Top Five Things To Look For In A Personal Fitness Trainer

Puravida Fitness • October 30, 2024

Top Five Things To Look For In A Personal Fitness Trainer

A woman is doing yoga on a mat with the words top five things to look for in a personal fitness trainer below her

The key to a successful fitness routine is finding the right personal fitness trainer. A good trainer will help you stay motivated and meet your goals, while a bad one can leave you feeling frustrated and uninspired. So, what should you consider when looking for a personal fitness trainer? We at Puravida Fitness want you to achieve your fitness goals and be the best version of yourself. This is why we have written down the top five things you should look for in a personal fitness trainer.


1. Do they have an accredited certification?


Many personal training certifications can be obtained over a weekend. This doesn’t mean that the trainer is qualified to train people if it is only a piece of paper. Here are some high-quality accredited certifications NSCA, NASM, ISSA, and ACE. If they have physical therapy or athletic training license, then that also is a good indication they know what they are doing


2. Do they have success stories that prove they can do what they say?


If you look at many personal trainers’ websites, they have one or two testimonials max and have not changed them in years. A good trainer should be documenting regular transformation success stories on their website and social media to prove they can get the results they claim they can get.


3. Do they have a large number of positive reviews on Google?


In the day of online presence, this really shows if this person runs a good business. A few reviews could be just friends and family, but a plethora of reviews show many satisfied customers. It also demonstrates excellent customer service in addition to quality personal training.


4. Do they look the part?


There are too many fat trainers out there. They don’t need to have washboard abs or 18-inch biceps, but they should be a product of what they preach. Training with an out-of-shape trainer is like buying an expansive home from a real estate agent who lives in a trailer park.


5. Do they do a movement screen?


With all the injuries and muscle imbalances in today’s world, it is essential that a fitness professional has a movement screening process to look for weak links and potential injuries. They should also implement corrective exercises to improve imbalances. Loading someone up who moves poorly is like turning up a bad song on the radio; it only gets worse as you increase intensity and load.


If you are looking for a personal fitness trainer in Lakeville, Minnesota, reach out to us at Puravida Fitness. We ensure that we exceed expectations and always put you first. We have fitness trainers whose schedules, specialties, and personalities can match up with yours. Whether you are recovering from a serious injury or are brand new to exercise, we work with all levels of fitness. Through our coaching and training, we assure results with structure, accountability, and progressions. We offer services like 1:1 personal fitness training, group fitness training, nutrition coaching, and online fitness training. We offer our services to people across Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Prior Lake, Savage, Farmington, Elko New Market, Eagan, and the surrounding areas.


Get in touch with us today!


To learn more about the services we offer, please click here. To get in touch with us, please click here or give us a call at (952) 522-2462. You can also send us an email at info@puravidafitness.com.

