:
"Really? Are you sure?"

Let me explain why...

Most of the time, people don't lose their reason for something. They just forget it. As your Personal Trainer, I do not give you your reason to do something. You do that!

​I know how easy it is to lose motivation and lose drive. Life gets in the way - we get tired, and sleep becomes more attractive than working towards achieving a happier, healthier and more confident life (especially come swimsuit season). I understand this because I know how hard it is to get up at 4am in Winter. It’s hard! As I have explained in previous blogs, when it comes to maintaining motivation you just need to remember your “why,” or your reason. This will help keep you from losing momentum, and will keep your goal fresh in your mind.

I’m going to take an educated guess (because I’ve seen it so much before!), and say that what you actually need is more discipline, not more motivation.

You need to ask yourself some serious questions and be honest with yourself. What’s it going to take to stay on track? What needs to be done?

• Make a vision / goals board, and place it somewhere that you will see it every day?
• Get an accountability partner? (A reliable friend with similar goals for example)
• Do you need to put inspiring quotes around your house?
• Maybe put health test results in a prominent (but private) place to remind you that you’re actually doing this for the benefit of your life!
• Hire someone (a Personal Trainer, Physiotherapist, etc) who has the knowledge and experience to guide you as an individual and will know what to do when progress isn't happening as it needs to?​

I'd like to rephrase that a little. Change the word "bosses" to "adults". Even then, it's still not right in my mind, because there are always appropriate situations when important things need to be cancelled (e.g. when someone dies or you get taken to hospital). That quote leaves no room for compassion and understanding.

But I'm sure you know what I mean, right? We need more discipline!

I, along with many other fitness professionals, like to think of it this way. Discipline is to adhere to or continue doing an idea or concept, regardless of how you are feeling at the present point of time. Why do you go to work when you'd rather be at the beach with family and friends? Because you know that if you don't work, you don't eat, and you don't have a house to live in. You understand the consequences of you actions.

The same applies to your health and fitness. If you don't put in the time and effort, how are you going to feel confident at the beach in Summer? How are you going to feel when you're struggling with preventable health issues due to lifestyle and think to yourself, "if I had stuck with a good lifestyle, this might have been so different?" How are you going to feel when another year goes by and the goal is still just a dream? Folks, we need discipline! Every single positive or negative choice we make has a consequence or flow-on effect. Please understand this, because your long term health and happiness does actually depend on it.

Discipline can be daunting. Holding yourself accountable is hard and sharing your goals with others is scary. But you know what? You can actually do it! You can reach your goals! You’ve just got to take it one day at a time, and keep going, even when you feel like you’re failing. (Fun fact: the hard times are when you learn and grow the most!)

​Simple facts.

As a rule, a good amount of carbs per day is to eat enough fruits, vegetables and salads to give you somewhere between 100-200 grams of carbs per day. This amount will vary per person, depending on your activity levels, body type, and of course your goals too!

Remember that some people can naturally stay leaner despite eating loads of carbs, and other people’s bodies have a tendency to gain when they eat too many carbs. It’s something that you need to take time with and see what your body works best with. Let me say it again: you will need to take time. Be patient. Unfortunately our bodies don’t do things as instantly as we want it to! A little bit of patience now will pay off in the long run.

We go for days, weeks, even months! We do so well on our meal plans and have great results because of it. Then, we go to a social event, we have a stressful week, and the next thing you know we're pigging out on "old faithful". That treat that was always there when you wanted it the most. Why did it happen?? Everything was going so well!! You hadn't eaten (insert delicious food / drink here) in so long! Maybe that's the reason you ate it! Maybe you felt deprived!

For me, one big thing that I miss about some of the foods I used to eat, is not always the flavours, but the textures too! For example, I LOVE chocolate (see, I'm a sweet tooth!). I love the flavour, and I love the crunch as I take a bite. If I'm having chocolate with nuts in it, I enjoy the "different crunch" and the more savoury flavour that the nuts provide. If I'm having a soft caramel chocolate, I love the crunch of the chocolate and then the soft feeling of the caramel.

