Average cost for workout/nutrition plan for "professional trainer?"

[sunkissed73]

So, I am wondering how much an average workout/diet plan costs from a "professional." A girl that I went to high school with (just graduated college) is currently going to school for nutrition and has just started a personal training business. She is offering personalized diet/workout plans. She is very fit and definitely in shape, so even though she is not certified yet I do believe she is knowledgeable and knows what she is talking about. Anyway, she has been advertising her new business through social media sites, and I contacted her today for prices because I was really curious- she's posted her own progress on Facebook and the results are good! For $70 (one time fee) she will write you a nutrition plan and workout, or you can get only one of the two for $40 per item. I'm really tempted to spend the money and try it, but at the same time I don't want to waste my money. Is it too much/a good deal? I honestly don't know. My mom was like don't do it, but she is extremely frugal/cautious with money (love ya mom ) I do think this girl knows what she's doing training wise, but is there anything that I can ask to make sure that I am getting my money's worth. I don't mind spending the money, but I don't want to throw my money away.

What are everyone's thoughts? Has anyone had experience with this before?

Thanks everyone

 

[mrbghd]

Couple of things to think about:
I have multiple certifications in this field. I was a personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach while working my way through school. My rate was between $50 and $100 a session-depending on the type of client.

First thing to ask is what certification(s) does she have. Common personal trainer certification organizations are: ISSA, ACE, NCSF and others. This is strictly for personal training services. Secondly, i would be leary of paying for nutritional planning from someone who is not a state certified dietician or a nutritionist.

Just because a person is fit and looks good doesn't mean they can teach you those things. There are tons of websites you can check out full of knowledge that you can get for free and see how you do. If you need some suggestions on some free webstes to visit dm me and i will send them to you.

 

[pintamino]

Have you checked out sparkpeople.com? It's free and they give you a meal plan and lots of other tools to use.

I'm not sure I would buy in to a one-time thing, because your health and fitness needs change as you change.

 

[Karalea]

I would be sure she wasn't offering you something you could get for free somewhere online like Spark People that was mentioned by the PP. Is she offering any sort of follow up sessions with you or just a one time, take the plan, follow it kind of thing? I would absolutely find out my details before I paid for it.

My trainer is $199/mth. That included 3 sessions (2 small group and 1 individual) with him a week, an individualized meal plan, etc. It is a little expensvie but it really works. He was named one of the top 100 trainers in the country a few years ago so I trust in what I am learning from him.

 

[braysmommy]

Another thing to look at for the nutritionist is your primary health insurance. Some with your co-pay allow for you to see a licensed nutritionist.

 

[Maddykins06]

Ditto PP about the certs.
I am a professor in Exercise Science & a personal trainer w/multiple certifications. (NSCA, ACSM, & ACE).

Maybe I am misunderstanding due to her Facebook advertising, is she going to just give you a program without seeing you? Or is she taking you to a gym? How someone can "write" you a workout program without first doing an assessment of your biometric data is beyond me. How will she know what you can do now? If you have any contraindications to exercise? How will she know what weight to suggest you lift? Will she check your form? Does she require a health history form or a physician clearance? Does she have insurance?

Most gyms will give you a workout program for FREE. It's the training sessions for which they charge.

As for the nutrition, I would NOT take any advice from anyone other than a registered dietician. Depending upon the laws in your state, ANYONE can call themselves a "nutritionist" without ever having gone to school or had any previous training.

Sorry about the vent! Stepping off my soapbox now.

 

[SandrA9810]

So how much does it normally cost to see a nutritionist? And how often should there be sessions?

It's teetered on my mind before. The more I try to eat right, the more I feel like I'm failing.

 

[jessiesue]

Try myfitnesspal.com. Loads of info and all kinds of help.

 

[Mickeyistheman]

OP, I actually can see where you are coming from where you are not sure about her.

A very good friend of mine actually started doing the same thing and even in highschool she was always very healthy and althletic and just a really sweet person, very positive too.

She has been advertisting on social media as well and she is MUCH CHEAPER than some others who are just offering personal training.

I would ask her exactly what she is offering and if its what you want then go for it.

