Most people have never hired a personal trainer so they are not sure of what to expect. It can be intimidating to think of exercising one-on-one with someone standing over you and watching your every move. To help you get over that, think of your personal trainer as your tour guide. Your fitness journey begins wherever you currently are and will take you wherever you want to go. Your trainer is there to help you decide on your destination, map the route to get you there, plan and execute the itinerary, and be there to help you if you get lost along the way. All you need to do is show up and enjoy the ride.

Pick your destination: First, you'll need to decide where you want to go, or set your fitness goals. This seems simple yet many people have not given their goals much thought. If you are first time traveler on a fitness trip, you may want to start with any easily attainable goal. This will allow you to gain some confidence in your ability to master control of your environment and body. A trainer can help you decide what an attainable goal will be for you and your specific situation. If you would like to see some weight loss, an easy start would be a 5 pound goal. It's easy to get to, kind of like Chicago, drivable and scenic, but not very exotic. Setting your goal destination is the most critical step of the process, because you will never know when you get there if you don't know where you are going.

Decide on your mode of transportation: Florida is a great destination, but it's going to take you a long time to get there from Minnesota if you walk, even longer without a map. Same goes for trying to lose a big amount of weight or other lofty goals. It's going to take a long time if you only make little changes, less time with bigger changes. Your trainer can help you by putting together a plan and attaching a timeline so you will know exactly what to do and when you expect to see some results. Eating better will definitely help with a weight loss goal, but exercise will help you get there even faster. The more changes you are willing to make, the more changes you will start to see. Having a firm plan in place will keep you on a steady pace. The most important thing to remember here is that every step you take points you in the right direction. Don't worry if you do get sidetracked periodically, just get back on course and focus on the final destination.

Enjoy the trip: This journey is not about a starting point and an ending point, rather the journey itself becomes the adventure. Embrace the changing scenery and savor the local flavors. In other words, as you see changes in your body, acknowledge that your hard work is paying off. Notice how your clothes fits better, how you have more energy, a better attitude toward your body and a general feeling of contentment knowing you are doing the right thing. This will definitely help you stay motivated and on course to the final destination. Your trainer will keep you on track and engaged by offering a variety of new exercises whenever things start getting stale. Enjoy the foods that will nourish and fuel your body and avoid the ones that will prolong you from getting where you are heading. Your trainer can also help you put together a nutritional plan allowing you to experiment with exciting new foods and flavors that you wouldn't have come up on your own. Remember that the journey is the experience.

Rinse and repeat: Once you reach your destination and bask in your accomplishment for a while, it's time to set a new goal and enjoy another tour. Your trainer will be there to help set another goal, suggests a different course and help you get there once again. Your success will be the key to staying on course and your trainer will be the one to offer you a variety of options to get there.

Before you know it, you'll become a seasoned traveler. You may even gain the confidence you need to go it alone. You'll be running, cycling, swimming, whatever you can imagine. Your trainer will applaud your efforts and accomplishments and hand you some shiny brochures on other places you may want to try in the future. Kettlebells? TRX? Boot Camp? Bring it on, you'll say. I want to see it all.