5 Things To Do At Home To Complement Your Personal Training

Paying for a personal trainer through a place like Horizon Personal Training is one of the most effective ways to get in better shape and lose weight. A personal trainer will keep you motivated, customize your workouts to meet your unique needs, and challenge you. They will also help you use new equipment and in some cases will even come up with a meal plan for you. While personal trainers are well worth the money for many people, there are also things you can do on your own to help ensure you make the most out of your training sessions. Here are five things to try:

Eat More Calories

This may seem counter-intuitive, but experts agree that for most people eating more (and better quality) calories can help you lose weight and provide the energy you need to tackle your personal trainer workouts. When you first start working out with a personal trainer, your body will be working extra hard to build muscle and lose fat, and it needs fuel to do this.

This fuel comes in the form of getting enough nutrient and protein-rich food every day. If you restrict your diet and limit your calories too much, your body will go into starvation mode and stop burning fat. The ballpark amount of calories you should consume each day depends on your height, current weight, goal weight, and other personal factors so it's best to ask your personal trainer for their recommendation.

Cut Out Processed Foods

If you want to see results from your personal training sessions as quickly as possible, complement them by cutting out as much processed food as possible. Processed food tends to be full of sugar and empty calories, which will only hinder your fitness goals and make your personal training sessions less effective. Aim to fill your diet with whole foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains like quinoa and brown rice.

This sort of diet takes some adjusting to, but soon you will find yourself craving these healthy foods. The combination of cutting out processed foods and starting workouts with a personal trainer will also do wonders for your energy level and mood.

Ask For Homework

If you want to truly make the most of your sessions with a personal trainer, ask for homework that you can do at home in between sessions. These may be full at-home workouts, mini bursts of activity you can fit in here and there even on busy days, or simply assigned rest days where you focus on stretching, relaxing, and letting your muscles have a chance to repair and grow. Your personal trainer will appreciate your enthusiasm and you will enjoy seeing results faster.

Drink Plenty of Water

While drinking lots of water is always a good idea, it's absolutely critical when you start a personal training fitness regimen. It is simply way too easy to become dehydrated during exercise, which can quickly counteract the effectiveness of your workouts. Studies have shown that losing just 2% of your body weight in water can decrease athletic performance by 25%.

To get the most out of your personal training sessions, drink water throughout the day even on non-training days, and always bring (and refill) a big water bottle to every session. Don't get shy about asking for a quick break to drink water- your personal trainer knows how important hydration is.

Get Enough Rest

While you may feel a serious energy boost once you begin your personal training sessions, it is still very important to get a good night's sleep each night. Your body is working so hard now that you have hired a personal trainer, and it needs a full night's sleep to recuperate. In fact, studies have shown that not getting enough sleep is linked to difficulty in losing weight, even when you get plenty of exercise. On the plus side, working out often helps people with insomnia fall asleep faster and get deeper rest.

By incorporating these tips into your fitness and health goals, you will get even more benefits out of your personal training sessions.