Get a Head Start at Warding Off Winter Flab

It happens every year: Cold weather and shortened days lure us toward hibernation and carb-heavy comfort foods. Fight the urge -- put down that muffin and keep moving.

Need a little inspiration? Consider hiring a personal trainer to ward off wicked winter blues. Here's how to get started.

Training on a Budget

• Check out your workplace. If it has a wellness or fitness center, it might also have trainers who work with employees at a fraction of the going rate ($70 to $100 an hour). General Mills, Alliant Techsystems, Medtronic, 3M and others have fitness centers, so it's worth asking what's available.
• Save with shorter sessions. Some fitness clubs offer abbreviated personal training sessions for less than $25 a session. Personal trainer Nickie Carrigan notes that both the YMCA in West St. Paul and the Central Square Community Center in South St. Paul, Minn., offer half-hour sessions for a steal. Many clients do treadmill cardio work on their own and then strength-train with a trainer for 30 minutes. "It's good for people who are interested in a short [workout] or in saving money," she said. Another budget savior is the semiprivate session with a few people. That way, you get the personal instruction and safety expertise you crave without a major hit to the wallet. 
• Small groups work. "If I have eight people doing the exercise at the same time, I can sit in one spot and watch everybody, see their form and say, 'John, you need to straighten your arms out a little bit,' and 'Louise, you need to breathe out when you get to the top of this exercise. I make little subtle corrections for everybody and give guidance," said 501 Fit owner Phil Martens.

Finding the Right Trainer
Ask for a list of certified trainers and interview their clients if you already belong to a gym. Most gyms, including the YMCA, Ballys, Lifetime Fitness, Central Square Community Center, the Marsh, 501 Fit, the Firm and LA Fitness, have staff members who are happy to work with you. The trainers should be certified with a national accreditation organization.

Check out www.aarpfitness.com if you're over 50 to find a certified trainer near you who offers AARP members a 15 percent discount. Or ask your doctor, physical therapist or medical associations for names of trainers who work with diabetic, arthritic or heart patients and other special populations.

Remember: The trainer works for you. A trainer's job is to push you. Your job is to work hard. But it's also your job to listen to your body. Don't get so carried away proving yourself that you ignore doctor's orders when it comes to injured knees, shoulders or back. "Trainers should spend a good amount of time being active listeners and determining not only your goals but your barriers, too," said Gregory Florez of the American Council on Exercise.

Begin by getting a full assessment. Most full-service personal trainers will first discuss your strength, cardio, balance, flexibility and nutrition goals, review your health history and set a plan for safe, realistic and effective exercise. You and they should record (and recheck monthly) your weight, blood pressure, resting heart rate, target heart rate, body mass index and the circumference of your waist, thighs and upper arms.

Many trainers then assess your starting fitness level. How far can you jog or walk in two minutes? How many push-ups can you do in one minute? Sit-ups? Can you curl a 15- or 20-pound dumbbell? Can you walk uphill on a treadmill for five minutes at a fast speed? Knowing your basic fitness level gives you a baseline to compare over time.

"Every client is different and every training program is customized," Carrigan said. The important thing is to set up fun short- and long-term goals that the client can attain.