Is Online Fitness Coaching Worth It?

By Eli Pacheco On May 20, 2023

You want desperately to get in shape, but you don’t know where to start or nothing you’ve tried has worked. Maybe you’ve seen an ad on Instagram, or a friend just got one and now you’re wondering if getting a fitness coach could be right for you.

Here’s what I can tell you. For years, I had dreams of getting fit. I tried to do it on my own countless times. I would get on track for a little while, but never see results, get discouraged only to quit and try again a few months or years down the road.

So what actually changed everything for me and helped me make fitness a part of my life, get stronger and finally stick with a routine long enough to see results? Getting an online fitness coach through a training app called Future. You can read my in-depth review here.

Is online fitness coaching worth it? Will it work for you?

Read on to see what exactly a fitness coach does, the benefits, how it works, and‌ who it’s not right for. Then you can decide if getting a fitness coach is right for you.

#1:) What Does an Online (Remote) Fitness Coach Do?

An online fitness coach is a fitness professional and trainer that will design a custom streamlined workout plan just for you, your fitness level, and your goals. They’ll save you time by helping you skip all the mistakes and frustration of trying to get fit on your own.

More than planning your workouts, teaching you the basics, and guiding your progress, fitness coaches also work to change your mindset. This way, you learn to make healthier choices that will help you reach your goals.

Your coach will check in with you daily to make sure you’re doing the workouts, motivate you and give you all the advice and support.

And you don’t need a gym membership or fancy equipment. Working with an online coach through a training app like Future, you can reach your goals when and where it’s most convenient for you. Have a smartphone and a Wi-Fi connection? You’re ready to get started.

#2.) What Makes Getting a Fitness Coach Worth It?

On paper, it doesn’t look hard to get in shape. Move more, eat better, lift more. But once we get going, it can seem like those simple steps are not so simple at all.

⇒ Want to get stronger?
⇒ Lean out?
⇒ Change your body composition?
⇒ Do pull-ups?
⇒ Run a 5K?
⇒ Have the strength to hike a tough trail?

A fitness coach will learn your unique goals, fitness level, and lifestyle and give you the quickest most effective stress-free plan to get you there.

They’ll break down the process into smaller actionable steps to make the process more enjoyable, less scary, and totally doable.

Online fitness coaching is 100% worth it if :

You want to skip time-wasting mistakes, hours of research, and trendy programs that don’t work for all body types.
You want a fun workout plan designed just for you.
You need help to stay consistent and build a workout habit.
You need flexibility.
You don’t want to join a gym or you want to make the most of your gym membership.

Online fitness coaches are perfect for training anyone who:

⇒ Is a total beginner.
⇒ Wants to get in shape again after a long break (mine was years).
⇒ Wants someone to lay it all out for them.
⇒ Wants someone to keep them on track.
⇒ Wants to take their workouts to the next level or break a plateau.
⇒ Needs help with nutrition and supplements.

They can also help you with specific goals like:

Losing weight
Changing body composition
Building muscle and strength
Building endurance
Training for an event, competition, or sport
Staying mobile with an injury

Even wanting to stay consistently active is reason enough to work with a fitness coach. But if you want to get fit, lean, strong, or finally run that 5k, they’ll give you the plan to get you there too.

#3.) What’s the Difference Between a Personal Trainer and a Fitness Coach?

There aren’t any industry-recognized fitness coach certifications. But fitness coaches will have personal training certifications and often higher education. Both can help design a program that best meets your needs and lifestyle that will give you results. But one is more flexible.

A personal trainer will meet you in person at a set time and guide you through your workouts to make sure you’re doing them correctly and safely.

With an online fitness coach, it’s all about flexibility and working together remotely. You do the workouts on your schedule and they’ll communicate with you 100% online through video calls, texting, and messaging through apps.

You can make it happen all at home with just a mat and your smartphone.

#4.) Keeping You Accountable is Where Fitness Coach Shine. That Accountability Can Make You 90% More Likely to Reach Your Fitness Goals.

A fitness coach isn’t there to nag you. But they will check in regularly to make sure you’re doing your workouts.

Studies show that having another person to who you have to report to and discuss your progress to will launch your likelihood of accomplishing your goals to 90%. This is huge!

It sounds cliché, but I don’t like letting my coach down or having her think I’m lazy. I now get in every workout even on those days I’d much rather veg.

#5.) They’ll Customize Fun Workouts For You that Actually Work For Your Fitness Level and Schedule.

⇒ Here’s a fact: You don’t need to do the insane and flashy workouts you see fitness influencers doing to reach your goals.

A good fitness coach or trainer will assess your fitness level and make you
effective workouts that are fun and won’t overwhelm you or risk injury. Imagine actually looking forward to a workout. That’s what having a fitness coach did for me and I used to hate working out.

And my coach will adjust or reschedule my workouts on days when something unforeseen pops up or I’m not feeling 100%.

# 6.) You’ll Have Someone to Lean On When Times Get Tough or You Get Confused about What to Do.

While totally worth it, getting fit isn’t always easy. We all get moody, stressed, and tired. And there will be days you don’t want to work out, or you want to eat everything in sight and give up.

Having the support of a fitness coach to get you through these stressful times can make or break your fitness journey. Give them a shout and they’ll talk you down and remind you why you want to get fit and healthy, to begin with.

# 7.) With a Fitness Coach, You’ll Work Harder and Fastrack Your Progress.

Having a custom workout plan can put you on the right path and take the stress out of working out.

A fitness coach will:

⇒ Break down your long-term big fitness goals into short-term, attainable goals so you can quickly see results and success.

⇒ Give you workouts based on your interests and lifestyle.

⇒ Keep track of your achievements.

