Starting Out: What to Expect Once you have chosen a trainer, there are certain questions they should ask you and evaluations they should perform.

First, they should be very clear about what your goals are and make some suggestions as to how they can help you to achieve them.

Before even beginning an exercise program they should do a complete physical evaluation of your strength, range of motion, flexibility, current exercise routine (if you’ve been working out on your own), any injuries you might have sustained over years, and any physical limitations you might have (such as a weak lower back or arthritis in your knee or shoulder joints).

Once they have designed a unique program to fit your body type, level of ability, and goals, they should be able to give you clear instructions and a clear idea of how to correctly position your body on any exercise ball, machine, or with any free weights.

You will only get maximum benefit from each exercise and avoid injury if your trainer is knowledgeable about physiology. They should be able to coach you on correct posture, which includes good head, neck, shoulder, arm, lower back, hip, and leg positions for each machine or exercise.

Good posture and positioning of body will enable you to perform exercises correctly and without pain. If something is hurting you or you feel undue strain, stop immediately and communicate this to your fitness instructor. Improving your level of fitness takes effort, endurance, and consistency, but not to point of strain or injury.

A good workout program should include enough sets and repetitions of each movement to challenge you and to fully work each body part. If you are doing two sessions per week with a trainer, they should spend one on upper body and abdominals and second session on lower body and abdominals. In other words, they should thoroughly work each section of body and allow it enough time to recover in between workouts.

Warning Signs There are certain behaviors you should be aware of that might indicate that a trainer is not being as professional as they should be with a client.

A trainer should be a good listener, always attentive to your goals. If your trainer is constantly using a lot of “I” and “me” statements, they are not making good use of your time together. They should be focused on your needs, your progress, and what you require.

A good trainer should always respect emotional boundaries. Beware of trainers who want to tell you their life story, ask you for advice in their career, or pour out their heartaches and stories about their love life. You are their client, not their therapist. It is equally time-wasting to work with a trainer who encourages you to take about your own problems. In such a situation is it easy to feel sucked dry emotionally and talk your way through your hour, instead of getting full workout you are there to do.

We are all human and have our ups and downs—and we mention them from time to time—but this should first and foremost always be a professional relationship from which you need to get a certain amount of value for your physique.

Lastly, a good trainer should always keep upgrading your workout. If weeks go by and someone is still having you do same amount of sets and reps with same amount of weight, they are not helping you to make progress. The body will eventually acclimate itself to any exercise routine and it needs to be continually challenged. If you follow these guidelines, you should be able to find a trainer who will help you to meet your goals and improve your physique, energy levels, and general health. Good luck!

Many people are told, "You can do this on your own, be strong,” as if a person can easily will themselves out of depression or anxiety. Can someone "Be Strong" and make their diabetes or bronchitis just go away? These types of suggestions only result in a delay in seeking treatment or feelings of failure in individual who finally does seek help. The stigma of psychiatric treatment also leads many people to seek help at health food store, or other types of self-diagnosis and self-medications.

Men in particular have to overcome an additional obstacle. It may seem "Un-Macho Like" to seek professional psychiatric help when one fails to understand or see their condition as an illness, and instead view it as a weakness in their character. Thus, injury to a man's ego often contributes to their long delays in seeking treatment.

My hope is that shame and secrecy associated with obtaining professional psychiatric help will gradually diminish and eventually cease to exist. If we understand how social stigma was established in first place - media lack of medical knowledge, societies' understanding or ignorance, etc., then we should realize there is no need to "stay in closet." Let's wipe out term "mental illness" and view many of these conditions as "neurochemical illness,” with same non-prejudicial attitude as we do toward diseases such as diabetes or hypertension.

Debra S. Gorin, M.D. has been in private practice as a Psychiatrist for the past sixteen years in the Fort Lauderdale area. Visit her website (http://www.doctorgorin.com) to view her growing library of psychiatric and health-related articles. Dr. Gorin's weblog can be viewed at http://debragorinmd.blogspot.com She can be contacted at couchdoctor415@yahoo.com