How to Be Your Own Personal Trainer

Wouldn't it be great if you had access to the same personal training and weight loss coaching services that celebrities enjoy? Who wouldn’t lose weight and get lean with a team of experts on hand every day? Well, truth is that you do have access to that type of service. With a little bit of commitment, you can learn how to be your own personal trainer.

You know your body and your lifestyle better than anyone. You know what activities you enjoy and which foods you are likely to eat. You also know which programs you’ve already tried without success. With a little bit of planning, you can put your knowledge to use and design the perfect plan for you.

Becoming your own personal trainer takes a few hours of time. But the payoff is huge. You’ll gain all of the essential skills to get your mind and body in shape and you’ll lose weight along the way. Here are five steps that will guide you through the process. Bookmark this page so you can refer back to it as you move through the steps. Or print it out and check off each step as you go.

Set a Goal

Man on spin bike at the gym — Gary Burchel / Getty Images

To be your own personal trainer, you'll use your first session to find out what your client (that's you!) wants to achieve. During this first step, you clearly define and write out your goals. Believe it or not, this step is the most crucial component of your plan to get fit, improve your sports performance or lose weight! Grab a pen and paper and begin your journey now.

Improve Your Diet

Weight loss can happen in the gym, but the biggest changes usually happen when you change your diet. So which diet is best? The fact is that all diets that work are based on the same basic principle. There is no reason to overhaul your eating plan or give up foods that you love. But you do need to make some adjustments to control your calorie intake and get enough protein and carbohydrates for weight loss.

Create Your Exercise Plan

When you become your own personal trainer, you will combine both aerobic workouts and strength training workouts to get lean and fit. Sound difficult? It’s not. Every workout doesn't have to be hard. And the type of workout you choose matters less than the intensity and consistency of your sessions.

Schedule Meals and Workouts

The best professional coaches create an organized weekly program for their clients. This step is essential. Schedule one hour each week to set up your eating plan and workout routines for the week. Write out the plan including meals, snacks, and workouts for the week. Post your plan in a place where you see it every day. Using print-outs can make the job easier.

Motivate Yourself to Stay on Track

Just like any personal trainer, you'll experience moments of challenge. You will want to give up and you'll have to rely on yourself and your commitment to keep yourself going. Certified personal trainers have specific methods they use to keep their clients on track. The methods aren’t hard to learn, you just have to know what they are.