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How To Select A Personal Trainer: A Hard (But Lifechanging) Decision

15th June 2021

15th June 2021

By Beth Shelper

You may have come across this article looking for some assistance and advice. How do you choose a personal trainer, you ask?

You’ve probably spent a lot of time Googling things like “personal trainer UK” or “best personal trainers” in a bid to find the golden ticket, but alas – to no avail. Why? Because the clue is in the name. A personal trainer is just that. Personal.

What is a personal trainer?

By definition, a personal trainer is an individual that is responsible for conducting individual fitness assessments, providing educated advice and designing plans that are tailored to your individual needs and goals. Their main aim is to help you reach these goals, live a healthy lifestyle, and improve your performance.

The benefits of a personal trainer

We'd definitely recommend considering hiring a personal trainer. They’re great for motivation (let’s be honest, you’re less likely to skip out on them), and they enable you to maximise your time and workouts whilst achieving better, faster results.

Another great benefit is that you don’t have to meet your personal trainer in the gym. Many may have their own home gyms or equipment, and you can even train in the comfort of your own home or garden! This is absolutely great for those with a busy schedule or those that suffer with gym anxiety.

How to select a personal trainer

The best personal trainers are often hard to find. Whether their waiting list is off the charts, they’re way out of your price range or you just don’t vibe with them, selecting your perfect personal trainer is no easy task.

Important fitness aspects aside, it’s really important that you get on with your personal trainer on a personal level. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with them and you’re trusting them with your workout plan. It’s kind of a big deal.

So, the question: how do you choose a personal trainer? Well, there’s lots of things to consider.

Check their professional qualifications

One of the most important elements you need to consider is the personal trainer’s qualifications and experience. There’s no point trusting your workout plan and progress with someone that doesn’t have the necessary knowledge to help you get there. The level two qualifications that you’re looking for at the very least are the below:

  • A Certificate in Fitness Instructing – Gym
  • A Diploma in Health, Fitness, and Exercise Instruction
  • A Diploma in Instructing Exercise and Fitness

Think about the cost 

Secondly, it’s time to think about cost. It’s no secret that personal trainers are a bit on the pricey side, and this is because you get what you pay for; quality personal trainers aren’t going to be cheap. You’re paying for their time, dedication and expertise.

Because of the overall cost, a lot of people are a little bit put off getting a personal trainer, but don’t let that stereotype get in your way! Not all personal trainers are going to charge you through the roof. You just need to find one that works for you. It’s an investment.

Most personal trainers charge by the hour, so the overall costings will depend on how many hours you schedule in a month. In the UK, personal trainers average around £30-£50 an hour, so you’re looking for that kind of ballpark.

Consider your fitness goals

Lastly, but absolutely not least, it’s hugely important that you consider your personal fitness goals and find someone that prioritises this for you. Your personal trainer is responsible for designing a plan to get you where you want to be, so making sure they are aware of your fitness goals is a main priority.

Whether your fitness goal is to gain muscle, lose weight or improve your stamina, your personal trainer should know how to get you there. To ensure you’re comfortable with this and in the knowledge that they are capable and experienced in your area, it’s perfectly okay to have a trial session and decide from there. Remember, it’s all about you!

It’s all about where you look

So, now that you know what to look for, let’s discuss where to begin. If you’re a member at your local gym, that’s definitely the first place to start. Ask the staff at the gym and see who is available for a discussion. Your gym will definitely have a team of personal trainers available.

Aside from this, the absolute best way to find the best personal trainers is through word of mouth. Ask your friends, family, colleagues and whoever else; they’ll definitely know of someone (or know someone that does).

If this isn’t for you, Instagram is also a great place to look. Many personal trainers have dedicated business pages demonstrating their client progress and experience, and this can be a great way to get a feel of how the trainer works and what they’re particularly good at.

Summary

Are personal trainers worth it? Absolutely. If you find the best personal trainer for you: someone that prioritises your goals and progress, gets on with you well and positively influences your workout, the difference is immense.

It’s important to note that if you’ve never had a personal trainer before, they’re probably going to put you through your paces. And this is good: no pain, no gain, right? The best personal trainers really have the ability to maximise your progress and change your workout routine for the better, so if you’re debating it, go ahead and take the leap! You’ll wish you did it sooner.

In order to maintain your energy levels, maximise your performance and hit those all-important fitness goals, why not incorporate The Energy Booster into your routine?

