Finding and choosing the appropriate in home personal trainer to meet your fitness needs can be a harrowing and exhausting experience. Most of the time people will use their friend’s trainer as a recommendation only to be disappointed that they do not reach the same goals as their friend because that trainer was not appropriate for them or their fitness needs. Throughout this article, Team Fitness America recommends five key points to take note of when choosing a fitness professional.

1. Certification - Sometimes the most stressful part of finding the right in home personal trainer is figuring out what your trainer knows and how they came to learn it. With all of the certification acronyms available such as ACE, AFAA, NPTI, AAA-ISMA, and even college level degrees, it is easy find ourselves asking, "What does it all mean?" Most certifications are textbook classes and exams that trainers must pass each year to keep their certificate current. The above are the most popular and also include NASM, WITS, NFPI and ACSM. Other online "quick-buy" certifications are not normally acceptable through most companies.

When choosing a personal trainer through an organization, whether it is gym based or home based, you know that your personal trainer’s certification(s) are checked out and certain guidelines are followed to maximize your program results. Places like 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, and even Team Fitness America all have personal trainers that sat for at least one certification exam. In addition, your personal trainer may pick up specialties like kickboxing, aquatic aerobics, group fitness, Spinning (cycling), Yoga or Pilates. Each additional certification will give your personal trainer more credibility and versatility when designing a fitness program that meets your needs.

2. Affordability - Most personal trainers that are not related to a gym or home based fitness company will gladly take you on as a client but they usually will ask you to pay anywhere from $85 to $150 per session. These personal trainers have taken the same courses and passed the same exams as organizational related personal trainers that charge a fraction of the cost.

The common mistake that somebody might make is that if the personal trainer charges more, then he or she is more knowledgeable and experienced than a more affordable personal trainer. If you are unsure of their experience, then ask to see a resume and what school they studied at to obtain their certification. If you are looking to work with a home based fitness company, then look for an organization that requires certain standards from their fitness staff. Going through an organization like this will give you the opportunity to have a qualified in home personal trainer at an extremely affordable price.

3. Background Check - Hiring an independent personal trainer or fitness specialist because your friend recommended it does not mean they are safe or lack a criminal history. Even though you want to get in shape fast, you still want to protect who you are letting in your home or even around your family. If you are seeking an in home personal trainer, then structural based organizations like Team Fitness America as well as many others make sure that their personal trainers have a clean criminal background, checked references, and certifications have been verified. If you just found someone’s business card then how can you be so sure that person is really certificated and has a clean background? You can avoid all of this hassle and concern by using a company that offers prescreened, certified personal trainers.

4. Convenience - Nothing is more frustrating then choosing the right personal trainer and finding out the only slot they have open is during times that you are not available. You need consistent workouts and the only real way that you are going to stay consistent is by procuring a personal trainer during times that are convenient to you. You need a personal trainer that meets your schedule, your days, and your times. Otherwise, you will find yourself wanting to make excuses of why you cannot find time to work out. Make sure that when you choose a personal trainer that you know in advance that they will be able to accommodate your schedule.

5. Compatibility - Your friend at work had good intentions by referring his or her personal trainer to you, but maybe their personality does not live up to the type of person that you can build a bond with. It is important to have the right personal trainer because you are going to build a bond with that person and there has to be a high trust factor to feel that their advice is the best advice. If you are looking to get in shape but you need to start slow and gradually progress in your workout, then hiring a boot camp instructor will only make you want to quit your program from the consistent feeling of always being too sore before your next workout. On the flip side, if you have only allotted yourself a short time period to reach your goals (maybe a wedding, party, or vacation), then you need a personal trainer that will push you beyond your current fitness threshold. Compatibility is more than just personality, it is thinking of your fitness goals with a long-term mind set.

Make an educated decision, but do not get yourself stuck by spending weeks sifting through fitness trainer resumes, meeting them, even asking to background check them all on your own. Go with a health club or in home personal training organization that has worked hard to do all of these things for you. The key factor is to make sure that once you are ready to make that commitment to a healthy lifestyle change that you stay dedicated with it and stick to a good nutritional program while your personal trainer is not with you.