Also to the Poster who is paying $199 a month for training 3 times a week plus all that other stuff that is CHEAP!!!!

I have to pay $250 for 10 sessions and that is without anything additional.

 

[Poohforyou]

Ditto PP about the certs.
I am a professor in Exercise Science & a personal trainer w/multiple certifications. (NSCA, ACSM, & ACE).

Maybe I am misunderstanding due to her Facebook advertising, is she going to just give you a program without seeing you? Or is she taking you to a gym? How someone can "write" you a workout program without first doing an assessment of your biometric data is beyond me. How will she know what you can do now? If you have any contraindications to exercise? How will she know what weight to suggest you lift? Will she check your form? Does she require a health history form or a physician clearance? Does she have insurance?

Most gyms will give you a workout program for FREE. It's the training sessions for which they charge.

As for the nutrition, I would NOT take any advice from anyone other than a registered dietician. Depending upon the laws in your state, ANYONE can call themselves a "nutritionist" without ever having gone to school or had any previous training.

Sorry about the vent! Stepping off my soapbox now.

I completely agree with you. I work out with a trainer once a week and on my own 3-4 other days. I pay about $25 a session. The first thing my trainer did was a full assessment which he'll redo every 6-8 weeks to check my progress. Every session he asks how I'm feeling to make sure I'm not overworking anything. We talk about nutritution but he doesn't provide me with a plan.

My grandmother was a registered dietician and what she knew about nutritution amazed me.

OP - unless you're going to see this person face to face I wouldn't pay for whatever advice she's offering.

 

[Jay7]

So, I am wondering how much an average workout/diet plan costs from a "professional." A girl that I went to high school with (just graduated college) is currently going to school for nutrition and has just started a personal training business. She is offering personalized diet/workout plans. She is very fit and definitely in shape, so even though she is not certified yet I do believe she is knowledgeable and knows what she is talking about. Anyway, she has been advertising her new business through social media sites, and I contacted her today for prices because I was really curious- she's posted her own progress on Facebook and the results are good! For $70 (one time fee) she will write you a nutrition plan and workout, or you can get only one of the two for $40 per item. I'm really tempted to spend the money and try it, but at the same time I don't want to waste my money. Is it too much/a good deal? I honestly don't know. My mom was like don't do it, but she is extremely frugal/cautious with money (love ya mom ) I do think this girl knows what she's doing training wise, but is there anything that I can ask to make sure that I am getting my money's worth. I don't mind spending the money, but I don't want to throw my money away.

What are everyone's thoughts? Has anyone had experience with this before?

Thanks everyone

One thing is for certain.....don't let the rest of these jokers convince you that a person has to have a certification to know what they are talking about. Most certifications can be had in less than a week and are a complete joke. I have a degree in Exercise Science and have held two different certs. I'll stack my degree on top of the certs all day. Gimme a break! 4 years of college isn't good enough? But a weekend warrior $200-$1000 cert is??? Doesn't even make sense. Certs don't trump degrees. Don't listen to these cats. They sound like a bunch of brainwashed sheep. I'll give a pass to the CSCS cert because you have to have a degree just to obtain it and it's deep! Don't pay your friend for nutrition advice. Here's some free advice: Stay away from all sugar other than the minimal fruit that you'll eat seasonally. If you're a meat eater, eat only grass fed beef, fish, and free range birds (if you can get your hands on bison, venison, or any other wild game...do so). Smash on vegetables like there's no tomorrow. Don't over do it with the carb rich stuff like potatoes, corn, rice, etc. Be sparing. Nuts, seeds, and berries. Water, water, water!!!!! If something has more than 5 ingredients in it....stay away. If something has an ingredient in it that you can't even pronounce....ask yourself why you would consume it......and don't. Stay away from stuff that has corn syrup in it (esp high fructose corn syrup). You know what maltodextrin is? No? So don't consume it. Supplements are a racket....don't let the high school kid behind the counter of GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, etc convince you otherwise. If you trust that your friend knows what she's doing and she charges you less than $60 for a PT session.....you're getting a hell of a deal. Go for it. Just be careful about advice.....even mine for that matter. Just sit back and think about what really makes sense to you. Go with your instincts. Lastly, don't buy anything from the following people, but look through their blogs for good information: Jason Ferruggia (Renegade Gym), Dan John, Kelly Starrett (Mobility WOD), Eric Cressey (Cressey Performance), Scott Sonnon (RMax), Naudi Aguilar (Functional Patterns)...I have a list of others if you want them. Good luck to you and feel free to hit me up for more info!