​Identifying why you enjoy something is a huge part of giving it up. It seems odd to give up something you enjoy, but let's face it, not everything that we love, loves us back, right? In identifying what we enjoy, we are then able to broaden our horizons, and try to find something similar, more healthy, but still provides us with the things we enjoy.

So, with that knowledge, I have decided to treat myself to a small portion of dark chocolate, two times per week. With each 100g pack of this chocolate (pictured above), I can get 5 treats. How awesome is that! I don't know if I'll ever go to 85% dark chocolate, but so far 70% is just right.

​It still tastes like chocolate (just less sweet), and I get that nice crunch that I miss when I don't eat chocolate. If I want to replicate having different textures with the chocolate, then I can grab some chocolate covered almonds, chocolate covered raisins or cranberries, or find a nice trail mix with some extra dried fruits and nuts to really mix things up!

I know I mentioned it before, but making sure you have a small portion is so super important! When it comes to my dark chocolate treat, I know that the official serving size is seven small squares (it sounds like a lot but they're quite thin). But - if I only have 6 squares, that makes the whole block last longer! I'm still giving myself a generous treat, I'm exercising myself control and helping it to get stronger without allowing myself to completely blow out. If I want more than my allocated portion, it really isn't that long until I can have my next treat.
​
I have found that I do really well with written notes or "instructions" to myself. I have been known to write messages and leave them taped all through our cupboards...

There's no shame in acknowledging that you find something delicious. Knowing what is going to serve you well makes all the difference. With my chocolate treats (as seen above), I have already worked out my portion sizes, and having them in snap-lock bags with my treat days written on them helps me stay on track. I'm only having that much, and only on those days. This trick may not work for everyone, but it's definitely worth trying to see what works for you. And if someone looks in your cupboard and sees your notes written to yourself or your pre-portioned treats and teases you about it, you don't have to justify your actions to them because sooner or later, you'll be happy and healthy, while they still struggle. If only they took a leaf out of your book instead of teasing you...

A cheat meal is a GREAT way to keep on track! That may not make any sense at all, but trust me, it works! If we're all about avoiding that deprived feeling, then allowing ourselves one cheat meal per week, fortnight, or month is a great way to combat that.

I'm currently having one cheat meal per week. Lately, it's been a nice piece of grilled fish with some hot chips, and maybe a nice cookie. I get to enjoy the taste of fish and chips, but I also remember how heavy in the stomach the chips make me feel after I eat them! Other times, I might have a few slices of pizza (homemade or store bought), or a yummy bowl of spaghetti. Maybe I'll stick with my meal plan and my "cheat" part of the meal can be a small dessert. When I have my cheat meal, I make sure I don't get carried away by the taste of it and over eat. I eat it, enjoy it, and stop when my body tells me I'm full. That way, I minimise any discomfort that might follow after the meal.

A cheat meal doesn't (nay, shouldn't) be an excuse to gorge yourself and give yourself indigestion and stomach cramps for days. You're in control, and if you don't actually feel like having your scheduled cheat meal, don't!

Remember - making progress is never going to be easy. We are all in the same boat when it comes to giving unhealthy things up. Be patient, be kind and compassionate on yourself and remember that if you make a mistake, your next opportunity is your next meal! You can do it!

It was my first time at a gym. Ever. I signed up with my boyfriend (at the time) after seeing a promo in the local paper. Of course, when we signed the paperwork and paid for our memberships, we got that free PT session where you have a run-through of your program that you always get. I had just enrolled in Polytech (the NZ version of TAFE) where I was about to embark on one whole year of automotive engineering studies. My goal was to get stronger so I could survive that year in the workshop with the boys, working on cars.

