A personal trainer’s job isn’t to produce major results in a short time frame.

People tend to think once they hire someone, dramatic results will soon follow. They don’t realise that it takes a lot of work to get those results. If major changes are desired it can take weeks, or even months, of consistency and lifestyle changes.

We will ask about your diet.

Whether your goal is to lose weight or gain muscle, the food you consume has a massive impact on whether or not you reach your goals, regardless of how consistent you are with your workouts. If you find you are unable to stick to a plan of your own, consult a qualified nutritionist to help you.

We don’t judge you for what you ate over the weekend.

We only ask to keep you accountable and to discover your patterns so that we can find out what may be blocking you from reaching your goals. I never want my clients to feel bad about themselves in any way. I want them to feel empowered. However, we do have to be honest with you if only because you might direct the blame at us if you are not getting the results you want.

Realistic weight loss is about a pound per week.

All bodies lose and gain weight at different speeds due to a multitude of factors. Many clients are surprised that weight loss isn’t as fast and straightforward as they think it should be. There are loads of unhealthy detoxes and extreme diets that can produce quick and very unsustainable weight loss. However when you’re going about it in a healthy and sustainable way what you end up with is a long-lasting result.

We are not trying to torture you by giving you exercises you hate.

We as humans tend to enjoy doing the stuff we are naturally good at. We dread anything that is challenging, awkward or that makes us feel weak. Most people despise the burpee, a full-body exercise used in strength training, however it is those drills you struggle with that can help us address gaps in your fitness.

Of course, if you really hate certain exercises we won’t make you do them. There are a variety of equally challenging options that a good trainer can set for you. Our hope is that once you are stronger and you trust yourself and your body’s abilities, you are willing to try what you once thought was unachievable.

Most of your results will occur outside of our sessions.

We as trainers are with you about two to three hours per week. Even if you kill every session, it’s the time when you are not exercising with us that is crucial for progression, regardless of your goals. That is why it is so important to focus on sleep, nutrition and recovery and, when we check in with you, it is important that you answer honestly.

Sometimes a session will be catered to what your body needs on that day.

A lot of people think that every workout is designed for you to pour sweat. And while there may be some trainers that have that goal in mind, you will not always need a high-intensity workout. Sometimes you may need a lower intensity. This is the reason you hire a trainer, because they will design a programme that is tailored to meet the demands of your body.

Now that you know what to expect, get going and B-Active For Life!

Betty Doyling is a certified fitness trainer and figure competitor with more than a decade of experience. Look for B. ActiveForLife on Facebook