 

[LilyWDW]

I have seen too many "nutritionists" tells people to only eat 1000 calories, never eat carbs, and never eat meat again as diet advice.

I have seen too many "personal trainers" tell females never to lift heavy and to only do cardio.

What I am saying is that these titles mean nothing if the person is an idiot.

 

[Jay7]

I have seen too many "nutritionists" tells people to only eat 1000 calories, never eat carbs, and never eat meat again as diet advice.

I have seen too many "personal trainers" tell females never to lift heavy and to only do cardio.

What I am saying is that these titles mean nothing if the person is an idiot.

Well said. Tell you the truth.....I've been in the industry for a while now.....never met a nutritionist/dietician who had a clue. Same ol, same ol....count calories, measure portion sizes, understand carb, protein, and fat percentages of daily intake.....blah blah blah. Wonder how people managed to survive 100+ years ago? Funny how those job titles didn't really exist until the creation of processed foods and our choices turned to sh*t!

 

[LilyWDW]

Well said. Tell you the truth.....I've been in the industry for a while now.....never met a nutritionist/dietician who had a clue. Same ol, same ol....count calories, measure portion sizes, understand carb, protein, and fat percentages of daily intake.....blah blah blah. Wonder how people managed to survive 100+ years ago? Funny how those job titles didn't really exist until the creation of processed foods and our choices turned to sh*t!

I have learned the lesson well... and am doing better on my own then I ever did while paying someone. I have lost over 30 lbs and many inches by counting calories, watching my portions, eating a cleaner and better balanced diet, eating about my BMR and not some ridiculous low amount of calories, and combining strength and cardio workouts. While I am not yet at my goal (about 40 lbs more), I have seen constant improvement.

So, my suggestions for the OP? Use a free site like My Fitness Pal to keep a food and exercise diary. Figure out your BMR and TDEE and eat a percentage off your TDEE (10%-20% depending how much weight you need to lose). Exercise and don't be afraid of strength training and lifting. Weigh your food and watch your portions. Don't be afraid of carbs, fats, and proteins, just get the right ones at the right amounts for your body.

 

[jam217]

As another poster said, check your insurance and see if you're entitled to see a nutritionist or RD. My insurance allows me and my dependents each 7 free visits a year (no co-pay). The woman that we see is affiliated with a local hospital and is very knowledgeable. My son is a cross country country runner and she tailors his diet plan to his sport.

 

[Jay7]

I have learned the lesson well... and am doing better on my own then I ever did while paying someone. I have lost over 30 lbs and many inches by counting calories, watching my portions, eating a cleaner and better balanced diet, eating about my BMR and not some ridiculous low amount of calories, and combining strength and cardio workouts. While I am not yet at my goal (about 40 lbs more), I have seen constant improvement.

So, my suggestions for the OP? Use a free site like My Fitness Pal to keep a food and exercise diary. Figure out your BMR and TDEE and eat a percentage off your TDEE (10%-20% depending how much weight you need to lose). Exercise and don't be afraid of strength training and lifting. Weigh your food and watch your portions. Don't be afraid of carbs, fats, and proteins, just get the right ones at the right amounts for your body.

Yeah, I'm not with stressing out about counting cals, carbs, proteins, fats, etc. Before the introduction of processed foods, we never counted and didn't worry about obesity. That should give us a pretty good understanding of where the problem lies. Understanding what processed foods are as well as things like HFCS, etc is important. If you're getting healthy by counting numbers, go for it. Just know that with the simple elimination of excess carbs, eating slower to allow that "I'm full" signal to hit the brain, and daily exercise can make the whole process a helluva lot less stressful. That's awesome that you're dropping weight though! Make sure you include strength training in your regimine. Being skinny fat is just as unhealthy as being overweight. Good luck to you!