The PT had programmed running on the treadmill as a part of my program. It puzzled me. "How's this going to help me get stronger?" I thought to my 16-year-old self. Still, I followed instructions and ran. My boyfriend had finished his running, and he was chatting with the PT, watching me on the treadmill as I slogged away. Then the words came out of my boyfriend’s mouth...

"Hey Hannah, what colour's red?"

My face had gone quite red with all the heat and effort from running. They laughed between themselves like they were the best of friends. I was not laughing.

I brushed it off as if it didn't bother me, but it did. Nineteen years later, I still remember it. I still feel it in my heart, and I remember how upsetting it was to be laughed at while I was giving my best effort, when I should have been supported and encouraged. Needless to say I did not continue on with any paid sessions with that trainer, and within a couple of weeks my boyfriend had become an ex.
What a horrible first experience with a gym and a Personal Trainer!

As an Online Personal Trainer, many of my training team members live away from me. If they want to train in a gym or a similar training facility, it's up to me to share with them how they can find the best facility possible! 

In the Southern Hemisphere, November and December is the time of year when people have either joined a gym in the lead-up to Summer, or are thinking about joining a gym in the New Year. I want you to know that the facility you join (or don't join) is totally up to you. Despite how it may feel at times, you are actually in control, not the staff! I want you to have an awesome experience wherever you choose to do your workouts, so please allow me and my previous experience as a staff member in a gym (and of course your caring current online PT!) to help you find that perfect facility, just for you!
​

• Take advantage of free trials.

​​Your mission before anything else, is to find a space where you are comfortable. Because if you aren't comfortable, your time in that facility won't last. I've seen it HEAPS. You'll either cancel, or you'll stop going and your payments will keep going, wasting your precious, hard-earned money you could be putting towards something else. Always aim to do a trial that lasts for up to a week. That way you can see what the gym is like over a period of time, and you'll have more opportunities to see if you like the space and the staff. If they don't offer longer trials that are about a week in length, ask if they'd consider doing it this one time. The worst thing that can happen, is they'll say no. It's worth a shot!

• Talk to the staff and watch how they interact with their current members.

​- When you come in for your trial, do they chat with you and help you to feel at ease?
- Do they listen to you, or do they only pretend to listen?
- Do they take the time to understand your goals, and apply how their gym can realistically help you to achieve them?
While gym staff always have the goal of signing you up, they shouldn't be so focused on the sign up that they lose sight of your needs as a person, and they should work with you. A good indication of what your future will be like in that facility is by looking at their interaction is like with other gym members. They don't have to be best friends with every single person, but good staff will learn your name, have a quick chat with you regularly, and respond appropriately to any feedback you may give them, whether it's equipment that needs fixing, or reporting something more serious.

• Ask questions.

​This is kind of a no-brainer, but people are often scared to ask questions because that might lead to a conversation and a commitment that you don't want to make and can't get out of easily. It is your right as a potential gym member to be informed about the legalities of your membership contract (cooling off periods, cancellations etc), about what the facility does and does not offer, and whatever other questions you may need answers to. If they're not willing to answer your questions, or they make you feel silly for asking questions, leave.

• "No" is a perfectly acceptable answer.

​Staff members generally have some level of sales training and / or experience. They will ask you questions in a way to get you to positively respond so that it's easier for them to get a sign up from you. Even if you love the facility, and have had a great experience, you can actually still say no to signing up if you don't want to. It is perfectly acceptable to tell someone that you are shopping around. If it's acceptable to shop around for a pair of shoes, it's acceptable to shop around for training facility.
It's also perfectly acceptable to honestly tell them why you chose not to join, whether it's because you don't feel comfortable, people are rude, or the gym smells like B.O. If you tell them no, and they come back with a few options for you, you are still not obliged to sign up. Remember what you want, and go for it. They would, so why shouldn't you? (Just remember - always be kind and respectful, even if they aren't.)

I'm really hoping that these four tips will help you to find your new training home that is a perfect fit for you and your goals! If you have any other questions or comments, please feel free to comment below or contact me privately via my "contact" page