Helping Teens Lose Weight with a Personal Trainer

By Stephen Daniels

Quite some time ago, it was unheard of for an adult of average income to hire a personal trainer. They were typically considered to be only for celebrities and the fitness-obsessed ultra-rich. Today, it is common for people who are concerned about health, fitness and/or weight loss to work with a personal trainer in order to improve their results. But were you aware that personal trainers are also an excellent resource for teenagers who want to lose weight and improve their levels of fitness?

Like most other age groups in the U.S., obesity in teenagers is an increasing problem. High school physical education requirements have been whittled down in recent years, while popular school lunch options are often high in calories and low in nutrition.

Many teens deal with high stress and poor body image. Young people often turn to unhealthy and even dangerous fad diets to try and conform to the ideals presented in advertising and the media, and peer pressure. In the face of all this, overweight teens and their parents are turning to personal trainers for help in instilling healthy habits and setting safe weight loss goals.

The benefits of hiring a personal trainer are many. Having expert advice to create individual plans and realistic goals for fitness, nutrition and weight loss is invaluable. Personal trainers can provide motivation and accountability to help teens reach their goals, and can furthermore instruct in correct ways of exercising to prevent muscle strain and injury.

Certified trainers will never encourage unhealthy fad diets. Instead, they will educate your teen about the problems with quick weight loss and provide sound guidance to offset the tremendous amount of misinformation from peers and the media.

While most overweight teens may be too embarrassed about their physical condition to participate in group activities and sports, working with personal training allows them the opportunity to experiment with various forms of activity and find exercise they can enjoy.

A personal trainer will help to set up exercise routines that are varied and balanced, including flexibility training, weight training and aerobics. Your teen will be taught the correct movements for free form exercises, the correct usage of weight equipment and suggested repetitions of each exercise for maximum efficacy and safety. Learning safe ways to exercise now can potentially prevent pain and injury years later.

While personal trainers can coach your teen through every workout session, you may decide on a less frequent appointment. Your teen may only need a few sessions to set some goals and learn the proper way to exercise.

After the first appointment, it is a good idea to meet with a personal trainer at regular intervals. This helps keep fitness and weight loss goals on track and provides accountability. Also, exercise routines should be varied to hold your teen's interest, as well as for the greatest physical benefit. Group training sessions may also be available. Training together with friends or family might be a fun and more affordable option.

When choosing a personal trainer, it is important to make sure they are fully qualified. Asking a prospective trainer about their education and experience is a good idea. The ideal trainer for your teen will be one who is familiar with the specific weight loss and fitness issues that adolescents face. The right trainer can instill healthy habits that will serve your teen into adulthood. - 30224

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