⇒ Advise and support you every step of the way.

And having someone make sure you’re doing the work and give you constructive feedback is why having a fitness coach is extra effective.

With a coach, I push myself a lot harder during workouts than I ever have on my own. And that’s when you start to grow and see results.

# 8.) A Coach Can Keep You on Track Even When You Travel.

It’s easy to skip workouts or fall out of your routine when you’re traveling. But an online fitness coach can easily give you workouts and strategies to keep you on track on the go.

If you use a fitness coaching app like Future, you’ll always have your workouts accessible. But their coaches will do better than that.

⇒ Here’s an example: When I travel, my Future Fitness coach Lori will make a workout based on the hotel gym, pool, or fitness facilities where I’m staying. All I have to do is send her a pic or link to the website.

And if I’d rather hit the local trails or wind down with a yoga routine in my room instead? Done. She’ll plan any workout I want to do on the fly and schedule it in the Future app platform. It’s that easy and that amazing.

# 9.) Having a Remote Coach Works Even if You Hate Working Out Alone.

You can still go to the gym with a buddy, take group classes and continue to work with a local trainer if you like. The more support you have, the better.

#10.) You’ll Break Out of Your Comfort Zone.

With a fitness coach by my virtual side, I’m more willing to do new things and give exercises and workout styles I thought I despised another try. Turns out those exercises “I hated” (hello HIIT) weren’t as bad as I thought the more I did them and improved.

Before I had a fitness coach:

I hated exercising.
I never pushed myself.
I would skip super-effective exercises and weight lifting because I “didn’t like them”.
I used to make a million excuses.
I never realized what I could accomplish by sticking with a routine.
I couldn’t make fitness a part of my lifestyle, no matter how hard I tried.

And now:

I never skip a workout unless I’m injured, sick, or something unforeseen drops into my schedule.
I learned to love weights (they’re so effective!).
I learned consistency is everything.
I give exercises a chance before I make up my mind.
I actually like working out and how exercising makes me feel!

⇒ There’s something magical about having a remote coach.

# 11.) The Real Reason Online Fitness Coaching Works.

Your coach will simplify and take the stress out of getting in shape. But they’re also there to guide and motivate you and get you excited about what you want to accomplish next.

And it’s that daily personal connection with another human that turns a switch in our minds, gets us to do the work, and stops the excuses.

They’ll remind you when you’re doing great and calm your concerns and remind you how far you’ve come. These things are so important but easy to overlook.

Having a streamlined workout plan that cuts out all the b.s. is great. Having someone hold you accountable is life-changing. And it’s why fitness coaching works.

#12.) It’s a Fraction of the Price of Traditional Personal Training Sessions.

Working with a personal trainer at your local fitness club can range anywhere from $50-$130 per session over your monthly membership fee.

Luckily, remote fitness coaches can be a more budget-friendly option that gives you a lot more bang for your buck.

They usually charge a monthly fee through apps or online platforms that are a fraction of what personal training packages cost.

Like personal training sessions, remote fitness coaches will range in the monthly cost.

Obviously, the more intensive the support, and the more experience and knowledge they have, the more expensive they may be.

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# 13.) It Might Not Be Right For Everyone.

If you’re open and willing to try something new, having an online fitness coach can change your life, as it did mine. But it may not be right for everyone.

People who don’t enjoy being “coached,” told what to do, or go into the experience with a combative or negative mindset, should steer clear.

Maybe you respond better to one-on-one attention or don’t want to be chatting back and forth online with someone on your laptop or phone. In that case, a personal trainer may be a better fit for you.

And anyone with an injury (new or old), illness, or disability, should be cautious. Be sure to get the green light from a doctor or physical therapist before starting any new exercises or workout program.

# 14.) You’ll Start to Form Healthier Habits and Feel Better Right Away

Only you can decide how long you should work with a coach. But try it for just one month and I guarantee you’ll feel better and get back into the swing of working out. I noticed improvements in my mindset, mood, muscle tone, and energy levels within a couple of weeks.

But a 2021 study found that forming new habits, like exercising regularly, can take around 2 months to establish. Having a coach support you, can mean the difference between making fitness a part of your life or going back to your old ways.

If you can afford to stick it out to the 3-month mark, this is when you’ll really notice a marked improvement in strength, endurance, and body composition.

# 15. ) Even With an Online Coach, it’s Important to Find One That’s Right for You

You’ll want to find a fitness coach you connect with and feel comfortable with since you’re going to be chatting a lot. And their experience and expertise should align with your needs. For example, if you want to lean out, find a coach that specializes in weight loss.

Different fitness coaches also have different styles and methods of motivation.
Do you want a coach that’s bubbling with positivity? A tough love set-you-straight type?

Finding a trainer who you connect with on a fun and friendly level will make the experience all the better and amplify your enthusiasm and boost your results.

If you feel you’re not clicking with their personality or style, don’t get discouraged. You might have to experiment a bit, but you will find the right coach.

???? Tip: All Future fitness coaches are elite-level certified trainers. And they have a wide range of specialties (training with injuries, prenatal/postpartum fitness, weight loss, etc.). You can check their coach’s bios before signing up and switch anytime.

Read our full Future app review here to see how it works.

# 16.) Getting a Remote fitness Coach Can be the Difference Between Accomplishing Your Fitness Goals Now Or Still Wishing You Could 5 Years From Now.

So is online fitness coaching worth it? It was for me. And it’s not a coincidence the world’s greatest athletes have a team of coaches to help them reach the top of their game.

If you want to get fit and you haven’t been able to get anywhere on your own, a fitness coach can be your ticket to making your fitness goals a reality.

Don’t waste time any more time. Find your perfect online fitness coach right now and try Future for only $19.