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When it comes to improving your fitness levels, lifestyle and nutrition are key. From the number of hours of sleep you get each night to your daily nutrition and everything in between, each is as important as the other. This extends to finding the right protein powder to fuel your workout routine. Yet today more than ever, what goes into that shaker bottle now goes beyond macros and muscle; more and more people are asking themselves – ‘how does this protein powder align with my religious values and beliefs?’ While we’ve spoken before about our clean, research based and ethically sourced ingredients here at Innermost, this time we want to get a little more specific with a focus on halal and halal protein powder. With so many voices and fluff information around, it can be difficult to know exactly what protein is and isn’t halal friendly. That’s why we’ve put together this nifty guide. We’re going to break down all the myths and everything you need to know about halal protein. What you should be looking out for, what makes proteins like whey halal friendly as well as the benefits that halal friendly protein can offer to your body.  Right, let’s get into it. What is halal protein? I’m sure most of you are already aware of halal, but for the 1% of you that might not be, let’s take a step back and ask: what is halal protein? Halal – meaning ‘permissible’ in Arabic – refers to any food product that complies with Islamic dietary laws as stated within the Qur’an and Islamic jurisprudence. This makes it a core element of Islamic faith and a key cornerstone of their commitment to leading a pure and disciplined life under the guidance of Allah. Some of the key guidelines for halal foods include: Halal friendly ingredients – certain ingredients are not permissible under a halal diet, including pork (and any byproducts), alcohol and blood. Other animal products can be halal as long as they are killed in accordance with the ethical treatment guidelines below. Ethical treatment of animals – For non-pork meats to be considered halal, animals must be treated humanly and responsibly during their life. This includes: Having access to clean water and nutritious food. Being raised in a free-range and stress-free environment. Not being subjected to cruelty, abuse, or unnecessary suffering. The process of killing any animal must also be quick and humane to be considered halal, with any suffering kept to the complete minimum. Importantly, to be considered halal, the name of Allah must be pronounced during the humane killing to ensure the sanctity of life is recognised throughout the process. No cross contamination - During the preparation process, halal foods must never come into contact with non halal foods. This means no cross contamination between preparation surfaces, equipment used, the handling of foods and storage. As such, ingredients such as milk can be halal however it depends on the production process and if additional non-halal additives (such as gelatin) are added. So, what does this mean for protein?  Essentially any animal protein is halal as long as it adheres to the guidelines we’ve mentioned. The best way to tell is that products – such as Innermost proteins - will be certified halal friendly on the packaging. Is protein powder halal? So, with that said you might be wondering: is my choice of protein powder halal? The truth is that protein powder can absolutely be halal, however it entirely depends on the ingredients used as well as the overall production process. Common protein sources like whey, casein, egg white, and plant-based proteins (such as pea, soy, or rice) can all be halal if they are sourced and manufactured in compliance with halal standards. While many of the larger brands do not meet these standards and cannot claim to offer halal protein, our range of Innermost protein powders and supplements are all certified halal, emphasising our dedication to ethical sourcing our use of clean sourcing without additives. From our pea protein fuelled (and vegan) The Health Protein, The Fit Protein, to our whey protein powered The Strong Protein and The Lean Protein, all our products are sourced in a halal-compliant manner. Benefits of halal protein powder You hear it all the time when it comes to ethical and dietary beliefs – ‘a vegan diet isn’t good for you’ or ‘a vegetarian mix can’t possibly have the nutrients you need. The reality is, that adhering to these sorts of values within your fitness routine and diet can have great benefits for the body. Halal protein powders are no different; they offer a range of benefits for individuals who are conscious of both their health and dietary requirements. Just some of the benefits of halal protein powder are: Clean ingredients: With halal protein powders, you can be confident that there will be no harmful or questionable ingredients/ additives such as silica. What does this mean? Your body has an easier job digesting and absorbing all the good stuff, ensuring you get the most out of your supplements. Quality protein: Halal protein powders use complete protein sources, ensuring your body gets all the amino acids it needs for effective muscle repair and growth.  Ethical production: We’ve mentioned plenty of times already, but that’s just how key ethical and clean production is to making protein halal. By avoiding things such as additional additives and cross contamination, your body is fuelled with a safer and more trustworthy supplement. Supports fitness and wellness goals: Whatever your fitness goals; halal protein has you covered. From building muscle to losing weight, the absence of excess sugars or fillers ensures you are best placed to smash your targets. Common misconceptions about halal protein powders With so much noise and no real answers around halal proteins, we thought it would be helpful to list of some of the key misconceptions regarding the diet and what the actual truths are. All vegan protein powders are halal Given that so much of halal is driven by animals and their ethical treatment, you might just assume every vegan protein powder is halal because it is made of.. well, plants. The reality however is that vegan proteins aren’t necessarily halal – it all comes down to the production process. While Innermost vegan proteins are proudly halal certified, other protein powders can be produced with alcohol-based flavourings, non-halal emulsifiers, or might be processed in facilities that handle haram products – leading to cross contamination – not good! Is whey protein halal? On the other side of the spectrum, whey protein – being a byproduct of milk – is generally considered to be haram. Again, the truth is that whey protein can be halal provided that the milk is taken from cows that were treated ethically and within halal principles. Today, there are many halal-certified whey protein powders that are safe and effective for Muslim consumers. Halal certification doesn’t matter There is often an assumption made that if the ingredients look clean then the protein must be halal – regardless of certification. The truth is that what makes something halal goes beyond ingredients. Production and sourcing our also key factors that many companies do not consider. With halal certification on your favourite protein powders, you can be sure that every step—from sourcing and production to packaging and distribution—has been reviewed and approved according to strict halal standards.  Is Innermost protein powder halal? In short, yes. We at Innermost make it our mission to not only aid in muscle growth and recovery, but also to create protein supplements that are ethically sourced and rigorously tested to ensure individuals of any faith can smash their fitness goals.  Unlike competitors, our proteins are clean and built with the highest quality of ingredients and free from unnecessary additives and artificial ingredients.   We are proud to say that all our products are officially halal certified making them a suitable choice for those following the halal beliefs. This certification ensures that all ingredients and manufacturing processes meet Islamic dietary laws, with no use of haram substances such as pork derivatives or alcohol. With this in mind, why not check out our range of Innermost supplements to find out more about our halal proteins?     Read more
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