Joe McAlearI was looking to get back in shape and considering a personal trainer when I received a flier advertising Fitness Together. The promotion offered two free training sessions, so I decided to give it a try. In just two sessions, I could see that working with a trainer in a private studio makes a huge difference. My trainer encouraged me to push myself a harder than I would if exercising on my own; those extra five reps achieve results.

I was motivated to invest in long-term training, but my wife was a bit skeptical. “Couldn’t you just go the gym instead?” she asked, thinking of how much money we could save. The financial commitment was substantial, but also motivating. I was not going to waste such a big investment.

At 6′3″ and 210 pounds, I didn’t need to lose a lot of weight. My goals were to tone up, get in better shape, and “lose the gut.” But my workouts were so effective, I lost 20 pounds in just six weeks–the weight was just falling off! When I reached 190 pounds, my trainer and I decided that I actually needed to gain back some weight. Although I slimmed down and toned up, what impressed me most were the benefits I didn’t anticipate: my quality of life, self-esteem, and self-image are all greatly improved.

I really appreciate that my trainer cares about my fitness goals even once I’ll no longer be a customer. As the end of my package of sessions approached, he suggested slowly tapering off my training sessions from 3 training sessions to just 1 per week. The rest of the week, I work out on my own using the techniques and skills my trainer has taught me. This approach really helps me with my new goal, to manage my own exercise independently.

I’ve been so pleased with my experience at Fitness Together, I’ve referred two new clients to my trainer. As for my wife, she’s also delighted!

- Joe McAlear