As bathing suit season approaches each year, men and women look in the mirror more closely and realize they need help – fast! Then come the big decisions: join a gym or try to go do it on their own? Better yet, should they make the ultimate splurge and hire a personal trainer who will whip them into shape?

10 Personal Training Myths

Myth #1: You need a personal trainer to get in shape.

Save your money and instead educate and empower yourself with the understanding that you can be your own personal trainer. It is just like wasting money being addicted to live casinos.

Myth #2: Personal trainers are worth the money.

Jogging (free) or taking cardio dance classes at the gym (unlimited classes are often included with gym memberships) burns more calories per hour than a typical training session.

Myth #3: Personal trainers have certifications from reputable organizations.

Be sure your trainer is certified from a reputable organization. Other titles (fitness consultant, fitness coordinator, fitness professional and fitness expert) may only require an online course or one-day workshop.

Myth #4: Personal trainers know about nutrition and supplements.

Many personal trainers have their own bias toward a particular fad diet and may be giving advice contrary to a client’s special nutritional needs.

Myth #5: Personal trainers care about your progress.

Trainers should be evaluating your weight, body measurements, body fat testing, strength, heart rate recovery and recording your progress toward your goals.

Myth #6: Personal trainers want you to be self-sufficient.

Reaching your goals may cause you to dump your trainer. However, if you’re not making progress toward your goals, it is exactly why you should dump your trainer.

Myth #7: Personal trainers design time-efficient, effective workouts.

If you are looking to lose weight a recommended program would consist of 40-60 minutes of aerobic exercise, followed by 10-15 minutes of strength training and 5 minutes of stretching.

Myth #8: Personal trainers practice what they preach.

Most trainers train themselves differently than they train you. They typically do far more cardio training and far less weight training than their clients, which burns more calories and makes their muscles stand out.

Myth #9: Personal trainers are healthy role models.

Even trainers fall into the traps of using steroids, diuretics, fat burners and over-training.

Myth #10: Personal trainers are qualified to handle medical and psychological problems.

Personal trainers are not medical doctors or therapists but their clients often feel comfortable sharing personal information.

A Guide to Weight Loss and Fitness

Authors of A Guide to Weight Loss and Fitness reach readers and keep them motivated with a sense of humor. The book is filled with personal anecdotes and funny cartoons. In addition, the authors offer sound weight loss and fitness advice. Beyond the myths, readers will find a guide to finding a healthy weight based on frame size, a sensible eating plan and the components of a workout program.

The guide to being fit and healthy offers many charts to determine important factors such as frame size, target heart rates and beginning/optimal fitness levels. The exercise program is very detailed, with pictures, for exercises that don’t require equipment and exercises that are done using the machines found in most local gyms. Finally, an easy to follow 21 day eating and exercise program is included to get a jump start into fitness.

Dr. Paulsen is proof that this program works. He used the Dump Your Trainer program and lost over 50 pounds in six months. He has since kept the weight off for over 8 years.

Get Fit and Lose Weight Playing the Nintendo Wii

Anyone who ventures down an electronics aisle in the store will see scores of games made for the Wii, and while many of those are purely fun, there are several options for people which will help them get fit and lose weight.

Wii Fit Has a Weight Loss Plan

Wii Fit was one of the first fitness games on the market, and is probably still the most popular. It uses the balance board to communicate with the console. It keeps track of the players’ weight and BMI, and helps the player set weight loss goals. It has games in four areas:

• strength training
• aerobics
• yoga
• balance games

Wii Fit Plus debuted in October of 2009 and features new games and additions. It estimates calories burned, and has a tool to weigh pets.

The Wii Fit games focus on making exercising fun, and many have seen results from these games. The hard-core fitness guru will probably think them too easy, but the couch potato may not even realize he’s burning some calories.

My Fitness Challenge is an Exercise Workout

Another one of the first fitness games, My Fitness Challenge remains popular, and is reasonably priced for a Wii game. This game has a virtual trainer, who helps you in 500 exercises to improve flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, and strength training. It’s fully customizable to the player, down to the type of music he likes to hear while working out. Players do not need a balance board to play this game.

Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum: Be Your Own Biggest Loser

Want to be motivated like the people on The Biggest Loser? Players can welcome Jillian MIchaels into their living room to cheer them on! These games are compatible with the balance board, and again, the player can again customize the games according to their needs. Jillian will come up with activities in either weight loss, strength training, intervals or hill climb.

A Home Workout: EA Sports Active

Developed in part by famous trainer Bob Greene, Active has some new features and accessories to set it apart. While still trying to keep it fun, this game steps up the workouts. Those who want a challenge will definitely see the pounds dropping if they stick to the trainer’s plan in this game.

Like the other games, Active has cardio and strength training activities, along with some more fun games designed to appeal to the younger audience. New accessories that come with the game are:

a leg strap to hold the nunchuk to monitor leg movement in activities such as kick-boxing and jogging resistance bands to step up the strength training.

Your Shape Promotes Weight Loss

Your Shape is the newest fitness game in the Wii aisle, and it features Jenny McCarthy as a workout partner. While the games seem to be similar to the others in content, the hardware is vastly different. Instead of using the Wii remote or nunchuk, Your Shape comes with a camera that watches you while you’re working out. It displays your image next to Jenny’s so you can correct form, and ultimately get a better workout.

Another different feature of this game is that if a person has exercise equipment like free weights or a balance ball, Your Shape will incorporate them into the workout.

While many view the Nintendo Wii as a toy, it has proved useful to those trying to get in shape and lose weight. Use of games like Wii Fit, EA Sports Active, or Your Shape can assist those trying to achieve weight loss goals by making working out fun and less expensive than a gym membership.