More than 60.9 million people have gym memberships in the United States, but that doesn’t mean they use them. In fact, most gyms only see a fraction of their membership holders come in on a regular basis.

The best way to improve your chances of success and maintain your motivation to live a healthier and more active lifestyle is to work with a personal trainer. They’ll design workouts to help you reach your goals and maintain them for years.

But finding a personal trainer that you like working out with can seem daunting. Here are a few simple tips to help you find a personal trainer for your needs as quickly as possible.

Think About What You Want to Achieve

Before you can start looking for a personal trainer, you need to think about why you want to hire one in the first place. This means taking a long, hard look at your long-term fitness goals.

Are you looking to lose weight? Or do you want to tone up and improve your heart health?

Whatever your goals are, make a list of them and keep that list handy when you start speaking with personal trainers. This way, you’ll be able to communicate your reasons for hiring a trainer more clearly.

Ask the People You Know

If you have friends, family members, or coworkers that work out regularly, use this to your advantage. Ask them if they know of any great personal trainers in your area.

The chances are good that at least one person in your network will be able to recommend a trainer or two. You can also ask at your local gym and see if their customer service team has any recommendations.

Most gyms have at least a few trainers that work with their members on a regular basis.

If you don’t know anyone that uses a personal trainer or doesn’t belong to a gym that has trainers on staff, you can always move your search online. Look for trainers that work in your town and ones that are willing to work at gyms or fitness centers close to your home or workplace.

Be Mindful of Your Budget

Personal trainers charge for their services in different ways. Some charge low hourly rates or offer discounts on training packages. Others charge high rates for short training sessions.

Before you start reaching out to different trainers, think about how much you’re willing to spend on those training sessions. It’s also a good idea to look into different gym membership costs as many personal trainers will expect you to be a member at their home gym once you agree to work with them.

Once you have a number in mind, start looking for personal trainers that will work with your budget.

Schedule Consultations With Several Trainers

Finding a personal trainer isn’t just about choosing someone with the most experience or certifications. You also need to make sure you like their coaching style and personality.

Finding a personal trainer that you mesh well with is to schedule consultations with several in your area. During these consultations, they should take the time to get to know you and identify your main goals.

Remember, they’re interviewing you, too. It’s a personal trainer’s responsibility to help you reach your goals and they can’t do that if they don’t know what you’re hoping to achieve.

Pay attention to the types of questions they ask and the suggestions they make. If they recommend different daily supplements, ask about them. For example, if they recommend that you take certain vitamins or start using MCT oil, be direct.

Ask them, “what is MCT oil?” or “what will that supplement help with?” Reputable and good trainers should be able to explain the details clearly.

If they can’t or refuse to take the time to answer your questions, keep looking.

Pay Attention to Their Availability

Some personal trainers are so in demand that they have trouble fitting appointments in. You should always choose a personal trainer that’s willing and able to work with your schedule, not the other way around.

When you speak with each personal trainer you’re interested in, discuss their availability. Find out how often they have openings and what hours they tend to work.

Some trainers only work within set hours and, if those hours don’t work for you, scheduling appointments will be tough. Others require tons of advance notice to schedule appointments and training sessions. This makes squeezing in guided workouts difficult at best.

If a trainer isn’t willing to work within your ideal timeframe or schedule, keep looking.

Go Through a Trial Workout

Once you finding a personal trainer that have the availability you’re looking for, schedule a trial workout. This is your time to see what types of fitness trends they follow and experience the types of workouts they’ll create firsthand.

During that trial workout, pay attention to the way the trainer coaches you. They should walk you through each exercise carefully, paying close attention to your form.

If they rush you through a circuit or won’t take the time to make sure you’re doing exercises correctly, keep looking. The last thing you want to do is injure yourself by running through a workout that your trainer didn’t adequately coach you through.

Finding a Personal Trainer You Can Trust Is Doable

Finding a personal trainer can take time, but that’s okay. It’s always best to take your time and interview several personal trainers before you make your choice.

When you do, you’ll be able to find someone you’re comfortable with and who can help you reach your fitness goals in the long term.

Once you finding a personal trainer, they’ll be able to make recommendations to help you get healthy quickly. But you’ll need to be proactive. Check out our latest posts for more tips and tricks to help you take control of your health and well-being.