icon-account icon-glass

Popular Products

The Lean Protein
Whey protein powder for weight-loss.
The Energy Booster
Pre/intra-workout powder with BCAAs.

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?

Product Spotlight

Need Expert Advice?

Other Insights

The Myth of Optimal Health
We live in an age obsessed with the idea of “optimal.” The optimal diet. The optimal supplement stack. The optimal training split. Scroll through Instagram or YouTube for five minutes and you’ll find someone with a 17-step morning routine, a kitchen cupboard full of powders, and the confidence that they’ve cracked the code to human performance. But here’s the truth: Chasing “optimal” is one of the fastest ways to fall short in your health. The Illusion of Optimal Health culture has a way of dangling perfection in front of us. Big food companies do it when they market the “perfect” meal replacement shake. Biohackers do it when they promise that cold plunges, red-light therapy, and nootropics are the missing links to peak performance. But research paints a different picture. Studies on diet adherence consistently show that most people abandon strict or extreme health plans within weeks.  Fad diets, whether keto, paleo, or juice cleanses have dropout rates as high as 50–70% in the first two months. That’s not because people are weak. It’s because perfection is unsustainable. When you aim for “optimal,” you’re often aiming for something that doesn’t exist outside of a lab study or a heavily edited social feed. Consistency beats Intensity If you strip away the noise, the science is clear: the best plan is the one you can actually stick to. A Stanford University study looked at exercise adherence and found that people who built moderate, consistent routines were far more successful over the long term than those who went all in with aggressive, “optimal” plans. Think about it: Walking 8,000 steps daily is far more powerful than hitting 20,000 steps once a week. Sleeping 7–8 hours a night consistently beats the occasional marathon lie-in after a week of late nights. Eating balanced meals most of the time will always outperform the perfect, but impossible, “clean eating” schedule. Consistency doesn’t look flashy on social media. But it’s what drives lasting change in real life. The Perfection Trap The bigger danger of chasing “Optimal Health” isn’t just that it’s unrealistic. It’s that it creates guilt and paralysis. Psychologists call this all-or-nothing thinking. If you miss your “perfect” 5am workout, you write the day off. If you slip up on your diet, you feel like you’ve failed. Over time, that mindset burns people out. A review published in the Journal of Behavioural Medicine highlighted how rigid, perfectionist approaches to health goals were strongly linked to higher stress, lower motivation, and worse long-term outcomes. In other words: aiming for perfect often leaves you worse off than if you’d just aimed for “good enough” consistently. The Simplicity Advantage At Innermost, this is the philosophy we’ve always stood behind: better health should be simple, not overwhelming. We don’t believe in flashy shortcuts or marketing gimmicks. We believe in science-backed products designed to slot seamlessly into your life so you can actually stick with them. A few examples: The Hydrate Blend makes staying on top of electrolytes effortless — without the sugar, fillers, or artificial aftertaste you’ll find in the big sports drinks. The Rise Blend gives you clean energy and focus, without adding another complicated ritual to your already busy day. Our protein powders support your health and fitness goals with nutrients you and your body recognises, instead of pushing the latest overpriced fad ingredient. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress. Progress, not Perfection So here’s the takeaway: you don’t need the “optimal” plan. You just need a plan you’ll actually follow. If you focus on moving most days, eating whole foods when you can, sleeping properly, and staying hydrated, you’re already ahead of 90% of the population. It’s not sexy. But it works. And it’s sustainable. So the next time you feel the pressure to add another step to your routine, ask yourself: does this make my life simpler or more complicated? If it’s the latter, it probably isn’t worth it. Health isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about building momentum. An imperfect plan, done consistently, beats the “optimal” plan abandoned after a week. Read more
Folate Blog Image