FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW MUCH DOES A PERSONAL TRAINER COST?
A personal training session cost depends where you are in the country as well as what services the trainer provides, who the trainer works for whether that may be for a gym, health club, or for themselves.
​
For example, in London a training session costs anywhere between £30-£400 for an hours session. In the North a training session costs anywhere between £15-£60. In the Midlands a training session costs anywhere between £20-£80.
​
However, the average cost of a personal training session tends to be around £30 for an hour session.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I WORKOUT?
NHS guidelines suggests the average adult should perform moderate intensity physical activity in some form for at least 150 minutes per week, or vigorous intensity physical activity in some form for at least 75 minutes per week.
​
However, depending on your own personal goals and enjoyment levels, these guidelines can easily be surpassed.
WHAT IS A CALORIE?
A calorie is a unit of measurement used to indicate how much energy a food or drink has.
ARE ALL CALORIES THE SAME?
In essence, no. Each macronutrient (fat, protein and carbohydrates) have different calorie densities;
Fat: 9 calories/gram
Protein: 4 calories/gram
Carbohydrates: 4 calories/gram
Alcohol: 7 calories/gram
WHAT IS METABOLISM?
Metabolism is defined as the chemical process used within the body to convert food and drink into energy to sustain human life.
​
Those who have a fast metabolism tends to create energy faster than those with a slow metabolism.
​
Factors that impact metabolism includes;
Body composition
Age
Lifestyle habits
Caffeine intake
Food allergies
Brown fat levels
WHAT IS A BALANCED DIET?
A balanced diet is defined as the consumption of the various food groups in regulated quantities.
​
The average male should consume 2500 calories from food and drink and the average female should consume around 2000 calories from food and drink. However, this may change due to personal goals such as muscle gain and body fat loss.
​
The UK Eatwell Guide suggests consuming the following at least:
5 varied portions of fruit and veg per day (1/3rd daily food intake)
Varied carbohydrates (1/3rd daily food intake)
Beans, pulses, eggs, meat and other protein (40g-160g daily intake)
Oil and spreads (20-30g daily intake)
Dairy and alternatives (low fat and low sugar alternatives recommended)
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO LOSE BODY FAT?
The formula for losing body fat is relatively simple in theory;
Eat less than you are outputting (calorie deficit)
Perform high intensity cardiovascular exercises
Weight train
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO LOSE BODY FAT?
Losing body fat is mainly about keeping to a consistent nutrition and exercise plan.
​
It is recommended by the NHS a safe amount of body fat to lose is between 0.5-1kg (1-2lbs) per week, which can be achieved by consuming roughly 500-600 calories less than required daily to form a strong calorie deficit.
CAN YOU TARGET BODY FAT LOSS?
To put it bluntly, no. You cannot target specific areas of fat loss.
​
Many fad diets claim to target fat loss in areas such as the core. However, this is not the case.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD NEW MUSCLE?
Gaining muscle mass is again mainly about keeping to a consistent nutrition and exercise plan while also integrating progressive overload.
​
To gain an additional 0.45kg (1lb) of muscle mass per week an individual needs to consume an additional 2500 calories per week (300-400 calories per day) on top of their recommended calorie intake.
​
However, this amount varies depending on individual metabolism.
HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I DRINK PER DAY?
The average individual should drink between 1200ml (1.2L) - 2000ml (2L) of liquid, whether that be water, coffee, tea etc.
​
However, those with a more active lifestyle should drink more depending on gender, goals and physical output.
​
Muscle mass consists of 75% water. Men generally have greater muscle mass than women which as a result causes them to drink more liquid than women and retain a greater body water supply.
DO I NEED TO TAKE SUPPLEMENTS?
A common misconception is supplements such as protein shakes, amino acid shakes and creatine are used to replace whole foods. However, they are designed to do what they say on the tin and provide additional supplementation to foods and drinks already in the diet.
​
Supplements are useful and can be used in a number of different ways;
​To support body composition, training and performance
Meet micronutrient needs if diet does not fulfil requirements
Increase protein and carbohydrate intake to meet requirements
Increase total daily energy needs depending on goal outcomes
​
However, your overall health and fitness goals will determine if and when you need supplements. For example, a goal of muscle gain would benefit from protein shakes, a goal of strength gain would benefit from creatine, and a goal of body fat loss wouldn't necessarily benefit from supplements as a low calorie diet is required.