Finding the right Trainer/Coach.....

How do you know when you have found the right trainer? What do you look for when choosing from hundreds of Fitness Coaches?? Why does it matter who your trainer is?

These are just a few of the questions I had when looking for a personal trainer about 4 months ago, I knew we had a handful of good trainers at the gym I was going too but I knew I needed the BEST! 4 months ago  I wasn't planning on doing a competition in July all i wanted to do was get my pre baby (some what of body) back. I knew that I was very competitive and driven and I needed someone to push me to my limits and then some. I knew I wanted a female trainer(nothing against you boys) but females tend to handle the emotional/psycho behavior of me better:) and I knew she had to know her STUFF!! the first time I met Nikki was in a Rowing Certification... not only did she kick my BUTT but she did it in a way that I didn't even realize i was exhausted until a hr later when we were done rowing, she pushed me and not just yelling in my face, she pushed me to make me see what she saw, that I could keep going and not to give up.
a few months later I began to talk to Nikki about personal training, i had no idea she trained. after begging my hubby to let me train with her, a friend and I got 12 sessions and split them, so we could have 6 a piece. That next Tuesday morning was the first day of this amazing journey, after only 35 min of abs and a fitness test I was DONE, i felt so defeated and discouraged, i thought i was stronger than that, i thought I could have pushed harder, and I thought( this chick is coo-coo) :) like a good trainer Nikki began to tell me that I did a good job and its only the first day, if it was easy for me then what good was she? I listened but figured this is what she tells ALL her clients what makes me any different then every other person she trains??
about a month in a half down the road we did the same initial work out again, I realized I had gotten stronger and it motivated me even more. I began to get in better shape, clothes began to loosen up and people began to see the change in my body. After 2.5 months of training with her I had lost 8 lbs (which when you are at your last 15, 8 is a good number) and I had lost about 6 inches overall. I knew I had found my Fitness Coach SOUL MATE:) after talking with Nikki for another month I decided I wanted to do a Figure Competition, not only was this a huge thing for me but also for her, she has only trained male clients for these kind of competitions, and I was a handful in itself lol.  with saying that needless to say our session became so much more intense in the last month, she has pushed me harder then i ever thought possible! I tell myself every day she must see something in me that I cant see, because I never thought I could do some of the things she has told me to do. In the past few months I feel like I have gone on such a emotional and physical journey that some people would go through in a few years, and through it ALL i have had such a inspirational person by my side... not only is she my PT but I consider her one of my Best Friends, not many people can say," I have a trainer that is my BFF and that still pushes me hard". If you think for one second this chick lets me off the HOOK or of she gives me a break because we are friends, YOU ARE SADLY MISTAKEN!! and that is one of the qualities I needed in a trainer because to succeed and be the best you cant have a trainer that listens to the BULL, they have to push no matter is you tell them, you have been up all night with a one year old or if it's your "girl time" :) they need to push you past all the excuses, THAT'S ONE THING THAT MAKES NOT JUST A GOOD TRAINER, BUT AN AMAZING ONE!!!!
BUT...... even though they push you and have the passion to get something out of you that you didn't know was there, they should also have a passion to really listen to you, that is another aspect to Nikki. This chick will sit there for hours if need be and listen to how defeated you feel, or how the diet sucks so bad, or how much you want to shove the food your eating down you hubby's throat because all he is eating is FLIPPING PIZZA:) a good trainer will listen to whatever you have to say but THE BEST trainers will take what you say and tell you how to fix it or a better solution to the problem.

All I really have to say is I found a trainer that embodies everything I wanted and needed and more in a Coach, I would not have gotten this far with out someone pushing me like she does... YES I have to make the food choices on my own and I have to get up in the morning to make myself get to the gym, BUT i know that for one second I could call or text her and she would be there for me, even if it was to give me encouragement or if to put me in my place and make me realize my goals will not be met if I am not 110% committed!!! I am so lucky to have this girl in my life and so excited to see what we can do with my body in the next 4 months:) I am so grateful to have this opportunity and to share such a BIG DREAM with such a FANTASTIC PERSON!!!!!!