Have you set some fitness goals for yourself? Or are you new to exercise and not sure how to get started? Then it may be time to hire a personal trainer.

A personal trainer can help you:

• Get results quicker
• Avoid getting injured
• Lose weight or gain muscle
• Create fitness goals
• Hold you accountable
• Get into the habit of exercising

Of course, hiring a personal trainer is an investment. And you want to find one that works for you. But how do you do that? Use these tips to find the right personal trainer and start seeing results.

• Figure Out What Your Needs and Goals Are: Before you even start reaching out to personal trainers, figure out what your goals and needs are. Do you want someone to help you lose weight? Do you want to learn new exercises to prevent boredom? Are you training for an event and want exercises that complement your training? When you know what you want, you can discuss these things with potential trainers.
• Make Sure Your Trainer Can Meet Your Needs: Yes, once you know what you want from a trainer, you can see if a specific trainer matches your goals. Some trainers have specialties (such as weight loss, powerlifting, etc.), and you want to make sure they can give you what you want.
• Make Sure You’re a Fit: If you’re going to spend an hour (or two or three) each week with a personal trainer, you want them to be a fit – because you want the time together to be productive and fun. Pay special attention to a trainer’s personality and decide if you could see yourself working together.
• They Have Availability When You Do: You probably have a very busy schedule, and there are most likely specific times when you want to exercise – maybe even specific days. Definitely ask the trainers you interview what their availability is and make sure it matches your schedule.
• Check Their Certifications: Any personal trainer you hire should have at least one certification that qualifies them to help you with your fitness goals. Ask what certifications they hold and do some research as to their credibility.
• They Train Where You Workout: Make sure your prospective trainer can train where you workout. Some gyms limit training at their facilities to their staff only. You may need to arrange to workout at your home or outdoors if they can’t come to your gym to train.
• Ask Friends and Family for Recommendations: Recommendations are always great if you don’t know where to start. Ask friends or family if they’ve hired a personal trainer and what the experience was like. You can also look for reviews on websites or social media.
• Be Open to Giving and Receiving Feedback: If you and your trainer are going to develop a good working relationship, you both need to be open to feedback. If there are specific exercises that you don’t like or that cause you pain – be sure to share that. And expect that your trainer will share feedback with you related to your goals.
• Move On If It’s Not Working: If you hire a trainer and find that it’s just not working, don’t try and stick it out. It can be really demotivating to be in a situation where you’re not happy – for whatever reason – and it may necessitate finding a new trainer. And that’s okay. There are lots of personal trainers out there, and you’ll find the right one.

If 2021 is the year when you invest in yourself by hiring a personal trainer, be sure to be smart about it and find the one for you! It will make exercising and reaching your goals much more fun and attainable.