I am often asked how and why I decided to go into online training for my clients. Like many things in life, there were many reasons that all came together in a “perfect storm” kind of way:
#1. I used online personal training when I competed for my bikini competitions a few years back. And although I have my Master’s Degree in Applied Exercise Science and I knew exactly what needed to be done, I needed the accountability and motivation online training offered.
#2. Since 2009, I have worked for Cathy Savage Fitness as an online figure coach for women who want to compete in these competitions, and I have seen the benefits of online coaching from both sides, as a client and then as a coach (totally recommend CSF for anything having to do with training for a fitness or figure comp – I will not do that here).
#3. In September 2010, I had twin boys and obviously my life changed. I used to be able to workout whenever I wanted. I had 30 minutes (if I planned on showering that day) to get a workout in. I can say with all honesty, that 99% of my workouts had been no longer than 30 minutes and had taken place in my basement with a treadmill and 2 sets of weights. Most weeks were only 3 days per week. During these abbreviated workouts, I came to the realization that many people share the same time constraints that I do for one reason or another, and I felt that I could use my knowledge and experience to help others take advantage of whatever time they have. I decided to basically do the same thing that I had been doing for the past 2 years for Cathy Savage Fitness, but instead of working for someone else, I would be my own company and I want to target everyday women, not competitors.
#4. I am the aunt to 7 neices ages 7 – 17yrs. old. I know what myths and misconceptions are out there surrounding weight loss and I really wanted to give them a place to go to get accurate information.
#5. The reality is that personal training is a luxury and one that some people have a tough time budgeting for. I’m hoping that my online services will provide an alternative for those people that need the structure of a program, the accountability and knowledge of a qualified trainer, and the motivation and encouragement to see results, but with a lower pricetag.
#6. Too often I find that many people do everything right in the gym. They take the hardest classes and workout almost everyday, yet they are not getting the results they want. Possibly because they are misinformed as to what or how much they should be eating, or what types of exercises will elicit the fastest results. An integral part of online training comes in tracking your foods and showing me exactly what you are putting into your mouth. I will make some suggestions and adjustments based on what I see in your food journals. In over 2 years of online coaching experience, I have found that this alone is the biggest indicator of weight loss results.
This past spring, my sister -in -law (who lives in PA) emailed me with some questions regarding her diet and exercise routine. She had stalled in her progress and wanted some assistance. I had her track all of her food and workouts for me and email them to me every 3 days. I would take a look at it and make some suggestions. In just a few short weeks she was feeling less bloated and was happier with the way her jeans fit! I had been working with bikini and figure competitors for so long that it didn’t even occur to me how helpful this type of program would be to the everyday woman – until Dawn told me that I had to start offering this on my own! Thanks you Dawn for pushing me to offer this to others!
Online training is not for everyone. Just like personal training is not for everyone. There are no secrets. I am not guaranteeing that anyone will lose enormous amounts of weight. I just want to offer a program to those people who are ready to work hard but need the encouragement and guidance from someone to keep them on track.
I would love to be able to train each and every one of my clients in person, but obviously it’s just not possible, and I think this is the next best thing!