Training? Can't I just do it myself? I can't afford it!

This is quite the topic for debate and boy have I been on both sides!  Having a personal trainer is definitely a luxury and can get pricey if your personal financial house isn't in order.  I happen to be a walking 'Suze Orman' who actually keeps my personal finances on Quick Books, so you will see that this post comes from that perspective.  I have had several trainers over the years and have paid anywhere from $35 to $125 per hour.  PS - I don't even make that much an hour so how is it possible to pay approximately $700 a month in training you ask? Well, in years past, when financial times were better for me, I was able to make that sacrifice and actually did for years!  I spent a great deal of time making it 'make sense' on the books - I reallocated eating out, entertainment, and misc spending toward training which was a main priority for me after mortgage, car note, and my son.  Training has been a necessary and justified expense for me since 2007! I have just put it in my budget...bottom line.  This goes back to the point I made in a previous blog about how being strong and in control transcends throughout all of your endeavors both personal and professional! The better I felt about myself, the more confidence I had.  The more confidence I had, the more I challenged myself professionally.  The more I challenged myself professionally, the more money I made... you get the picture!  I am fortunate that I have within the last year found affordable training that costs me approximately $366 a month.  It is group training... not one on one.  I was sceptical at first thinking that it wasn't going to have the same Bang!  Boy was I wrong!  There are a few trainers at LVAC who started this group strength/circuit training format a few years ago, which has allowed so many of us who couldn't afford one on one training the opportunity to reach our goals!   I have seen women go from an average mommy of two to figure competitor (Rock Star!) on stage at Regional and National Competitions while group training 3 times a week, following a great diet, and doing regular cardio sessions!  I train alongside these incredible women and am continuously inspired by them!  Whoever thought of this group fitness format was genius in that it opened up the door for many of us regular 'working folk' to partake in a luxury sport that was once reserved for the rich and celebrity types.  You too can be FABULOUS on a budget!  Here is the story many of us have - You find a way to fit it in the budget, you commit for 90-120 days, you get great results, you go on that annual trip and sashe' around workin' it while everyone falls all over you.. then you say, "I can do this on my own... I  know what I'm doing now."  Well, yes and no would be my response.  Even great trainers have trainers!  It is a job!  It is an art!  Great trainers really put a great deal of thought into the programs they present to their clients.  They are constantly studying and constantly evolving.  They are just like any other educator... they have to prepare and stay competitive!  I have a whole new respect for group fitness trainers who teach Body Pump and Body Combat.  I went through the training for Body Pump recently and I had NO idea how much it entailed!  It is constant and ongoing!  Not only from a learning and choreography standpoint, but also a financial one as well!  If you are fortunate enough to have a good trainer who not only cares but is also knowledgeable and strives to meet your personal goals... Congratulations!  You are hearing from me, first hand as a new trainer, that it is not easy!  For those of you who are teachers, professors, and dance instructors, you can so relate to what I'm talking about!  Please know that Great Trainers really do put in a lot of work for their clients before they even step into the Gym!  I have been very fortunate to have trained with some of the greats!  On my personal quest for greatness, I even train with renowned trainers around the country when I visit different states to expand my personal knowledge and experience.  I want to leave no stone unturned!  I want to train with the best so I can be the best!  I pray that the info I present in this blog resonates and inspires you to be great too!  Until next time xoxo ... Fitness Barbie (lol) =)