Sumo wrestler eating rice beside a huge plated meal in a Japanese-style room
September 8, 2026
Struggling with weight loss after 40? Learn why skipping meals and overeating at night can work against your goals. Get practical nutrition advice from a Lakeville personal trainer serving Burnsville, Apple Valley, Savage, Farmington, Prior Lake, New Market and Elko.
Side-by-side before-and-after photo of a man standing indoors, shirtless in the first and leaner in the second.
August 10, 2026
Throughout August, we’re covering the top reasons many middle-aged adults struggle with unwanted weight gain.
July 27, 2026
I do not usually post shirtless photos like many fitness influencers. In fact, I typically only do it about once a year—and I do it for one reason: To prove a point. At 54 years old, I am still lean, strong, and active. It is not because I have perfect genetics, unlimited time, or a magical metabolism. It is because I have taken the time to discover what works for my body and consistently followed a realistic plan. As a longtime Personal Trainer serving Lakeville, Farmington, Savage, New Market, Elko, Apple Valley, Prior Lake, and Burnsville, I constantly hear people blame their age for unwanted weight gain. They say things like: “My metabolism is too slow.” “My hormones are working against me.” “It is impossible to lose weight after 40.” “This is just part of getting older.” Are metabolism changes and hormone imbalances real? Absolutely. But they should not automatically become excuses for staying overweight, losing strength, or giving up on your health. You Are Not Too Old to Lose Weight Many adults begin noticing changes in their bodies during their 40s and 50s. They may gain fat around the midsection, lose muscle, feel more tired, or struggle to get the same results from the workouts and diets they followed when they were younger. The solution is not to quit. The solution is to adjust your approach. Too many people continue using random diets, extreme workout programs, and outdated weight loss strategies that do not fit their current lifestyle. When those plans fail, they assume their age or metabolism is the problem. In reality, they simply have not discovered the right strategy for their body. I Have Done It—and Maintained It I have had people who have never successfully gotten lean try to tell me how to lose body fat. That has always been interesting to me. There is a big difference between repeating fitness information found online and actually applying a plan successfully for years. I have gotten lean, and more importantly, I have learned how to maintain it while running a business, raising a family, dealing with stress, traveling, enjoying life, and getting older. I did not achieve this by following an extreme diet or living in the Gym. I did not get lean by doing: Keto Carnivore Hours of daily cardio Endless high-intensity workouts Eating “clean” 100% of the time Giving up every food I enjoy I got here by cracking my personal nutrition code and consistently following a strategy that fits my real life. What Does It Mean to Crack Your Nutrition Code? Your nutrition code is the combination of eating habits, meal structure, portion control, food choices, routines, and accountability strategies that work for your individual body and lifestyle. There is no single nutrition plan that works perfectly for everyone. Some people do better with a larger breakfast. Others prefer a lighter morning meal and a bigger dinner. Some people struggle with weekend eating, while others have difficulty staying consistent during busy workdays. A personalized plan considers factors such as: Your age Your activity level Your schedule Your current eating habits Your food preferences Your stress levels Your sleep quality Your hormones Your weight loss history Your ability to remain consistent A successful Wellness strategy must be realistic enough to follow for months and years—not just for a few uncomfortable weeks. Why Most Weight Loss Programs Fail Most weight loss programs fail because they rely on restriction instead of creating sustainable habits. People are often told to track every calorie, weigh every piece of food, eliminate entire food groups, or follow a complicated list of rules. That approach may work temporarily, but it becomes exhausting for many busy adults. Eventually, life gets busy, motivation drops, and the person returns to their previous habits. At Puravida Fitness, we believe a great nutrition plan should simplify your life rather than make it more stressful. You should not need to carry a food scale everywhere you go or feel guilty every time you eat at a restaurant. You need clear guardrails, consistent habits, and a plan that works in the real world. The Crack the Code Nutrition Program That is exactly why we created the Crack the Code Nutrition Program . This program is designed for adults over 40 who are frustrated with stubborn body fat and tired of starting over. Instead of handing everyone the same generic meal plan, we help you identify what is keeping you stuck and build a personalized strategy around your needs. The program does not require: Food journals Counting macros Impossible food rules Cutting out every carbohydrate Eating chicken and broccoli at every meal Spending hours exercising at a Health Club Instead, we focus on practical habits and a personalized plan that can help you lose weight, improve your energy, protect muscle, and maintain your results. Exercise Still Matters After 40 Nutrition is a major piece of the weight loss equation, but exercise is also extremely important—especially as we get older. A well-designed Fitness program helps preserve muscle, improve insulin sensitivity, support hormone health, increase strength, and keep your metabolism functioning efficiently. This is why working with an experienced Personal Trainer can make such a significant difference. Random workouts may burn calories, but structured strength training changes your body. At our Lakeville Gym, we help clients from Farmington, Savage, New Market, Elko, Apple Valley, Prior Lake, and Burnsville develop safe and effective training programs based on their age, experience, goals, and physical limitations. You do not need to train like a professional athlete. You need to train strategically and consistently. Your Age Is a Factor—Not a Life Sentence Getting older may require you to adjust your training, nutrition, recovery, and lifestyle habits. That does not mean you are destined to gain weight, become weak, or feel exhausted. You may need more structure than you did in your 20s. You may need to prioritize sleep, strength training, stress management, and balanced meals. You may also need professional support and accountability. But you can still become leaner, stronger, healthier, and more confident after 40 or 50. Your best years do not have to be behind you. Stop Looking for the Perfect Diet The goal is not to find the most extreme diet. The goal is to find the nutrition strategy you can consistently follow. That may not look exciting on social media, but consistency is what creates lasting Weight Loss. You do not need another 30-day challenge, detox, or restrictive meal plan. You need to crack your code. Schedule Your Free Nutrition Diagnostic Call If you are over 40 and frustrated with stubborn body fat, we would love to help you discover what works for your body. The Crack the Code Nutrition Program provides the strategy, coaching, accountability, and support you need to stop guessing and start making measurable progress. Whether you live in Lakeville, Farmington, Savage, New Market, Elko, Apple Valley, Prior Lake, or Burnsville, our team at Puravida Fitness can help you build a practical Wellness, Nutrition, and Fitness plan that fits your lifestyle. Comment “CRACK MY CODE” or contact Puravida Fitness to schedule your free Nutrition Diagnostic Call . Your breakthrough may be much closer than you think.