Personal Training

Don't get bullied into signing a contract for a personal trainer. Ask to see credentials, and after you've seen the credentials, look up the certifying organization- not all certifications have the clients' best interest in mind.

When it comes to physical health, we should all be active 7 days a week. Even if we only walk for 20 minutes, we are still asking our body to do more than sitting and watching television. Try getting out of the house and going for a short walk around the neighborhood. Or, meet a friend at the mall and walk the entire mall to mix things up and have a buddy to talk to.

Also, lifting weights a few days a week will keep our muscles and bones strong. If you're meeting with a trainer, create a plan for resistance training that will make your daily life more comfortable. Even if you're not with a personal trainer, working with weights a few days a week in a "functional training" cycle will make daily activities easier and result in less aches and pains.

If you're looking at joining a gym, negotiate for a better rate, ask to meet the training staff, and negotiate for a better rate to work with the personal trainers.