Personal Trainers are Not Just for Men

Picture the scene. It's the first time you've been anywhere near a gym in years - perhaps this is your first time ever. It feels like everyone is watching you, from the slim, glossy haired, smooth skinned girl on the reception desk to the fit and healthy female forms surrounding you as you attempt to navigate the unfamiliar social etiquette of the changing room.

You've just about managed to struggle into your old, stretched gym kit and you have finally arrived in the gym itself, where you are overwhelmed by the vast variety of apparently torturous devices that line every wall. Where on earth should you start?

It is no wonder that, for many women, the prospect of going to the gym can be so daunting that they rarely get further than buying expensive trainers, which are then abandoned, unused and unloved, in a corner of the wardrobe where they remain, festering like a guilty conscience. Whereas men are generally more able to put on a display of macho bravado, women can often be much more susceptible to feelings of insecurity and inadequacy when faced with a gym full of fitter, younger looking women, particularly after the stresses and strains of children and aging have taken their toll. This problem is exasperated by the biological facts: the female body is composed of more fat than the male body, as high oestrogen levels encourage it to preserve and store fats in order to prepare it for providing for potential children. Furthermore, the current fashion for crash dieting and extreme food plans means our bodies are more overwhelmed than ever, leading many to end up storing more fat than they lose.

One of the biggest problems with so-called 'fad' diets is that no single diet will work for every woman: everyone is different and everyone requires a different type of diet and form of exercise in order to achieve their desired weight and figure. This is where personal trainers come in. Whereas men are generally less likely to wish to ask for help with their exercise plans, preferring to attempt to formulate their own exercise regimes for themselves, women statistically have a much more positive attitude towards asking for and accepting help, support and encouragement. Personal trainers can not only teach you to use fitness equipment safely and effectively, they can also tailor an exercise schedule to suit your needs, adapting it to accommodate the various demands that family and work can have on a woman and considering each individual's specific 'problem spots' and different abilities. Furthermore, many personal trainers can also offer to formulate a diet plan to compliment their client's exercise schedule as they work to attain that perfect figure.

Far from the battleaxe, judgemental, army style stereotype, personal trainers are almost always dedicated, cheerful, friendly experts who want only to encourage and assist you as you work to attain your perfect weight in a way that is not only undaunting, but even fun. Whatever your age, size and physical ability, almost anyone can benefit from the service of a personal trainers. Whether you're looking for an athletic career or simply want to fit into that dress, a personal trainer can help you get there.